"Thou wilt find them but folly, 'Riquita; but thou art young, and
wilt outgrow them as I have. I am sick of the Indian beads,
everybody wears them; but they seem to suit thy complexion. Thou
art not yet quite old enough for jewelry; but take thy choice of
these." "'Ruja," replied Enriquita, eagerly, "surely thou wilt not
give up this necklace of carved amber, that was brought thee from
Manilla--it becomes thee so! Everybody says it. All the
caballeros, Raymond and Victor, swear that it sets off thy beauty
like nothing else." "When thou knowest men better," responded
Maruja, in a deep voice, "thou wilt care less for what they say,
and despise what they do. Besides, I wore it to-day--and--I hate
it." "But what fan wilt thou keep thyself? The one of sandal-wood
thou hadst to-day?" continued Enriquita, timidly eying the pretty
things upon the table. "None," responded Maruja, didactically,
"but the simplest, which I shall buy myself. Truly, it is time to
set one's self against this extravagance. Girls think nothing of
spending as much upon a fan as would buy a horse and saddle for a
poor man." "But why so serious tonight, my sister?" said the
little Enriquita, her eyes filling with ready tears. "It grieves
me," responded Maruja, promptly, "to find thee, like the rest,
giving thy soul up to the mere glitter of the world. However, go,
child, take the heads, but leave the amber; it would make thee
yellower than thou art; which the blessed Virgin forbid! Good-
night!"
She kissed her affectionately, and pushed her from the room.
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