Page:Knickerbocker 1864-11 64 5.pdf/32

with us under the veranda of her former master. She was sitting upon her heels, waiting for her meal of feijão. A dog a little to her left annoying us with his whining, the fazendeiro asked her to turn it out.

'Si, senhor,' she answered, rising, and turning to her right, she started, to my astonishment, toward the room where the negro servants were. Thinking she had misunderstood the request, I stepped to the dog, and with a kick, sent him away. The fazendeiro, who was used to the subtleties of the negro code, did not seem at all disturbed at seeing the freedwoman move away from the animal. A moment after, the negress returned, followed by two assistants of her own color, Not seeing the dog, they supposed it had left of its own will, and all three returned to their places with the air of having done their duty.

In spite of the constitution of Don Pedro I., and notwithstanding the efforts of enlightened minds, one meets at every step with some old feudal custom imported by the conquistadores. As in ancient Rome, every citizen of the lower classes attaches himself to a wealthy person who can aid him in misfortune, and protect him in the troubles that occasionally happen between him and the law. Prudent parents often choose a patron for their children in advance, by selecting him for their godfather, This title is obligatory, and there is not an instance of a Brazilian ever having refused such an honor, in view of the responsibility it entails. Such, however, are the deviations of human prudence, that this custom, so moral in its principle, since it has no other object than that of placing the weak under the protection of the strong, often degenerates into scandalous abuse and crying injustice. If the protector is a person of some importance, his wishes are above the law, and his recommendation assures impunity to the malefactor. Justice, being powerless, has then only to shut her eyes and allow things to proceed.

A few years ago, an inhabitant of Rio Janeiro rendered himself culpable for some crime which I do not now recollect. The charge was a grave one, and condemnation inevitable. There remained for the criminal only one means of escaping cither the gallows or the prison, and that was to obtain the influence of some powerful protector. Recollecting that the judge's grandfather was his godfather, he sent his wife to inform him of his situation.

'Tell my godson to be more careful hereafter, and that he shall be released to-morrow,’ answered the old man without hesitation; and taking his umbrella, he proceeded to visit his grandson. The request of an old man is not a prayer, but a command; as he had said, the request, exorbitant as it was, encountered no opposition. Great, then, was his surprise when, two days afterward, the woman came and told him her husband was still in prison. Without allowing her time to finish her story, he left the Two days afterward the judge was astonished to see his house visited by the notabilities of the city, dressed in full mourning. They had come, upon letters of invitation, to be present at his funeral. The master of the house was stupefied with surprise, and the wonder of the funeral guests was no less great, However, after a few words of explanation, and the establishment of his identity, the judge easily got rid of his visitors, making some apologies for a mystery of which he was himself the principal victim. He resolved to find out the authors of the trick, and bring them to punishment; but his efforts were useless. After all sorts of conjectures, he at last recollected the request of his grandfather, and his own forgetfulness, and thinking he now had a clue to the matter, he set out for his residence, He found him sitting in an easy-chair,