They move along in a preoccupied manner, such that upon seeing them one would say that before their eyes shone no hope, no smiling future.

Even though here and there the line is brightened by the attractive appearance of the schoolgirls of the _Escuela Municipal_, [24] with their sashes across their shoulders and their books in their hands, followed by their servants, yet scarcely a laugh resounds or a joke can be heard--nothing of song or jest, at best a few heavy jokes or scuffles among the smaller boys.

The older ones nearly always proceed seriously and composedly, like the German students.
Placido was proceeding along the Paseo de Magallanes toward the breach--formerly the gate--of Santo Domingo, when he suddenly felt a slap on the shoulder, which made him turn quickly in ill humor.
"Hello, Penitente! Hello, Penitente!" It was his schoolmate Juanito Pelaez, the _barbero_ or pet of the professors, as big a rascal as he could be, with a roguish look and a clownish smile.

The son of a Spanish mestizo--a rich merchant in one of the suburbs, who based all his hopes and joys on the boy's talent--he promised well with his roguery, and, thanks to his custom of playing tricks on every one and then hiding behind his companions, he had acquired a peculiar hump, which grew larger whenever he was laughing over his deviltry.
"What kind of time did you have, Penitente ?" was his question as he again slapped him on the shoulder.
"So, so," answered Placido, rather bored.

"And you ?" "Well, it was great! Just imagine--the curate of Tiani invited me to spend the vacation in his town, and I went.