"It is necessary," he murmured, with clenched hands, and set teeth. "Father, father! to hide myself like a woman! while I live I shall never get over the shame of it!" and taking a ladder, he lifted it to an opening in the ceiling, which formed the entrance to a sort of loft or garret, where they kept seeds, and worn-out and useless household articles, helped his sister to mount, went up himself, and drew the ladder after him.
It was time, for there was a knocking at the door. Pedro opened it, and a French soldier entered.
"Prepare me," he said in his jargon, "food and drink: give me your money, unless you want me to take it, and call your daughters, if you do not wish me to look them up."
The blood of the honorable and haughty Spaniard rose to his face, but he answered with moderation,
"I have nothing that you ask me for."
"Which means that you have nothing, you thief? Do you know whom you are talking to, and that I am hungry and thirsty?"
Pedro, who had expected to pass the whole of this long wished-for day of his son's marriage in Anna's house, and had therefore nothing prepared, approached the door which communicated with the interior of the house, and pointing to the extinguished hearth, repeated, "As I have already told you, there is nothing to eat in the house, except bread."
"You lie!" shouted the Frenchman in a rage; "it is because you do not mean to give it to me."
Pedro fixed his eyes upon the grenadier, and in them burned, for an instant all the indignation, all the rage, all the resentment he harbored in his soul; but a second thought, at which he shuddered, caused him to lower them, and say in a conciliating tone:
"Satisfy yourself that I have told you the truth."