"Yes, believe me, believe me, cousin!" said Saavedra, passionately kissing the hand which he held. "For although you do not love me, it fills me with pleasure to know that you know that I adore you with all my soul. My lot is cast; on your lips now hangs my fate. I deserve that you should destroy me for the incredible stupidity of having supposed, when I went away, that you loved me, and telling you so. How that act weighed upon me afterwards! I could not find hard names enough for myself...."
"Then, see here; go on calling yourself hard names ... for having once called yourself such without reason," said Julia, glancing at him half in malice, half in earnest.
"Can it be possible?" exclaimed Saavedra, anxiously.
"Quite possible."
"So that I...."
"Do you want me to feed you the truth with a spoon, cousin?" she asked, with some show of impatience.
"Ay! lovely cousin! most fascinating cousin! divine cousin! how happy you make me!"
Don Alfonso at the same moment took her into his arms, and pressed his lips to her cheek again and again, in spite of the girl's strenuous resistance.
"That'll do! that'll do!" she said, trying hard to be angry, and only half succeeding.
At that moment a white form appeared at the grating, and said, in a shrill voice:—