follow me? What business have you with me?"

"'"I am a poor weak woman," she answered, with a devilish leer. "You hate
me, and you are afraid of me without any reason. If not, tell me, good
sir, why you were so frightened the first time you saw me."

"'"Because I have loathed you ever since I was born. Because you are the
evil spirit of my life."

"'"It seems, then, that you have known me for a long time. Well, look, my
son, so have I known you."

"'"You have known me? How long?"

"'"Since before you were born! And when I saw you pass by me, three years
ago, I said to myself, THAT'S THE ONE."

"'"But what am I to you? What are you to me?"

"'"The devil!" replied the hag, spitting full in my face, freeing herself
from my grasp, and running away with amazing swiftness. She held her
skirts higher than her knees, and her feet did not make the slightest
noise as they touched the ground.

"'It was madness to try to catch her. Besides, people were already passing
through the Carrera de San Jeronimo, and in Prado Street, too. It was
broad daylight. The tall woman kept on running, or flying, as far as
Huertas Street, which was now lighted up by the sun. There she stopped to
look back at me. She waved her closed fan at me once or twice,
threateningly, and then disappeared around a corner.