“‘Well, I did not know what to say, all in the surprise,’ replied the good aunt. ‘It seemed as if I should give a false impression of your habits, which are so industrious, if I said you could not do any thing he expected of you.’
“‘Then why didn’t you say that I could spin, and scour, and dig?’ answered Pura, ingenuously.
“‘Dig, and scour, and spin, indeed! Fine recommendations for his purpose,’ rejoined the aunt, mysteriously; and before Pura could ask what on earth this ‘purpose’ was, a messenger brought in three bobbins of fine black silk, for her to make into a piece of lace, as a proof of her skill.
“‘Oh, aunt, what shall we do? What shall we do?’ sobbed poor Pura, who could not endure to be thought a deceiver.
“‘Don’t worry, child,’ returned the aunt, ‘something or other will turn up. There’s nothing so easy as making lace, after all, and three bobbins are gone like winking. You must get through it somehow, for your fate depends upon it.’
“Pura went to bed that night crying; and cried herself to sleep. But very early in the morning, very early indeed, Lolita, the sunbeams woke her—you see the sprites never lost sight of her. And three beautiful sprites—the three who had most care of her—came floating down the Sunbeam. Without saying a word, they took up the bobbins of silk, for they had brought every thing with them that was wanted for making lace, as if they had known all about it, and, rattling them about, en un dos por tres[7], they turned off a splendid mantilla, all made out with flowers, and birds, and every thing you can think of, and then threw it on the bed, and disappeared before Pura had time to recover from her surprise.
“When the stranger called next day, and saw this extraordinary proof of industry and skill, he could hardly believe his eyes, and went away more pleased than the day before.
“‘Didn’t I tell á su mercé[8] that she was a jewel?’ whispered the old lady.
“‘I begin to think you did not exaggerate,’ answered the traveller.
“And then, turning to Pura, he asked her if she was as perfect in household duties as in accomplishments; whether, for instance, she understood cooking.