"Because the general has no fortune: all that he has is in his wife's name."
Miguel's eyes flamed with anger.
"The villain!" he muttered under his breath; and then added: "I shall be convinced that you are as vile as he."
"Miguel, for God's sake!"
"That is what I have said. Take it as you like. I am glad that it looks worse for him."
Mendoza had no wish nor courage to reply. He let him continue his walking up and down, in the hope that his anger would calm down, and in this he showed how well he knew his man. In fact, in a few minutes he shrugged his shoulders, paused near the bed, and throwing his hands on Mendoza's shoulders with a loving gesture, he said, laughing:—
"I have been unfair. I had forgotten that you were too much of a rough diamond to be a villain."
Mendoza was not annoyed by this singular apology.
"You are so quick-tempered, Miguel, that when one least thinks about it, you 'leave a man without the blood in his veins.'"
"It would be worse to leave one without any money."