no and began to play very loud;
then she sang a romanza from an opera, and this she suddenly changed
into a Spanish song, which she did not finish either. Then she quitted
the piano to frolic with Maximina, whom she obliged to dance a polka
whether she would or no; presently she accosted her brother and kissed
him again and again, saying to Maximina:--

"You aren't jealous, are you now?"

Don Alfonso's eyes followed her in all these evolutions keenly and
persistently, with a peculiar expression of gentle irony. Miguel noticed
it, and made a slight gesture of dissatisfaction.

In the following days Julia's avoidance of her cousin increased, and was
shown in a very unpleasant manner. He had only to come where she was for
her immediately to leave the room: if he asked her to sing, or play the
piano, she would give him a flat refusal; she did not address a single
word to him, and if he asked her a question she would answer curtly and
without looking at him. _La brigadiera_ noticed these shortcomings, and
chided her severely, but without any effect. Don Alfonso pretended not
to notice them, and continued imperturbably to treat her with his
exquisite courtesy, and finding every opportunity to give her praise
which, of course, she received with very bad grace.

One day at dinner time, while they were still at dessert, _la
brigadiera_ was conversing socially with her nephew. Julita preserved an
obstinate silence, making little balls of bread and looking steadily at
the table.

They were talking about a ball to be given by a certain duke, one of
Saavedra's friends, where they were going to revive the ancient and
classic minuet. In fact, they had been practising it several days, and
Saavedra had ordered an elegant costume of doublet and hose, the details
of which he was carefully describing to his aunt.

Julita looked up, and giving him a saucy glance, said with peculiar
malice ill-concealed:--

"It seems like a falsehood for you to engage in such things."

"Why, little coz?" asked Don Alfonso, smiling amiably.

"Because you are already an old man," rejoined the girl, with a scornful
accent. A moment of silence followed that impudent thrust. It was _la
brigadiera_ who broke it, and she was so furious that she could not
complete her sentences:--

"You wicked girl! Insolent! Aren't you ashamed? How could you dare.... I
feel as though I should sink through the floor!... (_standing up, in
high dudgeon_). The idea!... Leav