n to be present at this _soiree_, where my
friend Miguel wants to show everybody how happy he is in his choice....
But he deserves this happiness ... he is an excellent young man; you
also, senora, will have little reason to repent. The truth is, I have
been anxious to see him married; and though he is to be envied, all of
his friends, including myself, wish him greater happiness every day of
his life.... (Come, wife, say something.)"

Maximina, standing motionless in the middle of the parlor, listened,
with her mouth open and a smile on her lips.

"Answer, wife.... Come now; I see that you will never be a star of
society.... Nor is there any reason why you should be," he added gently.

And suddenly, taking her by the waist, he darted with her through the
parlor, making a few turns of a waltz.

At that instant the bell rang. Both stopped as though petrified and
instantly let go of each other: Miguel went into his study. The servant
opened the door, and a young man made his appearance, who proved to be
none other than Gomez de la Floresta.

Miguel had forgotten that the reading of his drama was the pretext for
the party, and he felt some slight vexation to see him, manuscript in
hand; but he received him no less cordially.

The three sat down in the study and talked for a long while, as the poet
was far ahead of time.

The next to arrive was Utrilla, the ex-cadet of the military school,
whom Miguel had taken pains to invite, not only on account of the
friendship that existed between them, but also because of his pity for
his blind love for Julita, and the hope that she might at last come to
return it. He was in evening dress, the same as Gomez de la Floresta.

Then came in quick succession his cousins Enrique and Serafina, Mendoza,
Julita and her mother, with Saavedra, _Rosa de te_ and Merelo y Garcia,
the De Ramirez ladies, and Miguel's cousins, Vicente and Carlitos;
Asuncion and two other young ladies whose names we do not remember, and
a few other guests.

What Miguel had foreseen came to pass: Maximina, smiling and blushing,
received the people without any of those meaningless and polite phrases
which are customary on such occasions; but her naturalness and modesty
made a great and very favorable impression on every one. La Senora de
Ramirez said to Miguel in an aside:--

"How good your wife must be, Rivera!"

"What makes you think so?"

"It is enough to see her face."

"Yes; she is very _simpatica_,"