Once Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura realize that they are the same old young lovers of Maricela who were separated in life by fate, they make up fictitious stories and conceal their identity.
If they had revealed their identity, both of them would have been utterly shocked and would have accused each other of deceiving the other. They know that both of them had held the other in high esteem and both of them had fallen deeply in love.
That is why, when they realize that they are the same old lovers of Maricela, they are shocked to realize how much both of them had changed. Dona Laura after listening to Don Gonzalo’s praise of her beauty as The Silver Maiden’ now feels ashamed to confess that she is the old silver maiden of Maricela because she too is sadly changed.
Similarly, Don Gonzalo knows that he is grotesque and so wishes her to keep his image as a gallant horseman who tossed flowers to her every day.
