Till then Doña Angela had remained silent, absorbed in silent thought; but at this remark she suddenly raised her head.
"Their chief is a caballero," she said in a loud voice. "He is a conde in his own country; and if he has come to Sonora, it is probably only on our behalf."
All the young women were silent; for they were amazed at this strange outbreak on the part of Doña Angela; then they began chattering together. The young lady, vexed at having thrust herself forward so imprudently, bit her lips, blushed slightly, and fell back in her reverie. At this moment Don Sebastian entered the room.
"Ah, here is the general!" three or four young girls exclaimed gaily, as they rose and eagerly surrounded him.
"Yes, here I am, señoritas," he answered with a smile. "What do you want of me?"
"Merely some information."
"About what?"
"We wish to know," Doña Carmencita began; then she corrected herself. "It is not I, general, but these ladies."
"I am persuaded of that," Don Sebastian said, gallantly; "be good enough, then, to be their interpreter. What do they desire to know?"
"Who are the Ingleses?"