dona perecta-第23章

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〃Vice　may　reign　here；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃but　the　faces；　the　furniture；　all　show　that　this　is　the　wreck　of　a　respectable　family。　If　these　poor　girls　were　as　bad　as　it　is　said　they　are；　they　would　not　live　in　such　poverty　and　they　would　not　work。　In　Orbajosa　there　are　rich　men。〃

The　three　girls　went　back　and　forward　between　him　and　the　window；　keeping　up　a　gay　and　sprightly　conversation；　which　indicated；　it　must　be　said；　a　species　of　innocence　in　the　midst　of　all　their　frivolity　and　unconventionality。

〃Senor　Don　Jose；　what　an　excellent　lady　Dona　Perfecta　is！〃

〃She　is　the　only　person　in　Orbajosa　who　has　no　nickname；　the　only　person　in　Orbajosa　who　is　not　spoken　ill　of。〃

〃Every　one　respects　her。〃

〃Every　one　adores　her。〃

To　these　utterances　the　young　man　responded　by　praises　of　his　aunt；　but　he　had　no　longer　any　inclination　to　take　money　from　his　pocket　and　say；　〃Maria　Juana；　take　this　for　a　pair　of　boots。〃　〃Pepa；　take　this　to　buy　a　dress　for　yourself。〃　〃Florentina；　take　this　to　provide　yourself　with　a　week's　provisions；〃　as　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　doing。　At　a　moment　when　the　three　girls　had　run　out　to　the　balcony　to　see　who　was　passing；　Don　Juan　Tafetan　approached　Rey　and　whispered　to　him：

〃How　pretty　they　are！　Are　they　not？　Poor　things！　It　seems　impossible　that　they　should　be　so　gay　when　it　may　be　positively　affirmed　that　they　have　not　dined　to…day。〃

〃Don　Juan；　Don　Juan！〃　cried　Pepilla。　〃Here　comes　a　friend　of　yours；　Nicolasito　Hernandez；　in　other　words；　Cirio　Pascual；　with　this　three…　story　hat。　He　is　praying　to　himself；　no　doubt；　for　the　souls　of　those　whom　he　has　sent　to　the　grave　with　his　extortion。〃

〃I　wager　that　neither　of　you　will　dare　to　call　him　by　his　nickname。〃

〃It　is　a　bet。〃

〃Juana；　shut　the　blinds；　wait　until　he　passes；　and　when　he　is　turning　the　corner；　I　will　call　out；　'Cirio；　Cirio　Pascual！'　〃

Don　Juan　Tafetan　ran　out　to　the　balcony。

〃Come　here；　Don　Jose；　so　that　you　may　know　this　type；〃　he　called。

Pepe　Rey；　availing　himself　of　the　moment　in　which　the　three　girls　and　Don　Juan　were　making　merry　in　the　balcony；　calling　Nicolasito　Hernandez　the　nickname　which　so　greatly　enraged　him；　stepped　cautiously　to　one　of　the　sewing　baskets　in　the　room　and　placed　in　it　a　half　ounce　which　he　had　left　after　his　losses　at　play。

Then　he　hurried　out　to　the　balcony　just　as　the　two　youngest　cried　in　the　midst　of　wild　bursts　of　laughter；　〃Cirio；　Cirio　Pascual！〃



CHAPTER　XIII

A　CASUS　BELLI

After　this　prank　the　Troyas　commenced　a　conversation　with　their　visitors　about　the　people　and　the　affairs　of　the　town。　The　engineer；　fearing　that　his　exploit　might　be　discovered　while　he　was　present；　wished　to　go；　which　displeased　the　Troyas　greatly。　One　of　them　who　had　left　the　room　now　returned；　saying：

〃Suspiritos　is　now　in　the　yard；　she　is　hanging　out　the　clothes。〃

〃Don　Jose　will　wish　to　see　her；〃　said　another　of　the　girls。

〃She　is　a　fine…looking　woman。　And　now　she　arranges　her　hair　in　the　Madrid　fashion。　Come；　all　of　you。〃

They　took　their　visitors　to　the　dining…rooman　apartment　very　little　usedwhich　opened　on　a　terrace；　where　there　were　a　few　flowers　in　pots　and　many　broken　and　disused　articles　of　furniture。　The　terrace　overlooked　the　yard　of　an　adjoining　house；　with　a　piazza　full　of　green　vines　and　plants　in　pots　carefully　cultivated。　Every　thing　about　it　showed　it　to　be　the　abode　of　neat　and　industrious　people　of　modest　means。

The　Troyas；　approaching　the　edge　of　the　roof；　looked　attentively　at　the　neighboring　house；　and　then；　imposing　silence　by　a　gesture　on　their　cavaliers；　retreated　to　a　part　of　the　terrace　from　which　they　could　not　see　into　the　yard；　and　where　there　was　no　danger　of　their　being　seen　from　it。

〃She　is　coming　out　of　the　kitchen　now　with　a　pan　of　peas；〃　said　Maria　Juana；　stretching　out　her　neck　to　look。

〃There　goes！〃　cried　another；　throwing　a　pebble　into　the　yard。

The　noise　of　the　projectile　striking　against　the　glass　of　the　piazza　was　heard；　and　then　an　angry　voice　crying：

〃Now　they　have　broken　another　pane　of　glass！〃

The　girls；　hidden；　close　beside　the　two　men；　in　a　corner　of　the　terrace；　were　suffocating　with　laughter。

〃Senora　Suspiritos　is　very　angry；〃　said　Rey。　〃Why　do　they　call　her　by　that　name？〃

〃Because；　when　she　is　talking；　she　sighs　after　every　word；　and　although　she　has　every　thing　she　wants；　she　is　always　complaining。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence　in　the　house　below。　Pepita　Troya　looked　cautiously　down。

〃There　she　comes　again；〃　she　whispered；　once　more　imposing　silence　by　a　gesture。　〃Maria；　give　me　a　pebble。　Give　it　herebang！　there　it　goes！〃

〃You　didn't　hit　her。　It　struck　the　ground。〃

〃Let　me　see　if　I　can。　Let　us　wait　until　she　comes　out　of　the　pantry　again。〃

〃Now；　now　she　is　coming　out。　Take　care；　Florentina。〃

〃One；　two；　three！　There　it　goes！〃

A　cry　of　pain　was　heard　from　below；　a　malediction；　a　masculine　exclamation；　for　it　was　a　man　who　uttered　it。　Pepe　Rey　could　distinguish　clearly　these　words：

〃The　devil！　They　have　put　a　hole　in　my　head；　the　Jacinto；　Jacinto！　But　what　an　abominable　neighborhood　this　is！〃

〃Good　Heavens！　what　have　I　done！〃　exclaimed　Florentina；　filled　with　consternation。　〃I　have　struck　Senor　Don　Inocencio　on　the　head。〃

〃The　Penitentiary？〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃Yes。〃

〃Does　he　live　in　that　house？〃

〃Why；　where　else　should　he　live？〃

〃And　the　lady　of　the　sighs〃

〃Is　his　niece；　his　housekeeper；　or　whatever　else　she　may　be。　We　amuse　ourselves　with　her　because　she　is　very　tiresome；　but　we　are　not　accustomed　to　play　tricks　on　his　reverence；　the　Penitentiary。〃

While　this　dialogue　was　being　rapidly　carried　on；　Pepe　Rey　saw；　in　front　of　the　terrace　and　very　near　him；　a　window　belonging　to　the　bombarded　house　open；　he　saw　a　smiling　face　appear　at　ita　familiar　facea　face　the　sight　of　which　stunned　him；　terrified　him；　made　him　turn　pale　and　tremble。　It　was　that　of　Jacinto；　who；　interrupted　in　his　grave　studies；　appeared　at　it　with　his　pen　behind　his　ear。　His　modest；　fresh；　and　smiling　countenance；　appearing　in　this　way；　had　an　auroral　aspect。

〃Good…afternoon；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　he　said　gayly。

〃Jacinto；　Jacinto；　I　say！〃

〃I　am　coming。　I　was　saluting　a　friend。〃

〃Come　away；　come　away！〃　cried　Florentina；　in　alarm。　〃The　Penitentiary　is　going　up　to　Don　Nominative's　room　and　he　will　give　us　a　blessing。〃

〃Yes；　come　away；　let　us　close　the　door　of　the　dining…room。〃

They　rushed　pell…mell　from　the　terrace。

〃You　might　have　guessed　that　Jacinto　would　see　you　from　his　temple　of　learning；〃　said　Tafetan　to　the　Troyas。

〃Don　Nominative　is　our　friend；〃　responded　one　of　the　girls。　〃From　his　temple　of　science　he　says　a　great　many　sweet　things　to　us　on　the　sly；　and　he　blows　us　kisses　besides。〃

〃Jacinto？〃　asked　the　engineer。　〃What　the　deuce　is　that　name　you　gave　him？〃

〃Don　Nominative。〃

The　three　girls　burst　out　laughing。

〃We　call　him　that　because　he　is　very　learned。〃

〃No；　because　when　we　were　little　he　was　little　too。　But；　yes；　now　I　remember。　We　used　to　play　on　the　terrace；　and　we　could　hear　him　studying　his　lessons　aloud。〃

〃Yes；　and　the　whole　blessed　day　he　used　to　spend　singling。〃

〃Declining；　girl！　That　is　what　it　was。　He　would　go　like　this：　'Nominative；　rosa；　Genitive；　Dative；　Accusative。'　〃

〃I　suppose　that　I　have　my　nickname　too；〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃Let　Maria　Juana　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Florentina；　hiding　herself。

〃I？　Tell　it　to　him　you；　Pepa。〃

〃You　haven't　any　name　yet；　Don　Jose。〃

〃But　I　shall　have　one。　I　promise　you　that　I　will　come　to　hear　what　it　is　and　to　receive　confirmation；〃　said　the　young　man；　making　a　movement　to　go。

〃What；　are　you　going？〃

〃Yes。　You　have　lost　time　enough　already。　To　work；　girls！　Throwing　stones　at　the　neighbors　and　the　passers…by　is　not　the　most　suitable　occupation　for　girls　as　pretty　and　as　clever　as　you　are。　Well；　good…　by。〃

And　without　waiting　for　further　remonstrances；　or　answering　the　civilities　of　the　girls；　he　left　the　house　hastily；　leaving　Don　Juan　Tafetan　behind　him。

The　scene　which　he　had　just　witnessed；　the　indignity　suffered　by　the　canon；　the　unexpected　appearance　of　the　little　doctor　of　laws；　added　still　further　to　the　perplexities；　the　anxieties；　and　the　disagreeable　presentiments　that　a