Sunday, on the
promenade, she had answered one of the young ladies of Castro rudely.
The young lady was the daughter of a millionaire, who had married after
having several children by a mistress of pretty bad reputation. The
millionaire's children had been educated in aristocratic schools, and
his girls were very elegant young ladies; even the mother got to be
refined and polished. One Sunday, on the promenade, one of them, on
passing near "The Cub-Slut," said in a low tone to her mother:

"Dear Lord, what riff-raff!"

And "The Cub-Slut," hearing her, stopped and said violently:

"There's no riff-raff here except your mother and me. Now you know it."

The young lady was so upset by the harsh retort that she didn't leave
the house again for a long while.

Such rude candour on "The Cub-Slut's" part had made her feared; so that
nobody durst provoke her in the slightest degree. Besides, her history
and her misfortune were known and people knew that she was not a vicious
woman, but rather a victim of fate.

The assassination of "Lengthy" was one of those events that are not
forgotten in a town. "Lengthy" was the son of "Gaffer," "The Cub-Slut's"
protector, and some people imagined that she had persuaded "Driveller"
to commit the crime; but the members of the Workmen's Club continued to
believe that it was a case of clerical revenge.

_"THE CUB-SLUT'S" ARGUMENT_

In the month of June, Caesar and Amparito went to Castro Duro.

One afternoon when Caesar was alone in the garden, a very buxom woman
appeared before him, wearing a mantilla and dressed in black.

"I came in without anybody seeing me," she said. "Your porter, 'Wild
Piglet,' let me pass. I know that Amparito is not here."

She didn't say "Your wife," or "Your lady," but "Amparito."

"Tell me what you want," said Caesar, looking at the woman with a
certain dread.

"I am the woman that lives with 'Driveller' Juan."

"Ah! You are...?" "Yes. 'The Cub-Slut.'"

Caesar looked at her attentively. She was of the aquiline type seen on
Iberian coins, her nose arched, eyes big and black, thin-lipped mouth,
and a protruding chin. She noticed his scrutiny, and stood as if on her
guard.

"Sit down, if you will, please, and tell me what you wish."

"I am all right," she replied, continuing to stand; then, precipitately,
she said, "What I want is for them not to punish Juan more than is
just."

"I don't believe he will be punished unjustly," responded Caesar.