Commander Mendoza Author:Juan Valera Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: The letters which he wrote to his brother Don Jose and to Chacha Ramoncica, who were still living, announcing his return to Villabermeja to leave it no more, wer... more »e short, although very affectionate. In exchange he wrote to Father Jacinto a long letter which is still in existence and which it will be proper to transcribe here. This letter is as follows : " My Dear Father Jacinto : You will have learned from my brother and from Chacha Ramoncica that I have resolved to return to Villabermeja to end my life where I passed my happiest and most innocent years (fine innocence mine!) playing at marbles, at pitch and toss, at jumping the rope and sometimes at cards, and fighting my contemporaries and compatriots with my fists and with stones. " At that time I was a savage, but you can imagine that I have become somewhat polished during my wanderings about the world, and that my tastes are now changed and my cares very different. Your brother friars will have no need now to threaten me with the Toribios. " My residence in the town will give occasion to no disturbances ; on the contrary, I flatter myself that it will be productive of some advantages. I have mademoney and I will employ a great part of it in Villa- bermeja in encouraging agriculture. The wine which is produced there is abominable and it might be excellent. With the necessary labor it can be made palatable and good. " I am already dreaming of the pleasant evenings we shall spend together in the winter, playing malilla and tute, discussing our not very concordant systems of theology, and I relating to you my adventures in Peru, India, and other distant regions. " I know that, notwithstanding your age, you are as strong as an oak, and I therefore promise myself that you will accompany me in long rides and walks and ...« less