At this her hands dropped from her face, she turned and looked full upon him, a wild gleam of joy and hope in her eyes.
"Will they forgive me?" she asked eagerly.
"To my wife they have nothing to forgive," replied Don Gregorio haughtily. "If it is that thou lovest them better than me, leave me, go to them, and ask them to forgive thee."
"No, no!" replied Mauricia, again dropping her face on to her hands, "with thee, wherever thou art!"
"Thou seekest me not then to marry thee?"
"Do not be angry with me, only love me, and let me always be with thee." So saying, Mauricia rose from her seat, and threw herself on her knees beside him, laying both her hands upon one arm and leaning upon him.
Don Gregorio put his arm round her and bent over her, asking her again:
"Willest thou that we marry?"
But Mauricia still clung to him answering him nothing. Then he took her in his arms and raised her to her feet, and said in a low whisper:
"Venceslao is near here, I go to send him to thy father to ask his permission for thee to become my wife."