ad learned, she was the
child of shame, being the crianza, or natural daughter, of a gentleman
of the village; perhaps it was that she seemed so ill fitted to buffet
with contumely and reproach that gave such an indescribable interest to
her appearance; but, fortunately, brought up in her father's house, she
may go through life without meeting an averted face, or feeling that a
stain rests upon her name.

As may be supposed, the presence of this senorita on the floor did not
escape the keen eyes of the mercurial fiscal. All at once he became
excited and restless, and, starting to his feet, gazed at her for a
moment as if entranced by a vision, and then, as if carried away by his
excitement, and utterly unconscious of what he was about, he pushed
aside the vaquero who was dancing with her, and, flinging his sombrero
on the ground, cried out in a tone of ecstacy, "Voy baylar con vd, mi
corazon!" "I am going to dance with you, my heart!" As he danced, his
excitement seemed to increase; forgetting everything around him, the
expression of his face became rapt, fixed, intense; he tore off his
cacique's mantle, and, dancing toward her, spread it at the lady's
feet. This seemed only to excite him more; and, as if forgetful of
everything else, he seized the collar of his camisa and, dancing
violently all the time, with a nervous grasp, tugged as if he meant to
pull it over his head, and throw all that he was worth at her feet.
Failing in this, for a moment he seemed to give up in despair, but all
at once he thrust his hands under the long garment, seized the sash
around his waist, and still dancing with all his might, unwound it,
and, moving up to her with mingled grace, gallantry, and desperation,
dropped it at her feet, and danced back to his place. By this time his
calzoncillos, kept up by the sash, were giving way. Grasping them
furiously, and holding them up with both hands, as if by a great
effort, he went on dancing with a desperate expression of face that was
irresistibly ludicrous.

During all this time the company was convulsed with laughter, and I
could not help remarking the extreme modesty and propriety of the young
lady, who never even smiled or looked at him, but, when the dance was
ended, bowed and returned to her seat. The poor fiscal stood gating at
the vacant place where she had stood, as if the sun of his existence
had set. At length he turned his head and called out "amigo," asked if
there were any such Me