"I am untying the ribbons of your tresses. I want to see your hair loose again. No sight gives me more pleasure."
"If that is your fancy, I will undo them. Stop," said the girl, who had reason to be proud of her hair.
"Oh, how beautiful! It is a marvel of nature!" exclaimed Gonzalo, putting his fingers in it. "Let me bury my face in it; let me bathe in this river of gold."
And so saying, he hid his face in the fair locks of the girl.
But it happened that a few minutes earlier, as the clock struck seven, the seamstress and the embroideresses had left off their work and prepared to leave. Before doing so Valentina was commissioned by Doña Paula to go to Venturita's room to fetch thence some patterns on the wardrobe. So she pushed open the door at the critical moment in which Gonzalo was bathing his face in that original manner. On hearing the sound he rose suddenly and stood, paler than wax. Valentina blushed up to her eyes, and said stammeringly:
"Your mother wants the patterns, those of the other day; they ought to be on the wardrobe."
"They are not on the wardrobe, but inside it," returned Venturita, without any confusion whatsoever.
And turning to the wardrobe, the girl opened a drawer and drew out a paper parcel, which she gave her.
"Stop a moment, Valentina," said Venturita before she left the room; "be so kind as to tie my hair, for I can not do it with this bad finger."
Then she showed that her finger was bleeding, for she had managed to scratch it when getting the patterns out. Valentina, still quite taken aback, proceeded to tie the ribbon.