But he, quick to become exasperated by opposition,
always went further, hurling numbers at his competitors as though they
were blows. After such excursions, the senora would appear as majestic
and dazzling as a basilica of Byzantium--ears and neck decorated
with great pearls, her bosom a constellation of brilliants, her hands
radiating points of light of all colors of the rainbow.
"Too much, mama," Chichi would protest. "They will take you for a
pawnbroker's lady!" But the Creole, satisfied with her splendor, the
crowning glory of a humble life, attributed her daughter's faultfinding
to envy. Chichi was only a girl now, but later on she would thank her
for having collected all these gems for her.
Already the home was unable to accommodate so many purchases. In
the cellars were piled up enough paintings, furniture, statues, and
draperies to equip several other dwellings. Don Marcelo began to
complain of the cramped space in an apartment costing twenty-eight
thousand francs a year--in reality large enough for a family four times
the size of his. He was beginning to deplore being obliged to renounce
some very tempting furniture bargains when a real estate agent smelled
out the foreigner and relieved him of his embarrassment. Why not buy a
castle? . . .
The entire family was delighted with the idea. An historic castle, the
most historic that could be found, would supplement their luxurious
establishment.
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