saw him. Well, then senora! resign yourself to see something still more
terrible, unless you make up your mind to call Caballuco and say to him,
'Caballuco, I hope that--'"

"The same thing again; what a simpleton you are!"

"Oh yes! I know I am a great simpleton; but how can I help it if I am
not any wiser? I say what comes into my head, without any art."

"What you think of--that silly and vulgar idea of the beating and the
fright--is what would occur to any one. You have not an ounce of brains,
Remedios; to solve a serious question you can think of nothing better
than a piece of folly like that. I have thought of a means more worthy
of noble-minded and well-bred persons. A beating! What stupidity!
Besides, I would not on any account have my nephew receive even so
much as a scratch by an order of mine. God will send him his punishment
through some one of the wonderful ways which he knows how to choose. All
we have to do is to work in order that the designs of God may find no
obstacle. Maria Remedios, it is necessary in matters of this kind to go
directly to the causes of things. But you know nothing about causes--you
can see only trifles."

"That may be so," said the priest's niece, with humility. "I wonder why
God made me so foolish that I can understand nothing of those sublime
ideas!"

"It is necessary to go to the bottom--to the bottom, Remedios. Don't you
understand yet?"

"No."