“I have come to look for you, Torres,” said Benito, who had not stirred in the least at this threatening attitude.
“To look for me?” answered the adventurer. “It is not very difficult to find me. And why have you come to look for me?”
“To know from your own lips what you appear to know of the past life of my father.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I want to know how you recognized him, why you were prowling about our fazenda in the forest of Iquitos, and why you were waiting for us at Tabatinga.”
“Well! it seems to me nothing could be clearer!” answered Torres, with a grin. “I was waiting to get a passage on the jangada, and I went on board with the intention of making him a very simple proposition—which possibly he was wrong in rejecting.”
At these words Manoel could stand it no longer. With pale face and eye of fire he strode up to Torres.
Benito, wishing to exhaust every means of conciliation, thrust himself between them.
“Calm yourself, Manoel!” he said. “I am calm—even I.”
And then continuing: