Jav. How can it be helped? There are young men who are old, and there are old men who die quite young.
Tim. It’s true. Since I came eight days ago to the country seat, my remembrances have become refreshed, and I feel as if I were fifteen years old.
Jav. And in a few more days you’ll feel as if you were fifteen months.
Tim. Halloa! Halloa! that figure of speech is called irony.
Jav. A respectful irony, Don Timoteo. But I did not think to meet you at the country seat of Don Juan.
Tim. I had brought poor Carmen to Sevilla. She is very delicate. With those unfortunate events—with the illness of Lazarus—and what you know already. But when once at Sevilla, Juanito was anxious that we should come and pass a few days here. And I, to give that pleasure to Carmen, and to contribute to the recovery of Lazarus—who, they declared, was going on very well—I consented and here we are.
Jav. Restored to youth.
Tim. Believe me, Javier, in what I told you just now: there is no longer any youth now: Carmen with her afflicted little chest: Lazarus with his disordered nerves; you with your sedateness and your megrim. We were of another stamp.
Jav. Perhaps it’s because you were of another stamp, that we are made after this fashion. But let us change the subject, Don Timoteo. And so there is a complete reconciliation, and a wedding in perspective?
Tim. I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you. But that Paca is not bringing the Manzanilla. (Looking to see if she comes.) Really there was no cause to be offended. Lazarus said what he said—in a fever! You saw him fall senseless at the feet of Carmen. What the devil was the meaning of that? Go and learn that. In my time when a man fell down thus, it was decided to be drunkenness or apoplexy, and so medical science became simplified and was within the reach of everybody. But in these days, interpret you who can what’s the matter with the man who falls insensible.