cannot...."

"I demand it in the name of the friendship that bound me to your
father."

There was no way of declining it.

"Besides, you must give me your word that if the sixty duros a month are
not sufficient for your living expenses, and you find yourself in a
tight place, you will come to me first of all.... I will not leave the
house unless you promise me."

The brigadier's son gave the promise. Then he called in Maximina, and
the three talked a long time about various matters. Don Facundo seemed
to lose his wits over the baby. When it came the time for him to take
his departure, Miguel seized him by the hand, and said with emotion:--

"Don Facundo, I give up trying to tell you what is passing through my
heart at this moment. I will simply repeat what I said once before: _You
are a great personage_."

"Miguelito, if you persist in saying these foolish things, I will never
come to your house again."

"Then what name do you want us to give those who come only when there is
some misfortune to alleviate?"

With this opportune visit, thanks to God, the anxiety of our young
friends ended. The sixty duros, carefully husbanded, were sufficient for
them to live comfortably. Nevertheless, Miguel did not care to
relinquish the idea of the place in the Council of State, and when the
examinations were given, he secured one with a salary of sixteen
thousand reals; thereupon he resigned his place in the bank, which gave
him too much work. With this salary and three or four thousand reals
more that he earned by writing articles from time to time for the papers
and reviews, he felt himself perfectly happy.

And he was in reality happy. Poverty had more than ever strengthened the
cords of love. The cruel rebuffs that society had made him feel caused
him to realize that his home was the only place where true happiness was
to be found,--a corner of heaven where Maximina played the role of
angel.

His love to her did not increase, for that was impossible; but his
admiration did. This young wife's lofty spirit had never showed itself
so admirable, so worthy of being adored, as during the critical and
painful days through which they had just been passing. So great had come
to be the love and admiration felt by our hero, that when he found in
his study any object that Maximina had left there, he would kiss it
tenderly and respectfully, as though it had been a sacred relic.

During the hours that he was free from his duties,