Deceived again! It was the Countess de Losilla, who came to offer her services "for everything." The young ladies did not come down for reasons easy to imagine.
"But, Rivera, how pale you are!"
"Señora, there is no small reason for it," he replied peevishly.
"But why, my son?" she demanded. "If there is no complication, as we have reason to hope, there is nothing more natural and harmless."
Miguel, in his turn, had to use strong efforts to repress his indignation. "Natural for me to have a son! How stupid the aristocracy are!" he said to himself.
Maximina received this visit gratefully, but with some feeling of embarrassment. The countess began to take the direction of affairs, like a consummate strategist, calmly and unhesitatingly giving every order.
From this moment Miguel remained entirely eclipsed; the maids paid absolutely no heed to him, and he found himself obliged to wander like a lost soul up and down the corridors. Once when he attacked Juana to bid her take the tila in a glass, and not in a cup, she told him to leave her in peace, that he knew nothing about such things. And he had to put up with it!
At last the midwife came. Miguel followed her, more dead than alive, to the room, but the countess shut the door in his face. Then after a little she opened it again, and by the smile on the face of all he saw that all was going well.
"Señorito, it is all right," said the comadre.
"What! is there no need of calling the doctor?"