"Who left it there?"
"We do not know. It is a foundling. Look! See how beautiful it is, Amalia."
"Perhaps some poor person, who will come and fetch it, just left it in the doorway."
"No, no; we have inspected the doorway, and the street is deserted."
The little creature, who was disturbed by all this excitement, now stretched out its two little rosebud fists, and the compassion of the ladies was evinced in passionate exclamations. Each one wished to kiss it and press it to her bosom. At last Maria Josefa managed to get possession of it, and taking it from the basket she tenderly wrapped it in the cloak with which it had been covered, and pressed it to her bosom. Then a paper which had been in the child's clothes fell to the ground. Manuel Antonio picked it up. On the paper was written in large awkward-looking characters, evidently with the left hand: "The unhappy mother of this baby girl commends her to the charity of the Señores de Quiñones. It is not baptised."
"It is a girl, then!" exclaimed several ladies in one voice.
And in the tone of this remark it was evident that the discovery was somewhat disappointing. They had been so certain it was a boy.
"What mystery is this?" asked Manuel Antonio, whilst a malicious smile curled his lip.
"Mystery? There is no mystery," returned Amalia with some displeasure. "It is evidently some poor woman who wants her child to be maintained."
"Notwithstanding, there is a je ne sais quoi strain of mystery about the matter, and I would wager that the parents of this baby are well-to-do," replied the Magpie.