The House of Ulloa

Night falls on Ulloa’s large manor. Julián Álvarez has made it back with the marquis, Primitivo, and the abbot. The marquis is angry with his servants, scolding one of them to prepare dinner for him and his guests at once. She sets the table with food, but when she’s done, the marquis is still angry. He says she still hasn’t fed the dogs. The servant, Sabel, sets out meat for the dogs. Sabel is the daughter of Primitivo, the marquis’s head servant. While the dogs are eating, a little boy (Perucho) comes into the room and gets bitten on the arm while walking past the dogs. Julián tries to comfort the boy, which he notices seems to irritate the marquis.

The marquis scolds Perucho for bothering his dog. He gives the boy a full cup of wine to gulp down, then shoos the boy off. Julián wonders aloud if so much wine could hurt a boy, but the marquis doesn’t seem to care. The men eat together. When Julián admits that he doesn’t really drink wine, the marquis, the abbot, and Primitivo all encourage him to drink to prove that he’s a real man. Julián tries hard not to stare at Sabel, who despite being low-born is good-looking, although the other men don’t seem to notice.

Perucho comes back and the marquis gladly gives him more wine, while the abbot encourages him. Julián thinks Perucho resembles Sabel. Eventually, Perucho turns pale and his head slumps down. Julián scolds the men for giving a child so much wine. He is still awake, and when Primitivo offers Perucho more wine, Perucho shakes his head no. But Primitivo insists, promising to pay Perucho money if he drinks. Julián tries to stop it, but Perucho takes the money and drinks more, turning even paler. Sabel comes over to help Perucho, and the marquis says Perucho can go off to bed. Eventually, the marquis himself heads to bed, saying they’ll send for Julián’s luggage in the morning.