dona perecta-第17章

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may　be　on　your　guard。　Yes；　senor；　you　are　going　to　have　a　suit　at　law。〃

〃And　with　whom？〃

〃With　Uncle　Licurgo　and　other　land…owners　whose　property　borders　on　the　estate　called　The　Poplars。〃

Pepe　Rey　was　astounded。

〃Yes；　senor；〃　continued　the　little　lawyer。　〃To…day　Uncle　Licurgo　and　I　had　a　long　conference。　As　I　am　such　a　friend　of　the　family；　I　wanted　to　let　you　know　about　it；　so　that；　if　you　think　well　of　it；　you　may　hasten　to　arrange　the　matter。〃

〃But　what　have　I　to　arrange？　What　do　those　rascals　claim　from　me？〃

〃It　seems　that　a　stream　of　water　which　rises　in　your　property　has　changed　its　course　and　flows　over　some　tile…works　of　the　aforesaid　Uncle　Licurgo　and　the　mill　of　another　person；　occasioning　considerable　damage。　My　clientfor　he　is　determined　that　I　shall　get　him　out　of　this　difficultymy　client；　as　I　said；　demands　that　you　shall　restore　the　water　to　its　former　channel；　so　as　to　avoid　fresh　injuries；　and　that　you　shall　indemnify　him　for　the　damage　which　his　works　have　already　sustained　through　the　neglect　of　the　superior　proprietor。〃

〃And　I　am　the　superior　proprietor！　If　I　engage　in　a　lawsuit；　that　will　be　the　first　fruit　that　those　famous　Poplars；　which　were　mine　and　which　now；　as　I　understand；　belong　to　everybody；　will　have　ever　produced　me；　for　Licurgo；　as　well　as　some　of　the　other　farmers　of　the　district；　have　been　filching　from　me；　little　by　little；　year　after　year；　pieces　of　land；　and　it　will　be　very　difficult　to　re…establish　the　boundaries　of　my　property。〃

〃That　is　a　different　question。〃

〃That　is　not　a　different　question。　The　real　suit；〃　exclaimed　the　engineer；　unable　to　control　his　anger；　〃will　be　the　one　that　I　will　bring　against　that　rabble　who　no　doubt　propose　to　themselves　to　tire　me　out　and　drive　me　to　desperationso　that　I　may　abandon　every　thing　and　let　them　continue　in　possession　of　what　they　have　stolen。　We　shall　see　if　there　are　lawyers　and　judges　who　will　uphold　the　infamous　conduct　of　those　village　legists；　who　are　forever　at　law；　and　who　waste　and　consume　the　property　of　others。　I　am　obliged　to　you；　young　gentleman；　for　having　informed　me　of　the　villanous　intentions　of　those　boors；　who　are　more　perverse　than　Satan　himself。　When　I　tell　you　that　that　very　tile…yard　and　that　very　mill　on　which　Licurgo　bases　his　claim　are　mine〃

〃The　title…deeds　of　the　property　ought　to　be　examined；　to　see　if　possession　may　not　constitute　a　title　in　this　case。〃

〃Possession！　Those　scoundrels　are　not　going　to　have　the　pleasure　of　laughing　at　me　in　that　way。　I　suppose　that　justice　is　honestly　and　faithfully　administered　in　the　city　of　Orbajosa。〃

〃Oh；　as　to　that！〃　exclaimed　the　little　lawyer；　with　an　approving　look；　〃the　judge　is　an　excellent　person！　He　comes　here　every　evening。　But　it　is　strange　that　you　should　have　received　no　notice　of　Senor　Licurgo's　claims。　Have　you　not　yet　been　summoned　to　appear　before　the　tribunal　of　arbitration？〃

〃No。〃

〃It　will　be　to…morrow；　then。　Well；　I　am　very　sorry　that　Senor　Licurgo's　precipitation　has　deprived　me　of　the　pleasure　and　honor　of　defending　you；　but　what　is　to　be　done？　Licurgo　was　determined　that　I　should　take　him　out　of　his　troubles。　I　will　study　the　matter　with　the　greatest　care。　This　vile　slavery　is　the　great　drawback　of　jurisprudence。〃

Pepe　entered　the　dining…room　in　a　deplorable　state　of　mind。　Dona　Perfecta　was　talking　with　the　Penitentiary；　as　he　entered；　and　Rosarito　was　sitting　alone；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　door。　She　was　no　doubt　waiting　for　her　cousin。

〃Come　here；　you　rascal；〃　said　his　aunt；　smiling　with　very　little　spontaneity。　〃You　have　insulted　us；　you　great　atheist！　but　we　forgive　you。　I　am　well　aware　that　my　daughter　and　myself　are　two　rustics　who　are　incapable　of　soaring　to　the　regions　of　mathematics　where　you　dwell；　but　for　all　that　it　is　possible　that　you　may　one　day　get　down　on　your　knees　to　us　and　beg　us　to　teach　you　the　Christian　doctrine。〃

Pepe　answered　with　vague　phrases　and　formulas　of　politeness　and　repentance。

〃For　my　part；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　with　an　affected　air　of　meekness　and　amiability；　〃if　in　the　course　of　these　idle　disputes　I　have　said　any　thing　that　could　offend　Senor　Don　Jose；　I　beg　his　pardon　for　it。　We　are　all　friends　here。〃

〃Thanks。　It　is　of　no　consequence。〃

〃In　spite　of　every　thing；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling　with　more　naturalness　than　before；　〃I　shall　always　be　the　same　for　my　dear　nephew；　in　spite　of　his　extravagant　and　anti…religious　ideas。　In　what　way　do　you　suppose　I　am　going　to　spend　this　evening？　Well；　in　trying　to　make　Uncle　Licurgo　give　up　those　obstinate　notions　which　would　otherwise　cause　you　annoyance。　I　sent　for　him；　and　he　is　waiting　for　me　now　in　the　hall。　Make　yourself　easy；　I　will　arrange　the　matter；　for　although　I　know　that　he　is　not　altogether　without　right　on　his　side〃

〃Thanks；　dear　aunt；〃　responded　the　young　man；　his　whole　being　invaded　by　a　wave　of　the　generous　emotion　which　was　so　easily　aroused　in　his　soul。

Pepe　Rey　looked　in　the　direction　of　his　cousin；　intending　to　join　her；　but　some　wily　questions　of　the　canon　retained　him　at　Dona　Perfecta's　side。　Rosario　looked　dejected；　and　was　listening　with　an　air　of　melancholy　indifference　to　the　words　of　the　little　lawyer；　who；　having　installed　himself　at　her　side；　kept　up　a　continuous　stream　of　fulsome　flatteries；　seasoned　with　ill…timed　jests　and　fatuous　remarks　in　the　worst　possible　taste。

〃The　worst　of　it　is；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　to　her　nephewsurprising　the　glance　which　he　cast　in　the　direction　of　the　ill…assorted　pair〃the　worst　of　it　is；　that　you　have　offended　poor　Rosario。　You　must　do　all　in　your　power　to　make　your　peace　with　her。　The　poor　child　is　so　good！〃

〃Oh；　yes！　so　good；〃　added　the　canon；　〃that　I　have　no　doubt　that　she　will　forgive　her　cousin。〃

〃I　think　that　Rosario　has　already　forgiven　me；〃　affirmed　Rey。

〃And　if　not；　angelic　breasts　do　not　harbor　resentment　long；〃　said　Don　Inocencio　mellifluously。　〃I　have　a　great　deal　of　influence　with　the　child；　and　I　will　endeavor　to　dissipate　in　her　generous　soul　whatever　prejudice　may　exist　there　against　you。　As　soon　as　I　say　a　word　or　two　to　her〃

Pepe　Rey　felt　a　cloud　darken　his　soul　and　he　said　with　meaning：

〃Perhaps　it　may　not　be　necessary。〃

〃I　will　not　speak　to　her　now；〃　added　the　capitular；　〃because　she　is　listening　entranced　to　Jacinto's　nonsense。　Ah；　those　children！　When　they　once　begin　there　is　no　stopping　them。〃

The　judge　of　the　lower　court；　the　alcalde's　lady；　and　the　dean　of　the　cathedral　now　made　their　appearance。　They　all　saluted　the　engineer；　manifesting　in　their　words　and　manner；　on　seeing　him；　the　satisfaction　of　gratified　curiosity。　The　judge　was　one　of　those　clever　and　intelligent　young　men　who　every　day　spring　into　notice　in　official　circles；　aspiring；　almost　before　they　are　out　of　the　shell；　to　the　highest　political　and　administrative　positions。　He　gave　himself　airs　of　great　importance；　and　in　speaking　of　himself　and　of　his　juvenile　toga；　he　seemed　indirectly　to　manifest　great　offence　because　he　had　not　been　all　at　once　made　president　of　the　supreme　court。　In　such　inexpert　hands；　in　a　brain　thus　swollen　with　vanity；　in　this　incarnation　of　conceit；　had　the　state　placed　the　most　delicate　and　the　most　difficult　functions　of　human　justice。　His　manners　were　those　of　a　perfect　courtier；　and　revealed　a　scrupulous　and　minute　attention　to　all　that　concerned　his　own　person。　He　had　the　insufferable　habit　of　taking　off　and　putting　on　every　moment　his　gold　eye…glasses；　and　in　his　conversation　he　manifested　with　frequency　the　strong　desire　which　he　had　to　be　transferred　to　Madrid；　in　order　that　he　might　give　his　invaluable　services　to　the　Department　of　Grace　and　Justice。

The　alcalde's　lady　was　a　good…natured　woman；　whose　only　weakness　was　to　fancy　that　she　had　a　great　many　acquaintances　at　the　court。　She　asked　Pepe　Rey　various　questions　about　the　fashions；　mentioning　establishments　in　which　she　had　had　a　mantle　or　a　skirt　made　on　her　last　journey　to　the　capital；　contemporaneous　with　the　visit　of　Muley…　Abbas；　and　she　also　mentioned　the　names　of　a　dozen　duchesses　and　marchionesses；　speaking　of　them　with　as　much　familiarity　as　if　they　had　been　friends　of　her　school…days。　She　said　also　that　the　Countess　of　M。　（famous　for　her　parties）　was