Reinaldo did not go to his Prudencia. He went down to the booths in
the town and joined the late revelers. Don Guillermo, rising before
dawn, and walking up and down the corridor to conquer the pangs of
Doña Trinidad's dulces, noticed that the door of his son's room was
ajar. He paused before it and heard slow, regular, patient sobs. He
opened the door and went in. Prudencia, alone, curled up in a far
corner of her bed, the clothes over her head, was bemoaning many
things incidental to matrimony. As she heard the sound of heavy steps
she gave a little shriek.
"It is I, Prudencia," said her uncle. "Where is Reinaldo?"
"I--do--not--know."
"Did he not come from the ball-room with thee?"
"N-o-o-o-o."
"Dost thou know where he has gone?"
"N-o-o-o, señor."
"Art thou afraid?"
"Ay! God--of--my--life!"
"Never mind," said the old gentleman. "Go to sleep. Thy uncle will
protect thee, and this will not happen again."
He seated himself by the bedside. Prudencia's sobs ceased gradually,
and she fell asleep. An hour later the door opened softly, and
Reinaldo entered. In spite of the mescal in him, his knees shook as he
saw the indulgent but stern arbiter of the Iturbi y Moncada destinies
sitting in judgment at the bedside of his wife.
"Where have you been, sir?"
"To take a walk,--to see to--"
"No lying! It makes no difference where you have been. What I want
to know is this: Is it your duty to gallivant about town? or is your
place at this hour beside your wife?"
"Here, señor."
The old man rose, and, seizing the bride-groom by the shoulders, shook
him until his teeth clattered together. "Then see that you stay here
with her hereafter, or you shall no longer be a married man." And he
stamped out and slammed the door behind him.