Dismayed, Leandrinho apologized to Eulália. The fellow sitting next to him explained that Dona Benedita could not hear her husband’s name mentioned without feeling a crushing blow to her heart, promptly followed by tears; Leandrinho replied that he was aware of her misfortune, but had never imagined his toast would have such a harmful effect.

“And yet it’s the most natural thing in the world,” explained the fellow, “for she misses her husband terribly.”

“The canon,” replied Leandrinho, “told me her husband went to Pará about two years ago.”

“Two and a half years. He was appointed district judge by the Zacarias government. He would have preferred the appeal court in São Paulo, or perhaps Bahia, but it was not to be, and so he accepted Pará instead.”

“And he hasn’t been back since?”

“No.”

“I presume Dona Benedita is afraid of such a long sea voyage . . .”

“I don’t believe so. She’s already been to Europe. No, if I recall correctly, she stayed behind in Rio to sort out some family affairs, and then stayed on, and on, and now . . .”

“But would it not have been far better to go to Pará than to suffer like this? Do you know her husband?”

“I do; a very distinguished gentleman, and still hale and hearty; he couldn’t be more than forty-five. Tall, bearded, handsome. People used to say that he didn’t insist on his wife joining him because he had fallen for some widow up there.”

“Ah!”

“And someone even came and told Dona Benedita. Imagine how the poor lady must have felt! She cried all night, and the next day she wouldn’t eat any breakfast, and made arrangements to take the very next steamship to Pará.”

“But she didn’t go?”

“No. She canceled three days later.”

At that moment, Dona Benedita returned, on the arm of Dona Maria dos Anjos. She smiled in embarrassment, apologized for the interruption, and sat down once again with her new friend by her side, thanking her profusely for looking after her and again clasping her hand.

“I can see you only want what’s good for me,” she said.

“It’s only what you deserve,” said Dona Maria dos Anjos.

“Really?” Dona Benedita said, with a mix of vanity and modesty.