alls, covered with oak paneling, rendered black by time, gave it the appearance of a Carthusian refectory in the fifteenth

room, the other guests, numbering from tw

ners, had kept up on his estates the custom of ma

the best our forefathers left us. This community of life drew together the bonds which attach masters to servants,

e end of the room, between do?a Dolores,

tance of the term. His features were manly and marked, and his beard was black and full. He had a large, well open eye, a fixed and piercing glance: his very brown complexion had a slight olive tinge; the sound of his voice was rather r

hacendero, after bidding Ludovic sit on his right hand, by his daughter's side, made a sig

drink during meals. It is only when the dulces or sweets are brought in, that

s French guest, who was waited on by his valet, standi

and don Melchior limited themselves to the exchange of a few conventional phrases, and then held their tong

from table, and the servants of the h

ption which don Melchior had offered him, alleged the fatigue of

remonious bow, and turned their backs on each other. Do?a Dolores gave the young man a grace

legance and pleasant relations of Parisian life, to become used to

ruz and the attention he did not cease to offer him, the young man speedily perc

every occasion when he could converse with her in private: so soon as she perceived that her father or brother was leaving the room, in which she happened to be with the count, s

and solely to honour the engagement made by his family in his name, naturally surprised and mortified a man like Count de la Saulay, whom his personal be

whom he was much disposed to consider a fool, on account of her want of tact towards himself, the count would easily have taken advantage of the repugnance which she seemed to feel for him

e slight effect his dress, manners and luxurious habits had produced on her, and the cold

still have liked that the rupture, without coming absolutely from him, should not come so distinctly from the young lady, and that circum

ovoking a frank and decisive explanation on the part of don Andrés de la Cruz, who did not seem to suspect in the slightest degree the turn affairs were taking, the count resolved to know positively what he had to depend on as regarded

oung lady's conduct, determined, once he had acquired a certainty to retire and return as speedily as possible to France, which country he regrett

red: an example which her brother completely dispensed himself from following towards his father's guest, whom he treated with such marked coldness, that it would have been impossible for the coun

it is impossible to distinguish a man of the people from a person of high rank. Don Melchior de la Cruz, through a singular anomaly, doubtless emanating from his natural sternness, was

ch other: the Frenchman appeared too mannered and effeminate to the Mexican and, per contra, the latter

relations would have been established between them, when they knew each other better and could consequently appreciate one another's good qua

wn familiarity of the count had given bir

e pleased to the fullest extent by going in and out without accounting to anybody: it is true that his father and sister, doubtless accustomed to this behaviour,

ry frequent, he was usually seen

llable, ate, then twisted a cigarette, which he lighted, and the

ompletely absorbed him; but the count replied that don Melchior appeared to him a charming cavalier, that he saw nothing but what was perfectly natural in his mode of acting towards him, that the very want of ceremony he disp

pparent gentleness, had not considered it pru

e belonging to the hacienda, and, accord

d to complain, and the count, who alone might have ventured some observations, did not at all care about doing so for the very simple reason that regarding himself as a stranger sp

the country, on which occasions he was nearly always accompanied by the majordomo of the hacienda, a man of about forty years of

great liking for this young Frenchman, whose inexh

iding made him understand the defective principles of the French school, and applied himself

and not only became within a short time a perfect horseman, bu

dopted the Mexican garb, an elegant and convenie

's intention to settle in Mexico. He had even on this occasion adroitly tried to lead the conversation to the subject he had nearest his heart, that is to say, the young man's marriage, wit

come to an

a that don Andrés de la Cruz promised himself to have an explanation wi

nt, at the moment when he closed his book and prepared to go to bed, raising his eyes acci

nda were or ought to be asleep two hours before. Who was

tive that urged him to act so

to be prepared for any event, and opening the door as softly as he could, he went forth into

broad day, and the atmosphere was so transparent, that obj

ted to enter the walks which he saw running before him in all directions, crossing each other as

lusion, and what he had taken for a man's shadow, might possibly be that of a branch

yielding to it; at the end of an instant an ironical smile curled his lips and instead of entering the

minutes, the count stopped, first to

r looking cautiously aro

iously parted the leaves a

rew himself back, suppr

opposite the suite of apartments

to a man who was standing in the garden, but exactly opposite to her, a distance of scarc

ly a few yards from him. In the first place, he had his back turned to h

overy dealt his vanity, the count uttered these words with a mental satisfacti

distance, and while blaming himself for the indelicate action he was committing, the count, excited by vexatio

ion, "I tremble, my friend, when I pass several days without s

nt muttered, "that fel

se the man's reply. Th

d to remain mu

g will be ended soon," the stranger answer

as gloomy and mysteriou

here to

es

s ill-te

so tha

he Fre

ount, "Let us hear w

ng lady murmured in a trembling voice; "

growing

ear

at I take but little trouble to conceal the fact. But, by the way, can I be mistaken,

conversation which had been totally unheard by the young ma

sist on it: but is it ve

nsable,

s familiar," t

en," the young

I have remained her

eyes, muttered the word farewell, for th

stranger passed close enough to touch him, though without seeing him: at this moment a bran

red, "It is he the

ottering like a drunken man. Th

hole night in forming the most extravagant projects. However, t

t love her, but for my honour's sake, it is necessary that she should be thoroughly convinced that I am

the count closed his eyes and fell asleep. On waking, he sa

at do you want?

Monsieur le Comte,

ed; "Can it be n

of the waiting women of do?a Dolores de la Cruz, with a

note and examined it attentively; "it is certainly addre

and only contained these few words, written

grant her a private interview for a very important affair at three o'clock in

stuff," he added, after a moment's reflection; "perhaps it is better t