dona perecta-第37章

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Ramos；　moving　about　restlessly　in　his　chair；　like　one　who　is　troubled　with　the　itch；　seemed　greatly　disturbed。　His　nostrils　expelled　and　drew　in　the　air；　like　those　of　a　horse。　Within　that　massive　frame　a　storm　of　rage　and　fury；　roaring　and　destroying；　struggled　to　escape。　After　stammering　a　few　words　and　muttering　others　under　his　breath；　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　bellowed：

〃I　will　cut　off　the　head　of　Senor　Rey！〃

〃What　folly！　You　are　as　brutal　as　you　are　cowardly；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　turning　pale。　〃Why　do　you　talk　about　killing？　I　want　no　one　killed；　much　less　my　nephewa　person　whom　I　love；　in　spite　of　his　wickedness。〃

〃A　homicide！　What　an　atrocity！〃　exclaimed　Don　Inocencio；　scandalized。　〃The　man　is　mad！〃

〃To　kill！　The　very　idea　of　killing　a　man　horrifies　me；　Caballuco；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　closing　her　mild　eyes。　〃Poor　man！　Ever　since　you　have　been　wanting　to　show　your　bravery；　you　have　been　howling　like　a　ravening　wolf。　Go　away；　Ramos；　you　terrify　me。〃

〃Doesn't　the　mistress　say　she　is　afraid？　Doesn't　she　say　that　they　will　attack　the　house；　that　they　will　carry　off　the　young　lady？〃

〃Yes；　I　fear　so。〃

〃And　one　man　is　going　to　do　that；〃　said　Ramos　contemptuously；　sitting　down　again；　〃Don　Pepe　Poquita　Cosa；　with　his　mathematics；　is　going　to　do　that。　I　did　wrong　in　saying　I　would　slit　his　throat。　A　doll　of　that　kind　one　takes　by　the　ear　and　ducks　in　the　river。〃

〃Yes；　laugh　now；　you　fool！　It　is　not　my　nephew　alone　who　is　going　to　commit　the　outrages　you　have　mentioned　and　which　I　fear；　if　it　were　he　alone　I　should　not　fear　him。　I　would　tell　Librada　to　stand　at　the　door　with　a　broomand　that　would　be　sufficient。　It　is　not　he　alone；　no！〃

〃Who　then？〃

〃Pretend　you　don't　understand！　Don't　you　know　that　my　nephew　and　the　brigadier　who　commands　that　accursed　troop　have　been　confabulating？〃

〃Confabulating！〃　repeated　Caballuco；　as　if　puzzled　by　the　word。

〃That　they　are　bosom　friends；〃　said　Licurgo。　〃Confabulate　means　to　be　like　bosom　friends。　I　had　my　suspicions　already　of　what　the　mistress　says。〃

〃It　all　amounts　to　thisthat　the　brigadier　and　the　officers　are　hand　and　glove　with　Don　Jose；　and　what　he　wants　those　brave　soldiers　want；　and　those　brave　soldiers　will　commit　all　kinds　of　outrages　and　atrocities；　because　that　is　their　trade。〃

〃And　we　have　no　alcalde　to　protect　us。〃

〃Nor　judge。〃

〃Nor　governor。　That　is　to　say　that　we　are　at　the　mercy　of　that　infamous　rabble。〃

〃Yesterday；〃　said　Vejarruco；　〃some　soldiers　enticed　away　Uncle　Julian's　youngest　daughter；　and　the　poor　thing　was　afraid　to　go　back　home；　they　found　her　standing　barefooted　beside　the　old　fountain；　crying　and　picking　up　the　pieces　of　her　broken　jar。〃

〃Poor　Don　Gregorio　Palomeque；　the　notary　of　Naharilla　Alta！〃　said　Frasquito。　〃Those　rascals　robbed　him　of　all　the　money　he　had　in　his　house。　And　all　the　brigadier　said；　when　he　was　told　about　it；　was　it　was　a　lie。〃

〃Tyrants！　greater　tyrants　were　never　born；〃　said　the　other。　〃When　I　say　that　it　is　through　punctilio　that　I　am　not　with　the　Aceros！〃

〃And　what　news　is　there　of　Francisco　Acero？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta　gently。　〃I　should　be　sorry　if　any　mischance　were　to　happen　to　him。　Tell　me；　Don　Inocencio；　was　not　Francisco　Acero　born　in　Orbajosa？〃

〃No；　he　and　his　brother　are　from　Villajuan。〃

〃I　am　sorry　for　it；　for　Orbajosa's　sake；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃This　poor　city　has　fallen　into　misfortune。　Do　you　know　if　Francisco　Acero　gave　his　word　to　the　governor　not　to　trouble　the　poor　soldiers　in　their　abductions；　in　their　impious　deeds；　in　their　sacrilegious　acts；　in　their　villanies？〃

Caballuco　sprang　from　his　chair。　He　felt　himself　now　not　stung；　but　cut　to　the　quick　by　a　cruel　stroke；　like　that　of　a　sabre。　With　his　face　burning　and　his　eyes　flashing　fire　he　cried：

〃I　gave　my　word　to　the　governor　because　the　governor　told　me　that　they　had　come　for　a　good　purpose。〃

〃Barbarian；　don't　shout！　Speak　like　other　people；　and　we　will　listen　to　you。〃

〃I　promised　that　neither　I　nor　any　of　my　friends　would　raise　guerillas　in　the　neighborhood　of　Orbajosa。　To　those　who　wanted　to　take　up　arms　because　they　were　itching　to　fight　I　said：　'Go　to　the　Aceros；　for　here　we　won't　stir。'　But　I　have　a　good　many　honest　men；　yes；　senora；　and　true　men；　yes；　senora；　and　valiant　men；　yes；　senora；　scattered　about　in　the　hamlets　and　villages　and　in　the　suburbs　and　the　mountains；　each　in　his　own　house；　eh？　And　so　soon　as　I　say　a　quarter　of　a　word　to　them；　eh？　they　　will　be　taking　down　their　guns；　eh？　and　setting　out　on　horseback　or　on　foot；　for　whatever　place　I　tell　them。　And　don't　keep　harping　on　words；　for　if　I　gave　my　word　it　was　because　I　don't　wish　to　fight；　and　if　I　want　guerillas　there　will　be　guerillas；　and　if　I　don't　there　won't；　for　I　am　who　I　am；　the　same　man　that　I　always　was；　as　every　one　knows　very　well。　And　I　say　again　don't　keep　harping　on　words；　eh？　and　don't　let　people　say　one　thing　to　me　when　they　mean　another；　eh？　and　if　people　want　me　to　fight；　let　them　say　so　plainly；　eh？　for　that　is　what　God　has　given　us　tongues　for；　to　say　this　thing　or　that。　The　mistress　knows　very　well　who　I　am；　as　I　know　that　I　owe　to　her　the　shirt　on　my　back；　and　the　bread　I　eat　to…day；　and　the　first　pea　I　sucked　after　I　was　weaned；　and　the　coffin　in　which　my　father　was　buried　when　he　died；　and　the　medicines　and　the　doctor　that　cured　me　when　I　was　sick；　and　the　mistress　knows　very　well　that　if　she　says　to　me；　'Caballuco；　break　your　head；'　I　will　go　there　to　the　corner　and　dash　it　against　the　wall；　the　mistress　knows　very　well　that　if　she　tells　me　now　that　it　is　day；　although　I　see　that　it　is　night；　I　will　believe　that　I　am　mistaken；　and　that　it　is　broad　day；　the　mistress　knows　very　well　that　she　and　her　interests　are　for　me　before　my　own　life；　and　that　if　a　mosquito　stings　her　in　my　presence；　I　pardon　it；　because　it　is　a　mosquito；　the　mistress　knows　very　well　that　she　is　dearer　to　me　than　all　there　is　besides　under　the　sun。　To　a　man　of　heart　like　me　one　says；　'Caballuco；　you　stupid　fellow；　do　this　or　do　that。'　And　let　there　be　an　end　to　sarcasms；　and　beating　about　the　bush；　and　preaching　one　thing　and　meaning　another；　and　a　stab　here　and　a　pinch　there。〃

〃There；　man；　calm　yourself；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　kindly。　〃You　have　worked　yourself　into　a　heat　like　those　republican　orators　who　came　here　to　preach　free　religion；　free　love；　and　I　don't　know　how　many　other　free　things。　Let　them　bring　you　a　glass　of　water。〃

Caballuco；　twisting　his　handkerchief　into　a　ball；　wiped　with　it　his　broad　forehead　and　his　neck；　which　were　bathed　in　perspiration。　A　glass　of　water　was　brought　to　him　and　the　worthy　canon；　with　a　humility　that　was　in　perfect　keeping　with　his　sacerdotal　character；　took　it　from　the　servant's　hand　to　give　it　to　him　himself；　and　held　the　plate　while　he　drank。　Caballuco　gulped　down　the　water　noisily。

〃Now　bring　another　glass　for　me；　Senora　Librada；〃　said　Don　Inocencio。　〃I　have　a　little　fire　inside　me　too。〃



CHAPTER　XXII

〃DESPERTA！〃

〃With　regard　to　the　guerillas；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　when　they　had　finished　drinking；　〃all　I　will　say　isdo　as　your　conscience　dictates　to　you。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　dictations；〃　cried　Ramos。　〃I　will　do　whatever　the　mistress　pleases！〃

〃I　can　give　you　no　advice　on　so　important　a　matter；〃　answered　Dona　Perfecta　with　the　cautiousness　and　moderation　which　so　well　became　her。　〃This　is　a　very　serious　business；　and　I　can　give　you　no　advice　about　it。〃

〃But　your　opinion〃

〃My　opinion　is　that　you　should　open　your　eyes　and　see；　that　you　should　open　your　ears　and　hear。　Consult　your　own　heartI　will　grant　that　you　have　a　great　heart。　Consult　that　judge；　that　wise　counsellor；　and　do　as　it　bids　you。〃

Caballuco　reflected；　he　meditated　as　much　as　a　sword　can　meditate。

〃We　counted　ourselves　yesterday　in　Naharilla　Alta；〃　said　Vejarruco；　〃and　we　were　thirteenready　for　any　little　undertaking。　But　as　we　were　afraid　the　mistress　might　be　vexed；　we　did　nothing。　It　is　time　now　for　the　shearing。〃

〃Don't　mind　about　the　shearing；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃There　will　be　time　enough　for　it。　It　won't　be　left　undone　for　that。〃

〃My　two　boys　quarrelled　with　each　other　yesterday；〃　said　Licurgo；　〃because　one　of　them　wanted　to　join　Francisco　Acero　and　the　other　didn't。　'Easy；　boys；　easy