They passed by the officer's house. Doña Consolacion was in the window, as usual, dressed in her flannel outfit and smoking her cigar. As the house was rather low, they could see each other as they passed, and Doña Victorina could distinguish her very well. The Muse of the Guardia Civil examined her with tranquillity from head to foot, and, afterward, sticking out her lower lip, spit, turning her face to the other side. That put an end to Doña Victorina's patience, and, leaving her husband without any support, she squared herself in front of the alfereza, trembling with rage, and unable to speak. Doña Consolacion turned her head slowly, looked her over again, and then spit again, but with still greater disdain. "What is the matter with you, Doña?" said the alfereza. "Can you tell me, Señora, why you look at me so? Are you envious?" Doña Victorina finally succeeded in saying. "I envious of you?" said the Medusa with scorn. "O, yes! I envy those curls." "Come, wife!" said the doctor. "Do--don't take no--no--notice of her!" "Let me give this shameless common person a lesson!" replied the woman, giving her husband a push. He nearly fell to the ground. Turning to Doña Consolacion, she continued: "Look how you treat me! Don't think that I am a provincial, or a soldiers' querida! In my house in Manila alferezas never are allowed to come in. They wait at the door." "Oh-oh! Most Excellent Señora! Alferezas don't enter, but invalids like that out there. Ha, ha, ha!" If it hadn't been for all the paint on her face, one could have seen Doña Victorina blush. She wanted to throw herself upon her enemy, but the sentry stopped her. In the meantime, the street was filling up with curious people. "Listen! I lower myself talking with you. People of categoría ... Do you want my clothes to wash? I will pay you well. Do you think that I don't know that you are a washerwoman?" Doña Consolacion became furious. The reference to her being a washerwoman wounded her. "Do you think that we do not know what you are? Get out! My husband has already told me. Señora, I, at least, have not belonged to more than one man, but you? One must be pretty hard up to take the leavings." This shot struck Doña Victorina square in the breast. She rolled up her sleeves, clenched her fists, and, gnashing her teeth, began: "Come down here, you nasty old thing, that I may smash your filthy mouth." The Medusa disappeared quickly from the window, but was soon seen coming down the stairs on a run, swinging her husband's whip. Don Tiburcio interposed, pleading with them, but they would have come to blows if the alferez had not arrived. "But, señoras!... Don Tiburcio!" "Teach your woman better; buy her better clothes. If you haven't the money, rob the people. You have your soldiers for that!" shouted Doña Victorina.