“I do beg you,” said Leon “to spare me the soporific treatment of your sermons. The strangest thing about them is that they are in fact grossly heterodox. A pretty apostle the Church can boast of!--Polito might have come to announce the forgiveness of the family, and he would not have preached to me.”
“He wished to come, but mamma would not allow it. His impetuous nature fills her with alarm. We all hope that as he is about to undertake the sobering duties of married life he may settle down, and break himself of the vices which scandalize us.”
“Leopold is going to be married? Allow me to congratulate the lady, though I have not the pleasure of knowing her.”
“The difficulties between my family and the Villa Bojios were all removed last night when the young lady’s mother came to call and was most lavish in her affectionate condolences. The Villa Bojios have lately lost a son, and the mothers mingled their tears; it was agreed that Leopold and Susana should be married as soon as we are out of mourning.”
“Congratulate your mother for me--I wish her every success.”
“The covert satire of your tone is worthy of your utter disregard of our sorrow.--I have had nothing whatever to do with this business, and you yourself know very well that I have bewailed from my heart all the disgrace which has fallen on the family in consequence of my father’s misdemeanours, my mother’s folly and Polito’s vices. You, when I believed you to be honest and honourable, were the confidant of my griefs. Now, when we recoil from you with invincible repugnance, I feel I must tell you that I cannot eat a morsel of bread in peace until we have repaid to the uttermost farthing a man who does not deserve to be our creditor.”
“If you mean me, I look for no indemnification. I am sufficiently repaid with ingratitude.”
“That is all very fine,” said Gustavo sarcastically. “What I have said I have said. Now, we meet no more. My last word is to acknowledge that I was mistaken in saying that you would die of rage: You will live on cynicism.--I know, the carriage is waiting and the trunks packed for a theatrical flight in defiance of social decency and the laws of morality. Well, well; it is no more than might be expected of you.--_Bon voyage_, son of Satan....”