“With all this,” added Stein, persevering like a German, “you have promised me, Señor Arias, to relate to me a trait of courage of José Maria.”
“That will be for another day, Don Frederico. Here is my general-in-chief,” he said, taking out his watch; “it is three o’clock less a quarter, and I am invited to dine with the captain-general at three o’clock. Doctor, were I in your place I would offer the aid of my art to my aunt Cabeza de Vaca, in the critical state she is thrown into by the major’s trumpet.”
CHAPTER XX.
AFTER the complete re-establishment of the health of the countess’s son, came the evening fixed upon to receive Maria. Some of the persons invited had already assembled, when Raphael entered precipitately.
“My cousin,” he said, “I come to ask a favor. If you refuse I will take to my bed, under the pretext of a horrible headache.”
“Jesus!” replied the countess, “how can I obviate so great a misfortune?”
“You shall know immediately: yesterday I received a letter from one of my comrades at the embassy, Viscount St. Leger.”
“Take away the St. and the Viscount, and leave the Leger only,” remarked the general.
“Well,” said Raphael, “my friend, who, according to my uncle, is neither saint nor viscount, introduced an Italian prince to me.”
“A prince! Well,” phlegmatically remarked the general, “why do you not call things by their proper names? He will prove, probably, to be one of the Carbonari, a propagandist, a veritable scourge. And where is this prince?”