f up with equal rapidity, and giving him a
look that was half severe and half mischievous, said:--

"You had better be a little careful!"

When she had finished, Miguel said:--

"To reward you for this good deed I am going to offer you my arm to take
you back to the parlor."

The girl took it without saying a word. After the kiss she had grown
serious.

When they went in, everybody was there before them. Maximina, who was
sitting on a sofa talking with Saavedra, looked at them with a mixture
of surprise and desolation which would have touched Miguel if he had
taken time to think about it.

A girl was seated at the piano and playing the first strains of a waltz.
Uncle Manolo came very politely to invite Maximina, and she allowed
herself to be taken out for the dance. Then Miguel, after a moment of
hesitation (caused either by remorse or because he knew how jealous his
wife was of Filomena), finally asked the girl to waltz.

"You dance very well, niece," said Uncle Manolo, stopping a moment to
rest. "Who taught you?"

"Miguel."

"I am not surprised then; Miguelito has always been a famous dancer."

Maximina had present proof of it, and to her sorrow, for her husband at
that moment floated by them, scarcely touching the floor, and holding in
his arms his light burden. The young wife did not for a moment lose them
from sight. The next time that they crossed in front of her, they were
promenading, and the girl had his arm. Miguel looked at his wife, and
she replied with a forced smile.

"How does my wife dance, uncle?"

"Admirably! She excels Lola Montez."

"So I see. She has turned you into a watering-pot!"

In fact, great drops of sweat ran down the worthy _caballero's_ brow,
and he tried to arrest them to prevent them inundating his
side-whiskers.

Maximina soon grew weary, and expressed her desire to sit down. As soon
as she had taken her place, Saavedra came and sat by her side; and Uncle
Manolo went off to invite some other young lady.

Ever since the beginning of the party the Andalusian gentleman's eyes
had persistently followed Maximina, and by a slight trembling and
closing of the eyelids had expressed perfect approval of her. Don
Alfonso was a most intelligent connoisseur of the female sex; he never
failed to be fascinated either by brilliancy, by far-fetched
originality, or by adornments; he appreciated in women genuine beauty
and grace, winsome innocence and freshness; like every one who for