“I acknowledge that my children tutear me; and if I had done the same to my mother, I had not less respected nor less loved her.”
“You have always been a good daughter; but the exception proves nothing.”
“General, in spite of your severity, your countenance seems joyous.”
“It is because I have a good piece of news to announce to you. The corvette Iberia, from Havana, has arrived at Cadiz, and to-morrow morning, most probably, we will embrace Raphael. He is fortunate, this Raphael! Hardly had he written us that he desired to revisit Spain, when a magnificent occasion presents itself, and he comes home charged with important dispatches confided to him by the captain-general of Cuba.”
The marchioness and the countess had scarcely time to rejoice at this good news, and to give expression to their happiness, when the door opened, and Raphael threw himself into their arms.
“How happy I am again to see you, my good, dear Raphael!” said the countess to him.
“Jesus!” added the marchioness, “thanks to our lady of Carmen, you are here returned to us. But what idea have you had, you who are rich, to travel by sea, as if it were but a river? I bet you have been sea-sick.”
“That is the least of it; it is nothing but an unpleasant voyage, and I have suffered more from delay and my uneasiness for those I love. I do not know if it be because Spain is a good mother, or because we Spaniards are good sons, but we cannot live far away from our country.”
“It is for both reasons, my dear nephew; it is for both,” repeated the general with ardent satisfaction.
“Cuba is a rich country, is it not, Raphael?” demanded the countess.