Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/251

. As a married man.

. I married very young…

. As a widower.

. I was a very young widower.

. It made no difference to you.

. Difference? But then I married you. How was it then?

. Gonzalo, let us not pursue the matter further. I made up my mind long ago to shut my eyes, neither to hear nor to see; but I have seen and heard—everything. Why will you raise questions when you know inevitably that you must lie out of them? I detest nothing so much as a lie.

. When did I ever lie to you? Who told you my adventures?

. You did; I admit it—but not in confidence. It was imprudence.

. Imprudence is a species of confidence.

. The mail from the club, sir.

. Circulars, advertisements… Hello! A note from Aguirre. He cannot dine with me this evening. Suppose I had gone? I should have enjoyed myself.

. You are enjoying yourself.

. But this? What is this? Ah, yes! I remember… Here, run through them if you like. Look them over…

. Thank you. I said you were imprudent, not that you were a fool. Of course, there is nothing in those letters; I am not a fool, either. It is not necessary to compromise oneself in a letter in order to make an appointment or to cancel one in case of need. All these communications are as innocuous as the tailor's announcement of the season's