“I deny nothing. I have the pleasure, on the contrary, of leaving you undisturbed in the unenviable enjoyment of your base imaginings.”
“Then we will drop this odious subject. We are convinced, you are impenitent; each must hold his own.—Before we part for ever I am anxious to have you understand that I have done nothing to encourage Cimarra, or to incite him to attack you. He came to my house, and consulted me; I advised him and drew up his case. All the rest is your own doing.”
“Be quite easy. Do not torment your conscience about that man; while defending his lawful rights, you may possibly guide him into the path of salvation.”
“Your atheistical mockery cannot disturb my conscience, which, though it is far from spotless, at any rate can see what is just and right. Whether Federico’s repentance is sincere or not I cannot tell. But it is against all sound doctrine to reject a man who confesses his sins and declares he is resolved to act rightly for the future. If he is brought to profess repentance, he may be led to desire it; and the desire is half-way to the accomplishment of the fact. In this respect this man’s form of evil has an advantage over your hardened disbelief, since you can never confess nor repent.”
“I do beg you,” said Leon “to spare me the soporific treatment of your sermons. The strangest thing about them is that they are in fact grossly heterodox. A pretty apostle the Church can boast of!—Polito might have come to announce the forgiveness of the family, and he would not have preached to me.”
“He wished to come, but mamma would not allow it. His impetuous nature fills her with alarm. We all hope that as he is about to undertake the sobering duties of married life he may settle down, and break himself of the vices which scandalize us.”
“Leopold is going to be married? Allow me to congratulate the lady, though I have not the pleasure of knowing her.”
“The difficulties between my family and the Villa Bojios were all removed last night when the young lady’s mother came to call and was most lavish in her affectionate condolences. The Villa Bojios have lately lost a son, and the mothers mingled their tears; it was agreed that Leopold and Susana should be married as soon as we are out of mourning.”
“Congratulate your mother for me—I wish her every success.”