This hateful piece of drollery was noised over the whole town, and put that poor innocent señor in a most ridiculous light.
But Julita, as she saw and listened to him, forgot these and other escapades; unquestionably this young man, who in her presence was so refined and modest, was an entirely different person.
Saavedra after showing such gallantry to his cousin, waited a long time before he addressed her, or even looked at her; he seemed to be absorbed in his conversation with her mother. Thus it was that she had an abundance of time to make a careful scrutiny of his appearance: his shirt-collar, his cravat, his watch-chain, his boots, all were elegant, and proved by their style that they came from the other side of the Pyrenees.
"You will feel like getting the dust off and having a wash, Alfonso," said la brigadiera. "Come; we will show you to your room: it is the one which my son Miguel used to occupy."
Don Alfonso could not praise it sufficiently: he found everything to his taste.
"I shall be just like a fish in the water here. You will have trouble in getting rid of me, I assure you!"
"I will warn you," said Julia, "that it was I who made the bed myself. Don't you dare say that you have not slept well."
As soon as she had said these words, which by their mischievous spirit were perfectly proper, she repented having said them, and blushed. Don Alfonso turned his face upon her, and looked at her with some friendly curiosity.
"That is the very reason that I shall not sleep well. You were unkind to tell me."
Julita blushed more than ever, and to hide her confusion began to straighten the bottles on the dressing-table, and then she left the room. Finally her mother also went, leaving him to himself, and shortly afterward he again appeared in the parlor, in another costume of the latest and most elegant style.