Ricardo made his way through the various rooms of the house of Elorza with as much familiarity as though he had been at home, without even taking off his hat. When he entered Doña Gertrudis's boudoir, this señora, assisted by two waiting-women, was taking a dish of broth. On seeing our hero, she placed the cup on the little stand in front of her, and pushing back her easy-chair, she exclaimed in a doleful tone,—
"Ay, my dear,[14] you come at an evil hour."
"Why, what's the matter?"
"I'm dying, Ricardo, I'm dying."
"Do you feel worse?"
"Yes, my son, yes; I feel very ill; it is beyond the power of words to say how ill I feel. If I don't die to-day, I shall never die. I spent the whole night doing nothing but groan, and then—and then—that tiger of a Don Maximo has not come yet, though I have sent him two messages. May God forgive him! May God forgive him!"
Doña Gertrudis shut her eyes as though she were making ready to die without either temporal or spiritual comfort.
Ricardo, accustomed to these vaporings, remained a long time silent. At length he said in an indifferent tone,—
"Did you know Enrique has succeeded in exchanging the jewelry, and the new set came yesterday all right?"
"Indeed? thank God!"[15] replied Doña Gertrudis, opening her eyes; "I certainly thought they wouldn't be willing to exchange it."