malicious nature that she was always hatching plots against somebody.

If any one struck her she didn't shed a tear; she would go down to the
concierge's lodge when the concierge's little boy was left alone,
would grab him and pinch him and kick him, in this manner wreaking
vengeance for the blows she had received.

After eating, almost all of the boarders went off to their affairs;
Celia and Irene, together with the Biscayan, indulged in a grand
frolic by spying upon the women in Isabel's house, who would come out
on the balcony and chat, or signal to the neighbours. At times these
miserable brothel odalisques were not content with speaking; they
would dance and exhibit their calves.

Manuel's mother, as always, would be meditating upon heaven and hell,
giving little heed to the pettiness of this earth, and she could not
shield her son from such edifying spectacles. Petra's educational
system consisted only of giving Manuel an occasional blow and of
making him read prayer-books.

Petra imagined that she could see the traits of the machinist showing
up in the boy, and this troubled her. She wished Manuel to be like
her,--humble toward his superiors, respectful toward the priests...;
but a fine place this was for learning to respect anything!

One morning, after the solemn ceremony had been celebrated in which
all the women of the house issued into the corridor swinging their
night service, there burst from Dona Violante's room a clamour of
shouts, weeping, stamping and vociferation.