s of
furniture were bought for the parlor, and it was put into elegant
condition. The table was laid in the next room, which was the library,
and in this task they were greatly assisted by Uncle Manolo. A few extra
servants were engaged for the occasion; one of the bedrooms was put into
order for a ladies' dressing-room; the stairway was adorned with vases
of flowers and brilliantly lighted, and the same was true of all the
rooms in the house. The porter was tempted by a good large fee to allow
the door to be kept open and the entrance lighted all night.

Likewise nothing that concerned the dress to be worn by Maximina at the
party was neglected. Miguel insisted that it should be rich and
magnificent, but she was intensely opposed to this; finally it was
decided to leave the matter to the dressmaker. And on the very day of
the 'fiesta,' early in the morning, that personage herself came with a
dress, of great simplicity, to be sure, but of the utmost elegance. But,
oh, how unfortunate! the dress was open in front in the form of a heart.

Miguel found his wife in despair on a sofa with the dress in her hands,
and almost ready to cry, while the modiste, with difficulty repressing
her anger, was arguing that the suggestion to have it filled in was out
of the question, and that no lady when she had such a party at her house
ever failed to wear a dress more or less _decollete_, and that in this
case the front was neither too high nor too low.

To all this Maximina replied sweetly, but firmly, that she had never
worn a low-necked dress, and that she should die of mortification if she
did so now.

Miguel at first sided with the modiste; but when he saw the sadness
painted on his wife's face, he was secretly flattered by her delicate
modesty, and suddenly changed his mind, saying:--

"Very well; don't say anything more about the matter. If the dress can
be altered for this evening, let it be done; if not, wear one of the
best ones that you have already."

It was difficult to persuade the modiste to alter it; but finding that
both of them were firmly resolved, she saw nothing else to do, and she
and Maximina put their heads together to remedy it as well as they
could.

In the evening, after the table was set and Uncle Manolo was gone, the
young couple were left alone with the servants.

Maximina shut herself in her room to dress, and Miguel did the same.

When he had finished his toilet he ordered all the lamps to be li