Chapter 27 Chapter 7 Determination

A few hours later the family was back on the big raft, gathered in the common cabin.All were there except for the righteous man who had just been hit. Benito hung his head, blaming himself for ruining his father.Had it not been for the entreaties of Yaquita, his sister, Father Passana, and Manoel, the unfortunate young man would have committed suicide out of despair at first.However, everyone kept watching him and did not leave him alone.Yet what deed is nobler than his!Wasn't it justifiable vengeance to kill the informer who had killed his father? well!Why Joam.D'Acosta had not told the whole truth before leaving the raft!Why did he keep the physical evidence to prove his innocence only to the judge!Why, after he had driven Torres away, did he not talk to Manoel about the document that the villain Torres claimed to be in possession of?But, after all, how much could he believe in Torres' words?Was he sure that such a document would be in the hands of such a rascal?

At any rate, the whole family understood now, and it was from Joam.According to Da Costa himself, everyone knows that according to Torres, there is indeed evidence to prove the innocence of the Tijuca case. This document was written by the murderer himself; out of guilt, the murderer entrusted the document to the Companion Torres, but this guy not only failed to fulfill the last wish of the deceased, but instead traded it for extortion!But the whole family also knew that Torres had just died in a duel. The Amazon River had submerged his body. Now, barring a miracle, Joam.D'Acosta seemed to be at the end of his rope.Judge Ribeiro's death on the one hand, and Torres' death on the other, what a double whammy, he may never see the light of day again!

It should be noted here that in Manao public opinion has always been partial and unjust, entirely against the prisoners.Joam.D'Acosta's sudden arrest brought back to memory the horrific murder of Tijuca, which had been buried in oblivion for twenty-three years.And so the lawsuit in the diamond mine, the young employee sentenced to death, and his escape from jail a few hours before the execution, all this was shaken up again, carefully considered and discussed.Not long ago, "Bara Daily", the newspaper with the largest circulation in this area, published an article detailing the details of the case, and the lines were full of hatred for the detainees.How could people believe Joam.Is Da Costa innocent?They don't know everything the D'Acosta family knows and they are the only ones in the know.

There was a moment of enthusiasm among the Manao people.Crowds of Indians and blacks flocked to the prison in a dazed manner, calling for Joam to be executed.This country spans North and South America, and a part of the country implements Lynch's law [Note: This is a simplified lawsuit practiced in America. According to this law, the masses catch a criminal, and the judge will sentence him and execute him on the spot. 】, Cruel executions are not uncommon. Here, people are cruel and will quickly act rashly. We have reason to worry that they will punish criminals with their own hands this time!

What a dreary night it was for all the people on the raft!It was a blow to both the master and the servant!Isn't this boat a family?All want a vigil for Yaquita and her family.On the banks of the Rio Negro there were constant comings and goings of the natives, evidently in Joam.Da Costa was furious after being arrested. Who knows what extravagance these half-civilized people will do! Nothing happened overnight, and there was no sign of any attack on the big raft. At dawn the next day, August 26, Manoel and Fragoso, who had been watching Benito all night, tried to help him out of despair.They took him aside and explained to him that the situation was urgent and that he should make up his mind to act immediately.

Benito, said Manoel, you must control yourself and be a man again, like a son! my father!cried Benito, I have killed him! No, Manoel went on, by God, things might be saved! Listen to us, Mr. Benito.Fragoso said. The young man rubbed his eyes with his hands, trying to pull himself together. Benito, Manoel continued, Torres never gave us any clues of his past.We have neither found the culprit in Tijuca's case, nor have we learned the circumstances of his crime.Starting from this aspect, it will only be a waste of time! And we're running out of time!Fragoso added. Besides!Manoel said that even if we found Torres' accomplice, he himself was dead, which would not prove that Joam.Da Costa is not guilty.But there was certainly physical evidence of his innocence, and since Torres had bargained for it, there was no reason to doubt it.The whole document is a confession written by the murderer, detailing the ins and outs of the murder case, it can clear the wrong for our father!Yes!Absolutely!There must be such a document!

But Torres, he's dead!shouted Benito, and the papers were destroyed with the scoundrel! Wait, don't get discouraged!Manoel replied, Can you recall when we met Torres?It was in the forest of Iquitos.He was chasing a monkey that had stolen a metal box that was so dear to him, and he had been chasing it for two hours when it fell to our guns.Well, can you believe that Torres is desperately trying to get the box back just for the few gold coins it contains?Do you remember the strange satisfaction with which the monkey showed when you handed him back the box you had taken from him. right!right!Benito replied, I took and returned the box to him!maybe hidden in it

Isn't it just maybe certainly Manoel replied. Let me add, Fragoso said, remembering.When you went to Ega, Lina asked me to stay on the boat and watch Torres, and I saw him holding a yellowed page and reading and reading and muttering words I couldn't understand! It's that document!Exclaimed Benito, Hope is here, the last ray of hope left in him But, this document, didn't he keep it in a safe and secure place? No, replied Manoel, no!Documents were too precious to Torres to leave him for a moment!He must always have it with him, probably in that box! Wait a minute Manoel, cried Benito, I remember!right!I remembered!During the duel, when I stabbed Torres's first sword in the chest, the tip of the sword touched a hard thing under his cloak like a metal plate

That's the box!cried Fragoso. right!Manoel replied that there was nothing to doubt!The box was in his coat pocket! Can Torres' body? We can find it! But that piece of paper!The water will soak it and soak it, making it difficult to read any writing! How could it be, replied Manoel, as long as the box containing the papers was sealed tightly! Manoel, Benito take this last hope, you are right!To find Torres' body!We'll scour that stretch of river if necessary, and we'll always find it! Immediately called the guide Aroruo and told him what everyone was going to do. good!Aroro replied, I am well aware of the whirlpool at the confluence of the Negro River and the Amazon River, and we will definitely find Torres' body.Take two boats, two canoes, take a dozen Indians, and let's get aboard.

At that moment Father Passana came out of Yaquita's room.Benito went forward and told him briefly of their plan to find the papers. Don't say anything to my mother and sister!He added that if this last hope failed, it would literally kill them! Go, boy, and do well, replied Father Passana, and may God be with you! Five minutes later, the four boats left the raft; and they went down the Rio Negro, near the banks of the Amazon, where Torres fell into the water.