"Señora," he said, bowing respectfully and raising the gold-tasseled Turkish cap that covered his head, "I am sorry you troubled to come up. A message would have summoned me immediately to your presence."
Doña Paula made a gesture of thanks, putting her hand to her heart, which was beating at her side like a sledge-hammer. The duke looked at her in surprise.
"Take a seat, señora," he said, putting his palette and brushes on a chair.
Whereupon the lady dropped into an armchair, and Don Jaime remained standing.
"The door must be shut," she said, beginning to rise from her seat; but the gentleman anticipated her, and then took up his stand in front of the lady, squaring his feet with exaggerated respect, and waiting for her to speak.
Several minutes passed in silence, then, raising her sad eyes, she said:
"Señor duke, you have conferred a great honor on us in coming to our house. We can never sufficiently thank you for this mark of favor—"
The duke bowed as he raised his heavy eyelids to cast upon his interlocutor a look tinged with curiosity.
"Why do you not sit down?" asked Doña Paula, interrupting her speech.
"I am very comfortable, señora; continue."