"Uncle, you don't know what you are talking about," responded Maria
Remedios, her face flushing suddenly. "What! would you be capable of
supposing that Rosarito--what an atrocity! I will defend her; yes, I
will defend her. She is as pure as an angel. Why, uncle, those things
bring a blush to my cheek, and make me indignant with you."

As she spoke the good priest's face was darkened by a cloud of sadness
that made him look ten years older.

"My dear Remedios," he said, "we have done all that is humanly possible,
and all that in conscience we can or ought to do. Nothing could be more
natural than our desire to see Jacintillo connected with that great
family, the first in Orbajosa; nothing more natural than our desire
to see him master of the seven houses in the town, the meadow of
Mundogrande, the three gardens of the upper farm, La Encomienda, and the
other lands and houses which that girl owns. Your son has great merit,
every one knows it well. Rosarito liked him, and he liked Rosarito.
The matter seemed settled. Dona Perfecta herself, without being very
enthusiastic, doubtless on account of our origin, seemed favorably
disposed toward it, because of her great esteem and veneration for
me, as her confessor and friend. But suddenly this unlucky young man
presents himself. The senora tells me that she has given her word to
her brother, and that she cannot reject the proposal made by him. A
difficult situation! But what do I do in view of all this? Ah, you don't
know every thing! I will be frank with you. If I had found Senor de
Rey to be a man of good principles, calculated to make Rosario happy, I
would not have interfered in the matter; but the young man appeared to
me to be a wretch, and, as the spiritual director of the house, it was
my duty to take a hand in the business, and I took it. You know already