Storia do Mogor 281.9.4

281.9.4

' Some time afterwards my comrade died, and left me as his testamentary executor. However, as a long time had passed, the affair was no longer spoken of. Now they wish to revive it, and a few days ago I received a letter from the aforesaid Portuguese in which they set forth the distress they are in, that they have a daughter to be married, that I should reflect whether in conscience I do not owe them for that deficiency of one thousand rupees which occurred within my house.' I added some words praying the bishop to tell me as a matter of conscience whether I was under an obligation to pay that money, with the interest accrued since that time. It was to be remembered that I had not consented to the theft. He answered that I was under an obligation to pay. I took my leave of the prelate and went to see the Jesuits and other regulars and priests, men learned in the law. I told them the same story, and all replied to me in the same terms, but had no idea of the inference I intended to deduce from their answer. It was my object to make them admit out of their own mouth that what they had decided in my case was unjust, for my case was absolutely identical, changing only the persons. I had been robbed, the inhabitants of San Thome were consenting parties to the theft, and Manoel Texeira was the Ortenzio Bronzoni who had taken my property.