"Really? Tell me, tell me——."
"It is a secret."
"Well, we can keep a secret. You will not tell, will you, Esperanza?"
And the mischievous little thing looked slily at her friend, enjoying her vexation and Ramoncito's discomfiture.
"I do not want to know anything about it."
"There, Ramon, do you hear? Esperanza does not want to hear anything about your love affairs. I know why, though I shall not say."
"What a silly thing you are, child," exclaimed Esperanza, now really angry.
The young man, flattered by these hints from an intimate friend, nevertheless thought it well to change the subject, for he saw that Esperanza was seriously annoyed.
"But you must not believe that it would be so very difficult to make a declaration to La Tosti, and for her to respond to it. Ask Pepe Castro; you can depend on what he says about it."
"But Pepe Castro is not you," said Esperanza, with marked disdain.