"See here! how do you know that it is going to be a boy, and not a girl?"
"Because I want it to be a boy."
"But now I want it to be a girl, and like you.... But do me the favor to get up, because, if any servant should come in and surprise you in this attitude, it would be very ridiculous...."
"No, no; I don't want ..."
At that moment steps were heard at the door, as Miguel had feared, and a voice, that was not a servant's, called out:—
"Can I come in?"
Maximina was on her feet in a flash.
"Walk right in!"
Filomena entered in her morning gown, with her hair in studied disarray, and her body submerged, if such an expression be permitted, in a magnificent blue silk morning gown trimmed with white lace.
Miguel had never been able to persuade his wife to dress in such an elegant and sumptuous fashion at home; the poor child did not enjoy putting on dresses that were for ornament rather than use, because, as she said, it made her feel bad to wear a new suit merely to go in and out of the kitchen.