"Why did I do this? Because I loved you, senora--and you knew it!
Ah! you can turn your face away now; you can pretend to
misunderstand me, as you did a moment ago; you can part from me now
like a mere acquaintance--but it was not always so! No, it was YOU
who brought me here; your eyes that smiled into mine--and drove
home the colonel's request that I and my sister should accompany
you. God! I was weak then! You smile, senora; you think you have
succeeded--you and your pompous colonel and your clever governor!
You think you have compromised me, and perjured ME, because of
this. You are wrong! You think I dare not speak to this puppet of
a baron, and that I have no proofs. You are wrong!"
"And even if you can produce them, what care I?" said Yerba
unexpectedly, yet in a voice so free from excitement and passion
that the weariness which Paul had at first noticed seemed to be the
only dominant tone. "Suppose you prove that I am not an Arguello.
Good! you have yet to show that a connection with any of your race
would be anything but a disgrace."
"Ah! you defy me, little one! Caramba! Listen, then! You do not
know all! When you thought I was only helping you to fabricate
your claim to the Arguellos' name, I was finding out WHO YOU REALLY
WERE! Ah! It was not so difficult as you fondly hope, senora.
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