“Señor Vejarruco, Señor Paso Largo,” continued Doña Perfecta, without looking at the bravo of the place, “I am not safe in my own house. No one in Orbajosa is, and least of all, I. I live with my heart in my mouth. I cannot close my eyes in the whole night.”
“But who, who would dare——”
“Come,” exclaimed Licurgo with fire, “I, old and sick as I am, would be capable of fighting the whole Spanish army if a hair of the mistress’ head should be touched!”
“Señor Caballuco,” said Frasquito Gonzalez, “will be enough and more than enough.”
“Oh, no,” responded Doña Perfecta, with cruel sarcasm, “don’t you see that Ramos has given his word to the governor?”
Caballuco sat down again, and, crossing one leg over the other, clasped his hands on them.
“A coward will be enough for me,” continued the mistress of the house implacably, “provided he has not given his word to any one. Perhaps I may come to see my house assaulted, my darling daughter torn from my arms, myself trampled under foot and insulted in the vilest manner——”
She was unable to continue. Her voice died away in her throat, and she burst into tears.
“Señora, for Heaven’s sake calm yourself! Come, there is no cause yet!” said Don Inocencio hastily, and manifesting the greatest distress in his voice and his countenance. “Besides, we must have a little resignation and bear patiently the calamities which God sends us.”
“But who, señora, who would dare to commit such outrages?” asked one of the four countrymen. “Orbajosa would rise as one man to defend the mistress.”