(ENG) Chapter 4: Horacio Kalibang

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IV.
The night was dark and a fine drizzle stroked the face of the passers-by.

Down the street of X..two individuals were walking in the direction of the Plaza de Federico el Grande.

Behind them, at a sufficient distance to not lose them in his sight, a man of a certain age was heading to the same plaza. Anybody, seeing him, would have said that he was indifferent to the two who preceded him; but a physiognomist would have known, on his face, all the signs that revealed the observer in observation. His fixed eyes, partly veiled by the eyebrows, the tight lips, as if he believed that his research could escape from him in indiscreet words. his head slightly inclined and from time to time, a convulsive movement of the fingers, in the beard, that could not express anything but what there really was.

Suddenly he stopped, turning away to avoid being seen, when he observed that those who preceded him, had just stopped.  One of them pulled with caution the hat from the head of the other, and placed it in one of his pockets, and bringing both hands to the face of the second, seemed to get something small from it, and examining it with care, burst out into a curse, that shook the observer.

"Donnerweter", he exclaimed. "Ich habe ihn jetzt gefunden" (Thunder and Lightning! I already found it).

Then he took from his pocket another small object, and placing it in the collar of his docile companion, he made the movement that would have made the winding of a clock. Completing the operation, he saved the presumed key.

Let us call the one who cursed Oscar Baum, and let us keep, in secret, for a moment, the name of the other.

A few steps, they stopped again.

Oscar Baum said something in the ear of his companion, and his companion responded:

"A very good evening, ladies and gentlemen"

The observor, hidden, jumped in the darkness.

But what he had not noticed was the one who had just spoken carried his body leaning forward in such a fashion that anybody passing by his side, would have lent a hand or an arm to prevent him from falling, if they hadn’t known who he was.

A new movement of Baum extracted these other words:

"Thank you; as I have no weight, any position is the same to me.""

"Horacio Kalibang!" murmured the observer. "Horacio Kalibang, I know that you are not more than an automaton!"  And satisfied by that observation, he changed course and walked toward his house.

The burgomeister Hipknock returned, the victor.

He already knew who Horacio Kalibang was.

Note to readers: To continue with the story, go here.