“Whothen?“
“Pretendyoudon\'tunderstand！Don\'tyouknowthatmynephewandthebrigadierwhocommandsthataccursedtroophavebeenconfabulating?“
“Confabulating！“repeatedCaballuco，asifpuzzledbytheword。
“Thattheyarebosomfriends，“saidLicurgo。“Confabulatemeanstobelikebosomfriends。Ihadmysuspicionsalreadyofwhatthemistresssays。”
“Itallamountstothis——thatthebrigadierandtheofficersarehandandglovewithDonJose，andwhathewantsthosebravesoldierswant；