The Countess arose laughing heartily, with her arms held high; Pacheco, very serious, also arose and stood before her. An old woman, a mistress of the art, began to click her castanets with a slow rhythm.
“Girlie,” said Quentin to the singer, “let’s hear what you can do.”
In almost a whisper, the girl sang:
“Con abalorios, cariño,
con abalorios.”
(With glass beads, love, with glass beads.)
The dancers made their start rather languidly.
“Con abalorios,
tengo yo una chapona,
tengo yo una chapona,
cariño! con abalorios.”
(With glass beads, I have a dressing sack, I have a dressing sack, love! with glass beads.)
The dancers were a little more lively in the “parade,” the castanets clicked louder, and the high, treble voice of the girl increased in volume: