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the young senorita？〃 continued Dona Isabel； without replying； 〃that
any caballero and senorita shall see each other in the patio； and
not under a balcony？that they may speak with the lips； and not
the fan？〃
〃Wellyes；〃 said Brace。
〃Then my brother has arranged it as so。 He have much hear the Dona
Barbara Brimmer when she make talk of these things frequently； and
he is informed and impressed much。 He will truly have that you
will come of the corridor； and not the garden； for me； and that I
shall have no duenna but the Dona Barbara。 This does not make you
happy； you American idiot boy！〃
It did not。 The thought of carrying on a flirtation under the
fastidious Boston eye of Mrs。 Brimmer； instead of under the
discreet and mercenarily averted orbs of Dona Ursula； did not
commend itself pleasantly to Brace。
〃Oh； yes；〃 he returned quickly。 〃We will go into the corridor； in
the fashion of my country〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dona Isabel dubiously。
〃AFTER we have walked in the garden in the fashion of YOURS。
That's only fair； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dona Isabel gravely； 〃that's what the Comandante will
call 'internation…al courtesy。'〃
The young man slipped his arm around the young diplomatist's waist；
and they walked on in decorous silence under the orange…trees。
〃It seems to me；〃 said Brace presently； 〃that Mrs。 Brimmer has a
good deal to say up your way？〃
〃Ah； yes； but what will you？ It is my brother who has love for
her。〃
〃But；〃 said Brace； stopping suddenly； 〃doesn't he know that she has
a husband living？〃
Dona Isabel lifted her lashes in childlike wonder。
〃Always！ you idiot American boy。 That is why。 Ah； Mother of God！
my brother is discreet。 He is not a maniac； like you； to come
after a silly muchacha like me。〃
The response which Brace saw fit to make to this statement elicited
a sharp tap upon the knuckles from Dona Isabel。
〃Tell to me；〃 she said suddenly； 〃is not that a custom of your
country？〃
〃What？ THAT？〃
〃No； insensate。 To attend a married senora？〃
〃Not openly。〃
〃Ah； that is wrong；〃 said Dona Isabel meditatively； moving the
point of her tiny slipper on the gravel。 〃Then it is the young
girl that shall come in the corridor and the married lady on the
balcony？〃
〃Well； yes。〃
〃Good…by； ape！〃
She ran swiftly down the avenue of palms to a small door at the
back of the house； turned； blew a kiss over the edge of her fan to
Brace； and disappeared。 He hesitated a moment or two； then quickly
rescaling the wall； dropped into the lane outside； followed it to
the gateway of the casa； and entered the patio as Dona Isabel
decorously advanced from a darkened passage to the corridor。
Although the hour of siesta had passed； her sister； Miss Chubb； the
Alcalde； and Mrs。 Brimmer were still lounging here on sofas and
hammocks。
It would have been difficult for a stranger at a first glance to
discover the nationality of the ladies。 Mrs。 Brimmer and her
friend Miss Chubb had entirely succumbed to the extreme dishabille
of the Spanish toiletnot without a certain languid grace on the
part of Mrs。 Brimmer； whose easy contour lent itself to the
stayless bodice； or a certain bashful； youthful naivete on the part
of Miss Chubb； the rounded dazzling whiteness of whose neck and
shoulders half pleased and half frightened her in her low； white；
plain camisaunder the lace mantilla。
〃It is SUCH a pleasure to see you again； Mr。 Brace；〃 said Mrs。
Brimmer； languidly observing the young man through the sticks of
her fan； 〃I was telling Don Ramon that I feared Dona Ursula had
frightened you away。 I told him that your experience of American
society might have caused you to misinterpret the habitual reserve
of the Castilian；〃 she continued with the air of being already an
alien of her own country； 〃and I should be only too happy to
undertake the chaperoning of both these young ladies in their
social relations with our friends。 And how is dear Mr。 Banks？ and
Mr。 Crosby？ whom I so seldom see now。 I suppose； however； business
has its superior attractions。〃
But Don Ramon； with impulsive gallantry； would notnay； COULD not
for a moment tolerate a heresy so alarming。 It was simply wildly
impossible。 For why？ In the presence of Dona Barbarait exists
not in the heart of man！
〃YOU cannot； of course； conceive it； Don Ramon；〃 said Mrs。 Brimmer；
with an air of gentle suffering； 〃but I fear it is sadly true of
the American gentlemen。 They become too absorbed in their
business。 They forget their duty to our sex in their selfish
devotion to affairs in which we are debarred from joining them； and
yet they wonder that we prefer the society of men who are removed
by birth； tradition； and position from this degrading kind of
selfishness。〃
〃But that was scarcely true of your own husband。 HE was not only a
successful man in business； but we can see that he was equally
successful in his relations to at least one of the fastidious sex；〃
said Brace； maliciously glancing at Don Ramon。
Mrs。 Brimmer received the innuendo with invulnerable simplicity。
〃Mr。 Brimmer is； I am happy to say； NOT a business man。 He entered
into certain contracts having more or less of a political
complexion； and carrying with them the genius but not the material
results of trade。 That he is not a business manand a successful
onemy position here at the present time is a sufficient proof；〃
she said triumphantly。 〃And I must also protest；〃 she added； with
a faint sigh； 〃against Mr。 Brimmer being spoken of in the past
tense by anybody。 It is painfully premature and ominous！〃
She drew her mantilla across her shoulders with an expression of
shocked sensitiveness which completed the humiliation of Brace and
the subjugation of Don Ramon。 But； unlike most of her sex； she was
wise in the moment of victory。 She cast a glance over her fan at
Brace； and turned languidly to Dona Isabel。
〃Mr。 Brace must surely want some refreshment after his long ride。
Why don't you seize this opportunity to show him the garden and let
him select for himself the herbs he requires for that dreadful
American drink； Miss Chubb and your sister will remain with me to
receive the Comandante's secretary and the Doctor when they come。〃
〃She's more than my match；〃 whispered Brace to Dona Isabel； as they
left the corridor together。 〃I give in。 I don't understand her：
she frightens me。〃
〃That is of your conscience！ It is that you would understand the
Dona Leonoryour dear Miss Keenebetter！ Ah！ silence； imbecile！
this Dona Barbara is even as thou arta talking parrot。 She will
have that the Comandante's secretary； Manuel； shall marry Mees
Chubb； and that the Doctor shall marry my sister。 But she knows
not that Manuellisten so that you shall get sick at your heart
and swallow your moustachio！that Manuel loves the beautiful
Leonor； and that Leonor loves not him； but Don Diego； and that my
sister loathes the little Doctor。 And this Dona Barbara； that
makes your liver white； would be a feeder of chickens with such
barley as this！ Ah！ come along！〃
The arrival of the Doctor and the Comandante's secretary created
another diversion； and the pairing off of the two couples indicated
by Dona Isabel for a stroll in the garden； which was now beginning
to recover from the still heat of mid…day。 This left Don Ramon and
Mrs。 Brimmer alone in the corridor； Mrs。 Brimmer's indefinite
languor； generally accepted as some vague aristocratic condition of
mind and body； not permitting her to join them。
There was a moment of dangerous silence； the voices of the young
people were growing fainter in the distance。 Mrs。 Brimmer's eyes；
in the shadow of her fan； were becoming faintly phosphorescent。
Don Ramon's melancholy face； which had grown graver in the last few
moments； approached nearer to her own。
〃You are unhappy； Dona Barbara。 The coming of this young cavalier；
your countryman； revives your anxiety for your home。 You are
thinking of this husband who comes not。 Is it not so？〃
〃I am thinking；〃 said Mrs。 Brimmer； with a sudden revulsion of
solid Boston middle…class propriety； shown as much in the dry New
England asperity of voice that stung even through her drawling of
the Castilian speech； as in anything she said；〃I am thinking
that； unless Mr。 Brimmer comes soon； I and Miss Chubb shall have to
abandon the hospitality of your house； Don Ramon。 Without looking
upon myself as a widow； or as indefinitely separated from Mr。
Brimmer； the few words let fall by Mr。 Brace show me what might be
the feelings of my countrymen on the subject。 However charming and
considerate your hospitality has beenand I do not deny that it
has been MOST grateful to MEI feel I cannot continue to accept it
in those equivocal circumstances。 I am speaking to a gentleman
who； with the instincts and chival