The woman, seeing so elegant a lady, was ready to be communicative; but Clementina cut her short by asking:
"What is the gentleman's name?"
"Don Raimundo Alcázar."
"Many thanks." And she hurried away.
She went out into the street, but it struck her that writing to him would have its disadvantages, and that a verbal explanation would really be more satisfactory, since no one of her acquaintance could know anything about it. For a moment she paused in doubt; then she abruptly faced about and went in again. She passed the portress without saying a word, and lightly ran upstairs. On reaching the third floor, in spite of her determined spirit, her courage was somewhat dashed, and she was on the point of retreating. But her proud and haughty temper spurred her on, as she reflected that the young man must have seen her come in and would suspect her repentance.
There were two doors on the landing. One set of rooms, as Clementina had observed, was to let, so she decided on knocking at the door on the left, since there was a mat outside—plain proof that it was inhabited.
A maid answered the summons, and Clementina asked for Don Raimundo Alcázar.
"I wish to see him" she added, on learning that he was at home.
The girl showed her into the drawing-room, and as the visit struck her as strange, she asked whether she should announce it to the Señorita.
"No. Tell Don Raimundo I want to speak to him."