brother of the Third Degree

There is a principle, proof against all argument, a bat against all progress, and which if persisted in cannot but keep the mind in everlasting ignorance—and that is, contempt prior to examination.— Paley "Accept nothing that is unreasonable; discard nothing as unreasonable without proper examination." Buddha. My name is Alphonso Colono. I am a Mexican of pure Spanish descent, but was born in the city of Paris. I am the only son, but had a beautiful sister, Esmeralda, three years my junior. My father, Ferdinand Colono, was a direct descendant of the Colonos of Granada, who traced their ancestry back to the time of the Moors, and who were known throughout the Hispanian peninsula for their skill as physicians. My mother was of the noble Vesta family of Seville, who were likewise most skilled physicians