Some minutes went by.
"Has he anything against me?"
"What could he have? Who could have anything against you, my lamb?"
"Then, if I do not please him, or he does not love me, what is to be done? It is better to be undeceived in time."
"Oh!" cried Doña Paula, breaking into fresh sobs, for under the apparent resignation of her daughter she detected a profound grief which she strove in vain to hide.
"What is to be done, mama? Is it not better for him to say so now than after we are married? Do I not know what a wretched life he would lead united to a woman he did not love? The pain that he causes me now, great as it is, is nothing to what I should feel if my husband did not love me. The pain would get worse and worse until I died, while now it may go, or at least be alleviated—Perhaps when he has gone away and I have not seen him for some time I shall gradually forget him—"
"But he is not going," returned the señora in confusion.
"If he does not go, patience—I will try not to go out, and I shall not see him."
"But, child of my soul, your misfortune is much greater! Gonzalo is in love with your sister."
Cecilia turned still paler, her face became livid, and she was silent.