ge Jarriquez. "You protest your
innocence; but all prisoners do as much! After all, you only offer moral
presumptions. Have you any material proof?"

"Perhaps I have," answered Joam Dacosta.

At these words, Judge Jarriquez left his chair. This was too much for
him, and he had to take two or three circuits of the room to recover
himself.

CHAPTER V. MATERIAL PROOFS

WHEN THE MAGISTRATE had again taken his place, like a man who considered
he was perfectly master of himself, he leaned back in his chair, and
with his head raised and his eyes looking straight in front, as though
not even noticing the accused, remarked, in a tone of the most perfect
indifference:

"Go on."

Joam Dacosta reflected for a minute as if hesitating to resume the order
of his thoughts, and then answered as follows:

"Up to the present, sir, I have only given you moral presumptions of my
innocence grounded on the dignity, propriety, and honesty of the whole
of my life. I should have thought that such proofs were those most
worthy of being brought forward in matters of justice."

Judge Jarriquez could not restrain a movement of his shoulders, showing
that such was not his opinion.

"Since they are not enough, I proceed with the material proofs which I
shall perhaps be able to produce," continued Dacosta; "I say perhaps,
for I do not yet know what credit to attach to them. And, sir, I have
never spoken of these things to my wife or children, not wishing to
raise a hope which might be destroyed."

"To the point," answered Jarriquez.

"I have every reason to believe, sir, that my arrest on the eve of the
arrival of the raft at Manaos is due to information given to the chief
of the police!"

"You are not mistaken, Joam Dacosta, but I ought to tell you that the
information is anonymous."

"It matters little, for I know that it could only come from a scoundrel
called Torres."

"And what right have you to speak in such a way of this--informer?"

"A scoundrel! Yes, sir!" replied Joam quickly. "This man, whom I
received with hospitality, only came to me to propose that I should
purchase his silence to offer me an odious bargain that I shall
never regret having refused, whatever may be the consequences of his
denunciation!"

"Always this method!" thought Judge Jarriquez; "accusing others to clear
himself."

But he none the less listened with extreme attention to Joam's recital
of his relations with the adventurer up to the moment