ible for so many to drink
chocolate in the rooms in the Calle del Bano, it had already been
decided days before that they should go to the Cafe de Cervantes, which
is near the church. They accordingly went in there, and almost
completely filled it. A most animated conversation sprang up on all
sides, so that soon no one could hear himself talk.

Enrique, flushed with emotion, sat down at one table with Miguel, and
began to unburden himself with remarkable verbosity:--

"I know well enough, Miguel, that I might have married a senorita, but
don't you see, I have never cared at all about senoritas? They say the
trouble is that I haven't any conversation. It may be so. We shall see;
Miguelillo, isn't my flamingo worth all the sugar-paste senoritas of the
upper ten? And besides, she knows how to work, and that is more than any
of these high-flyers know how to do; and she can live on two _pesetas_ a
day, and she can put a shawl on her head--do you understand? and take
her place in the Plaza de la Cebada,[50] where vegetables are the
cheapest; and when we go to the theatre, we shan't have to get a box or
seats in the parquet. From the gallery we can see the play well enough,
and be well satisfied; and if it is necessary, she can cook the dinner,
and there is no need of going with her every day making calls. That
comes in handy, my boy! You see, I am going to have forty-three duros'
pay now that I am in the active service; my rooms will cost seven; that
leaves thirty-six. We shall get along, Miguel; we shall get along!
Besides, my mother has promised to help me; she will give me _garbanzos_
and chocolate, and some little thing 'under the rose,' do you see? We've
got our rooms all fixed up. It cost me a good deal of work. For nearly a
year I have not taken coffee, nor gone to the theatre, nor smoked
anything except cigarettes; everything so as to save for this furniture!
Man! I tell you that I have gone with one hat all the year, and that I
have had my boots tapped three times! But I have done it all with
delight for my darling _chulilla_, who is worth all Peru! Just look,
look at her! See what eyes she is making at us!"

Enrique's happiness was so contagious that Miguel always felt happy to
be with him.

This lad had often made him think that to be happy in this world one
needs only to believe that one is.

They had not yet finished taking their chocolate, when the doors of the
cafe were flung open, and six or seven street