seducers,
provided they, like him, are "men of the world." Observation has taught
me that the "men of the world" who have been called dandies, fops, and
_dudes_[46] are not _espirituales_, or, to avoid a Gallicism, do not
speak with any greater wit and grace than in novels. In life, and above
all when they are shaken from that languid and _blase_ appearance
characteristic of them, they are apt to be as vulgar and absurd as the
latest medical student.

Poor Maximina was so disturbed at hearing this amorous jargon, of which
she understood only the general tenor, that her pallor changed to a
livid hue, then the blood rushed suddenly to her face, her eyes grew
dim, and she was ready to fall.

By what seemed like an automatic movement which she afterward could not
explain, she abruptly quitted her companion, and started to run, crying:
"Placida! Placida!" until she caught up with her, and then she said:--

"Run, run! how ill I feel!"

Both ran quite a while, until fatigue compelled them to relax their
efforts; but by this time they were a long distance from Saavedra, who
stood in the same spot, full of amazement and chagrin at her sudden and
unexpected flight.

A severe lecture, premeditated and prepared, in judgment on such
imprudence and dastardly meanness as Don Alfonso had just committed,
could not have been more hard and cruel than that desertion. Maximina,
without being aware of it, had not only preserved her dignity, but had
inflicted on the insolent fellow the punishment which is severest in
such cases--that of making him seem ridiculous.

Saavedra remained rooted to the ground with rage, until seeing some
promenaders approaching, and gazing at him with curiosity and then
turning around to look at the fleeing women, he wheeled about and strode
away, from the place.

Fortunately, when Maximina reached home, Miguel was still away; if he
had been there, on seeing her so excited, he would have made some
inquiries, and perhaps have even become suspicious. She had time to get
a little calmed; the servants really believed that she had had an ill
turn, and so did Miguel himself when it came dinner time.

Nevertheless, that night and the following day the young wife was very
nervous; she did not know what course to take. For the present she
determined not to go out walking alone any more, under the pretext that
she was afraid she might be attacked by another faint turn. But if Don
Alfonso should come to call upon he