Paternal Love

"Mr. Leôncio," Malvina said in a forced tone as she approached the sofa, which her husband was reclining, "I desire to say two words, if that won't inconvenience you."

"I'm always at your orders, dear Malvina," he answered and raised himself agile and cheerful, as someone who had no need to repair past deeds, indifferent toward the ceremonious tone Malvina treated him. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to tell you," the young woman exclaimed in a severe tone, trying in vain to give her beautiful face a ferocious air, "I want to tell you, that you have insulted and betrayed me in your house, in the most unworthy and disloyal ..."

"Good grief! ... What are you talking about, my dear? ... Explain yourself better, because I don't understand what you mean ..."

"In vain you pretend surprise, senhor; you well know the cause of my disgust. I should have foreseen this shameful conduct; it has been awhile you haven't been affectionate toward me, and treats me with such coldness and indifference ..."

"Oh! My beloved wife, do you want the honeymoon to last forever? ... That would be very monotonous and prosaic."

"You are still mocking me, villain!" Malvina yelled, and this caused her face to flush red and her eyes to flash her terrible anger at him.

"Oh, don't exasperate yourself this way, Malvina; I'm joking," Leôncio said, trying to take her hand.

"Good occasion for jokes! ... Don't touch me, senhor! ... What a disgrace! ... Your actions shame the both of us."

"Will you explain yourself?"

"I don't have to explain myself; you know very well what I mean. I only have to demand ..."

"Then demand, Malvina."

"Give any fate to that slave, ...

... middle of paper ...

...ith fright and taking the letter that Leôncio threw on the desk, begun to read it with a faltering voice:

"Leôncio, I have to give you painful news, which you will not expect. It is an anguish that we all must endure eventually, and that we must endure with resignation. Your father has passed away; he succumbed the day before yesterday, the victim of a cerebral hemorrhage ..."

Malvina could not continue; and in that moment, forgetting the offenses and everything that had happened in that tragic day, she threw herself into her husband's arms, and embraced him as her tears mixed with his.

"Ah! My father! My father! ... All is lost!" Isaura exclaimed, lowering her beautiful face into Miguel's chest. "We have no hope left!"

"Who knows, my daughter!" her father retorted gravely. "We must not lose faith; great is the power of God!"