o and singing lessons. For nothing in the
world would _la brigadiera_ permit her to relax her four hours of
practising and going through the prescribed scales.

Don Alfonso spent four or five days in meditating, in playing espionage
on Maximina, and in scheming; meantime he showed himself more than ever
amiable and obsequious to his cousin; but he refused to accompany her
to Miguel's, offering various excuses.

Saturdays he always breakfasted at _la brigadiera's_. On the first
Saturday after Miguel's departure, Julita, though she usually took
breakfast with Maximina, came home in honor of her cousin, and because
it was no longer possible for her to hide the passionate love which she
felt for him. During breakfast time he was as jovial and amusing as
ever; nevertheless, Julita's loving eyes were able to detect in his
gestures a peculiar excitement, as though his mind were preoccupied.
Naturally she attributed it to what most concerned her; to the love
constantly growing more tender and ardent which her cousin manifested
toward her. When they had finished, he asked her in a careless tone:--

"Is your piano teacher coming to-day?"

"Yes; at four."

"Then," said he, still more indifferently, if possible, "you will not
return to Maximina's until you have had your lesson, I suppose."

"Of course not ... there is no need of making the journey twice,"
replied _la brigadiera_.

They went to the sitting-room, and Julita sat down at the piano with
Alfonso at her side. The charming girl struck an opportune _forte_ which
drowned out the tender words which her cousin began whispering in her
ear.

"Julita, your eyes shine so to-day, that if you wanted to set my heart
on fire, you could do it this very instant."

"Pedal! pedal!" cried the girl, laughing; and she quenched the dandy's
last words with a deafening crash.

She again put on the soft pedal, and began gently to touch the piano.
Don Alfonso took advantage of the diminuendo to say:--

"Julita, I adore you; I love you more than my life...."

"Pedal! pedal!" exclaimed the girl again, and she did not allow him to
finish. But after a few moments of this rapturous amusement, Don Alfonso
exclaimed, raising his hand to his forehead:--

"Oh, how unfortunate!"

"What is it?"

"Why, my uncle is going to Seville to-day, and I have not yet been to
the notary's to arrange my mother's papers."

"Oh, you snipe! Hurry! go and get them; you have time."

"Oh, if it were mere