“Who? This girl?”
“Yes, Señora—from the Señoritas Romera,” said the young Galician.
“Come here, let me see. Perhaps it is something that requires immediate attention.”
But no sooner had she torn open the envelope than she burst into a laugh.
“How crazy I am! Without my glasses—Here, child, read it you.”
Rogelio unfolded the missive and began in a pompous voice:
“High and mighty and most tormented lady: if your beauty——”
“See, child; have sense and read what is set down there; there is a terrible{56} draught and the rheumatism in my joints won’t allow me to stand here listening to nonsense.”
{56}
In his natural tone of voice Rogelio read as follows:
“Most respected friend: Esclavita Lamas, the bearer, will inform you of the favor she desires; all we can say is that during the time she was with us, she was most exemplary in her conduct and fulfilled her duties faithfully; so much so that we are very sorry to lose her, as we have no fault to find with her; quite the contrary.
“Your old and affectionate friends,
“Pascuala and Mercedes Romera.”
“Is there nothing more, child?”
“There is a foolish postscript that it is not necessary to read.”
“A foolish postscript?”
“Yes; asking why no one ever sees me now and saying that I must be grown a fine-looking young fellow. The stereotyped, silly compliments—{57}—”
{57}
“I am always telling you so, child!” exclaimed his mother, with vexation. “You never go to spend ten minutes at the house of these poor ladies, who are so fond of you. They have seen you so petted that they will think it is all my fault. Well, I speak to you often enough about them. Pascuala and Mercedes! If you don’t go, I shall.”
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