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Around that time, a letter arrived from Feliciano in Pernambuco. It contained forty-eight thousand réis. Feliciano set aside twelve thousand réis for earrings for his niece and sent the rest to his brother. He said that he was finishing his business and would return to rest. He also asked Simeão to look for estates or convents to buy. The properties could cost thirty or forty thousand cruzados. The letter did not state the total size of Feliciano's fortune. But Simeão immediately imagined enormous wealth.
Simeão showed the letter to many people and asked about properties for sale. He even asked the owner of a former monastery whether he wanted to sell the land. The man replied that he did not want to pass on to the buyer the excommunication he had received with the friars' property.
Meanwhile, Zeferino went to speak to Simeão about the wedding arrangements. He believed that the agreement was settled because he had promised to pay Simeão's debts. Simeão replied that the situation had changed. He said that his rich brother was coming from Pernambuco to buy estates and convents. Then he took the dirty letter from his wallet and displayed it with great pride. Zeferino asked whether the agreement about the girl still stood. Simeão hesitated and said that he wanted to wait for his brother's answer.
Zeferino understood that Simeão wanted to break his word. He called him a man without honour or shame. He also recalled a pig that Simeão had promised to sell him and then sold to another man for more money. Zeferino struck a tree stump with his axe and said that he did not attack Simeão only because he was old. Simeão asked him not to speak badly of Marta. Zeferino then claimed that, the previous day, he had seen Marta talking to José Dias, the student from Vilalva. He insulted them both and struck the stones with his axe while Simeão grew afraid.
At that moment, José appeared at the far end of the chestnut grove with his hunting dogs. José had not yet seen Zeferino. But the dogs saw the mason and ran towards him because of an old grudge. José called the animals back, but Zeferino waited for them with his axe raised. Marta appeared on the balcony, knitting, and her presence made Zeferino even bolder.
Zeferino threatened to kill the first dog that came near him. José asked him to calm down and stop shouting insults. The mason refused to leave and called the student a donkey. José warned that he would take the axe from him if he continued. Zeferino moved towards him.
Then one dog bit and pulled the back of Zeferino's trousers. The cloth tore and left one buttock exposed. The other dogs joined the first and surrounded the man. Zeferino swung his axe through the air but did not hit any animal. José struck the dogs to drive them away. Zeferino did not immediately realise that he was exposed.
Marta felt ashamed by the spectacle but could not control her laughter. She fled from the balcony, threw herself onto the bed and laughed until she had no strength left. José walked away with the pack. Simeão offered Zeferino another pair of trousers or a few stitches to close the tear. The mason answered with coarse words while Simeão went inside the house. The humiliation happened in front of Marta, and her laughter, described by the narrator, gave Zeferino a lasting desire for revenge against José and her family.