"Woe, woe!" she cried, clutching her bosom as if her fingers were talons: "I cannot, never, never.... Nothing in the world shall ever take me to Aldeacorba! Virgin, mother of my soul, take me, take me.... Mother, will you not come and fetch me!"
As night came on, she went home; on her way she met Celipin with a stick in his hand and his cap hung on the end of it.
"Look here, Nelilla," said the boy: "Is not this how Don Teodoro carries his hat? Just now I was passing the pool at Hinojales and I looked at my reflection in the water. My! was not I surprised—I thought I looked just like Don Teodoro Golfin. Some day this week we will set out to become learned and useful persons. I have got as much money now as I want, and you will see, no one will dare to laugh at Señor de Celipin."
For three days Nela kept out of the way, wandering about the neighborhood of the mines, following the course of the river along its rugged banks, or hiding herself in the quiet recesses of the wood of Saldeoro. The nights she spent in her basket, but she could not sleep. One night she timidly called her companion:
"Celipin—when?" and Celipin replied with all the solemnity befitting a regular expedition:
"To-morrow."
The two adventurers rose at day-break, and both went their way; Celipin to his work, and Nela to carry a message from Señana to the engineer's housekeeper. On her return she found Señorita Florentina, who was waiting for her at Centeno's house. María was surprised and alarmed at seeing her, though her instinct told her of the end and object of this visit.
"Nela, my little sister," said the girl with engaging gentleness: "Why are you behaving so strangely? Why have you not been near us all these days? Come, Pablo wishes to see you. Do you not know that now he can say: 'I want to see this thing or the other?' Do you not know that my cousin is no longer blind?"
"Yes—I know it," said Nela, taking the hand Florentina held out to her and covering it with kisses.
"Come along then; come at once. He is always asking for 'Señora Nela.' And to-day you must be there when Don Teodoro takes the bandage off—it is the fourth time. Oh! the first day—when he first tried it! What a day that was! When we knew for certain that my cousin was born again, as I may say, to the light of day—we almost died of joy.—And the first face he saw was mine.—Come along, quickly." But María drew her hand out of her Virgin's clasp.