of
things. Early this morning the curate ordered me to go and report it
to the Civil Guard. They must have gone to your house already to hunt
for the boys."

Sisa covered her ears and opened her mouth to speak, but her lips
moved without giving out any sound.

"A pretty pair of sons you have!" exclaimed the cook. "It's plain
that you're a faithful wife, the sons are so like the father. Take
care that the younger doesn't surpass him."

Sisa broke out into bitter weeping and let herself fall upon a bench.

"Don't cry here!" yelled the cook. "Don't you know that the padre's
sick? Get out in the street and cry!"

The unfortunate mother was almost shoved down the stairway at the
very time when the Sisters were coming down, complaining and making
conjectures about the curate's illness, so she hid her face in her
panuelo and suppressed the sounds of her grief. Upon reaching the
street she looked about uncertainly for a moment and then, as if
having reached a decision, walked rapidly away.

CHAPTER XIX

A Schoolmaster's Difficulties

El vulgo es necio y pues lo paga, es justo
Hablarle en necio para darle el gusto. [62]

LOPE DE VEGA.

The mountain-encircled lake slept peacefully with that hypocrisy of
the elements which gave no hint of how its waters had the night before
responded to the fury of the storm. As the first reflections of light
awoke on its surface the phosphorescent spirits, there were outlined
in the distance, almost on the horizon, the gray silhouettes of the
little bankas of the fishermen who were taking in their nets and
of the larger craft spreading their sails. Two men dressed in deep
mourning stood gazing at the water from a little elevation: one was
Ibarra and the other a youth of humble aspect and melancholy features.

"This is the place," the latter was saying. "From here your father's
body was thrown into the water. Here's where the grave-digger brought
Lieutenant Guevara and me."

Ibarra warmly grasped the hand of the young man, who went on: "You
have no occasion to thank me. I owed many favors to your father, and
the only thing that I could do for him was to accompany his body to
the grave. I came here without knowing any one, without recommendation,
and having neither name nor fortune, just as at present. My predecessor
had abandoned the school to engage in the tobacco trade. Your father
p