=Page 12.=--1.{12-1} The =consumos= is the tax collected on food-stuffs
(_consumos_) that are brought into a city. The system is that of a
municipal customs house. A part of the revenue derived from the tax on
_consumos_ is kept by the city, and a part is turned over to the central
government. Don Ramón and the other members of the commission sought to
obtain a reduction of the part that had to be paid to the Spanish
government.
2.{12-2} =hacía siete ... casado=, _I had been married fully seven
years_. The imperfect is used, as the act or state still continued; cf.
H. F. _Gr._, § 73.
=Page 14.=--1.{14-1} Cf. page 7, note 2.
=Page 15.=--1.{15-1} =somos los hombres=, _we men are_. The pronoun
subject, followed by an appositional noun, is often omitted, the verb
indicating the person and number.
2.{15-2} =fuese ... ó=, _whether it was ... or_.
3.{15-3} =antes de que pasase=, _before I should pass_.
4.{15-4} =sin que viese=, _without my seeing_.
5.{15-5} =no me tenía miedo alguno=, _she was not at all afraid of me_.
=Page 16.=--1.{16-1} Cf. page 3, note 2.
2.{16-2} =Tan bien ... ermanita= = _También usted me gusta á mí; no crea
que juego con muñecas: era de mi hermanita_. Note =ustez= (for _usted_).
The pronunciation of final _d_ as _z_ is not uncommon in Madrid.
3.{16-3} =se oía llamar=, _she heard some one call her_.
4.{16-4} =el que la mamá se enterase=, _if the mother had found it out_.
Note the def. art. introducing a subordinate clause.
5.{16-5} =la cabeza=, _her head_. Note the use of the definite article
instead of the possessive adjective, before words denoting parts of the
body.
=Page 17.=--1.{17-1} =Me llamo ... muñecas= = _Me llamo Teresa. No crea
usted por Dios que juego con muñecas_.
2.{17-2} =lo era=; =lo= stands for =más linda=.
3.{17-3} =me iba enamorando=; cf. page 6, note 2.
4.{17-4} =que ... menor=, _that my youngest son was_.
=Page 18.=--1.{18-1} =Tenía ... negocios=; note that the participle
agrees with the direct object when the auxiliary is _tener_.