The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Contents
City of Shadows — Chapter 24
Overview
Fermín summarizes the Carax–Aldaya–Penélope triangle and the chain of events from Penélope’s 1919 imprisonment to Carax’s Paris years, duel, and rumored death in 1936. Shaken by the parallels to his own situation, Daniel becomes physically ill but continues the investigation with Fermín.
They go to San Gabriel’s School to question a classmate of Carax and Aldaya, Father Fernando Ramos, who initially offers only that Aldaya fled to Argentina and Carax has long been dead. When the priest notes Daniel’s resemblance to young Carax, Fermín exploits it by claiming Daniel is Carax’s secret son, gaining the priest’s reluctant cooperation and opening a path to firsthand testimony.
Summary
On Sunday morning Daniel meets Fermín at the Canaletas Café, where they eat a rough breakfast served by a fascist-badged waiter celebrating his new baby. Over coffee, Fermín lays out his reconstruction of the Carax mystery: Julián Carax and Jorge Aldaya were inseparable childhood friends until a rupture caused by Penélope; in 1919 Penélope’s letter shows she was confined by her family, and Jorge swore to kill Carax if he ever returned.
Fermín continues: Carax disappears into a bleak Paris life, writing unsuccessful novels and working as a pianist, then plans to marry an older wealthy benefactress who intends to secure his future. Around that announcement, Aldaya resurfaces, Carax’s publisher is contacted, and Carax fights an unknown duel at Père Lachaise on the morning of the wedding before vanishing. Fermín adds the later rumor that Carax returns to Barcelona in 1936, avoids all acquaintances, is found shot dead, and is followed by the burned, “devilish” figure calling himself Laín Coubert—whose voice Nuria Monfort believed was Aldaya’s.
Daniel, sickened by the implications and thinking of Tomás’s warning about Bea, suddenly vomits in the café bathroom. Fermín concludes it is a blood-pressure drop, gives Daniel candy, and decides they should avoid the subway. Using money Fermín claims the waiter mistakenly gave him, they take a taxi—Fermín insisting on a Studebaker—and endure the driver’s fervent political monologue on the way to Sarriá.
They arrive at San Gabriel’s School, a once-elite boarding institution for Barcelona’s old money, and head toward the entrance. In the garden they are approached by Father Fernando Ramos, who introduces himself and questions their purpose. Daniel explains they are looking for information about alumni Jorge Aldaya and Julián Carax; Father Fernando replies that Carax died over fifteen years ago and Aldaya went to Argentina, and admits he was their classmate.
When Father Fernando remains suspicious of their interest, he remarks that Daniel resembles Julián Carax as a boy. Seizing the opening, Fermín invents a story that Daniel is Carax’s secret son searching for his father’s past, and Daniel plays along to press for help. After hesitating and asking for proof, Father Fernando reluctantly agrees to tell them what he remembers about Carax and Aldaya.
Who Appears
- Daniel SempereInvestigator; grows sick during Fermín’s theory; helps impersonate Carax’s “son” to gain answers.
- Fermín Romero de TorresDaniel’s partner; outlines the Carax mystery and invents a ruse to win a priest’s cooperation.
- Father Fernando RamosSan Gabriel’s priest and former classmate of Carax and Aldaya; reluctantly agrees to share memories.
- Taxi driverTalkative driver who debates politics with Fermín on the ride to Sarriá.
- Canaletas Café waiterFascist-badged waiter celebrating his newborn; gives cigars and, per Fermín, wrong change.