dona perecta-第39章

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〃A　better　man　was　never　born；〃　said　Uncle　Licurgo；　wiping；　or　pretending　to　wipe　away　a　tear。

〃Long　life　to　the　Senor　Penitentiary！〃　cried　Frasquito　Gonzalez；　rising　to　his　feet　and　throwing　his　cap　up　to　the　ceiling。

〃Silence！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Sit　down；　Frasquito！　You　are　one　of　those　with　whom　it　is　always　much　cry　and　little　wool。〃

〃Blessed　be　God　who　gave　you　that　eloquent　tongue！〃　exclaimed　Cristobal；　inflamed　with　admiration。　〃What　a　pair　I　have　before　me！　While　these　two　live　what　need　is　there　of　any　one　else？　All　the　people　in　Spain　ought　to　be　like　them。　But　how　could　that　be；　when　there　is　nothing　in　it　but　roguery！　In　Madrid；　which　is　the　capital　where　the　law　and　the　mandarins　come　from；　every　thing　is　robbery　and　cheating。　Poor　religion；　what　a　state　they　have　brought　it　to！　There　is　nothing　to　be　seen　but　crimes。　Senor　Don　Inocencio；　Senora　Dona　Perfecta；　by　my　father's　soul；　by　the　soul　of　my　grandfather；　by　the　salvation　of　my　own　soul；　I　swear　that　I　wish　to　die！〃

〃To　die！〃

〃That　I　wish　those　rascally　dogs　may　kill　me；　and　I　say　that　I　wish　they　may　kill　me；　because　I　cannot　cut　them　in　quarters。　I　am　very　little。〃

〃Ramos；　you　are　great；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　solemnly。

〃Great？　Great？　Very　great；　as　far　as　my　courage　is　concerned；　but　have　I　fortresses；　have　I　cavalry；　have　I　artillery？〃

〃That　is　a　thing；　Ramos；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling；　〃about　which　I　would　not　concern　myself。　Has　not　the　enemy　what　you　lack？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Take　it　from　him；　then。〃

〃We　will　take　it　from　him；　yes；　senora。　When　I　say　that　we　will　take　it　from　him〃

〃My　dear　Ramos；〃　exclaimed　Don　Inocencio；　〃yours　is　an　enviable　position。　To　distinguish　yourself；　to　raise　yourself　above　the　base　multitude；　to　put　yourself　on　an　equality　with　the　greatest　heroes　of　the　earth；　to　be　able　to　say　that　the　hand　of　God　guides　your　handoh；　what　grandeur　and　honor！　My　friend；　this　is　not　flattery。　What　dignity；　what　nobleness；　what　magnanimity！　No；　men　of　such　a　temper　cannot　die。　The　Lord　goes　with　them；　and　the　bullet　and　the　steel　of　the　enemy　are　arrested　in　their　course；　they　do　not　darehow　should　they　dareto　touch　them；　coming　from　the　musket　and　the　hand　of　heretics？　Dear　Caballuco；　seeing　you；　seeing　your　bravery　and　your　nobility；　there　come　to　my　mind　involuntarily　the　verses　of　that　ballad　on　the　conquest　of　the　Empire　of　Trebizond：

〃　'Came　the　valiant　Roland　　　　Armed　at　every　point；　　　　On　his　war…horse　mounted；　　　　The　gallant　Briador；　　　　His　good　sword　Durlindana　　　　Girded　to　his　side；　　　　Couched　for　the　attack　his　lance；　　　　On　his　arm　his　buckler　stout；　　　　Through　his　helmet's　visor　　　　Flashing　fire　he　came；　　　　Quivering　like　a　slender　reed　　　　Shaken　by　the　wind　his　lance；　　　　And　all　the　host　united　　　　Defying　haughtily。'　〃

〃Very　good；〃　exclaimed　Licurgo；　clapping　his　hands。　〃And　I　say　like　Don　Renialdos：

〃　'Let　none　the　wrath　of　Don　Renialdos　　　　Dare　brave　and　hope　to　escape　unscathed；　　　　For　he　who　seeks　with　him　a　quarrel；　　　　Shall　pay　so　dearly　for　his　rashness　　　　That　he；　and　all　his　cause　who　champion；　　　　Shall　at　my　hand　or　meet　destruction　　　　Or　chastisement　severe　shall　suffer。'　〃

〃Ramos；　you　will　take　some　supper；　you　will　eat　something；　won't　you？〃　said　the　mistress　of　the　house。

〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　answered　the　Centaur。　〃Or　if　you　give　me　any　thing；　let　it　be　a　plate　of　gunpowder。〃

And　bursting　into　a　boisterous　laugh；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　room　several　times；　attentively　observed　by　every　one；　then；　stopping　beside　the　group；　he　looked　fixedly　at　Dona　Perfecta　and　thundered　forth　these　words：

〃I　say　that　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。　Long　live　Orbajosa！　death　to　Madrid！〃

And　he　brought　his　hand　down　on　the　table　with　such　violence　that　the　floor　shook。

〃What　a　valiant　spirit！〃　said　Don　Inocencio。

〃What　a　fist　you　have！〃

Every　one　was　looking　at　the　table；　which　had　been　split　in　two　by　the　blow。

Then　they　looked　at　the　never…enough…to…be…admired　Renialdos　or　Caballuco。　Undoubtedly　there　was　in　his　handsome　countenance；　in　his　green　eyes　animated　by　a　strange；　feline　glow；　in　his　black　hair；　in　his　herculean　frame；　a　certain　expression　and　air　of　grandeura　trace；　or　rather　a　memory；　of　the　grand　races　that　dominated　the　world。　But　his　general　aspect　was　one　of　pitiable　degeneration；　and　it　was　difficult　to　discover　the　noble　and　heroic　filiation　in　the　brutality　of　the　present。　He　resembled　Don　Cayetano's　great　men　as　the　mule　resembles　the　horse。



CHAPTER　XXIII

MYSTERY

The　conference　lasted　for　some　time　longer；　but　we　omit　what　followed　as　not　being　necessary　to　a　clear　understanding　of　our　story。　At　last　they　separated；　Senor　Don　Inocencio　remaining　to　the　last；　as　usual。　Before　the　canon　and　Dona　Perfecta　had　had　time　to　exchange　a　word；　an　elderly　woman；　Dona　Perfecta's　confidential　servant　and　her　right　hand；　entered　the　dining…room；　and　her　mistress；　seeing　that　she　looked　disturbed　and　anxious；　was　at　once　filled　with　disquietude；　suspecting　that　something　wrong　was　going　on　in　the　house。

〃I　can't　find　the　senorita　anywhere；〃　said　the　servant；　in　answer　to　her　mistress'　questions。

〃Good　HeavensRosario！　Where　is　my　daughter？〃

〃Virgin　of　Succor　protect　us！〃　cried　the　Penitentiary；　taking　up　his　hat　and　preparing　to　hurry　out　with　Dona　Perfecta。

〃Search　for　her　well。　But　was　she　not　with　you　in　her　room？〃

〃Yes；　senora；〃　answered　the　old　woman；　trembling；　〃but　the　devil　tempted　me；　and　I　fell　asleep。〃

〃A　curse　upon　your　sleep！　What　is　this？　Rosario；　Rosario！　Librada！〃

They　went　upstairs　and　came　down　again；　they　went　up　a　second　time　and　came　down　again；　carrying　a　light　and　looking　carefully　in　all　the　rooms。　At　last　the　voice　of　the　Penitentiary　was　heard　saying　joyfully　from　the　stairs：

〃Here　she　is；　here　she　is！　She　has　been　found。〃

A　moment　later　mother　and　daughter　were　standing　face　to　face　in　the　hall。

〃Where　were　you？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta；　in　a　severe　voice；　scrutinizing　her　daughter's　face　closely。

〃In　the　garden；〃　answered　the　girl；　more　dead　than　alive。

〃In　the　garden　at　this　hour？　Rosario！〃

〃I　was　warm；　I　went　to　the　window；　my　handkerchief　dropped　out；　and　I　came　down　stairs　for　it！〃

〃Why　didn't　you　ask　Librada　to　get　it　for　you？　Librada！　Where　is　that　girl？　Has　she　fallen　asleep　too？〃

Librada　at　last　made　her　appearance。　Her　pale　face　revealed　the　consternation　and　the　apprehension　of　the　delinquent。

〃What　is　this？　Where　were　you？〃　asked　her　mistress；　with　terrible　anger。

〃Why；　senora；　I　came　down　stairs　to　get　the　clothes　out　of　the　front　roomand　I　fell　asleep。〃

〃Every　one　here　seems　to　have　fallen　asleep　to…night。　Some　of　you；　I　fancy；　will　not　sleep　in　my　house　to…morrow　night。　Rosario；　you　may　go。〃

Comprehending　that　it　was　necessary　to　act　with　promptness　and　energy；　Dona　Perfecta　and　the　canon　began　their　investigations　without　delay。　Questions；　threats；　entreaties；　promises；　were　skilfully　employed　to　discover　the　truth　regarding　what　had　happened。　Not　even　the　shadow　of　guilt　was　found　to　attach　to　the　old　servant；　but　Librada　confessed　frankly　between　tears　and　sighs　all　her　delinquencies；　which　we　will　sum　up　as　follows：

Shortly　after　his　arrival　in　the　house　Senor　Pinzon　had　begun　to　cast　loving　glances　at　Senorita　Rosario。　He　had　given　money　to　Librada；　according　to　what　the　latter　said；　to　carry　messages　and　love…letters　to　her。　The　young　lady　had　not　seemed　angry；　but；　on　the　contrary；　pleased；　and　several　days　had　passed　in　this　manner。　Finally；　the　servant　declared　that　Rosario　and　Senor　Pinzon　had　agreed　to　meet　and　talk　with　each　other　on　this　night　at　the　window　of　the　room　of　the　latter；　which　opened　on　the　garden。　They　had　confided　their　design　to　the　maid；　who　promised　to　favor　it；　in　consideration　of　a　sum　which　was　at　once　given　her。　It　had　been　agreed　that　Senor　Pinzon　was　to　leave　the　house　at　his　usual　hour　and　return　to　it　secretly　at　nine　o'clock；　go　to　his　room；　and　leave　it　and　the　house　again；　clandestinely　also；　a　little　later；　to　return；　without　concealment；　at　his　usual　late　hour。　In　this　way　no　suspicion　would　fall　upon　him。　Librada　had　waited　for　Pinzon；　who　had　entered　the　house　closely　enveloped　in　his　cloak；　without　speaking　a