that we should know her
husband's mother, who is to replace me, and to whom we are about to
entrust her? Added to this, Minha does not wish to grieve Madame Valdez
by getting married at a distance from her. When we were married, Joam,
if your mother had been alive, would you not have liked her to be
present at your wedding?"

At these words of Yaquita Joam made a movement which he could not
repress.

"My dear," continued Yaquita, "with Minha, with our two sons, Benito and
Manoel, with you, how I should like to see Brazil, and to journey down
this splendid river, even to the provinces on the seacoast through which
it runs! It seems to me that the separation would be so much less cruel!
As we came back we should revisit our daughter in her house with her
second mother. I would not think of her as gone I knew not where. I
would fancy myself much less a stranger to the doings of her life."

This time Joam had fixed his eyes on his wife and looked at her for some
time without saying anything.

What ailed him? Why this hesitation to grant a request which was so just
in itself--to say "Yes," when it would give such pleasure to all who
belonged to him? His business affairs could not afford a sufficient
reason. A few weeks of absence would not compromise matters to such a
degree. His manager would be able to take his place without any hitch in
the fazenda. And yet all this time he hesitated.

Yaquita had taken both her husband's hands in hers, and pressed them
tenderly.

"Joam," she said, "it is not a mere whim that I am asking you to grant.
No! For a long time I have thought over the proposition I have just
made to you; and if you consent, it will be the realization of my most
cherished desire. Our children know why I am now talking to you. Minha,
Benito, Manoel, all ask this favor, that we should accompany them. We
would all rather have the wedding at Belem than at Iquitos. It will be
better for your daughter, for her establishment, for the position which
she will take at Belem, that she should arrive with her people, and
appear less of a stranger in the town in which she will spend most of
her life."

Joam Garral leaned on his elbows. For a moment he hid his face in his
hands, like a man who had to collect his thoughts before he made answer.
There was evidently some hesitation which he was anxious to overcome,
even some trouble which his wife felt but could not explain. A secret
battle was being fought under that th