"
"Of a certainly not," she gasped. "You should not joke about such
things."
"I'm not joking; I never was so serious in my life. I-I'm afraid I
can't tell you everything-it all wants to come out at once. Why
didn't you come back as you promised?"
"It was Stephanie-she is such a ferocious person! I was brought to
the city that day-but no, senor. I did not promise. I said only
'perhaps.'"
"Have you done your penance?"
"It was finished yesterday. This is the first time I have been
out. Oh, it is delightful. The music-the people!"
"And I can come to see you now?"
"Very well do you know that you cannot. Have you not learned our
customs?" Then, with an abrupt and icy change of tone: "I forget.
Of course you are familiar with those customs, since you have
become the wooer of Miss Torres."
"Oh, Lord! Where did you hear about that?"
"So! It is true. You are fickle, senor-or is it that you prefer
dark people?"
"I was looking for you. I thought it was you behind those curtains
all the time." He began a flurried defence of his recent
outrageous behavior, to which Miss Garavel endeavored to listen
with distant composure. But he was so desperately in earnest, so
anxious to make light of the matter, so eager to expose all his
folly and have done with it, that he must have been funnier than
he knew.
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