Killing Dr. da Cunha - The Scramble for the Amazon and the Lost Paradise of Euclides da Cunha - page 367

Descending the next morning, the Rattos greeted Euclides: “How did you sleep?”
“You must be joking,” he said, pointing to a floor awash in cigarettes. He'd been up all
night. He'd asked the housemaid whether Solon had returned and received a heartbreak-
ing, but unsurprising, no. 60
Breakfast that morning included the Ratto sisters plus Euclides, Quidinho, and
Afonso. Young Quidinho asked one of the ladies, “What does a woman deserve who be-
trayed her husband?” To this Neném promptly answered, “The husband should kill the
wife, and afterward spit in her face.” 61 This kind of mealtime conversation, it appears,
had been regular fare over the previous few days.
At this moment Euclides once again requested the address of Dilermando. Ana had
taken the precaution of lying about where the de Assis brothers lived, so Euclides's ig-
norancewasunderstandable.Nenémsharplyretorted:“Thosewhoshouldknowareyour
sons Euclides and Solon, who have the habit of visiting the house of the de Assis broth-
ers.” 62
Loyal Quidinho, perhaps for self-protection, perhaps to shield his father, replied that
this wasn't the case—although, in fact, Solon was a regular visitor and had even been
photographed at the house afew days before. Then Euclides turned again toNeném, im-
ploring her on the ashes of her deceased mother to tell him the address. And she did: it
was Estrada Real de Sta. Cruz 240: “Who knows if Ana isn't there too?” 63
Da Cunha plummeted into a state of hysterical despair. Attempting to calm him, the
Rattos pointed out that Solon was certainly fine and must have spent the night with his
great friend Dinorah—a thought that perhaps was not all that comforting. Now Euclides
asked Lucinda where Dinorah lived. She again responded, “In Piedade, on Sta. Cruz
204.” She provided this crucial bit of knowledge “only,” as she said in her sworn testi-
mony, “so that Dr. Euclides could meet up with his son, and to calm him down, because
absolutely, Dr. Euclides did not tell me he had the intention of murdering anyone. . . .
After arranging some papers and getting formally dressed, he left about 9:30. I and my
sister, after lunching lightly, returned to our pension on Rua Silveira Martins that after-
noon. We only heard of the tragedy later that night.” 64
Figure 22.2. House at Piedade: Dinorah at the gate, Solon da Cunha at the window.