Part 42 (1/2)
”Is that the girl?” his friend inquired.
”She's the one.”
”Boy, maybe she isn't daffy over you.”
And El Carnicerin, with a conceited smile, added:
”I've turned her head, all right.”
Manuel could have torn out the fop's heart at that moment.
His disappointment in love made him think of leaving Senor Custodio's house.
One day he met, near the Segovia bridge, El Bizco and another ragam.u.f.fin that was with him.
They were both in tatters; El Bizco looked grimmer and more brutish than ever. He wore an old jacket through the rents of which peered his dark skin; according to what they said, they were both on their way to the intersection of Aravaca road and the Extremadura cart-road, to a spot they called the Confessionary. They expected to meet El Cura and El Hospiciano there and rob a house.
”What do you say? Will you join us?” asked El Bizco sarcastically.
”No, I won't.”
”Where are you now?”
”In a house ... working.”
”There's a brave fool for you! Come on, join us.”
”No. I can't.... Listen, how about Vidal? Didn't you ever see him again?”
El Bizco's face turned grimmer than ever.
”I'll get even with that scoundrel. He won't escape before I carve a nice scar on his face.... But are you coming along with us or not?”
”No.”
Senor Custodio's ideas had worked a strong influence upon Manuel; but since, despite this, his adventurous instincts persisted, he thought of going off to America, or becoming a sailor, or something of that sort.
CHAPTER VIII
The Square--A Wedding in La Bombilla--The Asphalt Caldrons.
The betrothal of El Carnicerin and Justa was formally arranged, Senor Custodio and his wife bathed in rose water, and only Manuel believed that in the end the wedding would never take place.
El Carnicerin was all together too haughty and too much of a fine fellow to marry the daughter of a ragdealer; Manuel imagined that now the butcher's son would try to take advantage of his opportunity. But for the present nothing authorized such malevolent suppositions.
El Carnicerin was generosity itself and showed delicate attentions to his sweetheart's parents.
One summer day he invited the whole family and Manuel to a bull fight.