out softly and told him what a strait I was in. He came to my rescue, and two days afterwards I handed him back the money with a bonus."
"I do not borrow money from servants," replied the commandant.
"All right! It is not the same with you as with us. He knew us when we were children, and was a confidant in all our scrapes. I will ask for both," said Antoñito. "Go, my dear count, and have your little game at omber."
"I'll do so, now that we've arranged affairs."
Whereupon the count seated himself at the table, and the commandant did likewise, to make a fourth hand at the game, counting upon the other two to make all settlements; while Antoñito gracefully made his exit to seek and confer with old Manuel in the antechamber. From afar he descried Ambrosio already in confidential converse with the aged servitor.
Poor Ambrosio had overheard the remarks of the others at the piano, and began to feel exceedingly squeamish; and, as he did not possess a coin to bless himself with, he thought the best plan was to borrow from the old man, to whom he was just at that moment saying:
"Manuel, lend me a couple of duros, payable at the end of the month. I'm awfully hard up, and cannot speak to the marchioness on the subject, because only yesterday she paid what I owed at my lodgings."
And Manuel's response was: "Wait, señorito, until I see whether I have enough about me; for I've just handed the Señor Vizconde four duros, as he lost his portemonnaie in the Calle Salve. Yes, here it is, and now don't waste it."
