“Shut up,” replied Alzugaray.
The girl recited the poem, and Cæsar asked Alzugaray sarcastically if those verses were by the girl’s father, because they sounded to him like the verses of a notary or a judge of the Court of First Instance.
Then somebody suggested that they should have supper there.
Cæsar noticed that this plan did not appeal to the mistress of the house, and he said:
“One should be moderate in all things. I am going home to bed.”
After this somewhat pedantic phrase, which to Don Calixto seemed a pearl, Cæsar took leave of his new acquaintances with a great deal of ceremony and coolness. Alzugaray said he would remain a while longer.
When Cæsar was bowing to Amparito, she asked him jokingly:
“Is it your wife that keeps you in such good habits?”
“My wife!” exclaimed Cæsar, surprised.
“Didn’t your friend say...”