d separating us!..." A few minutes of
silence followed. Miguel put his mouth down to the key-hole, and said,
lowering his voice:--

"Why won't you open the door, _tonta_[1]?... Does it make you feel
bashful?"

"Yes," whispered the girl, on the other side.

"Don't be alarmed! Your aunt isn't here."

After some time, and by dint of many persuasive words, she made up her
mind to open the door. Even then she was blushing to her ears. Miguel
captured her hands, and said, with a gentle reproach in his voice:--

"Come now, little rogue, why didn't you wait for me on the balcony?...
Why, I looked for you there until I almost put my eyes out! But not a
sign of Maximina!"

"Yes, yes!"

"What does 'yes, yes' mean? Did you wait for me?"

"I have been on the balcony ever since dinner! I saw you get into the
boat; I saw you talking and laughing with Ursula; and I saw you jump on
shore, and then from the other balcony I saw you when you reached the
square...."

"That last I know you did.... But we shall see; when are you going to
dismount from your high horse? Are you going to treat me this way after
we are married?"

"Oh, no!"

They went down into the parlor, where they found Don Valentin, Adolfo,
and the girls, who warmly welcomed the young man. The welcome extended
him by the ex-captain was not unlike that of an uncommunicative whale;
but there was something about him that made it evident that he was
satisfied.

Dona Rosalia at that instant came in; and when she saw Maximina, she
could not refrain from laughing, whereupon the maiden dashed out of the
room with all haste, and flew up the stairs like a hurricane: but Miguel
succeeded in overtaking her before she reached her chamber. While he was
exhausting all his powers of persuasion to induce her to return with him
to the sitting-room, Dona Rosalia, vexed at her running away, called
from below:--

"Leave her, Don Miguel; leave that foolish little goose! I don't see how
any one can fall in love with her! ough! what a simpleton!"

Of course Maximina, at this new indignity, began to cry; but Miguel was
there to comfort her, and no one in the world could do so with greater
success.

After a little, the lovers came down again, and quite a little
_tertulia_ or reception, composed of neighbors who dropped in to
congratulate them, was held in the parlor. Dona Rosalia did not appear
for some time. She was unquestionably annoyed with her niece because of
her terrible cr