‘Tell her, my dear Conyngham, to let the old gentleman read the letter.’
‘But it is nothing to do with me, General.’
‘I know that, my friend, as well as you do,’ said Vincente with a sudden change of manner, which gave the Englishman an uncomfortable desire to know what he meant. But General Vincente, in pursuit of that peace which had earned him such a terrible reputation in war, turned to Señora Barenna with his most reassuring smile.
‘It is nothing, my dear Iñez,’ he said. ‘In these times of trouble the officials are so suspicious, and our dear Alcalde knows too much. He remembers dear Julia’s little affair with Esteban Larralde, now long since lived down and forgotten. Larralde is, it appears, a malcontent, and on the wrong side of the wall. You need have no uneasiness. Ah! your nerves—yes, I know! A great sufferer—yes, I remember. Patience, dear Iñez, patience!’
And he patted her stout white hand affectionately.
The Alcalde was taking snuff with a stubborn air of disbelief, glancing the while suspiciously at Conyngham, who had eyes for none but Estella.
‘Alcalde,’ said General Vincente, ‘the incident is past, as we say in the diplomatic service; a lemonade now?’
‘No, General, the incident is not past, and I will not have a lemonade.’
‘Oh!’ exclaimed General Vincente in gentle horror.
‘Yes, this young lady must give me the letter, or I call in my men.’
‘But your men could not touch a lady, my dear Alcalde.’
‘You may be the Alcalde of Ronda,’ said Conyngham cheerfully, in continuation of the General’s argument; ‘but if you offer such an insult to Señorita Barenna, I throw you into the fountain, in the deepest part, where it is wettest, just there by the marble dolphin.’
And Conyngham indicated the exact spot with his riding-whip.
‘Who is this gentleman?’ asked the Alcalde. The question was in the first place addressed to space and the gods—after a moment the speaker turned to General Vincente.
‘A prospective aide-de-camp of General Espartero.’
At the mention of the great name the Mayor of Ronda became beautifully less and half bowed to Conyngham.
‘I must do my duty,’ he said with the stubbornness of a small mind.
‘And what do you conceive that to be, my dear Alcalde?’ inquired the General.