dona perecta-第13章

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　was　visible　through　the　glass　door。

〃Let　us　go　there；〃　said　Pepe；　rising。

Rosarito　darted；　like　a　bird　released　from　its　cage；　toward　the　glass　door。

〃Pepe；　who　knows　so　much　and　who　must　understand　all　about　trees；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃will　teach　you　how　to　graft。　Let　us　see　what　he　thinks　of　those　young　pear…trees　that　they　are　going　to　transplant。〃

〃Come；　come！〃　called　Rosarito　to　her　cousin　impatiently　from　the　garden。

Both　disappeared　among　the　foliage。　Dona　Perfecta　watched　them　until　they　were　out　of　sight　and　then　busied　herself　with　the　parrot。　As　she　changed　its　food　she　said　to　herself　with　a　contemplative　air：

〃How　different　he　is！　He　has　not　even　given　a　caress　to　the　poor　bird。〃

Then；　thinking　it　possible　that　she　had　been　overheard　by　her　brother…　in…law；　she　said　aloud：

〃Cayetano；　what　do　you　think　of　my　nephew？　Cayetano！〃

A　low　grunt　gave　evidence　that　the　antiquary　was　returning　to　the　consciousness　of　this　miserable　world。

〃Cayetano！〃

〃Just　so；　just　so！〃　murmured　the　scientist　in　a　sleepy　voice。　〃That　young　gentleman　will　maintain；　as　every　one　does；　that　the　statues　of　Mundogrande　belong　to　the　first　Phoenician　immigration。　But　I　will　convince　him？〃

〃But；　Cayetano！〃

〃But；　Perfecta！　There！　Now　you　will　insist　upon　it　again　that　I　have　been　asleep。〃

〃No；　indeed；　how　could　I　insist　upon　any　thing　so　absurd！　But　you　haven't　told　me　what　you　think　about　that　young　man。〃

Don　Cayetano　placed　the　palm　of　his　hand　before　his　mouth　to　conceal　a　yawn；　then　he　and　Dona　Perfecta　entered　upon　a　long　conversation。　Those　who　have　transmitted　to　us　the　necessary　data　for　a　compilation　of　this　history　omit　this　dialogue；　no　doubt　because　it　was　entirely　confidential。　As　for　what　the　engineer　and　Rosarito　said　in　the　garden　that　afternoon；　it　is　evident　that　it　was　not　worthy　of　mention。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　following　day；　however；　events　took　place　which；　being　of　the　gravest　importance；　ought　not　to　be　passed　over　in　silence。　Late　in　the　afternoon　the　two　cousins　found　themselves　alone；　after　rambling　through　different　parts　of　the　garden　in　friendly　companionship　and　having　eyes　and　ears　only　for　each　other。

〃Pepe；〃　Rosario　was　saying；　〃all　that　you　have　been　telling　me　is　pure　fancy；　one　of　those　stories　that　you　clever　men　know　so　well　how　to　put　together。　You　think　that　because　I　am　a　country　girl　I　believe　every　thing　I　am　told。〃

〃If　you　understood　me　as　well　as　I　think　I　understand　you；　you　would　know　that　I　never　say　any　thing　I　do　not　mean。　But　let　us　have　done　with　foolish　subtleties　and　lovers'　sophistries；　that　lead　only　to　misunderstandings。　I　will　speak　to　you　only　in　the　language　of　truth。　Are　you　by　chance　a　young　lady　whose　acquaintance　I　have　made　on　the　promenade　or　at　a　party；　and　with　whom　I　propose　to　spend　a　pleasant　hour　or　two？　No；　you　are　my　cousin。　You　are　something　more。　Rosario；　let　us　at　once　put　things　on　their　proper　footing。　Let　us　drop　circumlocutions。　I　have　come　here　to　marry　you。〃

Rosario　felt　her　face　burning；　and　her　heart　was　beating　violently。

〃See；　my　dear　cousin；〃　continued　the　young　man。　〃I　swear　to　you　that　if　you　had　not　pleased　me　I　should　be　already　far　away　from　this　place。　Although　politeness　and　delicacy　would　have　obliged　me　to　make　an　effort　to　conceal　my　disappointment；　I　should　have　found　it　hard　to　do　so。　That　is　my　character。〃

〃Cousin；　you　have　only　just　arrived；〃　said　Rosarito　laconically；　trying　to　laugh。

〃I　have　only　just　arrived；　and　I　already　know　all　that　I　wanted　to　know；　I　know　that　I　love　you；　that　you　are　the　woman　whom　my　heart　has　long　been　announcing　to　me；　saying　to　me　night　and　day；　'Now　she　is　coming；　now　she　is　near；　now　you　are　burning。'　〃

These　words　served　Rosario　as　an　excuse　for　breaking　into　the　laugh　that　had　been　dimpling　her　lips。　Her　soul　swelled　with　happiness；　she　breathed　an　atmosphere　of　joy。

〃You　persist　in　depreciating　yourself；〃　continued　Pepe；　〃but　for　me　you　possess　every　perfection。　You　have　the　admirable　quality　of　radiating　on　all　around　you　the　divine　light　of　your　soul。　The　moment　one　sees　you　one　feels　instinctively　the　nobility　of　your　mind　and　the　purity　of　your　heart。　To　see　you　is　to　see　a　celestial　being　who；　through　the　forgetfulness　of　Heaven；　remains　upon　the　earth；　you　are　an　angel；　and　I　adore　you。〃

When　he　had　said　this　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　fulfilled　an　important　mission。　Rosarito；　overcome　by　the　violence　of　her　emotion；　felt　her　scant　strength　suddenly　fail　her；　and；　half…fainting；　she　sank　on　a　stone　that　in　those　pleasant　solitudes　served　as　a　seat。　Pepe　bent　over　her。　Her　eyes　were　closed；　her　forehead　rested　on　the　palm　of　her　hand。　A　few　moments　later　the　daughter　of　Dona　Perfecta　Polentinos　gave　her　cousin；　amid　happy　tears；　a　tender　glance　followed　by　these　words：

〃I　loved　you　before　I　had　ever　seen　you。〃

Placing　her　hands　in　those　of　the　young　man　she　rose　to　her　feet；　and　their　forms　disappeared　among　the　leafy　branches　of　an　oleander　walk。　Night　was　falling　and　soft　shadows　enveloped　the　lower　end　of　the　garden；　while　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun　crowned　the　tree…tops　with　fleeting　splendors。　The　noisy　republic　of　the　birds　kept　up　a　deafening　clamor　in　the　upper　branches。　It　was　the　hour　in　which；　after　flitting　about　in　the　joyous　regions　of　the　sky；　they　were　all　going　to　rest；　and　they　were　disputing　with　one　another　the　branches　they　had　selected　for　sleeping…places。　Their　chatter　at　times　had　a　sound　of　recrimination　and　controversy；　at　times　of　mockery　and　merriment。　In　their　voluble　twitter　the　little　rascals　said　the　most　insulting　things　to　each　other；　pecking　at　each　other　and　flapping　their　wings；　as　orators　wave　their　arms　when　they　want　to　make　their　hearers　believe　the　lies　they　are　telling　them。　But　words　of　love　were　to　be　heard　there　too；　for　the　peace　of　the　hour　and　the　beauty　of　the　spot　invited　to　it。　A　sharp　ear　might　have　distinguished　the　following：

〃I　loved　you　before　I　had　even　seen　you；　and　if　you　had　not　come　I　should　have　died　of　grief。　Mamma　used　to　give　me　your　father's　letters　to　read；　and　he　praised　you　so　much　in　them　that　I　used　to　say；　'That　is　the　man　who　ought　to　be　my　husband。'　For　a　long　time　your　father　said　nothing　about　our　marrying；　which　seemed　to　me　great　negligence。　Uncle　Cayetano；　whenever　he　spoke　of　you；　would　say；　'There　are　not　many　men　like　him　in　the　world。　The　woman　who　gets　him　for　a　husband　may　think　herself　fortunate。'　At　last　your　father　said　what　he　could　not　avoid　saying。　Yes；　he　could　not　avoid　saying　itI　was　expecting　it　every　day。〃

Shortly　after　these　words　the　same　voice　added　uneasily：　〃Some　one　is　following　us。〃

Emerging　from　among　the　oleanders；　Pepe；　turning　round；　saw　two　men　approaching　them；　and　touching　the　leaves　of　a　young　tree　near　by；　he　said　aloud　to　his　companion：

〃It　is　not　proper　to　prune　young　trees　like　this　for　the　first　time　until　they　have　taken　firm　root。　Trees　recently　planted　have　not　sufficient　strength　to　bear　the　operation。　You　know　that　the　roots　can　grow　only　by　means　of　the　leaves；　so　that　if　you　take　the　leaves　from　a　tree〃

〃Ah；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　cried　the　Penitentiary；　with　a　frank　laugh；　approaching　the　two　young　people　and　bowing　to　them；　〃are　you　giving　lessons　in　horticulture？　/Insere　nunc　Meliboee　piros；　pone　ordine　vites/；　as　the　great　singer　of　the　labors　of　the　field　said。　'Graft　the　pear…tree；　dear　Meliboeus；　trim　the　vines。'　And　how　are　we　now；　Senor　Don　Jose？〃

The　engineer　and　the　canon　shook　hands。　Then　the　latter　turned　round；　and　indicating　by　a　gesture　a　young　man　who　was　behind　him；　said；　smiling：

〃I　have　the　pleasure　of　presenting　to　you　my　dear　Jacintilloa　great　rogue；　a　feather…head；　Senor　Don　Jose。〃



CHAPTER　IX

THE　DISAGREEMENT　CONTINUES　TO　INCREASE；　AND　THEREAFTER　TO　BECOME　DISCORD

Close　beside　the　black　cassock　was　a　fresh　and　rosy　face；　that　seemed　fresher　and　rosier　from　the　contrast。　Jacinto　saluted　our　hero；　not　without　some　embarrassment。

He　was　one　of　those　precocious　youths　whom　the　indulgent　university　sends　prematurely　forth　into　the　arena　of　life；　making　them　fancy　that　they　are　men　because　they　have　received　their　doctor's　degree。　Jacinto　had　a　round；　handsome