its own set of guests; so that the marchioness alternated her relations with society over the supper table; but at every repast her chaplain never failed to be present—a model curé, angelic in disposition, neither a Carlist nor a Liberal, and no more ambitious than radical. An honorable priest, a sincere shepherd of souls was he, and likewise a very strong hand at omber.
Although the marchioness had numerous domestics, the servant nearest and dearest to her was her faithful, wideawake Manuel, whom all the friends of the household liked and treated as one of the family. To each and every one of them he talked as though they were companions; while many a favor had he done them. Very worthy, in sooth, was he, and Don Esteban (for such was the chaplain's name) even went so far as to dub him a saint.
And now on the particular Friday evening wherewith we are concerned matters proceeded in the following manner:
Barring Don Esteban, first came Antoñito, and to say this means everything: for the mere name, Antoñito, represents a biography.
But who is Antoñito?
Antoñito is a very lively and very elegant youth, with no profession, no business, and no income, and out of whom his parents have not succeeded in making anything, but whom everybody courts and praises, because everybody likes him.
Today he dines in one house, tomorrow in another; plays and sings snatches of songs at the piano, cuts a figure at La Peña, belongs
