Manuel wondered just what he was committed to by the promise made to
be a member of The Three. The life led by Bizco and Vidal frightened
him. He must resolve to turn over a new leaf; but what was he to do?
That was what puzzled him.
For some time Manuel did not dare to put in an appearance at the
lodging-house; he would meet his mother in the street and he slept in
the entry of the house where one of his sisters was employed. Later it
came to pass that the landlady's niece was found in the bedroom of a
neighbouring student, and this served to rehabilitate Manuel somewhat
in the boarding-house.
CHAPTER II
One of the Many Disagreeable Ways of Dying in Madrid--The
Orphan--El Cojo and His Cave--Night in the Observatory.
One day Manuel was not a little surprised to learn that his mother had
not been able to get up and that she was ill. For some time she had
been coughing up blood, but had considered this of no importance.
Manuel presented himself humbly at the house and the landlady, instead
of greeting him with recriminations, asked him in to see his mother.
The only thing Petra complained of was a terrible bruised feeling all
over the body and a pain in her back.
For days and days she had gone on thus, now better, now worse, until
she began to run a high fever and was compelled to call in the doctor.
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