reeable society of these persons, who were old and intimate friends
of his, and accompanied them to Dona Perfecta's house. This took place,
according to the most reliable accounts, at nightfall, and two days
after the day on which Dona Perfecta and Pinzon held the conversation
which those who have read the preceding chapter will have seen recorded
there. The great Ramos stopped for a moment to give Librada certain
messages of trifling importance, which a neighbor had confided to his
good memory, and when he entered the dining-room he found the three
before-mentioned countrymen and Senor Licurgo, who by a singular
coincidence was also there, conversing about domestic matters and the
crops. The Senora was in a detestable humor; she found fault with every
thing, and scolded them harshly for the drought of the heavens and the
barrenness of the earth, phenomena for which they, poor men! were in
no wise to blame. The Penitentiary was also present. When Caballuco
entered, the good canon saluted him affectionately and motioned him to a
seat beside himself.

"Here is the individual," said the mistress of the house disdainfully.
"It seems impossible that a man of such little account should be so much
talked about. Tell me, Caballuco, is it true that one of the soldiers
slapped you on the face this morning?"

"Me! me!" said the Centaur, rising indignantly, as if he had received
the grossest insult.

"That is what they say," said Dona Perfecta. "Is it not true? I believed
it; for any one who thinks so little of himself--they might spit in
your face and you would think yourself honored with the saliva of the
soldiers."

"Senora!" vociferated Ramos with energy, "saving the respect which I
owe you, who are my mother, my mistress, my queen--saving the respect,
I say, which I owe to the person who has given me all that I
possess--saving the respect--"

"Well? One would think you were going to say something."

"I say then, that saving the respect, that about the slap is a slander,"
he ended, expressing himself with extraordinary difficulty. "My affairs
are in every one's mouth--whether I come in or whether I go out, where
I am going and where I have come from--and why? All because they want
to make me a tool to raise the country. Pedro is contented in his own
house, ladies and gentlemen. The troops have come? Bad! but what are we
going to do about it? The alcalde and the secretary and the judge have
been removed from office? Very