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           “TheincorruptibleCapatazdeCargadoresisthemanforthatwork;andI,themanwithapassion,butwithoutamission,Igowithhimtoreturn—toplaymypartinthefarcetotheend,and,ifsuccessful,toreceivemyreward,whichnoonebutAntoniacangiveme.

           “IshallnotseeheragainnowbeforeIdepart.Ilefther,asIhavesaid,byDonJose’sbedside.Thestreetwasdark,thehousesshutup,andIwalkedoutofthetowninthenight.Notasinglestreet-lamphadbeenlitfortwodays,andthearchwayofthegatewasonlyamassofdarknessinthevagueformofatower,inwhichIheardlow,dismalgroans,thatseemedtoanswerthemurmursofaman’svoice.

           “Irecognizedsomethingimpassiveandcarelessinitstone,characteristicofthatGenoesesailorwho,likeme,hascomecasuallyheretobedrawnintotheeventsforwhichhisscepticismaswellasmineseemstoentertainasortofpassivecontempt.Theonlythingheseemstocarefor,asfarasIhavebeenabletodiscover,istobewellspokenof.Anambitionfitfornoblesouls,butalsoaprofitableoneforanexceptionallyintelligentscoundrel.Yes.Hisverywords,‘Tobewellspokenof.Si,senor.’Hedoesnotseemtomakeanydifferencebetweenspeakingandthinking.Isitsheernaivenessorthepracticalpointofview,Iwonder?Exceptionalindividualitiesalwaysinterestme,becausetheyaretruetothegeneralformulaexpressingthemoralstateofhumanity.