He had simple, winning manners, spoke and looked like
an intelligent person, and met Wilhelm with much friendliness. He
was to learn later on that this amiable, frank, unfailingly good-
tempered acquaintance had made the most ill-natured, not to say
defamatory remarks about him, before Pilar and her whole circle of
friends.
One afternoon Anne announced that "the consumptive poet was below,
and begged to be allowed to pay his respects to Madame la Comtesse."
"Another great man, no doubt," thought Wilhelm, sadly resigned to
his fate. To his surprise Pilar turned furiously red, and said
angrily:
"I am not at home!"
Anne retired, but came back again immediately.
"He sent to ask," she said, in a tone of studied indifference, which
ineffectually concealed her inward satisfaction, "what he had done
to deserve madame's displeasure, and why he should be treated like a
stranger?"
"Anne," cried Pilar, her voice quivering with rage, "how dare you
bring me such a message! If the man does not go instantly, then
order Don Pablo and Auguste to see that he does."
The maid withdrew, and Pilar, without waiting for Wilhelm's
question, muttered resentfully:
"A man I was kind to out of pity, because he was such a poor wretch,
an unknown poet, and bound to die soon--and now he is impudent and
intrusive.
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