hat you can enter a temple in which the
Divine Majesty is in the same manner."

"But excuse me, senora," said Pepe gravely, "I entered the cathedral
with the greatest decorum."

"But I am not scolding you, man; I am not scolding you. If you take it
in that way I shall have to remain silent. Excuse my nephew, gentlemen.
A little carelessness, a little heedlessness on his part is not to be
wondered at. How many years is it since you set foot in a sacred place
before?"

"Senora, I assure you----But, in short, let my religious ideas be what
they may, I am in the habit of observing the utmost decorum in church."

"What I assure you is----There, if you are going to be offended I won't
go on. What I assure you is that a great many people noticed it this
morning. The Senores de Gonzalez, Dona Robustiana, Serafinita--in short,
when I tell you that you attracted the attention of the bishop----His
lordship complained to me about it this afternoon when I was at my
cousin's. He told me that he did not order you to be put out of the
church only because you were my nephew."

Rosario looked anxiously at her cousin, trying to read in his
countenance, before he uttered it, the answer he would make to these
charges.

"No doubt they mistook me for some one else."

"No, no! it was you. But there, don't get angry! We are talking here
among friends and in confidence. It was you. I saw you myself."

"You saw me!"

"Just so. Will you deny that you went to look at the pictures, passing
among a group of worshippers who were hearing mass? I assure you that my
attention was so distracted by your comings and goings that--well, you
must not do it again. Then you went into the chapel of San Gregorio. At
the elevation of the Host at the high altar you did not even turn around
to make a gesture of reverence. Afterward you traversed the whole length
of the church, you went up to the tomb of the Adelantado, you touched
the altar with your hands, then you passed a second time among a group
of worshippers, attracting the notice of every one. All the girls looked
at you, and you seemed pleased at disturbing so finely the devotions of
those good people."

"Good Heavens! How many things I have done!" exclaimed Pepe, half angry,
half amused. "I am a monster, it seems, without ever having suspected
it."

"No, I am very well aware that you are a good boy," said Dona Perfecta,
observing the canon's expression of unalterable gravity, which gave his
f