What Happened In the Judge’s Office—The Chapter House Several hours later the judge received three urgent letters. He opened them, and at once rang a bell.
“Who brought these letters?” he asked of the guard.
“A lackey.”
“Is there any plain-clothes man about?”
“There’s El Garro.”
“Send him in.”
The agent entered and came over to the judge’s desk.
“In these letters,” began the judge, “there is reference to the deposition just made by that boy arrested yesterday. How does it come that any one should have knowledge of his declaration?”
“I don’t know.”
“Has this boy been speaking with anybody?”
“Nobody,” answered El Garro, calmly.
“In this letter, two ladies whom the minister can refuse nothing, ask him, and he in turn asks me, to quash this entire matter. What interest can these two ladies have in the affair?”
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“I don’t know. If I knew who they were, perhaps....”
“They are Se?ora de Braganza and the Marchioness of Buendía.”
“Ah, then I understand the whole thing. The proprietors of the Círculo where the boy used to work are anxious lest he speak of the gambling house. One of the proprietors is the Colonel’s wife, who must have gone to see these ladies, and then the ladies must have had recourse to the minister.”
“And what’s the connection between the Colonel’s wife and these ladies?”
“She lends out money. This Se?ora de Braganza once forged her husband’s name, and the Colonel’s wife has the document in her possession.”
“And the marchioness?”
“As to her, that’s another matter. You know that her most recent lover was Ricardo Salazar.”
“The former deputy?”
“Yes, and a dyed-in-the-wool rascal. One or two years ago, when the relations between Ricardo and the marchioness were still in the early stages, the marchioness would receive from time to time a letter which read: ‘I have in my possession a note addressed by you to your lover, in which you say this and that (pretty intimate things). If you don’t come across with a thousand pesetas, I’ll see that your husband gets that letter.’ She was scared out of her wits, and paid three, four, five times, until on the advice of a lady friend, and in agreement with an officer, they apprehended the man who brought[313] the letters. And it turned out that he was sent by Ricardo Salazar himself.”
“By the lover?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a gallant cavalier for you!”
“When the marchioness and Ricardo fell out....”
“On the discovery of this plot with the letter?”
“No. The marchioness forgave him for that. They had a quarrel because Ricardo asked for money which the marchioness couldn’t or wouldn’t give him. Salazar owed three thousand duros to the Colonel’s wife, and that lady, who is nobody’s fool, said to him: ‘You hand me over the marchioness’s letters and we’ll cancel your debt.’ Ricardo handed them over, and ever since that day the marchioness is bound hand and foot to the Colonel’s wife and her associates.”
The judge arose from his chair and walked slowly about the room.
“Then there’s an impersonal note from the director of El Popular, asking me not to prosecute this case. What connection can there be between the gambling den and the owner of that paper?”
“He’s one of the partners. In case the den should be discovered, the newspaper would start a strong campaign against the government.”
“How’s a man going to administer justice under such conditions!” muttered the judge, pensively.
El Garro gazed ironically at the magistrate.
At this moment the telephone bell rang; the ringing continued for an appreciable while.
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“With your permission?” asked a clerk.
“What is it?”
“A message from the minister, asking whether the case has been disposed of according to his desires.”
“Yes, tell him yes,” grumbled the judge, ill-humouredly. Then he turned to the agent. “This youngster we’ve arrested,—isn’t he in any way involved in the crime?”
“Absolutely none,” answered El Garro.
“Is he the dead man’s cousin?”
“Yes, your honour.”
“And he knows El Bizco?”
“Yes. He was a friend of his.”
“Could he help the police in the capture of El Bizco?”
“I’ll see to that part of it. Shall the prisoner be set free?”
“Yes. We must capture El Bizco. Aren’t his whereabouts known?”
“He must be in hiding around the suburbs.&rd............