The Shadow of the Wind

Work in the shop picks up through the fall, and Daniel and his father need assistance. Daniel finds Fermín Romero de Torres in his usual street lodgings. Daniel discovers that Fermín’s nemesis is Inspector Fumero, the same man who killed Clara’s father. He brings Fermín home with him, and the talkative man charms his way into Daniel’s father’s heart. His body bears signs of torture. Both Daniel and his father are sympathetic to Fermín’s plight and connive to hide Fermín from Inspector Fumero. Fermín becomes a useful fixture in the bookstore, with his colorful stories and imaginative, devious methods of locating books for customers.

However, the damage Fermín received from Fumero and his thugs is fully revealed when Fermín seems to lose his mind one evening. Screaming and crying incoherently, Fermín causes alarm in his boarding house. Daniel and his father get a doctor who prescribes medicine to calm Fermín and gives him an injection to relax him and to help him sleep. From that moment, Daniel and his father take Inspector Fumero very seriously, and they become more protective of Fermín, spending Sundays with him so that he will not be alone. Slowly, Fermín’s broken and starved body and mind repair themselves.

Daniel is unnerved when he discovers that the strange, burned man has followed Fermín and him to the cinema.

Daniel has more free time now that Fermín is working with them in the shop. Daniel resolves to spend this time searching for more information about Julián Carax and catching up with his old friend, Tomás Aguilar.

Daniel recounts how he and Tomás became best friends. Daniel once said something rude about  Tomás’ intimidating sister, and Tomás beat him up. When Tomás apologized—he was twice Daniel’s size with the face and build of a boxer—their mutual apologies result in understanding and kinship. They became inseparable. Tomás is a genius inventor, and both Daniel’s father and Fermín encourage Tomás, whose wealthy real estate developer father believes Tomás to be an idiot, due to his stammer. However, Tomás speaks fluent Latin, and enjoys discussing inventors and higher-level mathematics.

Tomás’ sister Bea is pale and red-headed, dressed in beautiful, expensive clothing. She is described as “a princess in her own fairy tale” (97). She has a boyfriend in the army, who offers only stupid comments, insulting Daniel and threatening him with violence. Daniel states that he is afraid of Bea.

Fermín and Tomás cook up a scheme to keep Tomás and Daniel out of their compulsory army service, which is fast approaching. One day Bernarda, the Barceló’s maid, comes into the shop to buy a book for her niece, and Fermín immediately falls for Bernarda.

While Fermín escorts Bernarda out for tea, Daniel wraps Bernarda’s purchase in the back room. A mysterious person enters the shop, pulls some books off the shelf, and leaves behind a singed photograph of a young man and woman who are clearly in love with each other. Daniel believes the young man in the picture is Julián Carax.