head between
his hands and kissed her enthusiastically.

The young wife, encouraged by this caress, joyfully began to read
another chapter.

She must have been about half through it, when she suddenly paused and
uttered a slight _ay!_ in such a peculiar intonation that Miguel was
surprised; he started up and could see that his wife's face was flushed
and full of an almost mystic joy.

"What is the matter?"

"I just felt ... as though something ..."

"What was it?" he asked, although he knew perfectly well what it was.

"As if a little, wee foot gently touched me."

"That is nothing strange."

Maximina did not care to read more; she laid the book on a chair and
knelt down in front of her husband: they began to talk eagerly about
their child.

"See here! how do you know that it is going to be a boy, and not a
girl?"

"Because I want it to be a boy."

"But now _I_ want it to be a girl, and like you.... But do me the favor
to get up, because, if any servant should come in and surprise you in
this attitude, it would be very ridiculous...."

"No, no; I don't want ..."

At that moment steps were heard at the door, as Miguel had feared, and a
voice, that was not a servant's, called out:--

"Can I come in?"

Maximina was on her feet in a flash.

"Walk right in!"

Filomena entered in her morning gown, with her hair in studied disarray,
and her body _submerged_, if such an expression be permitted, in a
magnificent blue silk morning gown trimmed with white lace.

Miguel had never been able to persuade his wife to dress in such an
elegant and sumptuous fashion at home; the poor child did not enjoy
putting on dresses that were for ornament rather than use, because, as
she said, it made her feel bad to wear a new suit merely to go in and
out of the kitchen.

"I am afraid that I am disturbing you," said the young lady, casting a
malicious glance at Maximina's confused and blushing face.

"No, no; not at all," she replied, growing still more confused.

"One has to act with great circumspection toward newly married
people.... But then, you are not among the softest. I came in without
ringing, because the servants had left the door open. But if I am
disturbing you I will go.... I have known the eleventh commandment this
long time."

That light and slightly insolent tone amazed and wounded the little
provincial girl more and more each day.

"On the contrary, at that very moment, we were talking about you," s