"I always listen, and then talk to papa about it afterwards. Papa and I are great politicians when we are alone together. I have never seen my uncle Don Francisco, but papa has talked to me for hours about him, though he hardly ever speaks of him to any one else."
"Allow me to compliment you on your dress, I admire the colours you have chosen; blue and white, are they your favourite colours?"
"Yes, they are, so I would wear them. Doña Josefina and Lola did all they could to persuade me to wear pink, but I can be very obstinate when I choose."
"And quite right too. I never saw you looking so well before, all the men seem to think so, it was ever so long before I could get a chance of speaking to you."
"That is because you are the hero of the ball, and have so many others to speak to. Does not Lola look beautiful this evening, quite like a little queen?"
"I think she has spoiled it by the way she has arranged her hair, the peinete[7] does not suit her at all, and I should think it must be very uncomfortable."
"La moda nunca incomoda,"[8] answered Magdalen.
"I am glad you have not followed the fashion," said Marcelino, "for the peinete would suit you even less than it does Lola."
As they spoke, a lady of fair stature and of radiant beauty, in the first bloom of womanhood, dressed in pink, and with masses of dark hair falling in silken curls upon her white shoulders, came sailing proudly down the room leaning upon the arm of a young officer; as she passed near them she turned her brilliant black eyes full upon Marcelino, and bending towards him with a peculiar wave of her fan, said in a low voice:
"Le felicito" (I congratulate you).