oyed at the indifference with
which she had spoken of her mother.

"Money, papa, you've said it; I told you the other day. But that isn't
all. Rafael--my husband--I can't stand this sort of life."

And she related all the petty trials of her existence. In order not to
feel that she was prematurely a widow, she had to go with her husband in
his automobile and show an interest in his trips which once had amused
her but now were growing unbearable.

"It's the life of a section-hand, papa, always swallowing dust and
counting kilometers. When I love Madrid so much! When I can't live out
of it!"

She had sat down on her father's knees, she talked to him, looking into
his eyes, smoothing his hair, pulling his mustache, like a mischievous
child,--almost as the other had.

"Besides, he's stingy; if he had his way, I'd look like a frump. He
thinks everything is too much. Papa, help me out of this difficulty,
it's only two thousand pesetas. With that I can get on my feet and then
I won't bother you with any more loans. Come, that's a dear papa. I need
them right away, because I waited till the last minute, so as not to
inconvenience you."

Renovales moved about uneasily under the weight of his daughter, a
strapping girl who fell on him like a child. Her filial confidences
annoyed him. Her perfume made him think of that other perfume, which
disturbed his nights, spreading through the solitude of the rooms. She
seemed to have inherited her mother's flesh.

He pushed her away roughly, and she took this movement for a refusal.
Her face grew sad, tears came to her eyes, and her father repented his
brusqueness. He was surprised at her constant requests for money. What
did she want it for? He recalled the wedding-presents, that princely
abundance of clothes and jewels which had been on exhibition in this
very room. What did she need? But Milita looked at her father in
astonishment. More than a year had gone by since then. It was clear
enough that her father was ignorant in such matters. Was she going to
wear the same gowns, the same hats, the same ornaments for an endless
length of time, more than twelve months? Horrible! That was too
commonplace. And overcome at the thought of such a monstrosity, she
began to shed her tender tears to the great disturbance of the master.

"There, there, Milita, there's no use in crying. What do you want?
Money? I'll send you all you need to-morrow. I haven't much at the
house. I shall have to g