Page:The Makropoulos Secret (1925).pdf/126

THE MAKROPOULOS SECRET

To Spain? What could I do there?

Ola. You could dance, of course. Dios mio, little girl. How jealous I used to be. You will dance. Sabe? And I will clap my hands. [He takes some castanets out of his pocket] Ay salero. [He sings] La, la, la. [He stops suddenly] Who is crying here?

Oh, nobody.

Sss. Someone was crying. A man’s voice. Listen, chica!

Oh, yes. Somebody living next door. His son died, or something like that.

Oh, I see. His son died. Oh, that is sad. Let us go, Gitana. See what I am taking along—jewels. Matilda’s jewels. Matilda, my wife. Eh? She is old, you know. It is ugly to be old. It is terrible to be old. I was old once but since you came back, little one, I am only twenty years old. Eh? You don’t believe?

Si, si, señor.

And you don’t get older. Listen. One