Cecilia was silent. Gonzalo shook hands with them warmly, promising to come the following day. Then he went to Señor Belinchon's study to take leave of him.
The mother and daughter went on talking in the same corner on the same theme, the former being the object of countless embraces and fervent kisses.
"These are not for me," said the lady, in a tone of mingled joy and sadness.
"Yes, mama; yes!" replied the girl, embracing her with still greater effusion.
In the meanwhile Don Rosendo was bringing the arduous and complicated task of locking and bolting the doors and windows to a successful termination.
He was not contented with locks and iron bars, but, to insure the non-violation of the sanctuary of his dwelling during the night, the rich merchant was in the habit of gumming pieces of paper over all the locks. These he examined carefully in the morning, to be quite certain that nobody had tampered with them. Then he put various bottles and pots upon the doorstep, so that if thieves came they would fall over them.
CHAPTER VI
THE CHIEF RESIDENTS OF SARRIO AT THEIR CLUB
DON MELCHOR DE LAS CUEVAS rose from the table, lighted a cigar and, offering one to his nephew, said:
"Let us go and have coffee."
Gonzalo was about to put the cigar in his pocket, not having hitherto been permitted to smoke in his uncle's presence; but the old man touched his arm, saying: