Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Third series (IA playstranslatedf03benauoft).pdf/212

 now Cristóbal says that they have had a consultation, and the doctors all agree it may be pneumonia.

. That is something at least.

. But if they tell that to me, the pneumonia must already be advanced. He was delirious all night. All night long he dreamed that I was lying at his side.

. Pshaw! To be expected.

. But he is so proper, so reserved. Something surely has affected his mind. He will die, I am certain.

. Don't you exaggerate his condition?

. Men have recovered from pneumonia before now.

. He never will; he is too respectable. He is a perfect gentleman!

. I cannot see why that should aggravate the complaint.

. No, it is never safe to predict. He will die, that is certain. Then what will become of me? Will you do me a favor? That is why I am here. You must forgive me, but in an emergency such as this, one falls back on one's friends.

. Do tell us in what way we can be of service.

. I sent at once to ascertain whether he would have any objection, under the circumstances, to my coming to the house; I had never, you may imagine, set foot inside the door. He lives alone with two servants, a man and a woman, who are both married—to each other—besides that, they are mature. But that makes no difference. I should not have ventured even under the protection of my brother, though he had resided with a regiment.

. A regiment would have augmented the risk.

. I am not in a trifling mood. Pardon my failure to smile.