"
"Oh! But I forgot the real reason why I came. I have something I
must tell you."
"All right. But honestly now, didn't you WANT to come?"
She turned upon him in a little burst of passion. "Yes!" she
cried. "Of course I did! I wished to come, madly, senor. There is
no use to lie. But wait! It is wholly because I am a-what you call
fleert-a very sad fleert." No one could possibly describe the
quaint pronunciation she gave the word. "It makes my heart patter,
like that"--she made her little fingers "patter"-"to be wooed even
by a Yankee. But I do not love you in the least. Oh no! Even if I
wished to do so, there are too many reasons why I could not, and
when I explain you will understand."
"I know; it's Ramon Alfarez. You're half-way engaged to him--but
you know you don't love him."
"Ah! It is not too sure. He is of fine family, he is rich, he is
handsome-not possibly could I care for any man who was not all of
those. All my life I have thought him a very sweet gentleman, and
for a long time it has been agreed that I should be his wife. Even
all the young ladies are furious at me, which is very nice also-so
it is only because I am disobedient that I rebelled. But I was
punished for my evil disposition." She sighed mournfully.
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