"The choice couldn't be better," answered the latter.
The friars gazed at one another with looks that seemed to say: "The Captain-General is playing another one of his tricks, he is slighting us, for he ought to stay at the convento," but since this was the thought of all they remained silent, none of them giving expression to it.
"I was told of this yesterday," said the alcalde, "but at that time his Excellency had not yet fully decided."
"Do you know, Señor Alcalde, how long the Captain-General thinks of staying here?" asked the alferez uneasily.
"With certainty, no. His Excellency likes to give surprises."
"Here come some more messages." These were for the alcalde, the alferez, and the gobernadorcillo, and contained the same announcement. The friars noted well that none came directed to the curate.
"His Excellency will arrive at four this afternoon, gentlemen!" announced the alcalde solemnly. "So we can finish our meal in peace." Leonidas at Thermopylae could not have said more cheerfully, "Tonight we shall sup with Pluto!"
The conversation again resumed its ordinary course.
"I note the absence of our great preacher," timidly remarked an employee of inoffensive aspect who had not opened his mouth up to the time of eating, and who spoke now for the first time in the whole morning.
All who knew the history of Crisostomo's father made a movement and winked, as if to say, "Get out! Fools rush in--" But some one more charitably disposed answered, "He must be rather tired."
"Rather?" exclaimed the alferez. "He must be exhausted, and as they say here, all fagged out. What a sermon it was!"
"A splendid sermon--wonderful!" said the escribano.
"Magnificent--profound!" added the correspondent.
"To be able to talk so much, it's necessary to have the lungs that he has," observed Padre Manuel Martin. The Augustinian did not concede him anything more than lungs.
"And his fertility of expression!" added Padre Salvi.
"Do you know that Señor Ibarra has the best cook in the province?" remarked the alcalde, to cut short such talk.
"You may well say that, but his beautiful neighbor doesn't wish to honor the table, for she is scarcely eating a bite," observed one of the employees.
Maria Clara blushed. "I thank the gentleman, he troubles himself too much on my account," she stammered timidly, "but--"