rculo. As he
went into the street it was already growing dark. His _berlina_ was
waiting for him at the door.

"See here, Julian! take me now to the Calle de Carretas, stop there, and
wait near the mail-box. A senora will come, she will open the door, and
get in with me. As soon as this occurs, without a moment's delay drive
like an arrow for Jetafe. You are well acquainted with the road, aren't
you? Good! then it will be necessary, even though you wind the horses,
to get us there in a jiffy. I want to catch the train that leaves there
at half-past eight. Don't you be troubled at the adventure; it is a
ballet girl from the Real who wants to go with me to Seville, and I
cannot break my word. When we reach Jetafe I will give you further
instructions about what you are to do."

The carriage reached the Calle de Carretas, and drew up where its owner
had commanded. Don Alfonso leaned back in one corner so as to avoid the
glances of the passers-by, and waited.

Julia had been spending the afternoon at her sister-in-law's, for that
day she happened not to have a piano lesson; she was all the time in a
state of nervous excitement, which Maximina was not slow to notice.

"What is the matter? Do you feel ill?" she asked.

"No. What makes you ask? What do you see in me that is strange?" she
demanded, full of alarm.

"Nothing, nothing! don't be disturbed. You are a trifle paler than
usual, and there are circles under your eyes, nothing more."

"Oh, I think that I am a little nervous to-day."

Maximina smiled good-naturedly, supposing that she might have had some
falling out with her lover, and so she ordered some _tila_ to be made
for her.

In spite of the deep antipathy which she felt for Don Alfonso and the
strong reasons that she had for considering him a miscreant, she saw
that Julita was so desperately in love with him that she could not bring
herself to say a word against him.

As the afternoon wore on, her restlessness increased. The youngest
offshoot of the race of the Riveras was many times on the point of
suffering in some slight degree in consequence of his noble aunt's
nervous condition. She hugged him to her heart tighter than was
necessary; she tossed him up into the air and caught him again; she gave
him hundreds of kisses on the same spot in his face until it burned
brighter than a coal, and even--horrible thing--bit his nose. There is
no need of saying that the illustrious baby, swelling with indignatio