"Anything—whatever you had for your lunch." The young girl was embarrassed.
"The fact is ... I ... I have not had any lunch to-day."
"Why not?" exclaimed Miguel, with a great show of surprise. "Why, here it is almost six o'clock.... Didn't they bring you anything? See here, Juana, Juana" (calling in a loud voice), "call Señorita Julia...."
"What are you going to do? for Heaven's sake what are you going to do?" cried the girl, full of terror.
"Nothing; merely to find out why they have not brought you any sweetmeats, or a piece of pie, or whatever you take...."
"But I did not ask for anything!"
"That makes no difference; it is their business always to bring you whatever you are used to having."
"What did you want, Miguel?" asked Julia, coming in.
"I wanted to ask why it was that Maximina hasn't been served with lunch, and here it is almost six o'clock."
Julia, in her turn, was confused.