dona perecta-第25章

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〃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　vigilance　public　morals　are　maintained　at　a　proper　height。　Believe　me；　my　friend；　believe　me；and　I　do　not　say　this　to　mortify　you；you　are　the　first　gentleman　of　your　position　who；　in　the　light　of　daythe　first；　yes；　senor/Trojoe　qui　primus　ab　oris/。〃

And　bursting　into　a　laugh；　he　clapped　the　engineer　on　the　back　in　token　of　amity　and　good…will。

〃How　grateful　I　ought　to　be；〃　said　the　young　man；　concealing　his　anger　under　the　sarcastic　words　which　he　thought　the　most　suitable　to　answer　the　covert　irony　of　his　interlocutors；　〃to　meet　with　so　much　generosity　and　tolerance；　when　my　criminal　conduct　would　deserve〃

〃What！　Is　a　person　of　one's　own　blood；　one　who　bears　one's　name；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃to　be　treated　like　a　stranger？　You　are　my　nephew；　you　are　the　son　of　the　best　and　the　most　virtuous　of　men；　of　my　dear　brother　Juan；　and　that　is　sufficient。　Yesterday　afternoon　the　secretary　of　the　bishop　came　here　to　tell　me　that　his　lordship　is　greatly　displeased　because　I　have　you　in　my　house。〃

〃And　that　too？〃　murmured　the　canon。

〃And　that　too。　I　said　that　in　spite　of　the　respect　which　I　owe　the　bishop；　and　the　affection　and　reverence　which　I　bear　him；　my　nephew　is　my　nephew；　and　I　cannot　turn　him　out　of　my　house。〃

〃This　is　another　singularity　which　I　find　in　this　place；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　pale　with　anger。　〃Here；　apparently；　the　bishop　governs　other　people's　houses。〃

〃He　is　a　saint。　He　is　so　fond　of　me　that　he　imagineshe　imagines　that　you　are　going　to　contaminate　us　with　your　atheism；　your　disregard　for　public　opinion；　your　strange　ideas。　I　have　told　him　repeatedly　that；　at　bottom；　you　are　an　excellent　young　man。〃

〃Some　concession　must　always　be　made　to　superior　talent；〃　observed　Don　Inocencio。

〃And　this　morning；　when　I　was　at　the　Cirujedas'oh；　you　cannot　imagine　in　what　a　state　they　had　my　head！　Was　it　true　that　you　had　come　to　pull　down　the　cathedral；　that　you　were　commissioned　by　the　English　Protestants　to　go　preaching　heresy　throughout　Spain；　that　you　spent　the　whole　night　gambling　in　the　Casino；　that　you　were　drunk　in　the　streets？　'But；　senoras；'　I　said　to　them；　'would　you　have　me　send　my　nephew　to　the　hotel？'　Besides；　they　are　wrong　about　the　drunkenness；　and　as　for　gamblingI　have　never　yet　heard　that　you　gambled。〃

Pepe　Rey　found　himself　in　that　state　of　mind　in　which　the　calmest　man　is　seized　by　a　sudden　rage；　by　a　blind　and　brutal　impulse　to　strangle　some　one；　to　strike　some　one　in　the　face；　to　break　some　one's　head；　to　crush　some　one's　bones。　But　Dona　Perfecta　was　a　woman　and　was；　besides；　his　aunt；　and　Don　Inocencio　was　an　old　man　and　an　ecclesiastic。　In　addition　to　this；　physical　violence　is　in　bad　taste　and　unbecoming　a　person　of　education　and　a　Christian。　There　remained　the　resource　of　giving　vent　to　his　suppressed　wrath　in　dignified　and　polite　language；　but　this　last　resource　seemed　to　him　premature；　and　only　to　be　employed　at　the　moment　of　his　final　departure　from　the　house　and　from　Orbajosa。　Controlling　his　fury；　then；　he　waited。

Jacinto　entered　as　they　were　finishing　supper。

〃Good…evening；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　he　said；　pressing　the　young　man's　hand。　〃You　and　your　friends　kept　me　from　working　this　afternoon。　I　was　not　able　to　write　a　line。　And　I　had　so　much　to　do！〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　it；　Jacinto。　But　according　to　what　they　tell　me；　you　accompany　them　sometimes　in　their　frolics。〃

〃I！〃　exclaimed　the　boy；　turning　scarlet。　〃Why；　you　know　very　well　that　Tafetan　never　speaks　a　word　of　truth。　But　is　it　true；　Senor　de　Rey；　that　you　are　going　away？〃

〃Is　that　the　report　in　the　town？〃

〃Yes。　I　heard　it　in　the　Casino　and　at　Don　Lorenzo　Ruiz's。〃

Rey　contemplated　in　silence　for　a　few　moments　the　fresh　face　of　Don　Nominative。　Then　he　said：

〃Well；　it　is　not　true；　my　aunt　is　very　well　satisfied　with　me；　she　despises　the　calumnies　with　which　the　Orbajosans　are　favoring　meand　she　will　not　turn　me　out　of　her　house；　even　though　the　bishop　himself　should　try　to　make　her　do　so。〃

〃As　for　turning　you　out　of　the　housenever。　What　would　your　father　say？〃

〃Notwithstanding　all　your　kindness；　dearest　aunt；　notwithstanding　the　cordial　friendship　of　the　reverend　canon；　it　is　possible　that　I　may　myself　decide　to　go　away。〃

〃To　go　away！〃

〃To　go　awayyou！〃

A　strange　light　shone　in　Dona　Perfecta's　eyes。　The　canon；　experienced　though　he　was　in　dissimulation；　could　not　conceal　his　joy。

〃Yes；　and　perhaps　this　very　night。〃

〃Why；　man；　how　impetuous　you　are；　Why　don't　you　at　least　wait　until　morning？　HereJuan；　let　some　one　go　for　Uncle　Licurgo　to　get　the　nag　ready。　I　suppose　you　will　take　some　luncheon　with　you。　Nicolasa；　that　piece　of　veal　that　is　on　the　sideboard！　Librada；　the　senorito's　linen。〃

〃No；　I　cannot　believe　that　you　would　take　so　rash　a　resolution；〃　said　Don　Cayetano；　thinking　himself　obliged　to　take　some　part　in　the　question。

〃But　you　will　come　back；　will　you　not？〃　asked　the　canon。

〃At　what　time　does　the　morning　train　pass？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta；　in　whose　eyes　was　clearly　discernible　the　feverish　impatience　of　her　exaltation。

〃I　am　going　away　to…night。〃

〃But　there　is　no　moon。〃

In　the　soul　of　Dona　Perfecta；　in　the　soul　of　the　Penitentiary；　in　the　little　doctor's　youthful　soul　echoed　like　a　celestial　harmony　the　word；　〃To…night！〃

〃Of　course；　dear　Pepe；　you　will　come　back。　I　wrote　to…day　to　your　father；　your　excellent　father；〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　with　all　the　physiognomic　signs　that　make　their　appearance　when　a　tear　is　about　to　be　shed。

〃I　will　trouble　you　with　a　few　commissions；〃　said　the　savant。

〃A　good　opportunity　to　order　the　volume　that　is　wanting　in　my　copy　of　the　Abbe　Gaume's　work；〃　said　the　youthful　lawyer。

〃You　take　such　sudden　notions；　Pepe；　you　are　so　full　of　caprices；〃　murmured　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　door　of　the　dining…room。　〃But　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　Caballuco　is　waiting　to　speak　to　you。〃



CHAPTER　XV

DISCORD　CONTINUES　TO　GROW　UNTIL　WAR　IS　DECLARED

Every　one　looked　toward　the　door；　at　which　appeared　the　imposing　figure　of　the　Centaur；　serious…looking　and　frowning；　embarrassed　by　his　anxiety　to　salute　the　company　politely；　savagely　handsome；　but　disfigured　by　the　violence　which　he　did　himself　in　smiling　civilly　and　treading　softly　and　holding　his　herculean　arms　in　a　correct　posture。

〃Come　in；　Senor　Ramos；〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃No；　no！〃　objected　Dona　Perfecta。　〃What　he　has　to　say　to　you　is　an　absurdity。〃

〃Let　him　say　it。〃

〃I　ought　not　to　allow　such　ridiculous　questions　to　be　discussed　in　my　house。〃

〃What　is　Senor　Ramos'　business　with　me？〃

Caballuco　uttered　a　few　words。

〃Enough；　enough！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Don't　trouble　my　nephew　any　more。　Pepe；　don't　mind　this　simpleton。　Do　you　wish　me　to　tell　you　the　cause　of　the　great　Caballuco's　anger？〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　others。

〃Anger？　I　think　I　can　imagine；〃　said　the　Penitentiary；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　laughing　with　boisterous　hilarity。

〃I　wanted　to　say　to　Senor　Don　Jose〃　growled　the　formidable　horseman。

〃Hold　your　tongue；　man；　for　Heaven's　sake！　And　don't　tire　us　any　more　with　that　nonsense。〃

〃Senor　Caballuco；〃　said　the　canon；　〃it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　gentlemen　from　the　capital　should　cut　out　the　rough　riders　of　this　savage　country。〃

〃In　two　words；　Pepe；　the　question　is　this：　Caballuco　is〃

She　could　not　go　on　for　laughing。

〃IsI　don't　know　just　what；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　〃of　one　of　the　Troya　girls；　of　Mariquita　Juana；　if　I　am　not　mistaken。〃

〃And　he　is　jealous！　After　his　horse；　the　first　thing　in　creation　for　him　is　Mariquilla　Troya。〃

〃A　pretty　insinuation　that！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Poor　Cristobal！　Did　you　suppose　that　a　person　like　my　nephewlet　us　hear；　what　were　you　going　to　say　to　him？　Speak。〃

〃Senor　Don　Jose　and　I　will　talk　together　presently；〃　responded　the　bravo　of　the　town　brusquely。

And　without　another　word　he　left　the　room。

Shortly　afterward　Pepe　Rey　left　the　dining…room　to　retire　to　his　own　room。　In　the　hall　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　his　Trojan　antagonist；　and　he　could　not　repress　a　smile　at　the　sight　of　the　fierce　and　gl