Custódio interrupted him, slapping his thigh. Whether this was a natural gesture or a crafty diversion to avoid discussing a potential job, I have absolutely no idea; nor does it seem an essential element of the story. What is essential, though, is that he persisted in his request. Could the notary really not give him five hundred mil-réis? He would take two hundred; two hundred would be enough, not for the factory, for he would follow his friends’ advice and turn it down. Two hundred mil-réis, seeing that the notary was disposed to help him, would meet an urgent need, to “fill a hole,” as he put it. And then he told the notary everything, meeting frankness with frankness, for that was his rule of life. He admitted that, in dealing with the business proposal, he also had in mind settling matters with a particularly persistent creditor, a devil of a fellow and a Jew, who, strictly speaking, still owed him, but had treacherously turned the tables on him. It was two hundred and something mil-réis; two hundred and ten, to be precise; but he would accept two hundred—

“Really, it pains me to repeat what I’ve already said, but there we are; even two hundred mil-réis is beyond my means. Even if you were to ask me for a hundred mil-réis, that would still exceed my capabilities at this particular time. On another occasion, possibly, I’m sure, but not right now . . .”

“You can’t imagine the tricky situation I find myself in!”

“I repeat, not even one hundred mil-réis. I’ve had a lot of expenses recently. Clubs and societies, subscriptions, the Freemasons . . . You probably don’t believe me, do you, given that I do own some property, but, my friend, it is indeed a fine thing to own houses, but what you don’t see is all the wear and tear, the repairs, the water pipes, the tithes, the insurance, the rent arrears, and all the rest of it. They’re the holes in the pot through which most of the water is lost . . .”

“If only I had a pot!” sighed Custódio.

“I’m not saying I’m not fortunate, but what I am saying is that owning houses doesn’t mean you don’t have worries, expenses, even creditors . . . Believe you me, I have creditors too.”

“So not even a hundred mil-réis!”

“Not even a hundred mil-réis. It pains me to say so, but that’s how it is. Not even a hundred mil-réis. Now what time is it?”