To Occident of the Paradise (61). Marta's father diffused in the hunting gun and it smelled mountain above to the hunt.

The correspondence with Marta was intense. He blossomed, it was noticed the symptomatology of the promises to the love. The courtship moved forward, about the sun that when he is born irradiates her festival beauty. She insisted me to pass some vacations with their parents in Vila Nova of Tazém, in the Beira Alta, because she already had agreement with them. She wanted that they knew me, and she hoped they also liked me.

I went of convoy. When I arrived Marta's father awaited me. He did very cold. We went in an automobile of open box that belonged him. To the we arrive showed me the room in that it would be installed. A room spacious, very airy, with many blankets in the bed. In the living room there was a lit fireplace and it went for there that I went. Marta's mother served me a vegetable soup, guaranteeing me that she did well, and he was great for the cold.

The blankets didn't arrive for the cold of the nights.

In the morning I was greeted with a surprise. Marta's father diffused in the hunting gun and it smelled mountain above to the hunt. When he saw me, it showed me with satisfaction two rabbits that they would be prepared in a little while and repasts. It was with sorrow that I apologized him, admitting him that he didn't like to eat rabbit, chicken or birds. It was excused with some sadness and admiration, because he ignored such discomfort. I relived the situation of the troop, and there the French fries came with steak.

The lands were immense. To the speed of fence forty kilometres at the hour of automobile, we travelled during more than half hour the main road that it delimited them. There was a lot of thing. Fields of olive trees, grapevines, fruits, potatoes, etc. It was a true empire that would inherit with Marta.

I participated in the campaign of the olive. Awnings extended in the ground. We pierced in the foliages of the olive trees and the olive fell. The one that was shown more stubborn, inaccessible, it was for later with stairways, and the most hidden branches they were hackle flax. There was a lot of olive, that later got ready for feeding and for the production of a lot of olive oil. It was noticed easily that the farmer was content. He rejoiced for the year of good crop. And of the grapevines the good water-foot that could not lack would come. Of the pigs they left tempting tenderloins to roast, and of the smoked ham a delicacy.

Marta's father informed me that he sent for my parent’s potatoes and other products, what thanked effusively, naming me as member, that I was already part of the family. It picks her of the olive had finished. The very cold still continued. I was satisfied, I observed and I lived enough with these people honest, simple and workers. They got up to the sunset and, it can be said, they almost lied down when he said good-bye until tomorrow. They seemed that they were at an island, where practically the contacts with the exterior didn't exist. When it tried to begin a dialogue on the politics salazarista, that evidenced the ostracism the one that were voted for, just smile, being excused that they didn't understand anything of that. They just wanted to live her simple life, and to pass the rest of her old age with the earnings obtained in the area of Dembos, in Angola.