“Well, what do you think of your future son-in-law?” inquired the Spaniard. “I presume you never saw him before?”
“Never,” answered Don Augustin. “But if he was even less favoured by nature than he is, that would make no obstacle to our projects.”
“I know him; he only needs to be known to prove that he has in him the stuff of a gentleman, besides being a senator of the illustrious congress of Arispe.”
The Spaniard pronounced these words with a slight smile of contempt.
“But, señor,” continued he, “that is not the difficulty, the important matter is whether your daughter will find him to her liking.”
“My daughter will act according to my wish,” said the haciendado.
“But supposing her heart is not free?”
“The heart of Rosarita is free, Señor Don Estevan; how could it be otherwise—she whose life has been spent in the midst of these deserts?”
“And what about this ragged young fellow, this Tiburcio Arellanos, whom you appear to know? he is in love with your daughter?”
“I have been made aware of it this very morning.”