"Parbleu! Who else? Except your brother Don Pablo and you, I do not know anyone at Casa-Frama."
"It is true; you are a forastero stranger."
"Alas! Yes—all that there is left of a forastero."
"What is the service?" asked the Montonero, completely deceived by the feigned good nature of the young man.
"This is the affair," answered the latter with imperturbable coolness; "only I beg you to keep the secret, for it concerns other persons, and consequently is rather serious."
"Ah! Ah!" exclaimed Don Santiago.
"Yes," pursued the young man, nodding his head affirmatively, "you promise to keep it secret, do you not?"
"On my honour."
"Thank you, I am satisfied. I confess, then, that I begin to be horribly bored at Casa-Frama."
"I can understand that," answered the Montonero, shaking his head.