Dom Casmurro

by Machado de Assis

LII - Old Padua

I now also tell the goodbyes of old Padova. Soon he came to our house. My mother told him to come and talk to my room.

-Excuse me? he asked, stuck his head in the door.

I went to shake his hand; he hugged me tenderly.

-Be happy! he told me. To me and to all my people, I think they are very homesick. We all esteem you as you deserve. If you are told otherwise, do not believe it. They are intrigues. I, too, when I married I was a victim of intrigue; they broke up. God is great and discovers the truth. If you ever lose your mother and your uncle, it rests that I, because of this light that lodges me, does not desire, because they are good people, surplus people, and I am grateful for the fineness received ... No, I am not like others , certain parasites, coming from for disunion of the families, low flatterers, no; I am of another species; I do not live by eating dinners or living in someone else's house ... Anyway, they are the happiest!

-Why will you talk like that? I thought. Naturally he knows that Jose Dias says evil of him.

"But, as I was saying, if you ever lost your relatives, you could count on our company." It is not sufficient in importance, but the affair is immense, believe it. Father, our house is at your command. I just want you to not forget me; do not forget old Padua ...

He sighed and continued:

"Do not forget your old Padova, and if you have any little trap left in my memory, a Latin notebook, anything, a button-top, something that will not do you any good." Courage is the memory.

I had a start. I had wrapped in a paper a bunch of my hair, so large and beautiful, cut in the evening. The intention was to take them to Capitú on his way out; but I had the idea of ​​giving him to the father, the daughter would know him and guard him. I took the package and gave it to him.

"Here you go, put it away.

"A haircut!" exclaimed Padua, opening and closing the package. Oh! thank you! Thank you for me and my people! I will give it to the old woman, to guard it, or to the little one, who is more careful than the mother. How beautiful they are! How do you cut a beauty of these? Give me a hug! other! another! goodbye!

His eyes were damp; he took the face of the disillusioned, as if he had used all his savings of hope in a single ticket, and he sees the damn number go white, -a number so beautiful!