Quentin fell silent for a moment.
“Aren’t you going?” Remedios asked again.
“I? No. I don’t know any one.”
“Don’t you know us?” she asked.
“Yes; but I’d bother you....”
“Why?” asked Rafaela pleasantly.
“And if I did not bother you, I should be certain to annoy your cousins; perhaps they wouldn’t like me to bow to you.”
Rafaela became silent; implying, though perhaps unwittingly, that what Quentin had said might be true. So, somewhat embarrassed, he said:
“What do they do there?”
“Not much nowadays,” answered the old woman. “There are a few dances and supper parties ... but the best thing about it used to be the return home: it was the custom for every lad to bring a lass back to town on his horse’s croup.”