ZURITA. Nothing. However, you will find him disposed to go to any length--retract, make a denial, withdraw the book from circulation. You had best have a few words with him. But first promise to control yourself. Shall I ask them to come in? FLORENCIO. Yes ... yes! Ask them to come in. ZURITA. Poor Valdivieso is awfully put out. He always had such a high opinion of you. You are one of the two or three persons in this town who buy books. It would be a tremendous relief to him if you would only tell him that you knew he was incapable.... FLORENCIO. Thoroughly! Poor Valdivieso! Ask him to come in; ask them both to come in. [_Zurita retires and returns presently with Valdivieso and Casalonga._] VALDIVIESO. Señor Don Florencio! I hardly know what to say. I am sure that you will not question my good faith in the matter. I had no idea ... in fact, I never suspected.... FLORENCIO. I always knew you were innocent! but this person.... CASALONGA. Come, come now! Don't blame it on me. How the devil was I to know that you were here--and married to his widow! Sport for the gods! FLORENCIO. Do you hear what he says? ZURITA. I told you that he appeared to be innocent. FLORENCIO. And I told you that he was devoid of the first instincts of a gentleman; although I failed to realize to what an extent. Sir-- CASALONGA. Don't be absurd! Stop making faces at me. FLORENCIO. In the first place, I don't recall that we were ever so intimate. CASALONGA. Of course we were! Of course! Anyhow, what difference does it make? We were together for a whole season; we were inseparable. Hard times those for us both! But what did we care? When one of us was out of money, all he had to do was to ask the other, and be satisfied. FLORENCIO. Yes; I seem to recall that the other was always I. CASALONGA. Ha, ha, ha! That might be. Stranger things have happened. But you are not angry with me, are you? The thing is not worth all this fuss. FLORENCIO. Do you hear what he says? VALDIVIESO. You may be sure that if I had had the slightest idea.... I bought the books so as to take advantage of the timeliness of the monument. If I had ever suspected.... CASALONGA. Identically my position--to take advantage of the monument. Life is hard. While the conservatives are in power, I am reduced to extremities. I am at my wit's end to earn an honest penny. FLORENCIO. I admire your colossal impudence. What are you going to do with a man like this? ZURITA. Exactly the question that occurred to me. What are you going to do? CASALONGA. For a time I was reduced to writing plays--like everybody else--although mine were better. That was the reason they did not succeed. Then I married my last landlady; I was obliged to settle with her somehow. A little difference arose between us, so we agreed to separate amicably after smashing all the furniture. However, that will be of no interest to you. FLORENCIO. No, no, it is of no interest to me.