student Roberto spoke to her now and then in English.

The youth was enthusiastic over her.

That summer the Baroness's streak of bad luck must have come to an
end, for she began to make herself some fine clothes and prepared to
move.

For several weeks a modiste and her assistant came daily, with gowns
and hats for the Baroness and Kate.

Manuel, one night, saw the modiste's assistant go by with a huge box
in her hand and was smitten.

He followed her at a distance in great fear lest she see him. As he
stole on behind, he wondered what he could say to such a maiden if he
were to accompany her. It must be something gallant, exquisite; he
even imagined that she was at his side and he racked his brain for
beautiful phrases and delicate compliments, yet nothing but
commonplaces rewarded his search. In the meantime the assistant and
her box were lost in the crowd and he could not catch sight of them
again.

The memory of that maiden was for Manuel as an enchanting music, a
fancy upon which were reared still wilder fancies. Often he made up
tales in which always he figured as the hero and the assistant as the
heroine. While Manuel bemoaned the harshness of fate, Roberto, the
blond student, gave himself up likewise to melancholy, brooding upon
the Baroness's daughter. The student was forced to endure jests
especially from Celia, who, according to certain evil tongues, was