"Remigio, have you seen my wife go out?"
The janitor, the janitor's wife and mother-in-law looked at him in amazement. Perceiving the imprudence of such a question, he added:—
"I don't know but what she may have gone home with my mother and sister. Mother felt ill, and my wife did not want to let her go...."
"Señorito, we cannot tell you anything with certainty. Many ladies went out ... we could not distinguish."
"Just a few minutes ago," said a six-year-old girl, "I saw a lady go out alone...."
"We have been to the court to carry a few flower-pots from the stairway," explained the janitor's wife.
Miguel, without any further words, darted out of the door.
"Señorito, are you going out that way? You will surely get your death a-cold!"
In fact, he was in his dress-suit. Stopping, and making a great effort to appear calm, he replied:—
"That is a fact; do me the goodness to run up and get my overcoat."