–I owe you an explanation," I said, approaching her. Do you want to hear me?
–Didn't I say there are things I wouldn't want to hear? -he replied, rattling the pistons inside the box.
–I thought that what I…
–It is true what you are going to say; what you believe.
–What?
–That I should hear you; but not this time.
–You must have thought badly of me these days!
She read, without answering me, the signs on the cash register.
–I will tell you nothing, then; but tell me what you have supposed.
–What's the point?
–You mean you won't allow me to apologise to you either?
–What I should like to know is, why you have done that; but I am afraid to know, for I have given no reason for it; and I always thought you had some that I should not know..... But as you seem to be glad again – I am glad too.
–I don't deserve you to be as good as you are to me.
–Perhaps it is I who do not deserve....
–I have been unjust to you, and if you would allow it, I would ask you on my knees to forgive me.
His long-veiled eyes, shone with all their beauty, and he exclaimed:
–Oh, no, my God! I've forgotten everything… do you hear well? everything! But on one condition," he added after a short pause.
–Whatever you want.
–The day I do or say something that displeases you, you will tell me; and I will never do or say it again. Isn't that easy?
–And should I not demand the same from you?
–No, for I cannot advise you, nor always know whether what I think is best; besides, you know what I am going to tell you, before I tell you.
–Are you sure, then, that you will live convinced that I love you with all my soul? -I said, in a low, moved voice.
–Yes, yes," he answered very quietly; and almost touching my lips with one of his hands to signify to me to be quiet, he took a few steps towards the drawing-room.
–What are you going to do? -I said.
–Can't you hear that John is calling me and crying because he can't find me?
Undecided for a moment, in her smile there was such sweetness and such loving languor in her gaze, that she had already disappeared and I was still gazing at her in rapture.
Chapter XXI
The next day at dawn I took the mountain road, accompanied by Juan Angel, who was carrying some of my mother's presents for Luisa and the girls. Mayo followed us: his fidelity was superior to all chastisement, in spite of some bad experiences he had had in this kind of expeditions, unworthy of his years.
After the river bridge, we met José and his nephew Braulio, who had already come to look for me. Braulio told me about his hunting project, which had been reduced to striking an accurate blow at a tiger famous in the vicinity, which had killed some lambs. He had tracked the animal and discovered one of its dens at the source of the river, more than half a league above the possession.
Juan Angel stopped sweating when he heard these details, and placing the basket he was carrying on the leaf litter, he looked at us with such eyes as if he were listening to us discuss a murder project.
Joseph went on to talk about his plan of attack in this way:
–I answer with my ears that he is not leaving us. We'll see if the Vallonian Lucas is as much of a check as he says he is. From Tiburcio I do answer, does he bring the big ammunition?
–Yes," I replied, "and the long gun.
To-day is Braulio's day. He is very anxious to see you make a play, for I have told him that you and I call shots wrong when we aim at a bear's forehead and the bullet goes through one eye.
