DETAIL FROM “THE MAIDS OF HONOR.” Velasquez
my father’s farm, and, I was assured, were fed on nothing but milk.”
Before the turkey made its appearance, Villegas had discovered that among his guests were people of seven nationalities, and that four languages were being spoken at the table.
“This,” he said, “is the Tower of Babel.” The name stuck for as long at least as that hospitable house was our home.
“What,” I asked Don Jaime who sat beside me, “is the Bohemian gentleman’s name?”
“Of baptism or of family?”
“Both, particularly of family.”
“Ah!” the Don relapsed into Spanish, “nobody can pronounce it; it begins with a cough and ends with a sneeze. He is called Don Carlos the Bohemian, because he comes from Bohemia. He copies royal portraits in the Prado for the Archduke Eugenio of Austria; no one has made such copies of Velasquez since Villegas left off painting them!” The Bohemian saw we were speaking of him, for he looked over at us.
“This lady, whose name I did not catch,” he said, “is an American?”