"Forgive me for differing from you, Doña Dalmacia, but Evaña is no traitor, he is simply an enemy of Spain. If we drive back the English we shall have the glory, as you say, but Spain will reap the reward." "If! why you say 'if' as though there could be any doubt about it." "This army which is coming against us is much stronger than the detachment Beresford took our city with a year ago." "A surprise; now we are ready; 'el hombre prevenido nunca fue vencido.'"[5] "Evaña says we are not 'prevenido,' our militia cannot face the English in the field, and I agree with him. I have not seen much of the English, but their soldiers are better than our militia. Gordon has told me much about their drill and discipline." "Do you know I like that English friend of yours," said Doña Dalmacia. "He is very simple, but he is not wanting in intelligence." "And he is a soldier, therefore his opinion is of more value than that of either Evaña or myself; he says that one English division would be sufficient to rout all the infantry now in the city, in the open field." "He did not tell me so the other day when he was at my house. He told me that he had been to pay you a visit, and that your negroes were very good soldiers." "My negroes are not citizen soldiers, Doña Dalmacia." "But you will not tell me that they are equal to Isidro's company." To this Marcelino merely bowed in answer, and hastened to turn the conversation. "But about Evaña, Señora," said he; "I am sorry that you should think so ill of him as to say that he merits the calabozo." "There are some who would put him there to-morrow but for fear of offending Don Gregorio, and perhaps they may do. I called you to me to tell you so. Several officers of the Patricios met together to-day at our house; Isidro has brought them here, and has asked Don Gregorio to send for Don Carlos Evaña, so that they may question him privately as to where he was last year, and if he was in England what he was doing there. If he refuses to answer their questions they will denounce him to the Reconquistador and he will be arrested to-morrow." "Many thanks, Señora, for having told me this. If Evaña comes he will at any rate have one friend beside him." "Don Gregorio is his friend." "True, but my grandfather does not understand him as I do." "And you would like to be with him when they question him?" "I should," replied Marcelino, looking round. "Where is my grandfather? I will speak to him at once." "Then I will not keep you longer. Just before I called you, Don Carlos came in. You were so much occupied with the bright eyes of Elisa Puyrredon that you did not see him, and he went away with Don Gregorio and Isidro and some others; you will find them in some other room. Come back and tell me what he says." "I will not fail," said Marcelino, as he rose from his seat and walked away.