"Yes, man. Just a moment ago,"
"Here? In the house?"
"On this very spot."
Manuel, quaking with fear, ran up the stairs to the gallery. The floor was still stained with the pool of blood. Señor Zurro, the only witness to the drama, was telling the story to a group of neighbours.
"I was here, reading the paper," said the old-clothes man, "and Milagros and her mother were talking to Lechuguino. The engaged couple were enjoying themselves, when up comes Leandro to the gallery; he was about to open the door to his rooms when, before he went in, he suddenly turned to Milagros. 'Is that your sweetheart?' he said to her. It seemed to me that he was as pale as a corpse. 'Yes,' she answered. 'All right. Then I've come here to end things once and for all,' he shouted. 'Which of the two do you prefer, him or me?' 'Him,' shrieks Milagros. 'Then it's all up,' cried Leandro in a hoarse voice. 'I'm going to kill you.' After that I can't recall anything clearly; it was all as swift as a thunderbolt; when I ran over to them, the girl was gushing blood from her mouth; the proof-reader's wife was screaming and Leandro was chasing Lechuguino with his knife opened."
"I saw him leave the house," added an old woman. "He was waving his blood-stained knife in the air; my husband tried to stop him; but he backed like a bull, lunged for him and came near killing him."
"And where are my uncle and aunt?" asked Manuel.
"Over at the Emergency Hospital. They followed the stretcher."
Manuel went down into the patio.
"Where are you going?" asked Aristón.