dona perecta-第24章

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isagreeable　presentiments　that　already　disturbed　the　soul　of　the　unlucky　engineer。　He　regretted　with　his　whole　soul　having　entered　the　house　of　the　Troyas；　and；　resolving　to　employ　his　time　better　while　his　hypochondriasm　lasted；　he　made　a　tour　of　inspection　through　the　town。

He　visited　the　market；　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia；　where　the　principal　stores　were；　he　observed　the　various　aspects　presented　by　the　industry　and　commerce　of　the　great　city　of　Orbajosa；　and；　finding　only　new　motives　of　weariness；　he　bent　his　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzas；　but　he　saw　there　only　a　few　stray　dogs；　for；　owing　to　the　disagreeable　wind　which　prevailed；　the　usual　promenaders　had　remained　at　home。　He　went　to　the　apothecary's；　where　various　species　of　ruminant　friends　of　progress；　who　chewed　again　and　again　the　cud　of　the　same　endless　theme；　were　accustomed　to　meet；　but　there　he　was　still　more　bored。　Finally；　as　he　was　passing　the　cathedral；　he　heard　the　strains　of　the　organ　and　the　beautiful　chanting　of　the　choir。　He　entered；　knelt　before　the　high　altar；　remembering　the　warnings　which　his　aunt　had　given　him　about　behaving　with　decorum　in　church；　then　visited　a　chapel；　and　was　about　to　enter　another　when　an　acolyte；　warden；　or　beadle　approached　him；　and　with　the　rudest　manner　and　in　the　most　discourteous　tone　said　to　him：

〃His　lordship　says　that　you　are　to　get　out　of　the　church。〃

The　engineer　felt　the　blood　rush　to　his　face。　He　obeyed　without　a　word。　Turned　out　everywhere；　either　by　superior　authority　or　by　his　own　tedium；　he　had　no　resource　but　to　return　to　his　aunt's　house；　where　he　found　waiting　for　him：

First；　Uncle　Licurgo；　to　announce　a　second　lawsuit　to　him；　second；　Senor　Don　Cayetano；　to　read　him　another　passage　from　his　discourse　on　the　〃Genealogies　of　Orbajosa〃；　third；　Caballuco；　on　some　business　which　he　had　not　disclosed；　fourth；　Dona　Perfecta　and　her　affectionate　smile；　for　what　will　appear　in　the　following　chapter。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　DISCORD　CONTINUES　TO　INCREASE

A　fresh　attempt　to　see　his　cousin　that　evening　failed；　and　Pepe　Rey　shut　himself　up　in　his　room　to　write　several　letters；　his　mind　preoccupied　with　one　thought。

〃To…night　or　to…morrow；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃this　will　end　one　way　or　another。〃

When　he　was　called　to　supper　Dona　Perfecta；　who　was　already　in　the　dining…room；　went　up　to　him　and　said；　without　preface：

〃Dear　Pepe；　don't　distress　yourself；　I　will　pacify　Senor　Don　Inocencio。　I　know　every　thing　already。　Maria　Remedios；　who　has　just　left　the　house；　has　told　me　all　about　it。〃

Dona　Perfecta's　countenance　radiated　such　satisfaction　as　an　artist；　proud　of　his　work；　might　feel。

〃About　what？〃

〃Set　your　mind　at　rest。　I　will　make　an　excuse　for　you。　You　took　a　few　glasses　too　much　in　the　Casino；　that　was　it；　was　it　not？　There　you　have　the　result　of　bad　company。　Don　Juan　Tafetan；　the　Troyas！　This　is　horrible；　frightful。　Did　you　consider　well？〃

〃I　considered　every　thing；〃　responded　Pepe；　resolved　not　to　enter　into　discussions　with　his　aunt。

〃I　shall　take　good　care　not　to　write　to　your　father　what　you　have　done。〃

〃You　may　write　whatever　you　please　to　him。〃

〃You　will　exculpate　yourself　by　denying　the　truth　of　this　story；　then？〃

〃I　deny　nothing。〃

〃You　confess　then　that　you　were　in　the　house　of　those〃

〃I　was。〃

〃And　that　you　gave　them　a　half　ounce；　for；　according　to　what　Maria　Remedios　has　told　me；　Florentina　went　down　to　the　shop　of　the　Extramaduran　this　afternoon　to　get　a　half　ounce　changed。　They　could　not　have　earned　it　with　their　sewing。　You　were　in　their　house　to…day；　consequently〃

〃Consequently　I　gave　it　to　her。　You　are　perfectly　right。〃

〃You　do　not　deny　it？〃

〃Why　should　I　deny　it？　I　suppose　I　can　do　whatever　I　please　with　my　money？〃

〃But　you　will　surely　deny　that　you　threw　stones　at　the　Penitentiary。〃

〃I　do　not　throw　stones。〃

〃I　mean　that　those　girls；　in　your　presence〃

〃That　is　another　matter。〃

〃And　they　insulted　poor　Maria　Remedios；　too。〃

〃I　do　not　deny　that；　either。〃

〃And　how　do　you　excuse　your　conduct！　Pepe　in　Heaven's　name；　have　you　nothing　to　say？　That　you　are　sorry；　that　you　deny〃

〃Nothing；　absolutely　nothing；　senora！〃

〃You　don't　even　give　me　any　satisfaction。〃

〃I　have　done　nothing　to　offend　you。〃

〃Come；　the　only　thing　there　is　left　for　you　to　do　now　isthere；　take　that　stick　and　beat　me！〃

〃I　don't　beat　people。〃

〃What　a　want　of　respect！　What；　don't　you　intend　to　eat　any　supper？〃

〃I　intend　to　take　supper。〃

For　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　no　one　spoke。　Don　Cayetano；　Dona　Perfecta；　and　Pepe　Rey　ate　in　silence。　This　was　interrupted　when　Don　Inocencio　entered　the　dining…room。

〃How　sorry　I　was　for　it；　my　dear　Don　Jose！　Believe　me；　I　was　truly　sorry　for　it；〃　he　said；　pressing　the　young　man's　hand　and　regarding　him　with　a　look　of　compassion。

The　engineer　was　so　perplexed　for　a　moment　that　he　did　not　know　what　to　answer。

〃I　refer　to　the　occurrence　of　this　afternoon。〃

〃Ah；　yes！〃

〃To　your　expulsion　from　the　sacred　precincts　of　the　cathedral。〃

〃The　bishop　should　consider　well；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　〃before　he　turns　a　Christian　out　of　the　church。〃

〃That　is　very　true。　I　don't　know　who　can　have　put　it　into　his　lordship's　head　that　you　are　a　man　of　very　bad　habits；　I　don't　know　who　has　told　him　that　you　make　a　boast　of　your　atheism　everywhere；　that　you　ridicule　sacred　things　and　persons；　and　even　that　you　are　planning　to　pull　down　the　cathedral　to　build　a　large　tar　factory　with　the　stones。　I　tried　my　best　to　dissuade　him；　but　his　lordship　is　a　little　obstinate。〃

〃Thanks　for　so　much　kindness。〃

〃And　it　is　not　because　the　Penitentiary　has　any　reason　to　show　you　these　considerations。　A　little　more；　and　they　would　have　left　him　stretched　on　the　ground　this　afternoon。〃

〃Bah！〃　said　the　ecclesiastic；　laughing。　〃But　have　you　heard　of　that　little　prank　already？　I　wager　Maria　Remedios　came　with　the　story。　And　I　forbade　her　to　do　itI　forbade　her　positively。　The　thing　in　itself　is　of　no　consequence；　am　I　not　right；　Senor　de　Rey？〃

〃Since　you　think　so〃

〃That　is　what　I　think。　Young　people's　pranks！　Youth；　let　the　moderns　say　what　they　will；　is　inclined　to　vice　and　to　vicious　actions。　Senor　de　Rey；　who　is　a　person　of　great　endowments；　could　not　be　altogether　perfectwhy　should　it　be　wondered　at　that　those　pretty　girls　should　have　captivated　him；　and；　after　getting　his　money　out　of　him；　should　have　made　him　the　accomplice　of　their　shameless　and　criminal　insults　to　their　neighbors？　My　dear　friend；　for　the　painful　part　that　I　had　in　this　afternoon's　sport；〃　he　added；　raising　his　hand　to　the　wounded　spot；　〃I　am　not　offended；　nor　will　I　distress　you　by　even　referring　to　so　disagreeable　an　incident。　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　that　Maria　Remedios　came　here　to　tell　all　about　it。　My　niece　is　so　fond　of　gossiping！　I　wager　she　told　too　about　the　half　ounce；　and　your　romping　with　the　girls　on　the　terrace；　and　your　chasing　one　another　about；　and　the　pinches　and　the　capers　of　Don　Juan　Tafetan。　Bah！　those　things　ought　not　to　be　told。〃

Pepe　Rey　did　not　know　which　annoyed　him　mosthis　aunt's　severity　or　the　hypocritical　condescension　of　the　canon。

〃Why　should　they　not　be　told？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃He　does　not　seem　ashamed　of　his　conduct　himself。　I　assure　you　all　that　I　keep　this　from　my　dear　daughter　only　because；　in　her　nervous　condition；　a　fit　of　anger　might　be　dangerous　to　her。〃

〃Come；　it　is　not　so　serious　as　all　that；　senora；〃　said　the　Penitentiary。　〃I　think　the　matter　should　not　be　again　referred　to；　and　when　the　one　who　was　stoned　says　that；　the　rest　may　surely　be　satisfied。　And　the　blow　was　no　joke；　Senor　Don　Jose。　I　thought　they　had　split　my　head　open　and　that　my　brains　were　oozing　out。〃

〃I　am　truly　sorry　for　the　occurrence！〃　stammered　Pepe　Rey。　〃It　gives　me　real　pain；　although　I　had　no　part　in　it〃

〃Your　visit　to　those　Senoras　Troyas　will　be　talked　about　all　over　the　town；〃　said　the　canon。　〃We　are　not　in　Madrid；　in　that　centre　of　corruption；　of　scandal〃

〃There　you　can　visit　the　vilest　places　without　any　one　knowing　it；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。

〃Here　we　are　very　observant　of　one　another；〃　continued　Don　Inocencio。　〃We　take　notice　of　everything　our　neighbors　do；　and　with　such　a　system　of　vigil