perfectly
willing for you to condescend, and I will call you 'most illustrious
lordship' if you like; but when we are alone, just remember that I am
not your vassal."

"You are always just the same, Miguel," replied Mendoza, a little
exasperated.

"That is the advantage that you have over me: I am always the same; you
are always changing and playing a new and brilliant role in society. I
am satisfied, however, with mine--so satisfied that the fear of having
to be different is what brings me here so early in the morning to
disturb your dreams of glory."

"What do you mean?"

"That having up to the present time been considered a person 'well
fixed,' or, to use the expressions affected by us literary fellows,
being an Hidalgo of 'ancient stock,' and having 'five hundred _sueldos_
guerdon,' I--but you don't know what this means?"

"No!" replied Mendoza, with an impatient gesture.

"Well, it is very simple. If you should give me a slap (which I am sure
you will not), I should get 'five hundred _sueldos_ guerdon,' or fine.
On the other hand, if I should give you one (which is perfectly
possible), there would be no need of your spending a sou.... Well then,
having up to the present time played this role in society, I should feel
it to the bottom of my soul to be obliged to try that of the
poverty-stricken or the vagabond, which I have never studied."

"I don't understand you."

"I am coming to the point. Last evening Eguiburu presented himself at my
house, and without any preamble demanded of me the thirty thousand duros
which have been spent on _La Independencia_, and which I guaranteed,
yielding to your entreaties.... Do you understand now?"

Brutandor said nothing for several moments, remaining in an attitude of
meditation; then he said, with the solemn deliberation which
characterized all his remarks:--

"I believe this amount should be paid, not by you, but by the Count de
Rios."

"Ah! you think so, do you? Then I am saved. As soon as Eguiburu knows
this opinion, I am certain that he will not venture to ask a _cuarto_ of
me."

"If it were taken from you, it would be robbery."

"I am delighted to see that the immutable principles of natural law have
not vanished from your mind. But you know that the actual law is on his
side; and if, perchance, it should enter into his head to make use of
law instead of equity, I want to know if you would have the heart to let
him ruin me."

Miguel had grown very serio