The Adventurers Read Online Free PDF Page A

had learned all that the school had to offer. He had inherited the stature of his mother's family, being almost six feet tall, and his father's inquisitive mind. He was by far the brightest student in all the school.
    A great conferencia was held between the Jesuit brothers who ran the school and my grandfather, at the end of which it was decided that my father should be sent to the University to read for the law. Since his father's salary as a clerk was too meager to pay for this, it was further agreed that he would be sponsored by the Jesuits out of the school's limited scholarship fund. But even this would not have been enough to cover the costs of tuition had not the alcalde, for whom my grandfather worked, agreed to make up the difference in return for five years' indenture once my father finished school.
    Thus it was that he first began the practice of law without salary in the office of the alcalde where his father was a clerk, working in the dank, dark outer room perched high on a stool copying in his flowing hand the early briefs and summations my father prepared for his master. It was there he was working at the age of twenty-three, in the third year of his indenture, when the plague came to Curatu.
    It arrived on a ship with clean white sails, a ship that sailed almost jauntily atop the crests of the waves that capped the clear blue waters of the harbor. It was hidden in the secret darkness of the ship's holds, and within three days almost the entire city of three thousand souls was dead or dying.
    That first morning when the alcalde came in my father was at his desk on the far side of the room in which he worked. The older man was visibly agitated but my father did not ask what had upset him. It was not the thing to do with his excellency. He bent his head over the lawbooks and pretended not to notice.
    The alcalde came up behind him. He peered down over my father's shoulder to see what he was doing. After a moment he spoke. "Jaime?"
    My father looked up. "Si, excelencia?"
    "Have you ever been to Bandaya?"
    "No, excelencia."
    "There is a matter there," the alcalde said, "a question of land rights. My good friend Rafael Campos has a dispute with the local authorities."
    My father waited patiently.
    "I should go myself," the alcalde said, "but there are pressing matters here. . . ." His voice trailed off.
    My father did not answer. He knew what was going on in the office; there were no really important matters. But Bandaya was six hundred kilometers away, high in the mountains, and travel was arduous. Besides, there were rumors of bandoleros roaming the hills, waylaying travelers.
    "It is a very important matter," the alcalde said, "and Senor Campos is an old friend. I would want him to have every assurance." He paused for a moment and looked down at my father. "I think it would be better if you could leave this morning. I have arranged for you to have one of the horses from my stable."
    "Si, excelencia," my father said, getting up from his chair. "I will go home and get a few things together. I will be ready to leave in an hour."
    "You know about the matter?"
    My father nodded. "Seguramente, excelencia. I wrote the petition at your request. It was two months ago."
    The alcalde sighed in relief. "Of course. I had forgotten." He hadn't forgotten; he knew that every brief and petition that had been issued from his office the past few years had been written by my father. "You will express to Senor Campos my profound regrets at being unable to come personally?"
    "Seguramente, excelencia," my father reassured him. He then went into the outer office, where his father sat on a high stool copying a judgment.
    "Que pasa?" his father asked.
    "Vengo a Bandaya, Papa."
    My grandfather smiled. "'Sta Bueno”. It is a great opportunity. Senor Campos is a very important man. I am very proud of you."
    "Gracias, Papa. I go now. Adios, Papa."
    "Vaya con Dios, Jaime," his father said, turning back to his work.
    My father took the horse