"What is it you want?" answered the druggist, mimicking his tones.
"All right," said Agonde, putting the bottle to his nose. "What does this smell like, Don Fermin?"
"Let me see--it smells something like--laudanum, eh?--or arnica?"
"Arnica let it be, it is less dangerous. I hope it will have a good effect."
"It is time to retire, gentlemen," said the Lawyer García, consulting his silver timepiece.
Genday stood up and Segundo followed his example.
The tresillo party proceeded to settle accounts; calculating winnings and losses, centavo by centavo, by means of white counters and yellow counters. After the close atmosphere of the shop the cool air of the street was grateful; the night was mild and clear; the stars shone with a friendly light and Segundo, who was quick to perceive the poetic aspect of things, felt tempted to leave his father and his uncle without ceremony and walk along the road, alone, according to his custom, to enjoy the beauty of the night. But his Uncle Genday linked his arm through his, saying:
"Weren't you crazy to get away from here? Didn't you want to take your flight to some other place? Haven't you a hatred for office work?"
"Good man," interposed the lawyer; "he is crazy enough as it is, and you want to unsettle his mind still more----"
"Hold your tongue, you fool! Don Victoriano is coming here, we will present the boy to him and ask him to give him a place. And he will give him one, and a good one too; for whether he thinks so or not, if he does not do what we ask him, the pancake will cost him a loaf. The district is not what he imagines it to be, and if his adherents do not keep their eyes open the clergy will play a trick upon them."
"They are no match for the priest. The day least expected they will be made a show of; they will hang their heads for shame. But you, my boy--think well about it. You are not in love with the law?"
Segundo shrugged his shoulders with a smile.
"Well, turn the matter over in your mind; think what would suit you best. For you must be something; you must stick your head in somewhere. Would you like a justiceship? a place in the post-office? in one of the departments?"
They had turned the corner of the Plaza on their way to García's house and were passing under Leocadia's window when the fragrance of the carnations penetrated to Segundo's brain. He felt a poetic revulsion of feeling and, dilating his nostrils to inhale the perfume, he exclaimed: