"Heaven forbid! That would be hastening on the misfortune that threatens me."
"You are losing your head, and taking pleasure in creating chimeras."
At the same moment a man servant announced Don Torribio Carvajal, who entered the room.
The young man was dressed in the latest Parisian fashion, and the candles lit up his splendid face.
Father and daughter started.
Don Torribio walked up to Doña Concha, bowed to her gracefully, and offered her a superb bouquet of exotic flowers. She thanked him with a smile, took the bouquet, and almost without looking at it, laid it on a table.
In succession were announced the governor, Don Antonio Valverde, accompanied by his whole staff, and two or three other families, or altogether some fifteen persons. By degrees the conversation grew animated.
"Well, colonel," Don Valentine asked the governor, "What news from Buenos Aires?"
"Our great Rosas," the colonel answered, who was stifling in his uniform, "has again defeated Oribe's Unitarian savages."
"Heaven be praised! Perhaps that victory will procure us a little of that tranquillity which commerce requires."