AT THE ENTRANCE
At the entrance to the Promenade a beggar held out his hand to us. José Dias passed on, but I thought about Capitu and the seminary, took a couple of coins from my pocket and gave them to the beggar. He kissed them, whereupon I asked him to pray to God to grant me my wishes.
‘I will, good senhor.’
‘My name is Bento,’ I added, just to be sure.