long
years has cultivated any art _con amore_, he had come to hate all things
that savored of affectation, and to worship only simplicity; the
conversation of coquettes amused him, but did not conquer him.

Thus it was that Maximina had always been extremely pleasing to him, and
he had shown it more than once at his aunt's house. He said of her that
her modesty and innocence did not belong to this day, but to the golden
age; one time when he addressed a guarded bit of flattery to her, in the
presence of _la brigadiera_ and Julia, the child grew so crimson that
Don Alfonso resolved not to do so again, for fear it should be suspected
that he was making love to her.

This evening she struck his fancy more than ever. As Maximina did not
usually care much for the adornment of her person, the elegance which
she now displayed made her look truly brilliant. The Andalusian
_caballero_ with the boundless audacity characteristic of him, made up
his mind to try a little gallantry, without any meaning in it, of
course.

He was too skilful not to know that in this case he must lay aside his
usual tactics as useless and dangerous. Nothing about flowers and
flattery; still less, significant looks. A fluent talk about the ball,
about the preparations which the young wife had been obliged to make;
questions, and more questions, always being careful to repeat her name
many times, since Don Alfonso had learned by experience that every woman
enjoys this repetition.

Maximina replied amiably, but in few words; her face showed a peculiar
absent-minded expression which vexed the Andalusian, and disconcerted
him a little. Instead of holding himself firmly in the attitude which he
had proposed he began to allow himself to yield, and soon found himself
giving signs of the interest which she inspired in him.

Meanwhile, Miguel, after stopping and talking with two or three ladies
for a little while, returned and sat down by Filomena. She received him
with a look that was half severe and half quizzical.

"Why have you come here?... Get you gone!"

"So as to count the patches that you have on your left cheek: I have
made out that there are seven on the right cheek, distributed in
conformity with the precepts of art."

"Ah! have you come to insult me?"

"In what chronicle have you read that a Rivera ever insulted a Losilla?"

"Never till this moment; but in the centuries to come it will be known
that a Rivera had the discourtesy to tell a