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The vendor； however； was not yet satisfied。 〃Look； a little cluster of white violets to go with them。 The last one left。〃 She laid one finger craftily alongside her nose for a moment； glanced after the retreating chaperon。 〃I've been saving them for you all day。 Free！ I give them to you free！〃 She pulled twice at the girl's skirt； almost as though it were a bell cord。
The girl took them； moved down the steps in the wake of her panion； holding them close to her face。 They were platted together on a single； large leaf of some sort。 She had extracted the thinly folded note twined around their stems even before she re…entered the carriage。 She opened it with one hand； read it； holding it down out of sight on the side away from Marta； as they jounced back through the narrow； erratically turning streets on their way to the cemetery。
Just a few words。 The oldest message in the world； that said nothing； that said everything。 〃Sweetness of my life。 Will you go there again today？ I will be waiting。 I have counted the hours all week long； since the last time。 Sweetness of my life； have mercy on me。〃
Somehow she got it inside the lining of her glove； refolded； by thumb motion alone。 Then she dipped her face to the violets once more。 As the Seсora Viuda had said； one couldn't change the world。
They came out of the older part of town with its tortuous； cobbled streets； where respectable； conservative families like hers lived； into one of the new semi…suburban sections； favored by foreigners and the more flashily prosperous who copied their ways…even to letting their daughters run around without an older woman in attendance。 They traversed this along a straight； broad asphalted driveway； and beyond emerged into open country for awhile。 Then in the distance ahead a symmetrical line of dark…green poplars began to peer over an intervening rise of the ground and； when they had topped it； suddenly seemed to spring forward to join the road； behind a stone wall that ran back as far as the eye could reach。
It turned and followed the roadside for a while。 All Saints Cemetery was known as the largest in the city； if not anywhere in the world。 It was said of it that it was big enough to acmodate all the world's dead at one time。
On the opposite side of the road； buildings had sprung up once more； called into being to acmodate the living who on Sundays and certain religious holidays came out here in such shoals to pay their respects to the dead。 A headstone carver's shop and workyard； littered with ornamental urns； cherubs； mourning angels； and crosses； a refreshment and eating pavilion； and others such。 They were intermittent； with large gaps between； and the whole atmosphere was one of abandoned desolation rather than life…quickened activity； somehow。
The carriage drew up at the main entrance； marked by a pair of massive bronze doors set within a stone arch； and they got out。 〃e back for us within a half…hour； no more；〃 Marta instructed the driver。
The carriage ambled aimlessly off on some mission best known to its driver…perhaps the nearest cantina at the next crossroads ahead。 As it left them； Conchita held back in seeming irresolution a minute。
〃Marta； before we go in； can't we go over to that place across the way and sit down for a minute？ I'm so thirsty。〃
Marta objected querulously； flattening the sheaf of flowers so that she could look at her clearly over their tops； 〃No； nina。 How can we？ Your mother told me to bring you right back。 Look； the sun's already far down。 Night will be upon us before we can get back to the house。〃
〃How long will it take？〃 the girl coaxed。
〃But did we e out here to visit your father's grave or did we e out here to have refrescos？ 〃 the old woman said with peevish stubbornness。
〃Just a cup of mint tea。 You know how you love your mint 'tea。 You always take it at this hour at home。〃
The chaperon wavered； obviously tempted。 She cast a look across the road； as though judging how long it would detain them to go over and back。 〃But isn't it better to go in first and pay our respects； and then have it when we e out？ The place may close。〃
〃I'm faint； Martita。 Why do you refuse me？〃
Her panion was at once all whimpering solicitude。 〃Oh my light； why didn't you tell me sooner？ What am I thinking of； standing here wrangling？ e； my heart； take me by the arm； we'll go right over。〃
They inched across the road； held to a painfully reduced gait more by the stout figure's slowness of limb than by the slender one's weakness； if the truth had been known。 The devoted Marta even had to caution her charge； 〃Not so fast； linda。 You may get dizzy。〃
The establishment was bare of customers at this hour。 A waiter with a tray tucked under his arm came attentively to the door； waiting to see where they would decide to sit before moving any further。 There was a terrace strip of terra…cotta mosaic tiling laid out in front of the place； holding a row of reedy； forlorn…looking； wafer…sized iron tables； each one with more wire…legged chairs wedged around it than it could acmodate。
〃Let's go inside out of the glare；〃 Conchita suggested demurely。
They continued on into an interior of cavelike dimness； after the outer brightness； in which a sea of other equally reedy； equally untenanted iron tables could be made out。 A loosely strung pasteboard sign proclaiming ASK FOR EL SOL BEER brushed against Marta's head as she passed below it。 She swept it indignantly aside。
They seated themselves opposite one another in a small booth against the wall； duenna and massed flowers on one side of the table； young mourner on the other。 The waiter approached。 〃Buenos dias。〃
〃Buenos dias；〃 Marta grunted； with the curtness one employee often has for another。
Conchita waited until he had gone away again； then tipped the veil from her face with an air of angelic primness。
The visibility lightened up a little around them as their eyes grew accustomed to the place； though not much beyond the blue…green transparency of a submarine deep from first to last。 Then too； the daylight outside was fast toning down； losing its contrasting vividness。
They sat for a moment or two。 〃We'll be locked out；〃 Marta mourned。 〃We'll have had the whole trip out for nothing。〃 She shifted her head and shoulders outward along her seat to scan the seemingly lifeless rear of the establishment。 She shattered the silence with an explosive double smack of her cupped hands。 〃Muchacho！ We're in a hurry！〃 she called imperatively。
The waiter returned at a trudging walk； his excuse for not hurrying any faster the brimming cup of strongly aromatic tea and glass of lemonade he bore on the tray。
Marta ducked her chin to the cup； smacked her lips expressively as she raised it again。 Conchita； who was sitting facing the thoroughfare outside； kept scanning it； more as though she were on the lookout for something to e along and catch her eye than because something had。 Suddenly she gave a little sob of suppressed laughter； flexed one finger toward the outer panorama。
〃You should have seen that！ The funniest…looking man just went by。 I wonder what he was。〃
Marta； who was sitt