devil to pay in the backlands

8/18/2019 Devil to Pay in the Backlands

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THE DEVIL TO PY

Tl BCKLDS


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�E DEVILTO PAY INTH BACKLANS

me Devil in the Street,

in the Midd o the Whirlwind"

BY J GUMR Rranlad ro oruu

JAMES L. TAYLOR nd HARRIE DE ONS

1 963�

New Yk�

.Aed·AKnpf


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r uer

THIS S A ORZO BX

PULSHED Y A A. KNOPF, INC

Copyrght© 19 by Aled A. Kof, c rghts reseved No at o this book ma be repodued n ny o wthot ersso n wtg te bshe exet by evewe

who may qoe be passaes n a eview to be

pd n ge o ewsaer. Mauac-

ued n e Uned Saes o Amea and s tbtd by Rndom Hoe In Pbled l

taeousy Toono Caada by Random ose

o Cda Ltd

FRT AMRCAN N

pld og

y Liaia Jos Olmpo Etra asre er ee 9


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Arac m w Ara

OO O


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The Place of Guimares Rosa

in Brazin Literare

I only oe stance of a reaer mpac on conemporary Brazlan lteraure han that produced by the books oGuimares oa: he pubcaon o Glbero Freyre's sGr Sl (T M Sl n 33 Therepercusson o the Peambucan socoogists book was elt

hroughou Brazl Moreover, became he pont o departure fo a ou of noess who ond her npraon n he damao he peope and he land o Bral os Lns do ego Graciao amos co Versso achel de Quero Jos Amercde Aeda uco Cardoso Oao de Faa os Gedo Veao meion ony he most outstanding

Gumaes Rosa made hs appearance on he lery cene

en years ater wh a boo o hor stores Sgr He andhis eow ral-blaers represen the second generaton whoehemes reec hat upsure her conys deelopmen seo by he eoluon o an upsrge whch has been in henare o a ascendng spra These are noeiss and shortsorywies such as alco urar Herberto Sale ames Aado

osu Monello Heanonao Adonas Fiho o CondeThe moeent was caracered by a deermned and hghlyonoes eor o e ew orms to he eary lanuae


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l

T E D E I T

(s uposhed and ough n he st geeraon of wes,who wee engaged the ask o ansfog he veaca ofBazl i a smen of asc ceaon). Te new tea

te dvded ccs ad pubc; some became entusasc suppoes ohes volen oppoetsTe ctcs wee o dvded than the pubc as hough they

wee excusvey concened wh and saw ony he fomastysc asect of Gmaes Rosa's wok throgh whch he wasatempng o ceate n keepng wh he subjec mate a new

naave sume The owad cloak of hs foma aspecseemed to concea and de fom cea ccs that heavngunvese bu ad ede vole ad gee of landscapesbengs damas battes wld bacands the ce at tmes udcou sows whc compse e vas nque word of Guaes osa Baan and unvesal at one and he same me

ha he pubc saw ove and above eveyg ese was the

mter out o whch the wok had been creaed s conenttha s to say te lved and vng esh-adbood e tha sopowefy bued a es cae gushg fo t The pb c ead and appladed e wte despe he fac a fo manythe fom epesso was ofen oe of a bae to undesandg han a avene of poach We te ccs wee agung

he vdy o the eement uong Joyce and showng oe eudton the pbc eaed tha a uue ge a ceaoof ecepona gs had emeged on e aa ey scenewhose eveaed and eveg wold was he sot ha helps obd a nao and he awaeess of a nao

It s odd tha Gumaes osa shod be a Mier. In hecaous and fo he most pa consevave sa of MnasGeas landlocked and asue eaue s as a ule wemaneed cton eve oe so than poey (he poes CarlosDmmond de Andade ad }uo endes re he opposte owelmanneed s cto has not yet feed sef fom teapron sgs of acado de sss ad goes on eceag henmagae medoce fe of the mdde cass eschewg

satl nnovatons epemens wh language a veablemode f pole pasg Nohng could be fue emovedfom hs tha d Ba o Gad So Vda


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T E B D S X

De Pay Baklads) Fo me, Guies Ros is noves of Bha rthe th Mis eis d I hink y poso ths te s pefectly tebe Thee is p of

s Ges tht which fos the setig of he Del Pay alads which is oongtion of the bcknds ofBh is cusoms is guge the me-p d chceof s ppe. Ad ths bcd o Bhh o he ge

bds he edes of otws he ndombe bcndesis Guimes Ros eoy he cy wih whch he wos iowhch he punes hs hds i he c o eo A his he

bes with msef s hough hs disgshed pom

nobod coud be gete gete o moe eeweisby shod ope sdls weig he ethe jekn of he bcde ove hs so me with budebss d violece He ces hs wh hmsel d es i o hs peope wo of dmesios ey cheved eue ( hv

lbee s '1itee" d ot Bz ee)I beieve I ws og he s to gsp d c enton o

he moc o Gmes Ross chevemen s noves o oeee he pi veszo o hs wo No somch o eve becuse of s fom spec e mied o ouno fes s becse of the wod eveed eceed

nd gven ening ie thugh he exoy eved begs hogh h Bzi th behes is eve pge

Guimes Ross cse s my opo compeely deefom tht of o e Adde he io o Maam othe Bzln modets o dew my o bos fohs mte sw z though veil of edito d fo heso fled to ech the eoe Guimes Ros hd so mucho e o ev to big foth h he hd o cee stet o coohis gugeo eep the spe he oodwithi bouds d bg oe o his ceo But wh wl nse hs eness he dgmen of foeg edes deqe hs e wh hose of he ge coempoy wesof cio is hs ceve powe he Bz uhenicy o hs

chctes the pustg fe h mtes hs evey peO the occsio of the publco Egsh of he Deil

Pay ala by Afed Kopf fied of te


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X T E D E I T P A Y I T E A A D S

nd fried of Brl, hus briging our mser oves o heknowege o w public nd ig ew reders o hoseGuimras Ro rdy hs brod i mkes me hy to hehis oporuniy o y tribue o he gre wer o whos ormo my geerion whch immediely preceded his cobud d for whom we clered e wy. The Engish-redg public w ke he cqunnce o one of he grees boksour erure hs roduced brl ender cordil svge ss Brl sel he mge o Brz drwn by wrer with cosume mser o hs crf Le y he hd of uimes

Ros he urbule me d wome from he her o h bck nds ener upon h mmorliy which r oe c gehem v Py n Bn bers wiesscerly s much s he idusril sblishmens of SoPuloo he muriy Brl nd is people hve reched

JG

R


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THE EVL TO Y

THE BCKL


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9®®®99®

OHIG.

Thoe sots you head ere not men tin, God be paie. Ita jt me tee n te back yad taret-hoong down bythe cee to ee n acce I o t evey ay becae enjoyt; have eve nce I a a boy Ateard tey came to eabot a caf ay te one th te qeeet eye and amzzle e a o hey tod me abot t but n' ant to ee

t On accont of te defomty t a bo t t dan bac t ooe e omeboy aun Maace o dogace: tat ete t fo tem t a the e Foo fo heyled t Dont no o t beone to ey came to oromy n d et tem ave t

You ae n amede Lten hen t a ea n

t a the o tat bn mmeateyten en tove yo o to e f anybod ot ed o ave to exce t bt t the eto Some ay t nottat te re

" A go Baz tm b nd a e en e


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4 E D E V O P A Y

seto s way out yode o the high pais beyod the Uuciae Nonese Fo ose of Cono and Cuelo he sn'ight hee the seto? but thees moe to t tha tht Theeto decbe itsef it is whee the gag ands hae ofences wee you can kee gog en feen league woucog upo a inge house whee a cimial ca safely hideou beyond e eac of e auhoes Te Uca es the mounas to he west ut oday o ts bk you ndeeythng: huge aches bodeig ch owand, the oodplans fams a ec fo wood o woods; ck ees nig oests-some e st standg The suoudig ladsae e geas. Tese ge ae endle yway e geemakows how it i each oe beliees what he kes: hog pig oswine t as you opie The seto eewhee.

Abou e de ae ong o ay. Ak e oes aoudhee Like ools theye fd ee to metion hi ame; isead ey say e Qu e WhaYoMayCalHm BaNot me Oeaoiding a thig is a way o ig th it TakeAitide who ie in that pam goe thee o the ight oe ceek caled VeedadaVacaMansadeSanaRa Eeybody belees wat he ay at thee ae ceta places theeof e a e can o ea o eang a fa cyng

behind him ad a te oce sag m coming! m comig!"t' the ooi the WhatYouayClHm Ad the take Smplc Anybody ee we o you a e keeps acapie demo in his housea tte imp who is oged to hepm sady deangs wc s wy Smpc o wayo gettig ich Tey say thi i also e easo Simplcis hose

sies ad sie whe Simpc ties to mount Supesto Smpc and Ades ae popeng mp o no mp. owite to ti thee ae people who init tat the deil hmsesopped o a Andequc wle pasng og ee ecenly.t eems that a cetai young ma a stage showed up adboated tat he coud get om thee ee in oy twenty m

ue akes a ful day and a alf on osebckbecause hewould go aound the headwates o the Rio do Cico* Pehapswo owno oene ended could ae been you you* A i o t o Fcico v


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E B D 5

self whe ou paed hrough here, ju jokg for he fu of? Do hod i agas e kow ou did I ea ohar is ju ha soeies a ueo a he righ melears he Bu, ou udersad , here was suh aoug a he ju waed o pu soebod' eg eause oile he headwaers he would have o go deep io his sae ofour d hen doule ak a rp of ome hree mon Welen? e Whoo? Nosense agao Ad e susne of poel alg he devl oher ame haspraial vg h o ppear npero he ehe, have jus abou lo l belef i hm, haks o God adha's he hoe ru ' elg ou, hough kow he ake for a fa ad he Hol Gospel are fu of hi Oe was alkig wh a oug seiaa, ve aiable he wasurng e pages ad readg paer book He ad on eens ad oe a wand of aeree h hand. He sad

he was gog o elp he pre drve e Wooss ou of ol�wo of aoeadosBo do eleve a word of . Mopadre Quele lais ha i he lower piis ha auehee aifesao he hirdass oe ig abou i hepih darke, seeg oa wh e vg ad ha someies he l ve a a real uppor M opadre Queem

is he oe who eases d-Quele de G6is is is fuae Bu e lve o far fro herea u on he Vereda oBur Pardo Bu el me whe ome o eg poeed f adev r helped one ou oo mus have known of asese-women n ha o A for me ve ee o a eaed o po he ihaMe, Saguedouro, Muio

Bei


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6 E D E V O

ries, can e n my hamock and speculate. Does he devexs or doesn' he? Thas wha Id lke o know I gve upLook: hre s such a ng as a waea sn here? Yes bua waera is ony a hgh bank h waer umbng over heedge Te away he waer or evel he bank-wha becoes ohe waera? Lving s a vey dangerous busess

Le me y o expan when e dev is inside a m n hgus he man is eer evi or suers bad uck Bu on hs ow

a man as such has no dei n h No one! Do you aee? eme rankoul be dong me a gea favo and I ask i oyou rom my he hs maer however oosh ay see s mporan o me I ws i wasn' Bu don' el e ha awse and earned person e you sr beieves in he dev!You don? I hank you Your opnon reassures e I knewou e ha wayI execed you woud ve you credor Ah! when man s od he needs o res easy I hank youag Al gh hen here s no dev And no sps nevesaw any And anbody was o see one should be me yourhumbe servan I I was o e you So he de ues back kngdom in anmas men n women Even nchdren I say For sn here a sayng "A chdspawn o hdev? d in hngs in pans n waers in he eah hwnd he dev in he sree n he mdde o he whrnd

Wa? Ah yes Jus an dea o mne memoies o hingworse han bad Is no ha hurs e o k abou hem I

beer reeves me Look here n he same ground and wh branches and eaves o e same shape doesn he swee

cassava whch we ea gow and he ber cassava whcks? ow he srange hing s ha e swee cassava can urn posonouswhy I don know ome say i s rom beng re paned over and ove n he sae so om cungsrows more and ore ber and hen posonous he oherhe bier cassava somemes changes oo and or no reaso

s swee d ebe How do you accoun or ha? Andhave you everseen he uness o gang hae n he eyes o araesnake? Or a a hog happer eve day s bushnessha woud gladly swlow e whoe wod coud or s


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H E B A A D

thy satisfacton? Ad some hawks ad crows-just the ookof them shows ther eed to sash ad tear wth that beakhoned shap by ev desre. There are even beeds of twsted,horrbe rocks that poso the water n a we f hey e at thebottom of t he dev seeps them Dd you kow that dthe devwhch s �he oy way you ca c a maig sptby whose orders ad by what rght does he go ound dong ashe dam we peases? Mxed up everythng he s

What wers hm out tte by tte the dev sde foks ssuerg wsey Aso the oy of ove-so says my compade

Queemm e famy Is that the thg? It s d t s'tEverything s and st he most ferocous cma of theworst nd s often a good husbad a good son a good father aood fred of hs fes Ive kow some ke that Oythere s the hereafter-ad God too Manys the coud Ive see

But tuy chre do soften one Lsten to ths: a ceta

Aeo who ves a eague fom Passo do ubo, on the AeaRver used to be one of the most codbooded vs you eveheard of Nea hs house he had a tte pod among the patrees ad t he kept some erce traas mmese oesfamous for the sze eo used to feed them evey day at thesae hour and soon they eaed to come out of the hng

paces to b fed ust as f they wee traned We oe dayust fo the he of t eo kied a tte od man who hadcome oud beggg Dont you doubt t, s there are peope

ths hatefu word who k others just to see the faces theymake as they de You ca foresee e rest comes the batcomes he rat comes the cat comes the ap hs Aeo was a

fay wth youg chden whom he oved beyond areaso Now sten to ths ess ha a year after lng the odma Aeios chen took sck A md epdemc of meases twas sd but compcatos st ; t seemed as though thechde woud ever get we Fay they got over t Butther eyes became red terrby amed and notng seemed

to do ay good he1 dont ow whether a at the sametme o oe by oe-they a wet bd Bd wthout a gmmer of ght Just thk of tstarseps tree ite boys and a tte ga bnd Hopeessy bd


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H I

lixo dd ot los his d but h chagd; how hchagd! Now h s o God's sid swatig to b good add ry hour of th day ad ight t sms that h hasbcom happy whch h wast bforcosidrs himslfcky h says bcaus od chos to tak pity o him chagg th dirctio of his soul that way. Wh I hard that itmad my bood boil Bcaus of th chd. Aio had tob pishd how wr th tl os to blam for hs ss?

y compar Ql rprod m o my doubts Saidthat srly i a o1r xistc th chidr had b wickdtoo, chps o th old bock ims o th sam hll that brd him.What do yo thik sr d what about h litt old ma whowas murdrd I kow what yo ar goig to say: hat h toomay ha had som hidd crim to ato for If as ulmmsays, folks ar ricaatd I suppos a dad my codrtu as h child o his my Lst to ths o thr is aflow Pdro Pd6 who lis si lags om hr a goodma i y way h ad his wi both good popl wthoght of hy ha a so about t ys old calld Vlti-o of thos fcy ams that folks aroud hr o i forowadays Wl ts ittl shar th momt h had agimmr of tigc bg to show his rl atra

ad crl as l gto fod of to th dpth of his soulEry lttl catur or isct that h cod catch h wouldslowly tort to dah. Oc h saw a coord woma lyigdad druk ad took a pc o brok bot ad slashd hrlg thr placs What mad that kd droo ith plasurwas to s a chick bld or a hog btchd " k to kl

this ll mostr sad o m oc It ga m a tu for wha dlg las ot o th s it is gttg rady to y

Now th fathr Pdro Pid to corct this ad thmothr too ha b aig h boy half to dath thy dyhim food thy hm to a tr akd as th day h was bo i th cold of hy work hs ltl body or wth

stra ad thog utl th blood rs th y wash o thblood with a gourdfl o br Folks kow abot it ad

wach horrid h boy has gow hi ad thirowyd, his boy ltl fac lik a dathshad ad h


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CKDS

as ot onsumtonous al t mt n o o a tars ns s ln to s at ban bo as now rown to b a abt Pn6 an s anltt b lttl t a m to an lasur n t

sttn batns a onnt ms an n no n to nss t oo am I ont tn t bo lllast m lonr not n nxt Lnt s ttrn on tbrn now

Wl wa omar Qmn sas sn ru owo ou xn a stuaon l tat At on m tat bo mst

a bn a manon t a bt o trrbl s an asou ba as sow ow s an bu soans tat wn s rn moann s surnst as to wr a oo l Lor wat ant snn s wor! n sn a ors w usantats a rar s

Wl an oo bt o ll robabl sa n t bnnnt sns on o oow a sobal at sart Tas wa sms ron Momar Qulmm nl am o a balanr Ios m barns amon su noons M ras n s omn ours sr ul o ran an arnn o ta

t ra an t la o ra n a ar an a a bnt o mr mmor u a a arMsr Luas at Curo mmor rammar mtlaton tabls t rulotr n ora an ornaons sto On a sts o ar rw rt masw aru sos no mann o bra b r rom

t start t on m r qwtt An tot otto b snt to st Latn at t Ro Soot s tatoo T oo o as En now njo a oo boo ant as At Lmono ran tat bons to m nVto Soano t subsb to a at ar almana ull ous rs al sors o rn ts rst la o

mor worw rant ls o san�s tr ts nxmlsrw mssonars otwttn t nans orSn rans o Asss Snt Anon Sn Gra am ron o morat To rason w ors ort m o ollo


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E D E O

the ght path, to give wse counsel. My we as you knowwatches out fo me: she pys a ot She s a st My compad Quelemm wys says that I have nothng to woyabout that wth my goo bacng powefu spts potect me

Yessi That suits me ne! d hep out it antng tobeeve But m not aways e to I want you t know lmy lfe hae thougt o myse. I was bo dierent. I amwhat I am I now most nothng-ut have my outs aoutmany tngs At nging a aed I am lke a wetaedhuntng dog You tun loose any dea n my hea and I tac

it ow n the deepest woos Look what we ought to hae s ameeng o schoas statesmen gh authotes to sette themae poca once o in joint assemly that thee isno evl he oesn't exst he cant Gve t the oce o lawOny thus woud people have peace of mnd y doesnt thegoement o soethng about it?

Ah know its not possle Dont tae me o oo. ts onethig to put oth goo eas an othe to del with a countyof people of esh blood an the thousan and onepoems So many peopeits ghten to thin ofannone saise beng bon o\n up gettng maewantg a job food health welth ecognton n goo

usness So you hae to choose eithe to join n the at aceo ve youse up to eiion and nothng else. I coud haveeen a pest o a jagn9o chie I was bo o one o theothe ut misse out on both counts Now od age has caughtup wth me An heumatism. As one might say I soon beeatng ass by the oots.

What I mly eeve eclae and set oth is ths thwhoe wo s crazy You s we eveboy Thats the maineason e nee eigon to ecome unmaddend egan ousty Paying s what cues madness Usuy t is thesavaion o the sou Lots o egon young an s o me Ineve mss a chance I tae avantage of all o them dnk

wate m any ve. n my opinion just one eigion isntenough pay the Chstan Catholc payes and I takefuge in what is cetain so accept the payes of myompade ueemm ccoding to hs docne that o Kaec


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E B D

Bu when I can go to Mindum, were tere s one Maas aProesan a Meods: tey repoac emselves fo esns ead he Be ou oud and pay and sn e eaufl

ymns. t a cams me dow alays my woes y shad

efeshes me Bt only for the me be would ke o pray-al e me any pesons do no aree w me; hey

say ha he ue rego s ony oneexusve Tat's an dea deest

Tee s a coored woman Mara Lenca wo lves no f

fom hee wose payes ae famous fo he poency pay

he every mon o say a cape for me every essed dayand a osay on Sundays wo t ealy My wfe seeso arm n t And ve aeady ent wod o ote one tocome o see me a ceran sma Caana o VauVau woe

prayrs too s sd are o geat me and po m gon tomae te same d of dea w e want to ave seeal

suc on my sde deendn me eoe God By he wounds ofChrs!

Lng s a daneous usess Longng oo adenly osomeng good can e n some ways e wshng fo some

n ad ose men wee an a he wold oemselves to set at But eac saw and undestood tng

y hs own way A e op of e s ahead of al eoers te one of greaes ety was edeo Vaz hat ma e hose of od Joono BeBe he ecet of lnoody could ever gure ou wa he was ey e se

oca Ramro-a pnce of a man-was a poco Bebeowated o e a poco ut he was ot ucy and uucy

fo a dlydaed S Candelo uned mean as e dev ecaue e ouh he ad an ncurae dsease To assos

depended o s fends fo eveyng only oug emtoug the fendhp was a e rose so hg mon te

jagun9os Anno D6-a mean and Bu only one alf ohm ale e geater af Andao at otom a man of

ood wl ut a madman n dea ou pusment coevea e wed was o e ch and a peace ha wawha he was gtg fo Hem6genes was he oy one wowas o a ger ad a murderer nd UuBanco e We


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H E E I P Y

Rattler? ot speak to me of him hat uhappy uruyoethat poor lfate boy

So far, so goo You hear what was sayig evi agastevl they e up breakg each other's back Go wts for this

to happe a! Go is patiece itself! Just the oppost of theev Yo whet two kives togeter a they wear oe aother ow Eve the stoes a rver be rubbig agaisteach other grow smooth a roue as the water ros themaog ow, what I thik is that eveytg i the worl isthere because it eserves to be a ees to be Let me ake

yself clear Go oest appe wth a polcema's sabre hs ha he oest mpose the letter of the law Why shoulhe? He leaves the aloe: oe fool agast aother; oe ayoe of them cracks a leas his lesso gets sart Though attmes to help thgs alog Go wl scatter a pch of pepperbetwee them

st it so We for exape: soe time ago wet by trato SeteLagoa to see a octor who ha bee recommee tome o avoi beig spotte as a forer agu�o wet wellresse a rstclass As luck woul have t there came asat facg me the opposite seat a chap calle Jazeveo, apolice eputy retug fro the w North He was accom

paie by oe of hs hechme a secret aget a oe was asmea as the other. o te the truth, y rst pulse was toget away, to chage seats But my better jugmet tol me tostay where was So staye a watche A l tel you ever saw a mas face stampe wt greater brutaity a

meaess. He was short a heavyset with a cue glit i hs

piggsh eyes His aw utte out lke a stoe, a hs browswere raw a heavy frow; he i ot mke ay sg ofgreetig He dt se ot eve oce, but whether takig orsilet you coul always see oe of hs eye teeth og a shaplke the fag of a l og utterg a pug he talke

low, short gruts agry hafwors. He was lookig over

some papers stuyig case hstores oe by oe sheets wtpctes a black erprits of outlaws thieves, a kllersHs zea for work of tat ature stire my ager he secret

aget a booticker, seate close bese hi was beg eagerly


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I H B C S

hpfu, and as ingratiatig as a dg It gav m a fng fdrad, but ny in th fsh part f my bdy nt in my gutsAt a givn nt n f ts rpts f t th r and Iqcy pickd t p and handd t t hm. I dnt knw why Idd it-I crtainy dnt want t just wasnt thinking stilll ashamd whn I rca it I t yu it mad m furus thav dn that but it was dn h flw ddnt vn glancat m, ddnt ttr a wrd f thanks vn th sls f hsshs-f y culd hav sn thm-db thck hard slsnrus, lng as thy wr ad f cast rn. On thigI knw arady: that this Javd whn h wnt t astnyn t rst thng h did as h ca n, wthut saying awrd prtnng t b in a grat hrry, was t stp n thpr dvls bar ts And whn this happnd h wd ltt a gaw, ys h wuld. w I athd hm! I handd hmth papr and gt up and ft t kp mysf frm shting him

t dath thr and thn That grss sh And h had thmakngs f a bg blly arund hs navl that mad m fl k. . . n y wn gntl way, I cld gladly hav ld hm. Yur hrt isnt calsd nugh t lstn t m tl thhrrrs that tis pic cr cmmittd drw tars fbld frm any a man and wan n ths smpl tt wrd

urs hr. Th srt. Yu knw sr th srt is whr thstrng and th shrwd cal th tn. Gd hmslf whn hcs hr had bttr cm ad!

What Im tryig t say Jazvd-is thr any nd fr thiks f him? Ys, thr s Tugh hids ca fr a shap gadnd bsds in ths wld th nt ach Jvd, whn h

has nshd what h has t d stubs nt hs tm fpnanc until h has pad in fl what h ws-y cpadrQumm wil bar m ut Yu knw si what a iskythg iving is t ny n tat way trugh an ugy strumnt ik hm wr th jagun bands brkn p D y thnkfr a mmnt that Ant D6 r Olvn Olvan wd vr

t gd f tr wn accrd r b mvd by tir vctspas fr mrcy r cnvrtd by istng t prsts smns?t a chanc!

nsttGd jaguns wh rpntd in th midst f th


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D

bandty know o only one hs na was Jo azuzo t ha-pened in the thck of a gunght above a place caed eraNova the dsct of ordo along the Traadl creek.We were by ounumbered and ee beng hardpressed by

he men of a cen Colonel davno a bgshot politico wthany unfomed soldiers under te command of LieutenantReis ee who as ater ade captain. We stood our goundhour after hour unl e ere almost surouned Then al of asudden tat Jo azuzoa very brave anopped do onhis knees and fting s ams like the lbs of a dy locust

tee sarted shoutng hoarsey at tmes oud and ce atoth sa Our Vrgn n the gory of Heaven suoundedby her chilren the gels! He kept on shoutng wthout aletup: I sa he Vrn e stated to scatte ade a dashfor y horse. anaged to nd h juped clusy on hisback and adly fumbng I don't kno how undd te halter

ope fastened to a tee I ew out of there ulets whngpast The pace as n an uproar n the woos a persons fearcoes out in ful force a fea with purpose end it kicked my horse ih y heels like a wld muethud thud Two othee bulets bured theselves n the cantle of my saddeteang out uch of te oss padng y hose shivered even

as he galloped; know he s afd fo his aste thought Icould not have ade yself smaler. The leaher bag on myback th my ew things in it was hit too And anothe buletrom a re ocheted o my thgh seag t wthout ound- ng me and ould you believe t bued itself between e andthe sade ap �1y horse stubled and fellkilled pehaps

and was thown over hi head abbing at the hck folagebranches and vnes hat held and stung me and for a momentt was ke hangng n a bg spder web ere to now? keptgo Throughly saed dove my body thouh those oodsnot knong where as headedand suddenly stated fa- ng and rolng do a steep incline into a hollo place covered

ove wih tick vegetaton hich abbed at but kept on rol ing ust the sae Thenlaterwhen I looked at y handsthe parts hat werent bloodcovered ee smeared reen fromthe leaves that I had luthed d crshed on my way don I


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N B N D

landed on some grass at he bottom and a dark amjumped out wt a snort cray it ear too t was a weaseltat I barely caught a gmpse o becase when t comes toght he has no match I let my wearess overpower me and

stetched ot lengt e toght ased throg my mndat that ease ad lan here tere ere no snaes abot oI took ts pace There was no snake. I cod rea I as ttery limp but te poundng n my eart dnt stop. I was pantng Iept tnkng tat they ere comng that tey ould k me.t didn't matter dnt care. For a few mnutes anay I ad

a respite n wic to rest I began to thnk o Diadorim thoght abot as m A oocongo as sngng I nted toe hinking about my frend Diador brother my brotherwho was on the Sera do PadArco ost on te ronter ofBaa wt te other a o S Canderios men claspedmy iend Dadorm to my eart my thoghts ew strgt to

Bt m not keepng to any knd o order I am rabngtelng thngs al xed p Dont trust you O corse do ofcorse y my guardan angel t to get back to my story: we learned afteards that even the Letenants solders and Colone Adnos rans ad been moved to respect theapocalypic cing out of that Jo Cazo wo wound up as the

most peaceable man n te world a presser of pal ol and aacristan to boot at So Domngos ranco. What tmes!

keep thnkng abot ths enoy t The best way forthoghts to ufod emselves s when one is traveg bytra If I cod tats I wod do de up and down atId ke to know even in eaen wen ts a oer o does a

soul manage to forget so much seng and e both gvenand receved? How Yo know sr there are some thngs usttoo awf yes tere are Serng o the body and suengo the mind eave ter mpnt as strony as aout ove andte anger of hared. Take for eample he case of Frmianoncknamed PoodeCobra He contracted elephantasss

eg soen monstros thick and shaeessthe nd fo chtere s no cre and besides he was amost bind, his eyeswtened ovr with cataracts Years before he had ad to gvep te jauno busness. Wel on one occasn a eow sted


27/507

i D O

hm at hs pace at to Jequtai-tod about t twads; thygot to tang, rst of on thng and hn anohe and Fnosad: "What I long for s to catch me a sor or someone andsn hm av wth a d ne. Bt rst to ged hm C

you age such a thg? The ones who have th bggest dose

of de n them ae th ndans any d You s bes of them dp n the geas of Gos whee the ae grat sow

rvs of wate that s always car owng ovr beds of pnkquartz Pohodeobra prdd hmsef on hs ndan boodYou'l say to me he was shootng o hs moutht was hs

way of makng ot that h wasnt a brokndown od man tang bg wanng to be respected hey a put on the sameact they bag abot how mean they e to kee u ther rsg bcaus thos around hm ae as hd as ocs But

th wost o t s that th comes a day whn fo that vey ason thy have to mak good the boasts he cty havesn! t dosnt pay to tlk about suerng- get stared

wont stop Al hat mas m sc naseates m \hat maes

m gad s that nowadays mn e goodharted n sma mat ters that s E madnss and pevsnss th s awayssom but ss n my own gnaton t hadnt yt bcom soh thee w come a m when men no ongr ach othe

Me m ady odW as was sayg th thng that peys on my md

h pt hat eston to my comade Qemm He answered m hat as we nar Haven we bcom cansed and

a ou ugy past fads nto nothngness ke the msbehavouro chdhood the naughtnss Lke the s no ned to

remose or what we may hav dvuged durg the tumo of aghtmare Sowe becom can and brght ayb that s why they say gttng to Haven s so sow chck ths

mattes you understand wth my compadre Qelemm becaus o th bef h hods that one day we pay to the ast

ey or evry ev deed we have commtted ow who

beevs hat wod athr gt up beoe daybrak th days a row than ma the sghtest msstep ompadr Qeemm

nv tas for th sa of tkg he means what he says Ony


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E B K D S

m not gong to te h this: one must never walow wholeeverythng others te us-that is an unbreakabe re!

Look; the most mpotant ad ncest tng the wod sth tat eoe aren't aways e se, they are not a of a

ece and shed but kee on changing. They are n tune orot of tnehs s a geat uth It s what has taght met makes me mity hay And another thng the dev s a

hamerandtongs but God is wy h beauty wy Hsower when he wants to use t-man t scares me to thnkabout t od ove n-nobody see anytng He does thngs

soty and qetythats the mace of t And od attackssmoothy amsg hmsef sang hmsef For exae one

day at a tanery a tte knfe that I had wth e fe nto atank fu of tanbark qd "omoow get t out sad tomysef Because t was nght and I wasnt gong to t i thedark. Next day eary the kne the bde o t had been eaten

haway trough by that dark quet water et the kne therejust to see what woud appen Ad by cracky Yo know what?That same afternoon a that was et of the knfe wa the hane he hane becase t was not made of cod meta bt ofdeer ho her yo have t God We sr you heard mewhat you heard yo know what yo know you understand

Ony dont thnk tat regon makes a man weak. n theconry o be sre n tose days I sed to rase he sowedmy wd oats Yoth ut to undo what one does n h youths a task for ater onesdes f had ndged in too mchsecaton on sch matters coud not have ket u my endwth the others when tngs got hot And even now though

have reasoned at ength and tought tgs ot dont msprze what cod do n a cash of £e and stee Just et themstart warg agast me th ev schemngs wth derent

as or ryng into thgs that dont conce them and stigo out and set ths zone on eho ho wl I Wt guns

bang d bangng away And dont tnk d be one I

shoud say not ust n case have y eoe setted aarond hee ake a ook sr ght next to e dostream sPasemy shecroerwho one of ne A eague


29/507

H V L O A Y

farher o, that here s Acau ad my compadre C, had hs thee boys I kow they could be couted o. Over oth sde ape: you oly kew how that eow om eahadles a g or a kife a ght! ther o Joo NoatoQupes ad Pacamdesas d the thee s Faaahe o

some mghty bows ogside me i the old ght at Tamduo where we rd the air of those who had o rght o breathe t afafa keeps a herd o bood mares He ses good hoses ttle beyod the ooths some ome membes o my outt Sesdo esudo Nelso ad oo Coc Ad soe ohers Lke Tio. share y ad with them, whats me is therstoo we ae as close as bothers. hy shold wat to accumateweth There they ae the weapos eady for acto aeemy shows p we pass the wod alog ad gathe ogetherthe we put o a mock gughtlet them see what a eal oewould be lke te you ths codece. Futheroe dotget us wrog \at we wat s to work, to lve peace Me Ive for my wewho deseres othig but the bestad forregio My wfes aecto s what heped me ad herayes Lov spes love I tell yo ts so I thk o Dadomtoo-but ado s ke a sot haze

We ow dd wat to get o the ubect agaaboutOld Nickthats eough o that. But thee s ust oe more pot I ask you do yo beleve-do you d a shed o tuth ths talkthat you ca make a pact with the dev You do'tdo you? I kow there s othg to it I was taig oseseBut e to be eassured o sell oes soua cockadblbusiess Ad the sol what i t The soul mt be a

supeme somethig wthi us deepe tha we eaze ohsupreme soul The decso to se oes sou s a pece obravado a spothemoet gestu ot egaly bdga I sel those good lads there isde the VeredasQuatrothat beog to a Sehor miate, who ves the ederacapta? cery caot Ad a chd s a chd ad or

that easo ot mitted to ake a deal d ths Ikow at mes we ae othg but chde The evl that Iopeed the door o y e was dug a d of ea chdhoodeveythg happes so ast Does oe eally have a sese


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E B K

of rsponsiby? On dm nd is don So ou nd is bong o God wr on so ks ior no I s no ubjc o s on' you g nwr mfnkly pl nk you I i pln you vmu nur wsdom bids your ling I youYou compny vs m g pur

A mr of fc I s you vd , or nr ; iwould b lp H w v no on fom wom w cnl Sro You know is n o onsous v o ris bov pow of pc

dngou bunE you lvng? Rg now? O no No ody or

omoow I won yo Forv m nd k pldg of my frndip: you mus sy Tn on usdymong y f you wn o lv v n ou I wlmi yo frwd Bu oy or omorrow, no s

my ous m ls r dyBu r you rously pnnng lunc ou on s s of

ory o nd ou w conn? You mus v yourons Bu you v com l T od dy r gon bv cngd Of rl ng of ps fw or non lf T bnd of bd mn v bn brokn up mny fo

jun�o i ing oug m of go bou bggng rdsmn nowdys r rucn o com o mr ilr mns-y ink jck uy ndcounrd Evn c in scrublnd bcomin lwld br bvd rosd now w zbu, y look ngbid w i f of old domsc bds So o dicovr

ouofordiny ing dvis you o undk moxniv ouy f wsn fo my lns my somcupss n rumm I woud o wi you would ow youvryg

woud sow you brg s of Am rng rvr pou down nss, fom nd olin vy

wf crc T bk jgur fml n S do -v you vr d u scrm of un c? T b fo ovr Srr do onns in lymonn wn sky gow - knd o y


31/507

D L O

all ere he pen h agh e appreae all hi

beay ned by nbdy a Daim Th Sea a Rama

hee even he bd eckn he phae he mn an he hge panhe am A gden hch

in ney When y eam i ea n hee hng.The ell ered el ng n Ap he pple ile

gypy and he ye nhca an he m. h in he

Sh The cicada h hei muic H and he cld!

The ha cec even n he bac f he cale d nhe hep O n he eebeyn hee he eah

a ble n e he y bu a vivid bue e ha apadge egg. Wind ha n' e he de ele A g hin paing beeen he n a pam ee. I emembe I

demembe O y mvg n ppy eahe he he Yu ee a eam ha i ha c angy mudladen ive n Buiiim Angcal Exeade

Sanaaa D y e hn i? Thee ae me paigehee han n Chapad a Veene hn ap n CabeadeNeg Biipd he ha ea a dieen

vaey ga and gna he bak my in ee ; hei

eci mea een Thgh al hee aaay pace Ien ih mene my n by y ie an e lvng each

he D yu ndean? Have yu eve e he nb pn eang? hey ay hee a yeanng he n an a

yeanng he hea. They a he gvenen gng pen p a g highay m Piapa Paaca, p haay

In he Sea d Ca6 y hea ch pe ad evebea

in hne ha y p y ea y may even hedea n ea y n n ha a hen y ee a ch

e c calvng in he r Then n an n up he

Uca ivehe ecey uhing Ucia The ea i

high ha he n hen he ea u ce. he

iea cme a pin A ne place n he lpe a lphu

vap pu he gnd ih a bg ne a he caeee i gh The e a he ange n an nca hee mbng ae hea m e ie Eh?

Di y ay ehing? L : he Cainhanha ive i bac


32/507

H CK DS

the Paacatu, bn; fr me the beatfl ne is the Urcwa-the peace f ts ates. That's the if ! Beynd the ort dasOn�as thee s a tte antatn We stayed thee seve eeksestng e needed te had been taveng n ft t spae

the hses that ee saddegaed n places e that aayf ghting hat Mede Vaz kd best as t see n anghtshrt and nghtcap Befe ying dn, he d knee adecte a chaet Thse ee the days f e e hnted, eachft hat he ted t fget thee as n shtage f gbe shed n the steas Jst y g thee y' see The

paces ae a st thee t bear e tCea steas srngs, shade and sn The Faeda B

Pt bengng t a cetan Eete Lpes, this sde fapAad i the dectn f Qead t as nanay Febay hen the c s n tasse the edcatain vne sveted nnng er the and the gant

fenne bedecng the thickets and the dejras cveed thther ttle es The mameladegass shts p qcy tces n dbly thicks seaeenb f the sghtestn n y atch f ds and the sghtest fagebttees f evey c s Y dnt see the ike thatanyhee ese F n these plateas the sae knds hich

ae na esehee g ch arger and mre biiaty kn I thnk t st be the dyness the a the ceaness the dang snght ng the banks f the perUca, the tte prpethated tanaga pipes shry Andthere as the e that ched the eay nng and hesa cck the cayttene the tte seesa the

eathe cck the c gnddve nd the beteycatcher hse cy s es I sa y" ad hase acast as gd t hea the ing f the cs tng t beked And the tte na bd hse chr at daybeak ske a estn hh t asks and etends t anse Ten nthe aftenn the ycatche dang a abt and d

atchng evey ittle set n the ga sat bd Itked ke n as ng Bt the ees ee ed thccadas hg n the eay aften it dnt anSngstes that cse the day : the banaa e the bebd


33/507

H V L O P A

he wren, he yn bird he hrush the coco-pm ch. Iwas wh Dadorm ms of he me Dadom and I he two f s We sed o go for walks ogeher n h we diered from he ohers fo jaguos en'

much gven o long ks nor o cose fendhps; even hoghhey cme ogehe and separae a random each ne keepshef hself Abou s wo together nbody ever sadanyhng Le soeone say sehg joknghe mgh have hmself ked They g sed eeg s pired o. hey

no longe hogh ev f i And we were havng a ak besde

e ceekhe msream of he od panaon where thewaercress booms One of hose ghs sg o urndark Dadrm ed a le e and I wen o ook fo corncobs Mohs were yng hck abo r faces nd bg bees

would blunde agans s and fl he gund A lle breezesare up he rusng of he wnd carred wh a sme of

hreaeg ran And he chrpg f crckes a abou wededhe spaces no one By myself one I woud no be able oremember a hese dealsI am no ch gven o paygaenon o esbu my yeaig recs hem meDadrm ef races of hmsef on hese deghs f Nae foever Dadom gave so handsome n he gow of he embers

e hay spoke b hee was smehng osde orsevesha drew me o m n a so f dae kep qe n keepngwh hs own sence early aways was ke ha : we wodcome o a place he wd e me s down wu si down don ke o remin sang ayway Then aferward hewoud cme d s dn o Aways a e way o I dn

have he nee o mve clse was oy of me ha Dadormseemed a es to have a race of msrsof me who washs fend Bu n his occasn he was here clser han salwhn each of my hnd d I bey able ess bu noalowng yself o ake y of he oveues hat are houghong! bean o fge everyhng nd n happy assude

sopped hg Bu I began o fee an easness a vagediscnen I sded fom evey ane I was sply ha myhear asked for mre he bdy des no speak bu t nows al and dvnes wha does n undersand How pleasan


34/507

H F B K

there by the water. You could hear, over by the river litesucking histes of an otter. "Damn it but I want that day tocoe ! said Diadom There is no happiness for me even myfe is not y own until those to monsters have been done

away with And he sihed h hate as it mght have beenth ove So great as hs hate that t coud not be creased;t had setted to one of those deep quet hareds Hate whpatence you know the nd don't you?

And that overpoern thng that he fet as taing hold of

e too-but not as hatred n me t as tu into sadness

As long as those to monsters reaned aive Diadormspy could not lve Unt the day cae that he could avenehis father Dador old be bside hse Wle we wereike ths not on the move ta e out for est when hatI anted was coser fendship Dadom ted of nohing butthe end of te aar To to k blood es for blood Thushe to of us ted there n he night hours sde by sdeWthout taing. remeber The frogs. hey blew up esac of ther voces ke gecko izards old ones. ooked aonthe bank of the creek The folage of the watercressyou hae

seen tat certa tes ves o a lht n the darkness : leafby eaf a phosphorescence like electrty d I felt ea

Fear n y sou d not anser It od have done no good ador

wanted the shodown t as for ths that we ere headedAter that rest we oud ove out fo there under thecomand of Medero Va and o after hose ohersafterthem Thee was no lack of aunon We nubered sxty

ena cabras of the very best Ou Chef Medeiro Va neverlost a ght edero Va as a man of good judgent hknew the ropes ho dd not waste ords. He never revealed hspans beforehand nor hat recton our aches oud take

the next ong urtherore everythng about spred trust and obedence Heavyboned ih a thck neck s

big head thrust forard he was master of the day and of thnght. He hady ever slept any more he would et p hle thstars wee still out walk all around the camp slowy th

quiet steps shod in s stout oldfashioned boots of dpi


35/507

sn. f in hs consdrd judgment h fl t was h ighthg to do, Mdro Vaz was capabe of solmny puttng hs

rosary n hs pockt cossng hmsf and my gvng ods

to k a thousand psons one by one Rgh fom he beginng

I estmd that fotrss of a man. Hs sct was of stonAh I rlvng the past I rca thngs out of th order of

thr happng I ld a fee fe Serto : ts wde pty spaces

Go thr om thngs you w st d Cow punchrs? s

n th od days you w d thm on he tabllands of th

Uuca wh so any cate beow fathe on th hdsmn of Breo-Vrd and of C6go do QuebraQunus thrhorses convrse wh thm n whsprsso 'ts sadto g

hm ws couns when thee is no one wthn eashot I

believ t and dont Btwn he and the a th sources ofthe Canhanha and of the Praga a tbutary of th uca

Th wo th backs on each oer They rs n the sam

mshes normous govs of but palms Thr th aacondaoops and cos Th thck knd that throw thmslvs upon a

d ad wap hemsvs around it cush thity handspansong! around s a stcky mud hat holds fast ven thhoovs of mus puls th shoes o on by on In fa of

th mothsnak you se many anmas watng prudently fo

he me thy can com and dnk kpng hddn behnd cumpsof palm Th sassafas tres provd shtr around th pool and

giv o a good smell Th algao roas onc twc thr

tms a hoas roar Th agaor s n watbugng ys

wnked th mud ookng evy at you Eh h knows how to

fan himslf h ponds not a singl wiged hng alghts

bcaus of th hunger of th agator and th sawtoothdpraha Thn lttl by tt th mashs start turng norvs ovs of but pas com down wth thm and

foow on and on To mov o another basn you must clmb up

sops as stp as the sid of a tab untl you suddenly come

upon th plaeau a vas unchanng lateau Thr s no watr

ther at al only what you bng wth you Thos ndlsspataus alv wth btng mutuca es The sun beats dow in

hot wavs casessy so much igh t huts h hoss swea

sat ad athr. May tms w folowd tras through th


36/507

I A K A D

jungle, tapir rs-coming and gog. A igh was learhe sky was lled wh balls of blance You almos hi hemwih your head How beauful is he sky hick wih ss abouhe middle o Februar. Bu when here is n moon, when i is

dark i is a drkness ha grasps and shackles ou The oaldarkness of he sero alwas dsurbed me. No so Diadorim :

he never le go he ic e of his obseson and he neer hadoubs abou himself Bu I alwas longed for he dawn. Hodays cold nghs We would gaher laurel branches o ligh are. If we had somehing o ea and dink I would soon drop

o o sleep I would dream I onl dream good dreams or badwhen I am free of danger When da broke hrough is psonbars I lisened o oher birds he spineail he blac graclehe sning dove he whiebeased dove and he red dove ofhe virgn woods. Bu always he bemevi ycacher Behndand ahead o me all around, i was like here was bu a

ngle bemevi "Da i! Doesn' i sound o you as if herewas only one he same one all he me? I asked Diador. Hedd no answer and here was a farawa loo n his face. AndI was lef wondeng maybe i reall was he same bemeviwih is c of Yes, I saw ou pursuing me and accusng meof misdeeds I had no ye commied Een oda i aecs me

ha wayWhen ou leave here you shod visi he selemens of he

Negroes ey pan for gold n he backwoods hollow o VargemdaCria where gold has been found Of low gade I hink.lacks who can sll sg dean songs in he language of heGold Coas. On he uplands he naves live shifessl in

idleness Such povery The plaeau duncoloed is al hesame he same. I depresses many persons; bu was boling i he rains are less requen no

As I was sang anoher monh oher disan placewemade a hal a Aroerinha There in a doorway aw a oungwoman dressed in red, laughing. Hey oug fellow wh he

clean shaved face she sad When she laughed she showed aher fron eeh he whole row of hem he was so prey andalone. I go o m horse and ed him o a fence pos. M egsached from he hree das we hd been pushng ahead some


37/507

H D O

thing tt lgus Didorim wsnt nr to hod mbc Suddnl som of our mn god b shoutng nddrvng blc str th wr going to butchr nd sin downb th vr hd not n strtd ting with th gr, whnth hv dust th risd nvod us both n rdsh cloudhn wnt in drn cu of co brwd b womnshnd nd hd cool drin of wid r ic r n wsNhorin. h cctd m crsss of hr stn snjoous it ws li rrg n sousl th bst fru ofth mngb is th on ou nd on th grond ndr th trNhornh trwrd sh md m rsnt of n lgortooth to stc in m ht to wrd o sn bits nd hd mss th itur of sint suosd to b irclworing tws vr

r mothr ivd od old womn b th nm ofAn Duzuz sd to b of gs rnts who ould ight

ortll rsons good or bd fortun n thos bcwoods shnjod t rstig Sh nw tht hr dughtr ws hrlot nd-s long s th wr mn from th outsid gunosor cttl drovrssh ddnt cr vn gv th ttr hrblssg W t som mnoc ml with brown sugr AndAn Duzuz told m lttig m on big scrt tht Mdiro

V ws gong to tr to cross th ussuro dsrt om onsd to th othr Sh ws just bc from Mdiro Vz's hdqutrs h hd snt for hr wntg hr to d his fortnWs sh crz? Wht ws sh u to I ddnt bl hr Inw morovr tht w wr tuing towrd th Arrs sibc towrd thos srs sttmnts in th wild countr

bond th fvorit hidout of vr unmod bndtwhr w would hv n oortunt to ic u om morgood mn And bsds not ving so could gt through thSussuo dsrt t ws th worst wst thr ws wldrnss in hl s thr such lc? Ah s thr Eh thVodoBurco Ah no tht is somthing dirnt-bond th

dvid bwn th sourcs of th Prto nd Prdo rivrs It isdtl hot hr too but drnt hr ou clw our wp is Wht bout th buio So ou now it? It


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B S

treche from Vereda-daVacaPrea o he C6rrego Cao,

down thi way and from e source of te Peas o the

ch rver wch ows o of the Ema mahes. Beyond he

foret of magabera ree

Nothng me nothig equal the dev This oe heSuaro deer the farhe o way way over thee inthe wd enes. Waer there oe Beeve me whe

yo come upon it s the ed of he word; oe hod rn

bak away oody wi go ay fher hey js ake one

ook ust oe o ee te moongh hnng and o e o

he howng of he wnd that know t s aone o he bed ohat deer here is no dung here e no brd

Whereon I resed ha Aa Dza and she coud o

whand the rage my eye "t was hmsef Medeiro a

wo od me she ad to say Dammt t was not obe.

Diadorm was wng for e He ad wahed my coe :

wo h and a ace and air of as ad aoher sh anew sed oe Sometmes woud wah or coe b

eary away t wa Dadom who dd becae for me h

wa the wor chore of a and bede Dadorm cod do

better he wa more ked He dd't a me where had bee

ad I ed ayg I had one n here oy becae of od a

Duua o ge her o te my forte Diadorim dt ay anythg to tha eer he ed ences We he had hi seeves

roed I wod ook a h arms, such aracve whte ams

wefomed and face and hand red ad swoe from

orey bie. Sddeny t daed o me tha cod have

asked Ana Dua o e me somehg of my fre fae Ao

coud have aed her abo an er ecre a I gardedcarefy Somehg hat I dnt have the courage even to

hnk abo Ad wat f od Dua reay dd have ower of

dvao, ad coud oo behd he cran of dey?

regreted o havng ked for for a forecast it was a

reeton of what has o ofen haened o me o oher

occaios I go hrough experence ad i the very mdst of I am bd I can ee oy he beginnng ad he end Yo

kow how a eron wans o sm across a rver ad


39/507

H O P Y

os but coms out on th othr si at a oint owr owot at a whr h xctd. Isnt if ry a dagrous busiss

I rat to Diaorim wha I ha ikd u : that it waMdro Va's to ad us to th Sussuaro dsrt ungi a straght across to th othr s "hats ght thatsght r Dadorm sursing m y th fat that h a-rady kw about it but hadt giv m th sightst hit

I had struggng th mysf for so ong to k fomonly oing Diaorim mor tha is ttng for a fin utow at that momnt I t no shm at th bttr aousy thatcam ovr m though I kw that Mdiro Vaz ros muchgratr trust in Diaorm tha n any of th rst of us adtk thngs ovr with hm Why di this rnc of trat-mt ust m ow Mdiro Vaz ws a man of anohr ag hwnt through th word ·h oya han h vr quivocatvr wakd I kw that h vrat th mmory of onfrid ao Joca Ramro oca Ramiro ha b th gratamiration of his if Go in havn an oca Ramro o thoth bnk of th rivr as it shou But aousy ishardr to rrss tha lov h huma hartth hart ofdarkss

Whruo iaorm to m th rst O th othr si ofth Sussuaro isi th stat of Baa o of th two traitorsha his biggst lantation with many catt ulvat lsad thr h iv with his lgitimat famy wif a chrnLt us maag to cross th srt unnoticd ariv thr uncty tak thm by stark surrisan that woul b th

n of thm Who woul vr think for a momt that thSussuaro dsrt could b us as a aroach? Ah thy wrving fat o thir taon tu into a boz fortrsswhich cou ot b aroach from ay othr dirc forthy uoubtdy ha ookouts mutons a gags of mnstaton at a ots of accss vry grotto bayou h

trck was for us to burst uon thm suddy from th mossb sd a ovrwhm th wthout wag I ista vn shur a litt ut Diadorm sudnly sombrsd harsy hat o wtch o Ana uua can caus us


40/507

H E B C

troubl shs no oo Fom th qustions Mio V ut toh sh uss hs lns n sh should hv t h mouthht Sh nd to di to k h fo blbbn"

Bd words to hr brok out in col swt Dido ws

k tht : on kd to b on th sf sid Ws soon ttor? Gv hm th nf Tht hd to b ou wy Ddnt I

now tht? I not on to b cht nin nor m Ichcnhtd But couldnt h flin sorry fo tt AnDuzuz th h o ysyou could t hold of t wthyou ngs Tllng ll thos stos Tht tooths old

h wth h outh cd n k sush Sh scd hunk of rdur with n ol i lttn th sty ubs oft coct in th m of h hnd; o l sh woud hold thic licn n sucn on it It md my tomch h

Why thn dd I f c ty for h I id not hv th cnn to contrct Ddoi y will ws in his in His

otivs s to hv t in t Th ony thn I fd wstht h would tll m to o bck th, nd sh An Duzuo slf I ws nn t hd to conto my flns Foso t I hd not ood Ddoi in th fc

But th I thought if thy k ol Duzuz to rotct thsct thn thy bl to ll th duht tooNhorinh

Tht would b urdr! Ah tht dcidd it for nd I unon vn window Wt youv jut sid d wth To t th of tht womn would bn us b ucIt ws s fr s I ot Dido rd my thouhts I yno tht you w wt tht hr dught h rcutly ot in s Thruon I s th truth tht

Dido lod too So uch tht hs ouy of md ovr Aft dd fcon tht othr shro in trn uson

Ad I ost scrd s tht w? W you do t I1 lv you fo ood You nv in Ddout hs hnd on my t m m tmb nsd but I

rssd y s of tnnss H v his hnd nd Iv hi in But it w tho thr wr s stonbtwn t two s Do yo thn hold Joc mo in suchlow stm cus of n old witch of fotuntllr nd


41/507

V I A

her sut of a daughter here n ths backsde of the upds" heecaimed softy. It made e ad Does the whoe wodthen everybody, have to ve n veneraton of that oca Ramroas f he were Christ Our Lord hmse" I nswered hm. Bythat te I had smoked two cigettes o be my own masterdentey thats what I wanted ore than anything. ButDiadorm knew this and t seemed tat he woud not et me

Robado isten to e then oca Ramro was my ather"he sad I dont know if he was very pe but afterwards hetued red Because of ts he owered hs face comng coser

toe.My breathng queted down. he surprise eft me speehess

I fet as i I were hangng in epty space d I beeved whathe said so my so quicky that it seemed as though I hadaways known it. I sad nothng I wathed Dadori out of thecorner of y eye hs head hed high so handsome so serous.

And I et my memory go back to Joca Ramiro hs proud bearng his quck step hs boots of Russan eather s augh hsmustache hs kndy commanding eye his broad forehead, hishead covered wth geang back curs. A of hm seemed togow For that is how Joca Ramio aected other en he hadan nner ght he was a kng by nature hat Diadori shoud

be his son now both peased and frightened me. I wanted tosay to h : I take it back Dador I am th you a theway, n everythng and wth the emory of your father Butt was not what I sad wonder why A human being wthoutdoubt s ike a threepy rope a interwoven Wat I sdnstead was e as for e or anyone ese beeng what you

have sad od Ana Duzua might as we turn out to be myother and in concuson I neary shouted For my part ouan try to bambooze e a you ike I am not gog I amagainst these barbarous acts

My nd was in a whr. I wated to see what he woud do a ash of reveaton I knew abot mysef what nuenced

y state o nd was that I was cry about Dadorim and atthe sae te, underying this was a du rage at it not bengpossbe for me to ove h as I wanted to, honoraby andopetey And I fet even greater oatng for that a


42/507

I H E B C S

Duzua, who might cme between us and break up ur fendship. I was mst fascte by the thght tht if it becmenecessay to quate he od wom I wu go there a it mysef-oy I coud nt ham Nhrnh whm I keed a ot Coud it be that I was nt in my ght mid dammit I don't kw I nt kw I shud not be rcang thisreating in ths way the dark sie f thigs. l this gmareI rey shudnt Yu are utsier my fen bt s astranger t me Perhaps that is the vey reason why I it Totak ke this with a strager who stes we and son goes

fa away has a secon avntage : t is as thgh I were tagt mysef Stop nd tn whatever is bad thi pepe theyaways dstort raionaie t ri themseves of it. Wud

that be why peope ta so much?A yor thoghtfu ideas ive me peace rcipy the

assurance that the SoanS desnt est; isnt that tue he

Renegae the Hund the Goshawk the Duckft the DrtyOne the Soty One the Gimpy Oe the Ngd the Backoot the Lefthanded One the ug Few the Messre the

Defu One the WhatuayC Him the neWhNeveraughs S he des nt exist! And if he does not esthw can ne make a pact with him he idea eeps cong

back t me Here is a onfused noon pease cea it up for me c it be that eveything comes from a remote deeper morepersistent past and that when oe gts the idea f seg his

sou it is becase he has aeay so it uawes? An athe person is g is cng an d dea that he sod hmsef tte by tte ng ago God frbi Go wh runs every

tng e me what y think abt it te me h kowsperhaps mand is sti s ie that smetmes G chande men ny by gvng his rers through the dev. rthat the native bseness f man can gmpse Gods presencny i the gre f that ther ne What is it that we reyhave frebgs about I wndered for ten years et the earth

spn I have my back prtecte thas to my prayers I remember Diaoim My wife must not hear me ung man nig for the past is a id f o age

But as I was teg you when I burted out that agy


43/507

H E D E V O

deace Diadoim asweed i a way that I d ot expect Thee s o disageemet, fied Riobaldo cam yousel.Thee s o eed to take the pecato o kg ths aDuua No ae we goig wit Medeo Va to commit atoci

tes agaist the we d lttle childe of the wost o the twottos jst becase he ad hs d ae the habt o dogsuch thigs All we wat is to kidap his family as hostagethe he w come ot ad how! d he wll come out obgedto ght. Bt some day yo shod ot come wth me sweato this : I wl de o sadess That was what he said He had

paced hs had aga me whe he bega to tak ad thehe wthdew t the he stood away om me Bt becase ohis voice a voice led with tedeess, I eve felt him bettead eae Love tsef s a kd o petece embacedDadom as wth the wgs o bds Fo the sake o hs fathesame oca Ramio I would ow l ad die, i eed be

Bt Dadom added othg moe o expaed the.Ad pehaps to chage the covesatio he asked me obado do you emembe you mothe well el me whatshe was ke, he goodess.

t that momet may te yo I dd't like the qestio Iaways withdaw ke takg shelte whe ayoe asks me a

dect qesto abot what petas to me aoe. Bt pt thsaside immediately seeg that oy Diadoim cod havetoched ths sestive spot withot htg because of hisdecate fedshp d destood. t was as t shod beEvey mothes lfe is kidess bt each oe has a speci kdof goodess which is hes aloe I had eve thought abot it

ths way beoe. o me my mothe was my mothe ad thatwas that. Now I eaed The special goodess of my othehad bee that of a love that wet had had wth justice,whch as a boy eeded. goodess that, eve as t pshedy excesses eoiced i my happiess The ecollectio of heed my fcy bust ito msic fo stt like a geat

hy ke the momet betwee daybeak ad sse Dado wet o to say I eve kew me He said it withstk simplcty as oe would say sdbaivebankheadwates s thogh he had bee bd fom bth


44/507

I N H E B C K L N D

s fo m w I ou ws I nee ad fe b sI mn I ne knw fo su w s nm ws I am nosamd of ben of obscu b Cden of unknownfas n wiou ll pps os e ops on

ss mos ofn n s bcklands m coms ouspnds e n mos on; cns pacs nd womn;som cd s lf bnd T poo mn dlops few s s consn mon abou wass of e upndsik bds on ies nd ks Tke ZZm m bes sopp e ful n capabl I sked im ZZm w

don ou se uine ns lk bod ls?I don wn o ise nun pied I lke o mo

ound T s w oun fbd woman n eouse nd wo clden b e lad One n d 'l akeo nd so oes obod ks won I'd sa s mucmsef n e ccumsnces look fe em I s o sa

God i umble was M moe di no ck s e wnI was a cld n m lile neck of e bckwoods blow e endof Sea das Mlas beween an Se dosees umbedown sack on e nc cled So doCaamuo bend souces of e Vede e Vde mpes no e aaca ea ee s lle foml

caled ees ou sould o see Toda as dieenname l e names e ben caed Lk passwods Soomo wasn s clled Va son? nd Cedo nBe dn cease o exs? d TabuleoGnde? Howcn e do awa w nams lk a? Do ou ee? Tename of place we someon s bo sould b saced

Suppose fo nsanc someon wee o epudae enam of Beleem of ou Lod esus Cs n e mnew Ou Lad ad Sn osep We ned o old o smo ml You know s God xss denel e del sHs oppose s I ws sain as ou e sen I e no lackof mmo I cl n abou m cldood Good

was I call wi pleasue bu wou lonin Te s nopace n lookin back You know s e s i I cnemembe of m al cldood ws ad I fl fo mn clld Gmacdo T bs people n pace


45/507

4 H E D E V I O P A

wee al f he Guedes famiy, Jid uedes whe hey efhee, ey k us w hem, my mhe ad me. We we ve he bm ads f he Siga he he sde, wheehe Jei ws he acisc yu kw whee I

mea I was he ad hree fee

Wel ge back wha I was eig yu we spe egh hee, ad everye had sep suy I wuld say was Apr, a he begig T cay u hs plas, Meder Vahad waed wai uil afe he las as f MachS.

Jseph's day ad s seasal ds cach pefec weahe,wh he elds s gwig gee, because s we wee gig css sme mashy meadws, ad fm hee advace as Id yu, back f beyd. We sruck u sppg w days he Vesp. There we had sme gd, we esed hses udehe cae f a fiedly sele, Je gci by ame Thee was

s a f yeserday's mud he ras. se u auey hseback wihu adsy smee cazywud d ha jagus ha Je ci sad He was aseus, hardwrkg ma, hugh a b f a fl, give aughig udy a hs w kes Bu he was wg, becauseMedei Vaz always kew he igh ue flw, ueigly

A he same ime, Je Egrc ced he quaiy f fdad suppes we had gaheed ad a hse pack mes Aha abudace was excessvehe mea ad u he apadua pey f sa, cee Everyhg. Ad he seeg wha hesaw, asked where we were gg, sag he waed g agwh us. "Have' yu jus aked u f u was all ha

Medeir Vaz said refusa. "Yes, chief I gfed easeecuse , sad Je Egrc, bwig hs head

Medeir a was a suly ma was jus ha he waswser a sld fellw. Smeimes he wud ak ude hsbeah uerg hmself Wih hm, bdy k beesHe wuld always accep gd ad jus cusel Bu he dd

ke chaer Was everye g a he same me TheMedeir Vaz was prese D yu kw hs eae hisyAs a yug ma, f rch family, he had heed a lagepaa He culd have maaged ad ved ease ad


46/507

I N H E B C K L N D S 5

comfort ut came the wars and the depredatons of agun


47/507

H O P A

Sssao st an s o comba n h hs of Baha!Whon a ml of ocn an cbaon bo oosWha noboy ha on bfo f osvs ab o o

hs s ho nt s o fom Vs scnns an avns hn cmb h hls bcom mohavy oo as yo aoach h haas A l bmay ash ot of h scb na bcas has nv sn o bfos os han a jaa W sa sch aocs of macas n h sy ha hy smbl a b o coth sa ot on h bac of h ho n Fom h

scn aan an sny cam o a oan lhf o oo a h a n on son by h s b ams sn ncla sayn bas An h h ns of a hos ha as bn soy by m a cmof bamboo an on snc an a shac h lac asnon as Bambal o Bo h ol sn h nh

an ma o na aons as sann ach a qaa aay on a hh

hmmoc Fom h co s h acvy bo h mnoon h s of boys n hay mol a sam ofbs aon a ava n boom n o h clohs annn o bath n h b ccl of h on fom hch a

h bs os n fh hons sos as an ocs ofbac cs as as hoh an ha as an fohm on h moo h mn no an ony o cavo oah an o noy hmsvs a hy co Bt som nha aays o b on y h s an shons ay foacon fo hs Mo as os n h a af

noon hn h b san h as a connosstn n h bs as h fons bsh aans achoh An n h bamboos amos h sam h ooson of an Manh Daom cam to m com any as a b nasy Phas th on ho a moshat as on o han as myslf am am no

naaly av ha s my bavy has s s an ons Ahn thos ays n no b oay o fo a son ochan hsf nto a co o a bav man al h ns soo a hmsf a o fo a haf a mtn on an


48/507

N H A C K L A N D 7

xrssion of daring or on of cowarc M abt was boghtat a high ric it dvlod as I grw oldr. And I'll tl ou srth vr thing w drad to do whn God commands it aftrwardwhn h dil ass for t w do it h Damnd On BtDiadorm was n a gntl mood stn Riobaldo" h sadour dstn s on of go Wnvr ou fl dshartndthink about our mohr I h about m fathr Don't saof thm Diadorim o rman sint s th wa to sa of thdad lacd th courag to t hm what I was thinngthat m dsir was to lac m ngrs lightl so light ovr

his soft s hidg thm o from hang to ndur thirfasciaon. ow much thir grn baut was hurting m somossibl.

W al slt w In th mong arlghts of fowl andbrds chirs and songs-vrbod runng about bus hling th lastminut rading h lathr war bags wr

d a th srngs and fastnd on th lt dons bacsW had brought along dons ust to ac our suls hhorss wr stl bblng th grama grass whh am u ovrthr hoofs. Evrbod d u hs watr gourd, and ut hsasac hs food raton for th da ground nuts and mocmal Mdiro Va who u to now had said nothing gav

marching odrs Frst in front a dtachmnt of v mn thadvc ato Aong with us at all ts thr wr thr goodscouts-Suart Joaquim Bi d ot hs ot knwhow to d watr hos and ravns wth war Suzart had thnos of a boodhound and Joaqum B w vr foot ofh uds b da or nght slld out and had h wantd to

h coud hav d out a ma of th whol rgon W st outundr a full had of stam Si fat arngs wr bing drvnalong to sul us wth ma on h wa Suddn as w drwawa al th brds cam bac fom th s drong straigh tothir lacs on h cool dgs of th ond-ah th hattring nth alms thr fronds li fas Now th sun in an uward

la far n ou rar bras ovr th woods n a ts gandurDa had arvd

W startd moving dr and dr nto a scrub of mangaba rs ad t gong straight had unt clos to lunch


49/507

T H E D E V L T O Y

ut th tan wa gttng ht and th tr allang thr krt ro th ound Th ony anma to cot ar woud ocaona amadlo n arh o honyand angaa u Thn th g and lttl manga tdaard and ony th and ad out o u Th ulur n th ky cam wr Th atur o tmothy andaalu a ga way to t lry tut Th ruhgowth gan to tr out n tho rownh trth Conguon t thu l y t w had a trang eng a o awold own od n th lak and Th ld atntal gra o lan wa no mor to n W ookd ac Th dazng un ad t mol or u to our tra Th lghtwa rul A walowtald kt wa th lat rd w aw Thrw wr n that aang thng a werd Godorakn wathtng undr oot It wa a drnt word razy an ocan oand Whr ay th nd o t th oundary? Th un ourddown on th arth whh ad k t At ong nteralache o dead gra; and om dry tut o lant lk harwhout a had U ahad n th dtan a yow aor wang and adng And a gan to ntr nto our unng h wh th ar

L m tl you r that th urng w wr to undrgo wa

rady eng read o u a th ar o h on onynad And what wa to I wa h momnt w modno h dert on o the ow a rtan Joo Bug ad ome or to th an at my d

"That Hrm6gn ha a at H cam to an undrtandnwh h Caroto

Tha wa too much or m A a! Thy aywl you knownonnthat th on go at dnght to a croroadand al loudy on th oreadand wa I t dongh th co a gut o nd or no good raon and thny acky a ow aar oowd y a rood o chk or a headng a lttr o glet Can you agn uh a hng You

ke t and out o th gound com a me o ung r on And th oradth Gy naume hatak or You ha to k u your nr You gn th at You gn t th your ood Th c your oul Muh at


50/507

N T H E B A A N

ave you ever ee uh tud uerto? ray Thater6gee ha a pat. I heard it ad beeved Nobody oudoe wth hm. Her6gee-devi Ye that wa it e wa thede helf.

Peoe ae fro hel-al of u-o ay y opadreQuele ro oe lower depth o otrouterrfygthat Crt hime wa able thak oly to i radattregt to deed for a quik glae the darke of eeve of the hrd Day. Do ou beeve t Tat i that ae theoral leaure of eah oe to abue ad toet the oter

that the heat ad od at the orely ad order to dgetwhat they eat they have to trai i the idde with awfupag; eve to breathe hurt ad there i o ret Do beevet? It hard to ay. thik bak o the apaig of Maabada aba what aw for yef ad what I heard ad othertg-te atrotie whh they omtted a a atter o

oure o may poor ltle etteet : hootg abbigutig pttig ou eye tg o togue ad ear o eveparg ttle hildre rg o the oet attle ugero t half ave a welter of blood. Did ot uh thigoe fro he? Of oure t pa to ee that they ae upfro there ead of their te to uh the other a a re

ider to u ever to forget what i raig dow there Neverthee ay pero lad dow tere wt a rah a oo atey die ivig a very dagero bue

Bu we too had to udergo feral uerig I tel you. Oroethg lke it. The ra were ow a eory ad the evlore of the erto wa right there al epty ae ad the u.

We would advae a few rod ad k deep i the adaad that thered out fro uder u without body puig thehore hoof bakward Later we had to work our way rir through a pathwork of py bromea hard ad toughte dark ree oor of ake There wa o road The thaged to a hd pk or gray terrai rogh ad fl of rak

Not familiar wh i the hore beae ktth Dadorih head alway hgh-h le doubled my ueaie or heoke "o we are vaat e bolder tha ay-ad we areog to uer ad die th. The me of Medero Vaz Wa


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H E D E V I O A Y

Medeo Va pushng on wth the scouts? Was t possbe thafo thee we coud st tun back? Afe a whe saw scowsbegn to gathe on soe faces. My coades keepng on just

keepng on was afad of getng ghtheaded ke the dzz

ness of beng dunk thnk t came fo too uch ung oveof deas fo I had made moe aduous jouneys than ths afootand on hosebac n the bong sun. Eveythg I was carryng weghed upon me Afte about a eague and a hf I tooky st swaow of wate fom the goud was geedy fo t Icoudnt connect my deas I wasnt tnkng staght. Fay we

caed a hat In that sae tera wthout any change whatevewth not a tee o guy o anythng we saw the sun sde down

on one sde and the nght rse up on the othe. I dd not evenhep to cae fo the stees o unoad the pack mues. Wheecoud the anms go to graze? The dakness came down aove a daess thout a wndow. unsadded hobbed my

hose thew ysef on the gound and fe aseep. But justbefoe doppng o two thgs stuck y nd athwat eachohe: that pehaps Medeo Vaz was cazy, d hat e6genes had a pact th the dev Fo ado, stetched outby y sde, head Go to seep obado eveythng wun out a ght" The wods sted n e a ted annoyance

bu hs voce was a ba to y body. That nght had a deam ado passg unde a anbow.

ow am I to nd ways of teng you about the contnuatonof ou matdom on the foowng day, fom the me the basof nght wee boen n the st of that wan dawn wthouthope of anythng not even a bd to be seen? We got movng I

oweed my eyes to keep from seeng the hoons whch encced us unchangng The sun and the est, you can nwth you magnaon what you cannot do s fee what t wase to ve t. Know ts that the Sussuao deset concevedsence and bought foth ev-ust ke a peson coud notwpe out those thoughts to go and go, keep on gong and tha

Medeo Vaz was ad had aways been ad ony now t wasou n the open-that s what wanted to cy out. And the

ohes y comades, what dd the othes thnk ow shoud know? Pobaby of nauht and nothng-they behaved as usua


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these ongserng bckers gn�o s mn wh hshf gen p re Tht bsteng het! the b-ng the bng the n o the het n eer prt o or boThe horses brethng hro her on the ng n

ther bore steps Not the est sgn o she No ter Ngrss When e tere the horses n lether trogh onl hl the stretche ther necks to beg for more n seeme tobe loong o t ther hoos s to sho l the eort theh been mng bt eer rop of ter h to be horeThe nhtmre conne re nghtre o em. The

horses hmere the ncret The ere bot one . e ere ost. There s no ter hoe to be fon Eer-bos ees h become booshot n me ther fcestrnng prpe The snght s mreros. n e erebot the scots snng seekg There ere those ho eressng the hol mlets rng s for me ge spt

oer to m bo smpe n the se rostrte M heseee e o le s lor ls goo thoght o olbgones. Or s m mn nerng? The ongg tht ss-tne e s or Otcl grl ho loe e ho e nthe errs os Gers t lce clle ts ltos sorceof sm strem on the zen nt Ctrn ost -

self n longng lke the meor of melo nother -ter tht tste Otc she nte to e or e th e fors to get rre. t the eng nt st ong e thoseerses

But my lm tree

Thee by ynde strem:

Lttle hue n the left bnk

Eyes lke wv f s

Bt the een ees ere those of orm. M ser oeone m golen oe one M ees hrt so the o not ocsm sght s brre n co not stop oong t the sk.

et pt or horses neckse setg serg Ohto t bck to the goo serrs f beore cshg chs co see br sorng motoness the coo erth te b rootng t the sg trees the lghng o he


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T H E D E V I L T O P A

breee the blag olors of a aaw Do you now te rus ote wind w never a ticet or iece of w to hold t bac?

Diado d not leave y side. e t s brow tinngHe sensed tat was far fro hi y tougts Riobaldo

we t l a Duzuza Nong wrong was done he sad dnt answer What did that atter to e now-ev deeds

and unsents Wat craved was the soft urng of abroo over stones e good sound of a strea sing awaynto the deths of a forest nd thougt bac to the birds wehad last seen at abual do o sring u he ar hey would

scold us each casng its shadow on a san of waer ere snoting e water get out of s alive l give u outlawing d go and ary Otacl I swore to yself u thatoent didnt care for anybody any ore ony about eyself was a newcoer in his old ell he day of our end sed n advance-that is wy you sll see e here he water

holes couldnt be found One o te en ad already been gvenu for dead Miqu a sincere serous cha a rstclassghter ulled u and laughed Loos le were out of luc"Ten soeone u aead cried out blnd And anoterfell ful lengt twsted te at of he orses Suddelyone of e growled uttering a rotest hen anoer he

horses were acting crazy saw a circle of ens faces esweaty faces One was calcoveredeven s eas were gaywit dust And oter all blacened bleedng fro e eyelids and fro te bags under is eyes Wasnt Medero Vaz noticing anyhing? ould ear y veins. hen recng out was able to gras e rens of Diado's orse and those sras

hurt y and ro ere fro is sot a not going oneste furer Oy i dragge · elless added Dadorseeed ade of stone le a dog stang e looed at esteady wth that beauty tat ong canged en lets gobac Robaldo for see that noting is tung out well tsabout tie croaed hose as a owling oney t was at

tat oen ta Diadors horse subled srawled on heground and treshed about n its dea agony. go o y ownMedero Vaz was ere wh an uncertain air e en standng around were olding their breat to see what would a


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N T E B A C K L A N D

pe o we tu back Chief Diadom asked e sed

speaing and gestued fo s to keep si Hs tone wasfedly, bu t was a Medeo Vaz could w noingt wat Diadom asked Medeio az thenfo e s time

hed out hs oe hads admtting hee was othing hecod do; ad is soldes sagged Ta was a I saw ut Idesood sed my god oo a swaow be s gl

ut he deciso had bee made we woud go back Andwoud you beevesuddenly ws a ew man wel ad feeng

ne! Al the othes eaced he same way Gog ac is a

ways a easue. Diado touced my am ooked hs eyeswee smmig teas ·hat I leaed ate was tha e deaf cssg the Sssao deser ad ee Dadoims It was hewo adsed edeo az to undetke

ut why te yo s i deta a ha we edued afe hatt is enogh to ote it re Wh the hep of God we m

aged to ge out of hee wthou mao dsaste That is to saysome of e me ded and many of he oses Te wos ngtat apened was we wee left wtho dokeys e oothngs ad un o and al ou suppes aog wth e ations wee lost The only hig ket us fom becomng

opelessly lost was e sas y whc we guded ouseves We

set out fom thee ust s day was beakg d e wogdecon We could hady ede ay moe og wh ou

ote suergs e men wee obsessed th hgewoud o gameu tey sho a big monkey uaeed

caved and bega to eat it asted t. iadom dd not evetase it But whle tey wee st osting ad eag tey ds

coveed at e body was no a of a mokey at a eycoud d o a It was a ma someoe ced Jos dos

ves s mote came to te s cyng and eainng hewas a nocet, who we abou naked fo ack of cothige would u awy o the woods ke a being weak n e

head ·at a hoo Te woman on e knees was cyg ou.

Someone sad ow tat he s good and dead we ca eat buthe soul so he es of s wo die. Nobody tought hs fny

o dd they eat y moe tey cod hee was not evenmaioc mea o go wi it I thew p Othes vomed oo


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woman was peadng Medeo az was prostrate wth feve andsevea ohers wee png. So we face stavaton do we?"soe of he gowld But ohers anage to get soe no-mao ot of he woan : hat abot a qartereague away

hee was a abandoed ed of manoc Don' touch t Iead sevea say, sue that the woman had told the abot o of evenge and ha s be wd anioc ad poisonous They ooed a he with a teribe rage Meanwhe Jaca haddiscoveed a kid of di which they say s t to eat and tastesgood e gave soe I ate t dng tasteless except fo a

strage stciness but t qeted the stoach It was better toeat grass and leaes Bt here were soe who ed theinapsacs wth lups of hat drt Dadorim ate some hewoman aso too soe, the poo thing tewads Medeiroaz had a bad spe, others fe pns; it was thought that han esh was poisonos Many were beedig at he gms,

wih ed spotches on thei bodes, and severe pans n heiswolle egs I was ht by dysentery ad was seed wth aoathng for myse u we anaged to reach the banks of theBois and thee n ake Sussuaraa we shed We had boughthe woan along she was afrad the whole te that we weregong to need aother vctm ad she would be the oe. Ayoe

who tries to olest her wl have me to deal th Dadormwaned st et h ty it" I chmed n, by hs side t ast,we ied a fa capybara Fro a agged pasan we obtaedsome bipm ea which was better tha nothng. We fo-owed he steam tha ows out of ae Sussaaa, and whchs oned by he enpapo and eredadoViorno the epes

ino he anderos Riveths oe has sngng waterfas, adits waes ae so tted that parrots yng over t arge scea-ng Is green! Is be Its geen It's gree Blessed wa-ters so near ow And t was pretty as we passed the low-yng elds, o see he boodower weeda red andorage brighy swayng. "It s he boodower kweed,

cred Dado exctely Bt Aarpe, who was ea us, shoohs head Where I coe from we cal i Lady oabut the s posoous

Shatered we were udoe by that lckng we had tae But


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N T H E B A C L A N D S 45

not owcst No oe compne. ont thn nyoe wolhve s he h reson fo compt A jgo s le tht Aguo oest become upset by losses efetseryeveythng s s one to hm neve w oe pet For hm fes sette to et ik eoy woen ght n thenthe en. An oesnt eveyboy fee bout the sme? The rchoers too Wht they wnt s thune toms n Octobe the grnry f of rce Al tht I myself h enure ungtht orel ws forgettg ws begnng to recover fth nMeeo Vs leeshp n o loge poke spgny ofh onence yo know s oes ot ep o wht yohve one or ccomplshe t srons person lke wamu sse fom my m the resolve h e toseek out Otc n sk her to mry e. Ater beng shes ws re oce more Ah bt to someonetheres the ubyouust y egnce Lsten Go ets pvte but the ev

goes bot eveywhere ckig hs pte But my love for or tught e tht these upns beutful.

We neee to rest too an wt n oe wy or nother wege to get some sle horses we cmpe for few yst fnly rnch on the Vere o Alege The we moveo cross the Pro n the Acr n we were kly receve

everywhee Bt t took long tme for us to get w of thefoces of the Juses Bt the vntge ws ous becuse th peope there were on or se. Meero Vz never tretenyone hshy thout st cuse too othig by force nortoerte bses by hs en Whenver we stoppe t pcepeope wol come gve us wht they co the wy of

foo n othe thngs But the foowes of Herm6gees Rcro obbe n rpe, oote evey ltte settlemet hungon e the pge At tht tme s we eae He6g-ens ws ovng cross the bor of Bh h th h whoe wor of b en A Rcro Whereve he wshe cou wt. By esy stges we reche crtn plce n

Burto he owner Sebsto Ver h corr hose He stor our utons or us ore thn ten thosnctges

Why nt e engge n combt urg thos onths


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H E D E V O

that foowed ll tel you the truth sr we were beig har

assed by govemet forces Major Overa Leuteat Ramz,ad Capta Melo Frco ey gave us o rest Ad Medero Vaz

had oy oe thought to avod a showdo, so as ot tosquader our stregth for our weapos had but oe purpose to

fu a duty We woud sp away we woud eude pursut o-

lowg the trl of th burt pams alog the brooks we woud

cross the Pratga whch s deep ether at the Mata or theBoada ford or farther do, the Sa Domgos Rver, at the

Jos Pedro ford Or we woud foow ts aks to ts headwaters,

the So Domguhos he mportat thg we had to gureout was how to move quicky across the vdes, wheever the

mtary started crowdig us t was ecessay to kow the

trals gog dow to Gos, for the tabled comes to aabrupt ed as t sopes toward Gos here are backbreakgslopes ad terrbe red hlsdes. I saw paces where the earth

was bured ad the goud made oses What a strage word the Brejo do Jatobziho, i fear of us, a ma haged hm

self Cotug to ts far ed you reach Japo, a broad tabe-lad here oe of the setters asked me to be his sos godfa

ther. The chid receved the ame of Dadorm The oe who

ocated was the prest of a throg of mgrats from Baha : the

etre populatio of a smal settlemet Baha o the move toa ew paceme, wome, the kds, the od foks, the prest

th hi gear ad crucix ad the image from the churchthey eve had a tte bd whch came aog too ke a goup

of merrymakers at carival tme hey were gog to look for

damods, so far o, as they themseves sad : " the rvers

Some were drvg pack dokeys others were carryg theirstubags of provsos, budes of cothes ad jute ham-mocks slug over ther shouders t was a ordery processio,lg the road raisg the dust th the slapslap of ther sadals, the od wome repeatg ther tay, others sgg. heyprayed, o ther way from poverty to rches Ad for the peas-

ure of sharg the comfort of rego, we accompaed them asar as Va da PedradeAmoar here the ray seaso thewd bows from the west the dry seaso, the wd comes

rom th drecto here The processo of the Bahas had the


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N H E B C K L N D

ppearace of a fesva. I the serto, eve a simpe bur is afestvl

Sometmes I tk : wat persos of fat a stagwere to come together at some suitale place i the dde of

the uplds, to sped their lives i soem prayers, raised oudprisg o a mplorg the gory of forgveess for the ss

of te word? Everybody woud start comg tere A eor-mous church oud be erected there woud be o more crmeor gree a suerg would be ubureed upo o, atoce ut te our of eac oes death I argued ts wth my

ompare Queemm, but he shook his head i disaeemet.Robaldo, the harvest is for everybody, but each must hoe hsow wees e aswered tougtfully

My compare Queemm is a ma who is ot like the ru ofthe mil. o there sir to juj o ow, this moth of ue

The morg star rses at three oclock the awn s cod as ce.

It s te cae harvest seaso te dark you w see a lttlesuar miad there he is hsef smili d sweaty, busy

th his gridi rik a gourd of ce juce d ve him myrears A ma of getle ways, wt eart so wte a over-oi wth gooess tat the ayest or saest perso kes to

tak to im

Just the same my er esre was for a mghty rach ofos, set o te gest peak, wt cese burg at te heaof the eds, the peope itoig hs eve the birs ad i

mls comig to appaud Ca't you see it? Brave, helthy peo

ple seekng oly Heave as ter ed Competely eret

from what you see ere ad there. Like what happee to a i

i Barreiroovo she stopped eati oe day d drak oythree rops of oly water a ay mracles bega to take place

aroud er But te regoal cef of polce ame brnggog is sodiers, ad ordered the peope to isperse. They took

the grl to isane asyum i the captal ad it is said that

tere tey forcefed r troug a tube d tey ave te rgt

to do that ere they ustied? I a way, thik it was a goodthi. Becuse i o time t , thousads of ivas doomed

to e, appeare there seekg to be cured epers, horrby de-orme crpples people covere wt sores, te starg b


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T H E D E V I L T O A

made i chais idios cosmpives he dopsical, allsots ceaes that stak f yo had see t yo wod havebee depessed. Those who did wee lled wih disgs kow dsgs s a veo of YoKowWo o keep s fom h

ig piy Ad hose people sceamed clamoig o be healed aoce payg aod agg wh oe aothe despag ofhei faih-wha hey waed was oly o be ced hey had oieest Heave Seeg a ths yo become astoded ahe capaciy of he wold o hold so mch of wha we do owat s a good hg hat defoes ad epelet sghs aescaeed all ove Ohewise we shold lose hea. The backads ae ed wt them. t s oy whe yo ead a agoslfe ad ae always o he move o had maches ha yodot oice t so mch the aw of wetchedess ad sckess.

Hees oe fo yo : a cople i Rio do Boa, a good waysfom hee st becase the hsbad ad wfe wee s cosis hei fo childe wee bo wih he wos defomythee s : o ams o egs st the tk am t, my d catgasp sch a hig e me ask yo hs aohe edcaed ma,a yog chap who was pospectig fo tomaies the Aassa vley was ellg me tha peoples lives icaate ad eicaate of the ow accod ad hat God doest exst t made

me shdde. How ca God ot be? With God existig thee saways hope a mace s aways possbe ad the wod wsete s poblems. B f thee is o God we ae lost themoi ad ife s meaigess. Thee is costa dage, ogea ad smal occasios ad we mst ot be egget-accdes ca aways happe Havg God i is o so seios o be a

tte caeess fo wl a come ot ght i te ed. Bt hee is o God he we have o leeway a all ! Becase seg exss. Ad ma s apped a abyith take the wog ad higs happe lke he defomiy of hose childethot ams ad egs oes pa h eve i babes adaimalseve laicsdoes i h wiho o eedig

o ow why o how? Ad aet peope aways beg bo he fea have is o of deah b of bh. Fea o mysey

ot yo see, s? What s ot of God s of the devs domaiGod exiss eve whe hey say He does' B he devil does


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N T H E B A C K A N D 4

not nd to xist to bwhn popl now tht h dos not xist thn is whn h ts ov Hl is limitlss thing whhnnot vn b sn But if popl wnt Hvn it is busthy wnt n nd but n nd wh thy n s vything If

I m tling nonsns, pls stop m. Tht's how I m I wsbon dint in my wys fom nybody ls Wht I nvy sis you dution

om Assu I bought b top.Do you now si why I hd gon to thos pls You ndnt

s I'll t you. How is it tht you n th tu in th ls

indshp th th llusion of disilusionmnt I hd it sybut with dms tht lft m tid Th sot fom whh youw up slowly Lov A bid tht lys ion ggs It ws woswhn I sttd stng w ll night not bl to slpDidoim ws on of thos insutbl psons-h nv vd his inn thoughts no wht h ws sumisng I thin I

ws tht wy too Did I lly wnt to now hm I d nd Idn't Not vn if you buy it in siln n thing tht dosn'tm sns b dt wth I fl b on old son Now sis how psons ft wos out I bought b th topston to giv t Didoim; thn I ws going to snd it s giftto Ot nd tody it is to b found on my w's hnd

Am I tlling thin

devil to pay in the backlands

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