"Indeed!" sneered Clarita; "Then, pray what may be the reason of this sudden fury?"
"Because," sharply retorted Manonga, "I have known you for a long time; you want a lesson, and I am going to give you one."
"You, indeed!" said the other, shrugging her shoulders; "Take care lest you get one yourself!"
"Ojalá; add another word, and, by my soul, I will knife you!"
"Pooh! you don't even know how to handle a navaja" (knife).
"A ver;" (we will see), shouted Manonga, beside herself with rage; and, bounding back, she drew a knife from her bosom, wrapped her rebozo (veil) round her left arm, and threw herself on guard.
"A ver;" screamed Clarita, echoing the words, and taking up her position with the same celerity as her adversary.
A duel between the two girls was imminent.
Don Pablo, the innocent cause of this combat, had several times vainly tried to mediate between the two females. Neither one nor the other would listen to his speech, nor attend to his remonstrances. When matters had reached this point, he wanted to make a fresh effort: but this time he was more sharply repulsed than before; for the bystanders, interested in the dispute, and infinitely attracted by the longing to see a duel with knives between two women, turned against him, and peremptorily bade him be quiet, and leave the niñas (darlings) to amuse themselves as they thought fit.
The arriero, thoroughly satisfied that he could wash his hands of the consequences, and whose good nature alone had induced him to attempt to prevent an explosion, saw that his mediation was looked upon with an unfavourable eye, so thought he had said his say; and, folding his arms, prepared to be, if not an indifferent, at least a disinterested spectator of the coming struggle.