“Dinner, perhaps.” Patty went through the motions of eating, looking inquiringly at Consuelo who, though amused, nodded gravely and beckoned them to follow her. They found Doña Martina, Don Juan and Tomás seated at a long table where there were two other guests, one a _viajante_ or traveling man, the other Patty concluded to be an Englishman. Nothing could be more courteously polite than the _viajante_. “He ate with his knife yet his attentions to us might put a courtier to the blush,” Doña Martina said afterward. Little Consuelo ran hither and thither, so anxious for the _Inglesas_ to be pleased that she watched every mouthful they ate with an absorbed interest. “As if,” said Patty, “the entire foundations of the kingdom would totter if we failed to do justice to each dish.” The _comedor_ was the room in which first-class guests alone were served. Below stairs in the wine shop were tables for the second and third class meals, these varying in quality according to the price. Matilda herself, supervised all. Her loud though kindly voice and her quick step were heard when one passed near the kitchen, and woe be to the _vaquero_ who might royster too uproariously. The _viajante_ conversed affably with Don Juan. The Englishman made a single remark to Don Tomás which, not being understood caused a lapse into silence on the part of the Britisher. “I knew he was English,” said Patty in a low voice to her sister as the young man’s tall athletic figure disappeared in the doorway. “I couldn’t be mistaken. He is one of those whom we saw getting on the train at Llanes I am sure. One of the kind of Englishman whose chief ambition in life seems to be to look more bored than any other Englishman. I wonder why he didn’t vouchsafe a remark to some of us who could speak his own language.” “Well, you see he was at the other end of the table. Juan was speaking Spanish to the _viajante_, Tomás and I were conversing in the same language while you and Paulette were chattering in French.” “What’s he doing in Spain if he doesn’t speak Spanish?” “The same thing that you are doing, perhaps.” Patty laughed at the retort. “Never mind, I shall speak only in English to-morrow and then we shall see. Why don’t you chide me, Tina? Reproof is in order.” “Anything to keep you from luring Tomás into your toils.” “Oh, Tomás!” Patty gave a glance in that young man’s direction. “Of course he counts, too. I shall not be afraid of having to talk to both. Paulette can have the traveling gentleman. Can you and Juan go with us to hunt up a drug store? There are some things we want. I suppose there is one.” “I really don’t know, but I will ask Juan.” “Meantime I will have a lesson from Tomás, for I do not mean to remain in ignorance of things I might know when it depends upon a little study to gain the knowledge.”