' I asked the old man to take me to
Riolama; and when he had consented I went away from here without
saying a word, so as not to be prevented. It is far to Riolama,
and I had no weapons; but I feared nothing. I said: 'If I must
fight I must fight, and if I must be killed I must be killed.'
But when I got to Riolama I found no gold. There was only a
yellow stone which the old man had mistaken for gold. It was
yellow, like gold, but it would buy nothing. Therefore I came
back to Parahuari again, to my friend; and if he is angry with me
still because I went away without informing him, let him say: 'Go
and seek elsewhere for a new friend, for I am your friend no
longer.'"
I concluded thus boldly because I did not wish him to know that I
had suspected him of harbouring any sinister designs, or that I
looked on our quarrel as a very serious one. When I had finished
speaking he emitted a sound which expressed neither approval nor
disapproval, but only the fact that he had heard me. But I was
satisfied. His expression had undergone a favourable change; it
was less grim. After a while he remarked, with a peculiar
twitching of the mouth which might have developed into a smile:
"The white man will do much to get gold.
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