dona perecta-第31章

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there　is　so　much　disturbance　in　this　part　of　the　country；　as　two　of　the　neighboring　provinces　are　already　infested；　and　as　this　municipal　district　of　Orbajosa　has；　besides；　so　brilliant　a　record　in　all　the　civil　wars；　there　are　fears　that　the　bravos　of　the　place　may　take　to　the　roads　and　rob　all　they　can　lay　hands　on。〃

〃A　good　precaution！　But　I　am　firmly　convinced　that　not　until　these　people　die　and　are　born　over　again；　not　until　the　very　stones　have　changed　their　form；　will　there　be　peace　in　Orbajosa。〃

〃That　is　my　opinion　too；〃　said　the　officer；　lighting　a　cigarette。　〃Don't　you　see　that　the　guerilla　chiefs　are　the　pets　of　this　place？　Those　who　desolated　the　district　in　1848　and　at　other　epochs；　or；　if　not　they；　their　sons；　are　employed　in　the　market　inspector's　office；　at　the　town　gates；　in　the　town…hall；　in　the　post…office；　among　them　are　constables；　sacristans；　bailiffs。　Some　have　become　powerful　party　leaders　and　they　are　the　ones　who　manage　the　elections；　have　influence　in　Madrid；　bestow　placesin　short；　this　is　terrible。〃

〃And　tell　me；　is　there　no　hope　of　the　guerilla　chiefs　performing　some　exploit　in　these　days？　If　that　should　happen；　you　could　destroy　the　town；　and　I　would　help　you。〃

〃If　it　depended　upon　me　They　will　play　their　usual　pranks　no　doubt；〃　said　Pinzon；　〃for　the　insurrection　in　the　two　neighboring　provinces　is　spreading　like　wildfire。　And　between　ourselves；　friend　Rey；　I　think　this　is　going　to　last　for　a　long　time。　Some　people　smile　and　say　that　it　would　be　impossible　that　there　should　be　another　insurrection　like　the　last　one。　They　don't　know　the　country；　they　don't　know　Orbajosa　and　its　inhabitants。　I　believe　that　the　war　that　is　now　beginning　will　have　serious　consequences；　and　that　we　shall　have　another　cruel　and　bloody　struggle；　that　will　last　Heaven　knows　how　long。　What　is　your　opinion？〃

〃Well；　in　Madrid　I　laughed　at　any　one　who　spoke　of　the　possibility　of　a　civil　war　as　long　and　as　terrible　as　the　Seven　Years'　War；　but　since　I　have　been　here〃

〃One　must　come　to　the　heart　of　this　enchanting　country；　see　the　people　at　home；　and　hear　them　talk；　to　know　what　the　real　state　of　affairs　is。〃

〃Just　so。　Without　knowing　precisely　on　what　I　base　my　opinion；　the　fact　is　that　here　I　see　things　in　a　different　light；　and　I　now　believe　that　it　is　possible　that　there　may　be　a　long　and　bloody　war。〃

〃Exactly　so。〃

〃But　at　present　my　thoughts　are　occupied　less　by　the　public　war　than　by　a　private　war　in　which　I　am　engaged　and　which　I　declared　a　short　time　ago。〃

〃You　said　this　was　your　aunt's　house。　What　is　her　name？〃

〃Dona　Perfecta　Rey　de　Polentinos。〃

〃Ah！　I　know　her　by　reputation。　She　is　an　excellent　person；　and　the　only　one　of　whom　I　have　not　heard　the　garlic…venders　speak　ill。　When　I　was　here　before　I　heard　her　goodness；　her　charity；　her　innumerable　virtues；　everywhere　extolled。〃

〃Yes；　my　aunt　is　very　kind；　very　amiable；〃　said　Rey。

Then　he　fell　into　a　thoughtful　silence。

〃But　now　I　remember！〃　exclaimed　Pinzon　suddenly。　〃How　one　thing　fits　in　with　another！　Yes；　I　heard　in　Madrid　that　you　were　going　to　be　married　to　a　cousin　of　yours。　All　is　clear　now。　Is　it　that　beautiful　and　heavenly　Rosario？〃

〃Pinzon；　we　must　have　a　long　talk　together。〃

〃I　imagine　that　there　are　difficulties。〃

〃There　is　something　more；　there　is　violent　opposition。　I　have　need　of　a　determined　frienda　friend　who　is　prompt　to　act；　fruitful　in　resource；　of　great　experience　in　emergencies；　astute　and　courageous。〃

〃Why；　this　is　even　more　serious　than　a　challenge。〃

〃A　great　deal　more　serious。　It　would　be　easy　to　fight　with　another　man。　With　women；　with　unseen　enemies　who　work　in　the　dark；　it　is　impossible。〃

〃Come；　I　am　all　ears。〃

Lieutenant…colonel　Pinzon　lay　stretched　at　full　length　upon　the　bed。　Pepe　Rey　drew　a　chair　up　to　the　bedside　and；　leaning　his　elbow　on　the　bed　and　his　head　on　his　hand；　began　his　conference；　consultation；　exposition　of　plan；　or　whatever　else　it　might　be　called；　and　continued　talking　for　a　long　time。　Pinzon　listened　to　him　with　profound　attention　and　without　interrupting　him；　except　to　ask　an　occasional　question　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　further　details　or　additional　light　upon　some　obscure　point。　When　Pepe　Rey　ended；　Pinzon　looked　grave。　He　stretched　himself；　yawning　with　the　satisfaction　of　one　who　has　not　slept　for　three　nights；　and　then　said：

〃You　plan　is　dangerous　and　difficult。〃

〃But　not　impossible。〃

〃Oh；　no！　for　nothing　is　impossible。　Reflect　well　about　it。〃

〃I　have　reflected。〃

〃And　you　are　resolved　to　carry　it　through？　Consider　that　these　things　are　not　now　in　fashion。　They　generally　turn　out　badly　and　throw　discredit　on　those　who　undertake　them。〃

〃I　am　resolved。〃

〃For　my　part；　then；　although　the　business　is　dangerous　and　serious　very　seriousI　am　ready　to　aid　you　in　all　things　and　for　all　things。〃

〃Can　I　rely　upon　you？〃

〃To　the　death。〃



CHAPTER　XIX

A　TERRIBLE　BATTLE…STRATEGY

The　opening　of　hostilities　could　not　long　be　delayed。　When　the　hour　of　dinner　arrived；　after　coming　to　an　agreement　with　Pinzon　regarding　the　plan　to　be　pursued；　the　first　condition　of　which　was　that　the　friends　should　pretend　not　to　know　each　other；　Pepe　Rey　went　to　the　dining…　room。　There　he　found　his　aunt；　who　had　just　returned　from　the　cathedral　where　she　had　spent　the　morning　as　was　her　habit。　She　was　alone；　and　appeared　to　be　greatly　preoccupied。　The　engineer　observed　that　on　that　pale　and　marble…like　countenance；　not　without　a　certain　beauty；　there　rested　a　mysterious　shadow。　When　she　looked　up　it　recovered　its　sinister　calmness；　but　she　looked　up　seldom；　and　after　a　rapid　examination　of　her　nephew's　countenance；　that　of　the　amiable　lady　would　again　take　on　its　studied　gloom。

They　awaited　dinner　in　silence。　They　did　not　wait　for　Don　Cayetano；　for　he　had　gone　to　Mundogrande。　When　they　sat　down　to　table　Dona　Perfecta　said：

〃And　that　fine　soldier　whom　the　Government　has　sent　us；　is　he　not　coming　to　dinner？〃

〃He　seems　to　be　more　sleepy　than　hungry；〃　answered　the　engineer；　without　looking　at　his　aunt。

〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃I　have　never　seen　him　in　all　my　life　before。〃

〃We　are　nicely　off　with　the　guests　whom　the　Government　sends　us。　We　have　beds　and　provisions　in　order　to　keep　them　ready　for　those　vagabonds　of　Madrid；　whenever　they　may　choose　to　dispose　of　them。〃

〃There　are　fears　of　an　insurrection；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　with　sudden　heat；　〃and　the　Government　is　determined　to　crush　the　Orbajosansto　crush　them；　to　grind　them　to　powder。〃

〃Stop；　man；　stop；　for　Heaven's　sake；　don't　crush　us！〃　cried　Dona　Perfecta　sarcastically。　〃Poor　we！　Be　merciful；　man；　and　allow　us　unhappy　creatures　to　live。　And　would　you；　then；　be　one　of　those　who　would　aid　the　army　in　the　grand　work　of　crushing　us？〃

〃I　am　not　a　soldier。　I　will　do　nothing　but　applaud　when　I　see　the　germs　of　civil　war；　of　insubordination；　of　discord；　of　disorder；　of　robbery；　and　of　barbarism　that　exist　here；　to　the　shame　of　our　times　and　of　our　country；　forever　extirpated。〃

〃All　will　be　as　God　wills。〃

〃Orbajosa；　my　dear　aunt；　has　little　else　than　garlic　and　bandits；　for　those　who　in　the　name　of　some　political　or　religious　idea　set　out　in　search　of　adventures　every　four　or　five　years　are　nothing　but　bandits。〃

〃Thanks；　thanks；　my　dear　nephew！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　turning　pale。　〃So　Orbajosa　has　nothing　more　than　that？　Yet　there　must　be　something　else　heresomething　that　you　do　not　possess；　since　you　have　come　to　look　for　it　among　us。〃

Rey　felt　the　cut。　His　soul　was　on　fire。　He　found　it　very　difficult　to　show　his　aunt　the　consideration　to　which　her　sex；　her　rank；　and　her　relation　to　himself　entitled　her。　He　was　on　the　verge　of　a　violent　outbreak；　and　a　force　that　he　could　not　resist　was　impelling　him　against　his　interlocutor。

〃I　came　to　Orbajosa；〃　he　said；　〃because　you　sent　for　me；　you　arranged　with　my　father〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　true；〃　she　answered；　interrupting　him　quickly　and　making　an　effort　to　recover　her　habitual　serenity。　〃I　do　not　deny　it。　I　am　the　one　who　is　really　to　blame。　I　am　to　blame　for　your　ill…humor；　for　the　slights　you　put　upon　us；　for　every　thing　disagreeable　that　has　been　happening　in　my　house　since　you　entered　it。〃

〃I　am　glad　that　you　are　conscious　of　it。〃