"Voltou mais vezes. Só as casas eram as mesmas, pareciam reconhecê-lo, e algumas quase lhe falavam. Não é poesia. O ex-andador sentia a necessidade de ser reconhecido pelas pedras, ouvir-se admirar delas, contar-lhes a vida, obriga-las a comparar o modesto de outrora com o garrido de hoje, e escutar-lhes as palavras mudas."
Machado de Assis, ESAÚ E JACÓ
"He got back several times. Nothing but the houses were the same, recognizing him. It was not poetry. The ex-walker felt the need to be recognized by the stones, to listen to their compliments, their praises, to tell them about his life, compels them to compare the modest of old with the gaudy of today, and to listen to them mute words. "
