Maximina was endeavoring with all the power of her soul to divine what her husband was saying to Filomena: the affected gravity with which they both spoke did not help to calm her; she knew from experience that Miguel was apt to put on a serious face when he was going to say to that young lady any piece of impudence that came into his mind.
"Don't you have any longing for Pasajes?" Saavedra was asking.
"A little, yes, sir; but here I am very happy."
"How long is it since you were married?"
"It will be nine months on the fourth."
Don Alfonso said nothing for several moments and seemed to be thinking; then he said sadly:—
"How many times I have passed by Pasajes and seen those cottages stretching along the shore of the bay, without ever having thought of stopping there!"
"You have not lost much; everybody says it is a very ugly village; except the church, which is rather fine, Don Joaquin's house, Arrequi's, and a few in the Ancho, there is nothing much to see."
"Now, of course, it can't amount to anything ... but before...."
Maximina looked at him in surprise.