owering me too
much to believe that I could consent for you to support me.... But even
if I were so low as that, still I could not do it, because I do not want
to be my mother's murderer."

The girl said no more, and, as often before, the tears began to slide
down her cheeks.

"Does your mother have any suspicion of what is going on?"

"No."

"Then be very careful. You know as well as I do how peculiar she is; if
she had a suspicion that my mamma objected, she would spoil the whole
business, and I should never consent to set my foot in this house
again."

One evening, after quite a number of days had passed, the _caballero_
came with his face brighter than it had been for some time. Instead of
sitting down near the piano, the lovers went and stood in the
bay-window. After painting things in very black colors as usual and
lamenting a long time, Don Alfonso said to his cousin:--

"As I have been thinking of nothing else than this all day and all
night, certain means of escaping from this difficulty have occurred to
me. I have not told them to you, for they are very absurd. Still, as
last night I was walking up and down my room without being able to
sleep, one scheme came into my head, and this one is very sure but very
bold ... so much so that I am afraid to tell it to you."

"Is it so bad as all that?"

"Bad, no; but bold. It requires you to disregard certain social
conventions and to show a great will power."

"Come, then, tell me. I am very curious to hear about it."

"Very well then, Julia; mamma, though you imagine her to be a hard
woman, because of your childish recollections and because in reality she
has a cold and serious exterior which prejudices against her, has a
heart that is in reality very warm. She has given me unequivocal proofs
of it, oftentimes forgiving me almost too quickly for very serious
faults. Her character is as haughty as your mamma's; but these natures
are easy to overcome; to make them yield it needs only that you
humiliate yourself.... This is what I was thinking of last night:--If
Julia had the courage to make a decided stroke and elope with me to
Seville and present ourselves before her, I am certain that she would
not hesitate to forgive us and grant us her blessing. No woman, however
bad she is, would consent to let the daughter of her own cousin be
dishonored."

"This scheme is madness. I cannot believe that you would propose to me
such an atrocious thing!"

"I do not p