Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/169

 am a good picador, eh, Señor Marquis? I do well by my friends. You have no reason to complain.

. No.

. Devil of a time we had with those bulls last year, pushing the horses up to them from behind, and then holding the damn beasts with one hand while we stuck the prod into them with the other. What more do you want? I know this isn't the same herd, but it belongs to the Señor Marquis. Well, what is there in it? When you want to make a herd look good, you know what you've got to do.

. And we know what you do.

. Yes, and that will do, too.

. I was answering the Señor Marquis.

. [To ] By the way, that reminds me; is it nothing but bulls in these days of fiesta? How about the seven suits and twenty-two ties you promised to show us? What does Esperanza say? How goes your affair with the lady?

. The same as ever. The mother receives me very well, the father neither well nor ill, keeping an eye on the state of my bank-account, which he knows better than I do; but the girl cannot bear the sight of me even in a picture.

. Is it true that she is in love with Don Manolito?

. Daft over him entirely. And since the Governor's wife has set herself to promote the match

. Then you don't believe what they say about her and…

. I believe that there exist between the Governor's wife and Don Manolito merely relations of—interest.

. Don Rosendo's shop is closed.

. Do you need anything?

. Only some white ties. Joseliyo left mine out of my grip. He'll be forgetting my dinner-coat next.