"Since you insist."
"By the bye, you may possibly find forty ounces over the amount I specified: use them to dress yourself and Carmen, for I wish her to be able to appear elegant when she wishes to do so."
"My kind uncle!" the young lady exclaimed, "I am sure that you are depriving yourself for our sake."
"That is not your business, señorita, I wish to see you looking nice, that is my whim: it is your duty as a submissive niece to obey me, without venturing any remarks: come kiss me both and let me be off, for I have delayed too long already."
The two ladies followed him into the patio, where they helped him to saddle Moreno, whom doña Carmen patted and fed with sugar, an attention for which the noble animal appeared duly grateful. At the moment when don Jaime was giving the old servant orders to open the gate, the hasty galloping of a horse was audible outside: then, hurried blows were dealt on the gate.
"Oh, oh!" said don Jaime, "What is happening?" and he went boldly under the zaguán.
"Uncle, brother," the two ladies screamed, attempting to arrest him.
"Let me alone," he said to them sharply, "we must know what this means; who is there?" he shouted.
"A friend," was the reply.
"It is Loïck's voice," the adventurer said, and opened the gate.