oyas.

"Don Nominative is our friend," responded one of the girls. "From his
temple of science he says a great many sweet things to us on the sly,
and he blows us kisses besides."

"Jacinto?" asked the engineer. "What the deuce is that name you gave
him?"

"Don Nominative."

The three girls burst out laughing.

"We call him that because he is very learned."

"No, because when we were little he was little too. But, yes, now I
remember. We used to play on the terrace, and we could hear him studying
his lessons aloud."

"Yes, and the whole blessed day he used to spend singling."

"Declining, girl! That is what it was. He would go like this:
'Nominative, rosa, Genitive, Dative, Accusative.'"

"I suppose that I have my nickname too," said Pepe Rey.

"Let Maria Juana tell you what it is," said Florentina, hiding herself.

"I? Tell it to him you, Pepa."

"You haven't any name yet, Don Jose."

"But I shall have one. I promise you that I will come to hear what it is
and to receive confirmation," said the young man, making a movement to
go.

"What, are you going?"

"Yes. You have lost time enough already. To work, girls! Throwing stones
at the neighbors and the passers-by is not the most suitable occupation
for girls as pretty and as clever as you are. Well, good-by."

And without waiting for further remonstrances, or answering the
civilities of the girls, he left the house hastily, leaving Don Juan
Tafetan behind him.

The scene which he had just witnessed, the indignity suffered by the
canon, the unexpected appearance of the little doctor of laws, added
still further to the perplexities, the anxieties, and the disagreeable
presentiments that already disturbed the soul of the unlucky engineer.
He regretted with his whole soul having entered the house of the Troyas,
and, resolving to employ his time better while his hypochondriasm
lasted, he made a tour of inspection through the town.

He visited the market, the Calle de la Triperia, where the principal
stores were; he observed the various aspects presented by the industry
and commerce of the great city of Orbajosa, and, finding only new
motives of weariness, he bent his steps in the direction of the Paseo de
las Descalzas; but he saw there only a few stray dogs, for, owing to the
disagreeable wind which prevailed, the usual promenaders had remained
at home. He went to the apothecary's, where various species of ruminant
friends of progress, who chewed agai