"If I," Don Sylvio said, "dared—"
"You quite confound me; but, on my honour, I must be gone. The sacrifice I make at this moment is the more painful to me," he added, with a sardonic smile, "because happiness generally flies so fast that it is impossible to catch it up, and it is folly to neglect the opportunity."
"I fear no misfortune now," said Doña Concha, looking at Don Sylvio.
Carvajal gave her a look full of indefinable meaning, and replied with a shake of the head.
"I trust you are saying the truth, señorita, but there is a French proverb."
"What is it?"
"'Twixt cup and the lip there's many a slip.'"
"Oh, the ugly proverb!" Conchita exclaimed, in some embarrassment, "but I am not a French woman, and hence have nothing to fear."
"That is true."
And Don Torribio, without adding a word, bowed, and left the room.