It had taken him a long time, and it had cost him-José-much hard labor, to prepare for his aged grandmother and Pepita the tiny home outside Madrid, to which he at last brought them in great triumph one hot summer's day, when the very vine-leaves and orange-trees themselves were dusty. It had been a great undertaking for him in the first place, for he was a slow fellow-José; slow as he was dull and kind and faithful to Pepita and the grandmother.