Before coming to Madrid I
sailed almost around the world in a yacht belonging to Fanny's
brother."
"And this fortune that you expect to own, is it also on some island?"
asked Manuel.
"It seems to me that you're of the kind that have no faith," answered
Roberto. "Before the crowing of the cock you would deny me three
times."
"No. I know nothing of your affairs; but if you should ever need me,
I'll be ready to serve you, and gladly."
"But you doubt my destiny, and are wrong to do so. You imagine that
I'm a bit daft."
"No, no, sir."
"Bah! You think that this fortune that I'm to inherit is all a hoax."
"I don't know."
"Well, it isn't. The fortune exists. Do you remember I was once
talking with Don Telmo, in your presence, about a conversation I had
with a certain book-binder in his house?"
"Yes, sir. I remember."
"Well, that conversation furnished me with the clew to all the
investigations I afterward conducted; I won't tell you how I went
about collecting data and more data, little by little, for that would
bore you. I'll put the thing for you in a nutshell."
As he finished his sentence Roberto arose from the bench upon which
they were seated and said to Manuel:
"Let's be going; that fellow yonder is hanging around trying to hear
what we're talking about."
Manuel got up, surer than ever that Roberto was crazy on that point;
they walked by El Angel Caido, reached the Meteorological Observatory
and from there left for the hills that lie opposite the Pacifico and
the Dona Carlota districts.
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