"
At once Manuel went off to the house; Roberto had left the place and
Manuel did not know his whereabouts.
Don Alonso carne frequently to the Corralon and conversed with the
mother and the girl. On the window-sill of their tiny home the mother
and the daughter had a little box with a sprig of mint planted in it;
although they watered it every morning, it scarcely grew, for there
was no sun. One day the woman and child disappeared together with
their pretty poodle; they left nothing in their quarters except a
worn-out, broken tambourine.
Don Alonso got into the habit of visiting the Corralon; he would
exchange a few words with Rebolledo, he of the modernist barber-shop
who chattered away, and would witness the gymnastic prowess of
Aristas. One afternoon the boy's mother asked the former Snake-Man
whether the child showed any real aptitude.
Don Alonso grew serious and subjected the boy's performance to a
searching examination, so that he could form an estimate of the
youngster's abilities and give him a little useful advice.
It was really curious to see the former circus-player give his orders;
he went through them with august seriousness.
"One, two, three.... Hop-la!... Once more, now. At position. The knees
near the head ... nails down ... One, two ... one, two.... Hop-la!"
Don Alonso was not at all displeased with little Aristas' showing, but
he emphasized the unavoidable necessity of continual hard practise.
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