This was a game for girls, for "yankees", which we looked down on. To appeal to Fermina, Santos and Demoisel invested tennis with a particular prestige. We had racquets and special shoes brought in; it really made a fine picture. Fermina Marquez became very energetic when playing; her strength and agility were wonderful to watch; and she managed to keep an undisturbed dignity and majesty of bearing while engaged at the same time in the most rapid of movements. At that period, wide, open sleeves were being worn; each time the girl raised her arm, her sleeve fell, gradually slipping back beyond her elbow. I am still amazed that she did not sense all our inquiring, hungry looks glued so to speak to her naked arm. One day just after she had returned her racquet to Santos, the game being over, Santos, in front of her, kissed its handle. "Do you really like racquets as much as that?" "And the hand which has held them even more." Santos had taken hold of her wrist and pressed it to his lips. She withdrew her hand sharoly and her bracelet, which had become unfastened, fell to the ground.
