Part 1, Chapter 2, Madariaga, The Centaur Summary

Marcelo Desnoyers was forced to pick a trade at fourteen in order to care for his widowed mother. Marcelo chose wood carving. While Marcelo's mother lived in the country with relatives, Marcelo remained in Paris. Marcelo did not support the Empire, as most boys his age, so when the republicans began to rise up against the Empire and he saw the cruel treatment of the protestors, Marcelo left the country in protest against the Empire. Marcelo found himself on a ship bound for Argentina. Once there, Marcelo tried many professions in order to make his fortune, eventually finding himself working on a ranch outside of Buenos Aires.

The owner of the ranch, a transplanted Spaniard, took a special interest in Marcelo. The owner, Julio Madariaga, had no legitimate sons, and thought perhaps Marcelo might become...