“Yes, of course, I am. And indeed it was very provoking to hear one's self called Doña Ramona, short like, as though one were only the wife of the apothecary or the surgeon. You see the truth of what I have said; if one has only to open her mouth in order to be a marchioness, why shouldn't she? Now you see that his majesty did not eat you for asking such a reasonable thing.”
“Well, do you know, now, that it cost me something to ask it of him?”
“Ah! get out of that; men are good for nothing.”
“But it gave me more courage [pg 128] when his majesty said to me: ‘Don't be bashful, man; for to the man that saved my life I'd give even the crown I wear.’ ”
“Whew! so he said that to you?”
“As sure as I'm here.”
“Then why didn't you ask him more?”
“There we are again! What more had I to ask?”
“You are right; for, as somebody said, ‘there are more days than long sausages,’ and
‘A horse and a friend