"No."
"Thou wilt be an old maid like Aunt Anastacia."
"Perhaps."
"O—h—h—Who is this?"
A stranger in travelling scrape and riding-boots had dashed up to the house, and flung himself from his horse. He knocked loudly on the open door, then entered without waiting for an invitation, and made a deep reverence to Doña Pomposa.
"At your service, señora. At your service, señorita. I come from the Señor Don Tomas Garfias. Word has reached him that the Señorita Eulogia is about to marry an American. I humbly ask you to tell me if this be true or not. I have been told in town that the wedding is set for the day after to-morrow."
"Ask her!" cried Doña Pomposa, tragically, and she swung herself to the other end of the room.
"Señorita, at your feet."
"You can tell your friend that I have no more intention of marrying the
American than I have of marrying him."
"Señorita! But he expected to return next week and marry you."