"It was because this one said that you are only losing your time, for
Rosarito cares only for people connected with the Church."

"How absurd you are! I said nothing of the kind! It was you who said
that the gentleman was a Lutheran atheist, and that he enters the
cathedral smoking and with his hat on."

"Well, I didn't invent it; that is what Suspiritos told me yesterday."

"And who is this Suspiritos who says such absurd things about me?"

"Suspiritos is--Suspiritos."

"Girls," said Tafetan, with smiling countenance, "there goes the
orange-vender. Call him; I want to invite you to eat oranges."

One of the girls called the orange-vender.

The conversation started by the Troyas displeased Pepe Rey not a little,
dispelling the slight feeling of contentment which he had experienced
at finding himself in such gay and communicative company. He could not,
however, refrain from smiling when he saw Don Juan Tafetan take down
a guitar and begin to play upon it with all the grace and skill of his
youthful years.

"I have been told that you sing beautifully," said Rey to the girls.

"Let Don Juan Tafetan sing."

"I don't sing."

"Nor I," said the second of the girls, offering the engineer some pieces
of the skin of the orange she had just peeled.

"Maria Juana, don't leave your sewing," said the eldest of the Troyas.
"It is late, and the cassock must be finished to-night."

"There is to be no work to-day. To the devil with the needles!"
exclaimed Tafetan.

And he began to sing a song.

"The people are stopping in the street," said the second of the girls,
going out on the balcony. "Don Juan Tafetan's shouts can be heard in the
Plaza--Juana, Juana!"

"Well?"

"Suspiritos is walking down the street."

"Throw a piece of orange-peel at her."

Pepe Rey looked out also; he saw a lady walking down the street at whom
the youngest of the Troyas, taking a skilful aim, threw a large piece
of orange-peel, which struck her straight on the back of the head. Then
they hastily closed the blinds, and the three girls tried to stifle
their laughter so that it might not be heard in the street.

"There is no work to-day," cried one, overturning the sewing-basket with
the tip of her shoe.

"That is the same as saying, to-morrow there is to be no eating," said
the eldest, gathering up the sewing implements.

Pepe Rey instinctively put his hand into his pocket. He would gladly
have given them an alms. The spectacle of these