‘And now, my husband wants to go to the other extreme of Jesus. He wants to exalt pride and vanity higher than God. Ah, it is terrible, terrible! And foolish like a little boy! Ah, what is a man but a little boy who needs a nurse and a mother! Ah, Señora, I can’t bear it.’
Doña Carlota covered her face with her hand, as if swooning.
‘But there is something wonderful, too, about Don Ramón,’ said Kate coaxingly: though at the moment she hated him.
‘Wonderful! Ah yes, he has gifts. He has great gifts! But what are gifts to a man who perverts them!’
‘Tell me what you think he really wants,’ said Kate.
‘Power! Just power! Just foolish, wicked power. As if there had not been enough horrible, wicked power let loose in this country. But he—he—wants to be beyond them all. He—he—he wants to be
