Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Indecision

Manoel loved Mina very much, and the girl loved him dearly.The two young people admire each other, they are really a match made in heaven. When Manoel is convinced that he has feelings for Mina, he first confides in Benito. After listening to his confession, Benito said excitedly: "Dear Manoel, it is really great that you want to marry my sister! Let me help you! I will tell my mother first, I believe she is very happy. Will agree soon!" After half an hour, it was done.In fact, there is no need for Benito to tell Yaquita, because she has already seen through the minds of the two young people.

Ten minutes later, Benito went to Mina again.To be honest, he didn't waste much time here.As soon as he got to the point, lovely Mina laid her head on her brother's shoulder, and spoke her heart: "Oh, how happy I am!" Before Benito asked the question, Mina had already answered it.This goes without saying.So Benito didn't ask any more questions. As for Joam Gallard, he would certainly agree.There is no doubt about it.However, Yaquita and the children did not immediately tell him about the marriage.Because they are considering where the marriage should be held, which is a more difficult thing to do.

Yes, where should the wedding be held?Was it held in that hut that served as a church?That's all right.It was there that Joam and Yaquita received Father Passana's wedding blessing.At that time, Father Passana was parish priest of Iquitos.Today, as then, civil and religious weddings are combined in Brazil.The register of the missions was sufficient to prove the legality of the marriage without the intervention of civil officials. If Joam Galar had been told of the marriage, he would have hoped to have it solemnly held in the village of Iquitos, and to invite all the hired hands and servants of the manor to attend.However, if he really thinks so, then he will face fierce opposition.

Because Mina had other plans for this.She said this to her fiancé: "Manoel, if you ask me, I would like our wedding to take place in Pala. Because your mother is not well enough to come to Iquitos, and I don't want To be her daughter-in-law if we met each other. On this point, my mother and I are completely on the same page. We also hope to persuade my father to take us to Belem, to your mother. Because there will be my home soon. You Agree with us? Manoel shook Mina's hand in answer to the suggestion.Because his greatest wish is that his mother can attend his wedding.As for Benito, he also very much agrees with this suggestion.Now it was only a matter of persuading Joam Galar.

On the day they met Torres, the two young men went hunting in the forest precisely to allow Yaquita to be alone with her husband and to persuade him. That afternoon, Yaquita and Joam were both in the living room. Joam just came back, leaning on a delicately woven bamboo chair.At this time, Yaquita was a little excited and walked to him. Telling Joam how much Manoel felt for their daughter, and how only this marriage could guarantee her happiness, none of these worries Jacquita.Because Joam knew all the advantages of Manoel, he would definitely welcome this son-in-law warmly.However, Yaquita was worried about whether Joam could be persuaded to leave the manor.

This is because, since Joam Galar came to Peru in his youth, he has never left the country for a single day.Although the Amazon River, which flows quietly to the east, beckoned him to go down the river, although he delivered timber to the coast of Manao, Belém and Pará provinces every year, although he watched Benito return home after each vacation He went to study in Belem, but he never thought of going to Belem with Benito. As for the produce harvested on the manor, in the forest, and in the fields, Joam Galar always sold them there, as if he never wanted to go out of his little world to see the outside world.

Therefore, in the past 25 years, Joam Galar has never left the Peruvian soil.His wife and daughter have never crossed the border to Brazilian territory.However, Benito, who is studying in Brazil, always tells his mother and sister about the situation there, so they have always been eager to see this beautiful country.Two or three times, Yaquita had hinted at her husband, but Joam's face would show a very painful expression even if he only proposed to leave the estate for a few weeks.At such times, his eyes were bewildered, and he replied to Yaquita in a slightly reproachful tone: "Why leave our estate? Aren't we happy here?"

Yes, Joam was kind and considerate, and he brought happiness to himself.So, facing her husband, Yaquita did not dare to persist anymore. This time, however, there is a valid reason.Mina is getting married and she should be taken to Belem.Because she will live there with her husband. In Belem, Mina will meet Manoel Valdez's mother and learn how to get along with her.How could Joam hesitate before such a legitimate desire?Moreover, he should also understand Yaquita's thoughts, she also wants to meet this future in-law.Didn't Joam think so too? Yaquita took Joam's hand and persuaded him tenderly.The voice was soft and beautiful like music.

"Joam, I want to talk to you about something. We very much hope that this plan will come to fruition. You will be as happy as me and the children." "What's the matter, Yaquita?" asked Joam. "Manoel is in love with our daughter, and their union will make both happy..." As soon as Yaquita had said a few words, Joam Galar couldn't control his emotions and stood up abruptly. "What's the matter with you, Joam?" Yaquita asked. "Mina? . . . married? . . . " said Joam to himself. Yaquita only felt her heart tighten, and then asked:

"My dear, do you object to this marriage? Don't you realize that Manoel has long been in love with our daughter?" "Oh! Yes! . . . almost a year! . . . " Before he finished speaking, Joam sat down again.At this moment, he regained control of his emotions, and he no longer had the confusing excitement just now. Yaquita took his hand again. "My Joam, am I mistaken? Don't you also think that this marriage must take place sooner or later, and that it will surely bring all happiness and joy to our daughter?" "Oh, yes... all happiness... without a doubt!... But, Yaquita, this marriage... this marriage that each of us has considered... when will it take place? Immediately?"

"It's up to you, Joam." "So, is the wedding here—Iquitos?" With that in mind, it was time for Yaquita to tackle the second thorny problem.She hesitated for a while, and finally said: "Joam, I... about this marriage... I have a proposal that I hope you will agree to. Two or three times in the past twenty years I have asked you to take me and my daughter to Pala and other provinces of the lower Amazon Go and see, because we have never been to those places, but you failed to meet our requirements. Because you have to take care of the manor and everything here. Even if we leave for a few days, it may affect your work. But now , none of us expected that the manor would be so prosperous. So, although it's not time for you to retire yet, this time you can at least rest for a few weeks!" Joam Galar did not answer.But Yaquita felt his hands tremble, as if struck by pain.Even so, a smile appeared on the corner of her husband's mouth, as if to imply that Yaquita had finished what he had just said. So Yaquita went on: "Now, Joam, there is a chance that will never come again. Mina is going to marry far away, and she is going to leave us. This is the first time our daughter has made us sad. The thought of being with you soon I am very sorry that she parted. I should like to go to Belem with her. Don't you think we ought to get acquainted with Madame Valdès? We are going to give our daughter to her, and she will take my place as Mina Besides, Mina didn't want to marry far from Mrs. Valdès, it would hurt her. My dear Joam, if your mother was still there when we married, you would not have wanted her too. Can you come to our wedding?" Hearing Yaquita's words, Joam couldn't help trembling again. Yaquita went on to say: "Honey, how I wish I could go to Brazil with you, Mina, and our two sons, Benito and Manoel, along the beautiful Amazon River." Down to the last provinces it flows through! Once there, parting may not be so painful for me! When I come back, I can imagine my daughter living with Mrs. Valdès I'm not going to figure out her life out of thin air, and I'm not going to be ignorant of her diet and daily life!" This time, Joam stared at his wife for a long time, but still made no answer. What happened to him?Faced with such a reasonable request, why did he hesitate?A simple "yes" can make the whole family cheer, but why doesn't he say yes?An excuse to take care of the estate is no longer enough of a reason.Going away for a few weeks won't make a difference at all!The butler will take care of the manor instead of him!However, he is always hesitating! Yaquita took her husband's hands into hers and held them even more tenderly. "My dear Joam, I am not asking you to give in to my waywardness. No, no! This time, I have thought about it for a long time, and it is my greatest wish that you will agree to this proposal. The children will know that I am persuading You. Mina, Benito and Manoel would like both of us to accompany them to Belem. Also, the children and I would like the wedding to be held in Belem and not in Iquitos. The couple It’s good for our daughter and her life there. People there will see her with her family and she won’t feel too foreign in that city. She’ll be there for most of her life!” Joam Galar leaned on his elbows and buried his face in his hands, as if he needed to collect his thoughts before he could answer.Obviously, he also wanted to stop being indecisive and make a decision, but at the same time, he was suffering.Yaquita could sense this, but she didn't understand why.Joam's brooding exterior belied an inner battle.Yaquita was so worried that she almost blamed herself for touching on the subject.In any case, she would obey Joam's decision.If the journey would cause Joam great distress, she would refrain from mentioning leaving the estate.Though Joam's refusal was inexplicable, Yaquita would never ask him why. After a few minutes, Joam stood up and walked to the door without looking back.It seemed as if he was about to take one last look at this beautiful land.It was here that he lived happily for twenty years. Then he walked slowly back to his wife.This time, he no longer hesitated, and a new expression changed on his face, as if he had just made a noble decision. He said firmly to Yaquita: "You're right! This trip is necessary! When would you like us to start?" "Oh! Joam! My Joam!" Yaquita exclaimed in surprise, "Thank you! . . . I thank you for the children too!" Joam held her in his arms, Yaquita's eyes were filled with tears of emotion. At this time, a cheerful voice came from outside the door.It was Manoel and Benito who were back.Almost at the same time, Mina also left her room and went to the living room. "Children! Your father has agreed! Our family is going to Belem!" Yaquita shouted. Joam Galar received his son's thanks and his daughter's kiss without a word, with a grave expression. "Papa, when do you want the wedding to take place?" asked Benito. "When? . . . " Joam replied, "Is it a day? . . . Let's see! . . . We'll decide when we get to Beren!" "Oh! how happy I am! how happy I am!" Mina kept going on, as if she had learned that Manoel was going to propose to her that day. "We're about to see the whole of the majestic Amazon! We're about to see the provinces of Brazil along its banks! Ah! Thank you, Dad!" The agitated girl was already beginning to dream, and she said to her brother and Manoel: "Let's go to the study room, find all the books and maps, and learn about this beautiful Amazon River Basin! We can't travel blindly! I want to know and see everything about the king of rivers in the world!"