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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the title of Chapter 4?

2. What do the Domincans say is wrong with the de la Cruz family?

3. How are offenses settled at the de la Vega gate?

4. Whom does Inigo claim he happened upon as he was walking the streets?

5. What is the constable more interested in than the murder?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Alatriste thinking of returning to the Netherlands?

2. What does this section suggest about the words on the woman's note?

3. How does Inigo let down Alatriste in this section?

4. What does Saldana think the evidence at the scene of the crime says about the murderer?

5. How does Alatriste manage to avoid the challenge with the young men?

6. How does Inigo respond to questioning?

7. How did Alatriste Kill the young nephew of Conde de Guadalmedina?

8. How has Malatesta's attitude towards Inigo changed?

9. How have the priests convinced the nuns at the convent to sleep with them?

10. What does the Chief Constable find on the dead woman's body?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Away from the main character, examine the way the author uses the other characters in the book. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 2

What does the book suggest about how Spanish society dealt with Jewish people in the 17th century? Why does the theme of anti-semitism still have a powerful impact in 2006?

Essay Topic 3

Examine Perez-Reverte's representation of real people in the novel. How does Perez use his fictional characters to express his opinion of the role on Spanish society and the history of the real characters? Choose one of the real life characters in the novel and discuss how Perez represents them and the reasons why he represents them in this way? How does his representation differ from other representations of the same character?

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This section contains 879 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample