dona perecta-第20章

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　which　might；　perhaps；　give　ground　for　interpretations　discreditable　to　my　dear　daughter's　reputation。　But　as　you　think　of　nothing　but　machines；　you　want　every　thing　done　by　steam。　Wait；　man；　wait；　what　hurry　are　you　in？　This　hatred　that　you　have　taken　to　our　poor　Orbajosa　is　nothing　but　a　caprice。　But　of　course　you　can　only　live　among　counts　and　marquises　and　orators　and　diplomatsall　you　want　is　to　get　married　and　separate　me　forever　from　my　daughter；〃　she　added；　wiping　away　a　tear。　〃Since　that　is　the　case；　inconsiderate　boy；　at　least　have　the　charity　to　delay　for　a　little　this　marriage；　for　which　you　are　so　eager。　What　impatience！　What　ardent　love！　I　did　not　suppose　that　a　poor　country　girl　like　my　daughter　could　inspire　so　violent　a　passion。〃

The　arguments　of　his　aunt　did　not　convince　Pepe　Rey；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　contradict　her。　A　fresh　cause　of　anxiety　was　soon　added　to　those　which　already　embittered　his　existence。　He　had　now　been　in　Orbajosa　for　two　weeks；　and　during　that　time　he　had　received　no　letter　from　his　father。　This　could　not　be　attributed　to　carelessness　on　the　part　of　the　officials　of　the　post…office　of　Orbajosa；　for　the　functionary　who　had　charge　of　that　service　being　the　friend　and　/prot間？　of　Dona　Perfecta；　the　latter　every　day　recommended　him　to　take　the　greatest　care　that　the　letters　addressed　to　her　nephew　did　not　go　astray。　The　letter…carrier；　named　Cristoval　Ramos；　and　nicknamed　Caballucoa　personage　whose　acquaintance　we　have　already　madealso　visited　the　house；　and　to　him　Dona　Perfecta　was　accustomed　to　address　warnings　and　reprimands　as　energetic　as　the　following：

〃A　pretty　mail　service　you　have！　How　is　it　that　my　nephew　has　not　received　a　single　letter　since　he　has　been　in　Orbajosa？　When　the　carrying　of　the　mail　is　entrusted　to　such　a　giddy…pate；　how　can　things　be　expected　to　go　well？　I　will　speak　to　the　governor　of　the　province　so　that　he　may　be　careful　what　kind　of　people　he　puts　in　the　post…office。〃

Caballuco；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　looked　at　Rey　with　the　most　complete　indifference。

One　day　he　entered　the　house　with　a　letter　in　his　hand。

〃Thank　Heaven！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　to　her　nephew。　〃Here　are　letters　from　your　father。　Rejoice；　man！　A　pretty　fright　we　have　had　through　my　brother's　laziness　about　writing。　What　does　he　say？　He　is　well；　no　doubt；〃　she　added；　seeing　that　Pepe　Rey　opened　the　letter　with　feverish　impatience。

The　engineer　turned　pale　as　he　glanced　over　the　first　lines。

〃Good　Heavens！　Pepe；　what　is　the　matter？〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　rising　in　alarm。　〃Is　your　father　ill？〃

〃This　letter　is　not　from　my　father；〃　responded　Pepe；　revealing　in　his　countenance　the　greatest　consternation。

〃What　is　it；　then？〃

〃An　order　from　the　Minister　of　Public　Works；　relieving　me　from　the　charge　which　was　confided　to　me。〃

〃What！　Can　it　be　possible！〃

〃A　dismissal　pure　and　simple；　expressed　in　terms　very　little　flattering　to　me。〃

〃Was　there　ever　any　thing　so　unjust！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　when　she　had　recovered　from　her　amazement。

〃What　a　humiliation！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man。　〃It　is　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　have　received　an　affront　like　this。〃

〃But　the　Government　is　unpardonable！　To　put　such　a　slight　upon　you！　Do　you　wish　me　to　write　to　Madrid？　I　have　very　good　friends　there；　and　I　may　be　able　to　obtain　satisfaction　for　you　from　the　Government　and　reparation　for　this　brutal　affront。〃

〃Thanks；　senora；　I　desire　no　recommendations；〃　said　the　young　man；　with　ill…humor。

〃But　what　a　piece　of　injustice！　what　a　high…handed　proceeding！　To　discharge　in　this　way　a　young　man　of　your　merit；　an　eminent　scientist。　Why；　I　cannot　contain　my　anger！〃

〃I　will　find　out；〃　said　Pepe；　with　energy；　〃who　it　is　that　occupies　himself　in　injuring　me。〃

〃That　ministerbut　what　is　to　be　expected　from　those　infamous　politicasters？〃

〃In　this　there　is　the　hand　of　some　one　who　is　determined　to　drive　me　to　desperation；〃　declared　the　young　man；　visibly　disturbed。　〃This　is　not　the　act　of　the　minister；　this　and　other　contrarieties　that　I　am　experiencing　are　the　result　of　a　revengeful　plot；　of　a　secret　and　well…　laid　plan　of　some　implacable　enemy；　and　this　enemy　is　here　in　Orbajosa；　this　plot　has　been　hatched　in　Orbajosa；　doubt　it　not；　dear　aunt。〃

〃You　are　out　of　your　mind；〃　replied　Dona　Perfecta；　with　a　look　of　compassion。　〃You　have　enemies　in　Orbajosa；　you　say？　Some　one　wishes　to　revenge　himself　upon　you？　Come；　Pepillo；　you　have　lost　your　senses。　The　reading　of　those　books　in　which　they　say　that　we　have　for　ancestors　monkeys　or　parrots　has　turned　your　brain。〃

She　smiled　sweetly　as　she　uttered　the　last　words；　and　taking　a　tone　of　familiar　and　affectionate　admonition；　she　added：

〃My　dear　boy；　the　people　of　Orbajosa　may　be　rude　and　boorish　rustics；　without　learning；　or　polish；　or　fine　manners；　but　in　loyalty　and　good　faith　we　yield　to　no　oneto　no　one；　I　say；　no　one。〃

〃Don't　suppose；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃that　I　accuse　any　one　in　this　house。　But　that　my　implacable　and　cruel　enemy　is　in　this　city；　I　am　persuaded。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　show　me　that　stage　villain；〃　responded　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling　again。　〃I　suppose　you　will　not　accuse　Uncle　Licurgo；　nor　any　of　the　others　who　have　brought　suits　against　you；　for　the　poor　people　believe　they　are　only　defending　their　rights。　And　between　ourselves；　they　are　not　altogether　wanting　in　reason　in　this　case。　Besides；　Uncle　Licurgo　likes　you　greatly。　He　has　told　me　so　himself。　From　the　moment　he　saw　you；　you　took　his　fancy；　and　the　poor　old　man　has　conceived　such　an　affection　for　you〃

〃Oh；　yesa　profound　affection！〃　murmured　Pepe。

〃Don't　be　foolish；〃　continued　his　aunt；　putting　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　looking　at　him　closely。　〃Don't　imagine　absurdities；　convince　yourself　that　your　enemy；　if　you　have　one；　is　in　Madrid；　in　that　centre　of　corruption；　of　envy　and　rivalry；　not　in　this　peaceful　and　tranquil　corner；　where　all　is　good…will　and　concord。　Some　one；　no　doubt；　who　is　envious　of　your　merit　There　is　one　thing　I　wish　to　say　nowand　that　is；　that　if　you　desire　to　go　there　to　learn　the　cause　of　this　affront　and　ask　an　explanation　of　it　from　the　Government；　you　must　not　neglect　doing　so　on　our　account。〃

Pepe　Rey　fixed　his　eyes　on　his　aunt's　countenance；　as　if　he　wished　to　penetrate　with　his　glance　the　inmost　depths　of　her　soul。

〃I　say　that　if　you　wish　to　go；　do　so；〃　repeated　Dona　Perfecta；　with　admirable　serenity；　while　her　countenance　expressed　the　most　complete　and　unaffected　sincerity。

〃No；　senora：　I　do　not　wish　to　go。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　I　think　you　are　right。　You　are　more　tranquil　here；　notwithstanding　the　suspicions　with　which　you　are　tormenting　yourself。　Poor　Pepillo！　We　poor　rustics　of　Orbajosa　live　happy　in　our　ignorance。　I　am　very　sorry　that　you　are　not　contented　here。　But　is　it　my　fault　if　you　vex　and　worry　yourself　without　a　cause？　Do　I　not　treat　you　like　a　son？　Have　I　not　received　you　as　the　hope　of　my　house？　Can　I　do　more　for　you？　If　in　spite　of　all　this　you　do　not　like　us；　if　you　show　so　much　indifference　toward　us；　if　you　ridicule　our　piety；　if　you　insult　our　friends；　is　it　by　chance　because　we　do　not　treat　you　well？〃

Dona　Perfecta's　eyes　grew　moist。

〃My　dear　aunt；〃　said　Pepe；　feeling　his　anger　vanish；　〃I　too　have　committed　some　faults　since　I　have　been　a　guest　in　this　house。〃

〃Don't　be　foolish。　Don't　talk　about　committing　faults。　Among　the　persons　of　the　same　family　every　thing　is　forgiven。〃

〃But　Rosaritowhere　is　she？〃　asked　the　young　man；　rising。　〃Am　I　not　to　see　her　to…day；　either？〃

〃She　is　better。　Do　you　know　that　she　did　not　wish　to　come　down　stairs？〃

〃I　will　go　up　to　her　then。〃

〃No；　it　would　be　of　no　use。　That　girl　has　some　obstinate　notions　to…day　she　is　determined　not　to　leave　her　room。　She　has　locked　herself　in。〃

〃What　a　strange　idea！〃

〃She　will　get　over　it。　Undoubtedly　she　will　get　over　it。　We　will　see　to…night　if　we　cannot　put　these　melancholy　thoughts　out　of　her　head。　We　will　get　up　a　party　to　amuse　her。　Why　don't　you　go　to　Don　Inocencio's　and　ask　him　to　come　here　to…night　and　bring　Jacintillo　with　him？〃

〃Jacintillo！〃

〃Yes；　when　Rosarito　has　these　fits　of　melancholy；　the　only　one　who　can　divert　her　is　that　young　man。〃

〃But　I　will　go　upstairs〃

〃No；　you