In the room, undoing her bag and taking the bachelor's letter out of the can, she was thinking of happiness and glory. He saw marriage and his illustrious career, while Jose Dias was helping me in silence and zeal. An invisible fairy descended there, and said to me in a soft and quiet voice: "You will be happy, Bentinho; you are going to be happy
"And why would not you be happy?" asked José Dias, straightening his trunk and staring at me.
-You heard? I asked, looking up at me astonished.
-I heard what?
"Did you hear a voice that said I'll be happy?"
-It's good! You're the one who's saying ...
Even now I can swear that the voice was of the fairy; naturally the fairies, expelled from the tales and verses, got into the heart of people and talk from inside to outside. This, for example, I have often heard clearly and distinctly. She is to be the cousin of the Sorceresses of Scotland: "You will be king, Macbeth!" - "You will be happy, Bentinho!" In the end, it is the same prediction, by the same universal and eternal touch. When I returned from my astonishment, I heard the rest of José Dias' speech:
-... He must be happy, as he deserves, just as he deserved that diploma that is there, which is no one's favor. The distinction he made in all matters is proof of this; I have already told you that I heard from the mouth of the glasses, in particular, the highest compliments. Moreover, happiness is not only the glory, it is also something else ... Ah! You did not entrust everything to old Jose Dias! Poor José Dias is there in a corner, it's cashew sucks, it's not worth anything; now they are the new ones, the Escobares ... I do not deny that he is a very distinguished young man, a hardworking man, and a truism husband; but, anyway, old man knows how to love ...
"But what is it?"
-What should it be? Who does not know everything? ... That intimacy of neighbors had to end in this, which is truly a blessing of the sky, because she is an angel, is an angel ... Forgive the zinc, Bentinho, was a way to accentuate the perfection of that girl. I took care of the contrary, otherwise; I confused the modes of growth with expressions of character, and I did not see that this girl, cross and already with pensive eyes, was the whimsical flower of a healthy and sweet fructo ... Why did not you tell me also what others know, and here Is house more than guessed and approved?
"Mother approva devéras?"
-So? We have talked about it, and she did me the favor of asking my opinion. Ask him what I said to him in clear and positive terms; ask him. I told her that I could not wish for a better daughter-in-law for herself, good, discreet, devoted, friend of ours ... and a housewife, who did not tell her anything. After her mother's death, she took care of everything. Padova, now that he has retired, does no more than receive the salary and give it to his daughter. The daughter is the one who distributes the money, pays the bills, plays the role of expenses, takes care of everything, groceries, clothes, light; you already saw her last year. And as for beauty, you know better than anyone else ...
"But, devas, Mother asked you about our marriage?"
"Not really; did me the favor of asking if Capitú would not make a good wife; I'm the one who, in reply, spoke in daughter-in-law. Dona Gloria did not deny it, and even laughed.
"Every time you write to me, I always talk about Capitú.
"You know they get along so much, and that's why her cousin is getting pissier. Maybe I'll marry sooner,
"Just Justina?"
-Do not know? They are tales, of course; but in the end, Dr. João da Costa has been widowed for a few months, and they say (I do not know, the protonotario he told me) say that the two are half inclined to end widowhood among themselves, marrying each other. You must see that there is nothing, but it is not out of purpose, although she always thought the doctor was a bundle of bones ... Only if she is a cemetery, "he commented laughing; and soon seriously: I say this out of joking ...
I did not hear the rest. I could hear only the voice of my inner fairy, which repeated to me, but already without words: "You will be happy, Bentinho! "And the voice of Capitú told me the same thing, in different terms, and so did Escobar's, who both confirmed the news of Jose Dias by his own impression. Finally, my mother, a few weeks later, when I asked her to marry me, in addition to her consent, she gave me the same prophecy, saved her mother's own wording: "You will be happy, my son!"
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