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8 S\ s^~ h e Handsom e Adozind o sli d lik e a thie f ove r th e ^Jf cobblestone s o f the sleeping streets . He had come from th e Rua *_^S Nov a a Guia, avoidin g th e light fro m streetlamps , an d had com e down the last sid e street, his footsteps muffle d b y the rubber sole s of hi s gym shoes. She lived on the very edge of Cheok Chai Un, opposite the back wall of the Sant a Ros a de Lima College . In his wanderings roun d th e quarter i n search of her, he had never discovered where she lived and now, ironically, it was she who had shown him. His heart was beating ever faster. I t was as if he were going to meet a princess while of course his only victory was that he was going to the arms of an unknown water-seller, an a-mui from Cheok Chai Un. It was truly amazing! At such a late, deserted hour, he was merely som e night-owl, walkin g along unhurriedly s o as not to draw attention to himself, his eyes and ears alert, in case he should meet some unexpected obstacle . He had deliberatel y pu t on a n old sui t an d had abandone d th e usua l care taken in his appearance. But as always, the Handsome Adozindo hadn't gone without a long bath, and his skin and hair smelt of fine soap . He hesitated when he came to the line of houses, even though sh e had given him clear directions. One mistake and everything would be lost. He managed to identify th e building, but as the door and window were shut, he had a final doub t as to whether it was that one or the one at the end of the row. There was no one in the street. But a dog, sensing a new arrival in its territory, began to bark at the corner. At this point, the door of the building creaked slightly . He went ove r and a hand gripped his arm , pulling him inside. He was enveloped i n the perfume fro m champa c flowers, as he came close to her. A single flame from an oil-lamp lit the inside of the hovel. It was indeed very poor. A collection o f worm-eaten furnitur e devoi d o f any comfort, a smell of old things that not even the champac flowers coul d mask . THEBEWITCHINGBRAI D4 7 That was where they ate, slept and worked. In a corner, there was a tall pile of empty matchboxes ready to be sent off. Th e fruit of the grandmother's last piece of toil before leaving. The buckets were by the wall along with the pole. An inner door led to a room that must serve as a kitchen and also a latrine. The bed wa s mad e o f board s lai d acros s lon g narro w benches , an d covered with a worn mat, faded to a brown colour from long use and copious amounts of sweat. That was where the two women slept every night. There were no pillows in the European style, but only cubes of china on which to lean their heads, so as not to crush or destroy the arrangement of the braid and the hair on the back of the head respectively. Over the bed, there was a mosquito net in evidence, except that now it was rolled up because of th e breeze coming in through a little window at the back and going out through an opening above the front door . The Handsome Adozindo didn't have the affluence o f those who lived in the mansions o f Praia Grande an d Sa o Lourenco, or in the houses tha t were beginning t o be built alon g th e Avenida d a Republica, bu t he live d very comfortably, wit h the lavishness that was typical of those brought up in Santo Antonio. Upon encountering such blatant poverty, he felt a sudden pang of guilt. Why had he disturbed this girl who had caused no one any offence an d who was even content wit h her situation ? But it was too late to relent, for sh e had welcomed him...
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