idea that he had already met Torres somewhere.
“From the province of Minas Geraes.”
“And you were born—-”
“In the capital of the diamond district, Tijuco.”
Those who had seen Joam Garral at this moment would have been
surprised at the fixity of his look which met that of Torres.
CHAPTER XIX
ANCIENT HISTORY
BUT THE CONVERSATION was continued by Fragoso, who immediately
rejoined:
“What! you come from Tijuco, from the very capital of the diamond
district?”
“Yes,” said Torres. “Do you hail from that province?”
“No! I come from the Atlantic seaboard in the north of Brazil,”
replied Fragoso.
“You do not know this diamond country, Mr. Manoel?” asked Torres.
A negative shake of the head from the young man was the only reply.
“And you, Mr. Benito,” continued Torres, addressing the younger
Garral, whom he evidently wished to join in the conversation; “you
have never had curiosity enough to visit the diamond arraval?”
“Never,” dryly replied Benito.
“Ah! I should like to see that country,” said Fragoso, who
unconsciously played Torres’ game. “It seems to me I should finish by
picking up a diamond worth something considerable.”
“And what would you do with this diamond worth something
considerable, Fragoso?” queried Lina.
“Sell it!”
“Then you would get rich all of a sudden!”
“Very rich!”
“Well, if you had been rich three months ago you would never have had
the idea of–that liana!”
“And if I had not had that,” exclaimed Fragoso, “I should not have
found a charming little wife who–well, assuredly, all is for the
best!”
“You see, Fragoso,” said Minha, “when you marry Lina, diamond takes
the place of diamond, and you do not lose by the change!”
“To be sure, Miss Minha,” gallantly replied Fragoso; “rather I gain!”
There could be no doubt that Torres did not want the subject to drop,
for he went on with:
“It is a fact that at Tijuco sudden fortunes are realized enough to
turn any man’s head! Have you heard tell of the famous diamond of
Abaete, which was valued at more than two million contos of reis?
Well, this stone, which weighed an ounce, came from the Brazilian
mines! And they were three convicts–yes! three men sentenced to
transportation for life–who found it by chance in the River Abaete,
at ninety leagues from Terro de Frio.”
“At a stroke their fortune was made?” asked Fragoso.
“No,” replied Torres; “the diamond was handed over to the
governor-general of the mines. The value of the stone was recognized,
and King John VI., of Portugal, had it cut, and wore it on his neck
on great occasions. As for the convicts, they got their pardon, but
that was all, and the cleverest could not get much of an income out
of that!”
“You, doubtless?” said Benito very dryly.
“Yes–I? Why not?” answered Torres. “Have you ever been to the
diamond district?” added he, this time addressing Joam Garral.
“Never!” said Joam, looking straight at him.
“That is a pity!” replied he. “You should go there one day. It is a
very curious place, I assure you. The diamond valley is an isolated
spot in the vast empire of Brazil, something like a park of a dozen
leagues in circumference, which in the nature of its soil, its
vegetation, and its sandy rocks surrounded by a circle of high
mountains, differs considerably from the neighboring provinces. But,
as I have told you, it is one of the richest places in the world, for
from 1807 to 1817 the annual return was about eighteen thousand
carats. Ah! there have been some rare finds there, not only for the
climbers who seek the precious stone up to the very tops of the
mountains, but also for the smugglers who fraudulently export it. But
the work in the mines is not so pleasant, and the two thousand
negroes employed in that work by the government are obliged even to
divert the watercourses to get at the diamantiferous sand. Formerly
it was easier work.”
“In short,” said Fragoso, “the good time has gone!”
“But what is still easy is to get the diamonds in
scoundrel-fashion–that is, by theft; and–stop! in 1826, when I was
about eight years old, a terrible drama happened at Tijuco, which