Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/271

. Evidently Spanish has no secrets for her.

. She is pure joy. Are you becoming more reconciled to Madrid?

. Don't you like it here?

. Yes, it seems rather pleasant. We have made our formal calls and found everybody polite and agreeable.

. Ah, very! But what wretched houses! There is an utter lack of comfort, of taste—although yours is an exception.

. You must not say that.

. Ah, yes, indeed! It displays taste, a delicate, feminine touch, which is artistic, harmonious. Where was it that we saw a salon empire with paintings Louis quinze? Horrible! They were… how do you say, Josefina? Un mélange?

. Upside down. Am I right?

. You are. [Aside to ] With whom has this girl been talking Spanish in Paris?

. Such bad taste quite takes my nerve away. I find the toilettes of the ladies a trifle criardes.

. Crude and loud.

. Exactly—howling. What lady was it who received us in a blue tea-gown and a burst of gigantic yellow bows? I yearned to rip it off her.

. Adolphe's temperament is so artistic.

. Life would be sad without art. The toilette is half the woman. Surprising a rare toilette may in itself be a poem.

. [Aside to ] Which is the madame in this Parisian couple?

. [Aside to ] Is this the boy you wish to put at the head of our Madrid office?

. I see no reason why not. He is highly intelli-