such a shove that he nearly kissed the ground. Then she
again turned to Dona Consolacion.

"Remember who you're dealing with!" she exclaimed. "Don't think that
I'm a provincial or a soldier's _querida!_ In my house in Manila the
alfereces don't eater, they wait at the door."

"Oho, _Excelentisima Senora!_ Alfereces don't enter, but cripples
do--like that one--ha, ha, ha!"

Had it not been for the rouge, Dona Victorian would have been seen to
blush. She tried to get to her antagonist, but the sentinel stopped
her. In the meantime the street was filling up with a curious crowd.

"Listen, I lower myself talking to you--people of quality--Don't you
want to wash my clothes? I'll pay you well! Do you think that I don't
know that you were a washerwoman_?_"

Dona Consolacion straightened up furiously; the remark about washing
hurt her. "Do you think that we don't know who you are and what
class of people you belong with? Get out, my husband has already
told me! Senora, I at least have never belonged to more than one,
but you? One must be dying of hunger to take the leavings, the mop
of the whole world!"

This shot found its mark with Dona Victorina. She rolled up her
sleeves, clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth. "Come down,
old sow!" she cried. "I'm going to smash that dirty mouth of
yours! _Querida_ of a battalion, filthy hag!"

The Muse immediately disappeared from the window and was soon seen
running down the stairs flourishing her husband's whip.

Don Tiburcio interposed himself supplicatingly, but they would have
come to blows had not the alferez arrived on the scene.

"Ladies! Don Tiburcio!"

"Train your woman better, buy her some decent clothes, and if you
haven't any money left, rob the people--that's what you've got soldiers
for!" yelled Dona Victorina.

"Here I am, senora! Why doesn't your Excellency smash my mouth? You're
only tongue and spittle, Dona Excelencia!"

"Senora!" cried the alferez furiously to Dona Victorina, "be
thankful that I remember that you're a woman or else I'd kick you to
pieces--frizzes, ribbons, and all!"

"S-senor Alferez!"

"Get out, you quack! You don't wear the pants!"

The women brought into play words and gestures, insults and abuse,
dragging out all the evil that was stored in the recesses of their
minds. Since all four talked at once and said so many things that
might hurt the prestige of certain classes by the truths that were
brought to light, we forbear from