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husband alone through the streets; but still, in spite of all his
entreaties, she could not bring herself to take his arm in the daytime.

"It would make me feel embarrassed; everybody is looking at us."

"What they are surprised at is, that I ever fell in love with such an
ugly piece of humanity!"

Maximina lifted her big eyes to him with a timid smile, and looked her
gratitude.

"I am surprised myself ... when I see so many pretty women all around; I
can't imagine how you happened to choose me...."

"Because I am famous for my bad taste."

"That must be it."

Miguel with real feeling secretly gave her hand a hearty squeeze.

When it was evening, the case was very different. Then she consented to
lean on his arm, and did not try to hide the immense pleasure that it
gave her. But if they came into the glare of a shop window, she would
find some excuse to withdraw her arm.

One night when they went out, Miguel, either through thoughtlessness or
as a joke, did not offer her his arm. After a while Maximina, as though
adopting an energetic resolution after long hesitation, suddenly took
his arm. Miguel looked at her and smiled:--

"_Hola!_ who taught you to take what belonged to you?"

The girl hung her head and blushed, but she did not let go.

_La brigadiera_ found her step-son's wife very much to her mind,
although she felt sorry that he had stooped so low; thus she expressed
herself to Julia and her friends: she said nothing to Miguel, but she
did not leave him in doubt as to her favorable opinion.

Nevertheless, he did not become any easier in mind, because he perceived
that his step-mother was beginning to exercise over his young wife the
same absolute and tyrannical power as over Julia, only, if anything,
more openly, owing to the more gentle and timid nature of the former.
Nor could he deny that affection in such people as _la brigadiera_ is
always in direct proportion to the degree of submission shown by those
with whom they come into relationship.

One afternoon when Julia had just left their room, Maximina exclaimed in
an outburst of enthusiasm:--

"How I do like your sister!"

Miguel gave her a keen glance:--

"And mamma?"

" ... I like her too," replied the young wife.

He asked her no more questions, but that very day the son of the
brigadier told the landlord that he should not be able to take the third
floor of that house, and chose another in the Plaza de Santa Ana. The
excuse tha