dona perecta-第41章

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CHAPTER　XXV

UNFORESEEN　EVENTSA　PASSING　DISAGREEMENT

The　scene　changes。　We　see　before　us　a　handsome　room；　bright；　modest；　gay；　comfortable；　and　surprisingly　clean。　A　fine　matting　covers　the　floor；　and　the　white　walls　are　covered　with　good　prints　of　saints　and　some　sculptures　of　doubtful　artistic　value。　The　old　mahogany　of　the　furniture　shines　with　the　polish　of　many　Saturday　rubbings；　and　the　altar；　on　which　a　magnificent　Virgin；　dressed　in　blue　and　silver；　receives　domestic　worship；　is　covered　with　innumerable　pretty　trifles；　half　sacred；　half　profane。　There　are　on　it；　besides；　little　pictures　in　beads；　holy…water　fonts；　a　watch…case　with　an　Agnes　Dei；　a　Palm　Sunday　palm…branch；　and　not　a　few　odorless　artificial　flowers。　A　number　of　oaken　bookshelves　contain　a　rich　and　choice　library；　in　which　Horace；　the　Epicurean　and　Sybarite；　stands　side　by　side　with　the　tender　Virgil；　in　whose　verses　we　see　the　heart　of　the　enamored　Dido　throbbing　and　melting；　Ovid　the　large…nosed；　as　sublime　as　he　is　obscene　and　sycophantic；　side　by　side　with　Martial；　the　eloquent　and　witty　vagabond；　Tibullus　the　impassioned；　with　Cicero　the　grand；　the　severe　Titus　Livius　with　the　terrible　Tacitus；　the　scourge　of　the　Caesars；　Lucretius　the　pantheist；　Juvenal；　who　flayed　with　his　pen；　Plautus；　who　composed　the　best　comedies　of　antiquity　while　turning　a　mill…wheel；　Seneca　the　philosopher；　of　whom　it　is　said　that　the　noblest　act　of　his　life　was　his　death；　Quintilian　the　rhetorician；　the　immoral　Sallust；　who　speaks　so　eloquently　of　virtue；　the　two　Plinys；　Suetonius　and　Varroin　a　word；　all　the　Latin　letters　from　the　time　when　they　stammered　their　first　word　with　Livius　Andronicus　until　they　exhaled　their　last　sigh　with　Rutilius。

But　while　making　this　unnecessary　though　rapid　enumeration；　we　have　not　observed　that　two　women　have　entered　the　room。　It　is　very　early；　but　the　Orbajosans　are　early　risers。　The　birds　are　singing　to　burst　their　throats　in　their　cages；　the　church…bells　are　ringing　for　mass；　and　the　goats；　going　from　house　to　house　to　be　milked；　are　tinkling　their　bells　gayly。

The　two　ladies　whom　we　see　in　the　room　that　we　have　described　have　just　come　back　from　hearing　mass。　They　are　dressed　in　black；　and　each　of　them　carries　in　her　right　hand　her　little　prayer…book；　and　the　rosary　twined　around　her　fingers。

〃Your　uncle　cannot　delay　long　now；〃　said　one　of　them。　〃We　left　him　beginning　mass；　but　he　gets　through　quickly；　and　by　this　time　he　will　be　in　the　sacristy；　taking　off　his　chasuble。　I　would　have　stayed　to　hear　him　say　mass；　but　to…day　is　a　very　busy　day　for　me。〃

〃I　heard　only　the　prebendary's　mass　to…day；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　he　says　mass　in　a　twinkling；　and　I　don't　think　it　has　done　me　any　good；　for　I　was　greatly　preoccupied。　I　could　not　get　the　thought　of　the　terrible　things　that　are　happening　to　us　out　of　my　head。〃

〃What　is　to　be　done？　We　must　only　have　patience。　Let　us　see　what　advice　your　uncle　will　give　us。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　other；　heaving　a　deep　and　pathetic　sigh；　〃I　feel　my　blood　on　fire。〃

〃God　will　protect　us。〃

〃To　think　that　a　person　like　you　should　be　threatened　by　a　　And　he　persists　in　his　designs！　Last　night　Senora　Dona　Perfecta；　I　went　back　to　the　widow　De　Cuzco's　hotel；　as　you　told　me；　and　asked　her　for　later　news。　Don　Pepito　and　the　brigadier　Batalla　are　always　consulting　togetherah；　my　God！　consulting　about　their　infernal　plans；　and　emptying　bottle　after　bottle　of　wine。　They　are　a　pair　of　rakes；　a　pair　of　drunkards。　No　doubt　they　are　plotting　some　fine　piece　of　villany　together。　As　I　take　such　an　interest　in　you；　last　night；　seeing　Don　Pepito　having　the　hotel　while　I　was　there；　I　followed　him〃

〃And　where　did　you　go？〃

〃To　the　Casino；　yes；　senora；　to　the　Casino；〃　responded　the　other；　with　some　confusion。　〃Afterward　he　went　back　to　his　hotel。　And　how　my　uncle　scolded　me　because　I　remained　out　so　late；　playing　the　spy　in　that　way！　But　I　can't　help　it；　and　to　see　a　person　like　you　threatened　by　such　dangers　makes　me　wild。　For　there　is　no　use　in　talking；　I　foresee　that　the　day　we　least　expect　it　those　villains　will　attack　the　house　and　carry　off　Rosarito。〃

Dona　Perfecta；　for　she　it　was；　bending　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　remained　for　a　long　time　wrapped　in　thought。　She　was　pale；　and　her　brows　were　gathered　in　a　frown。　At　last　she　exclaimed：

〃Well；　I　see　no　way　of　preventing　it！〃

〃But　I　see　a　way；〃　quickly　said　the　other　woman；　who　was　the　niece　of　the　Penitentiary　and　Jacinto's　mother；　〃I　see　a　very　simple　way；　that　I　explained　to　you；　and　that　you　do　not　like。　Ah；　senora！　you　are　too　good。　On　occasions　like　this　it　is　better　to　be　a　little　less　perfect　to　lay　scruples　aside。　Why；　would　that　be　an　offence　to　God？〃

〃Maria　Remedios；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　haughtily；　〃don't　talk　nonsense。〃

〃Nonsense！　You；　with　all　your　wisdom；　cannot　make　your　nephew　do　as　you　wish。　What　could　be　simpler　than　what　I　propose？　Since　there　is　no　justice　now　to　protect　us；　let　us　do　a　great　act　of　justice　ourselves。　Are　there　not　men　in　your　house　who　are　ready　for　any　thing？　Well；　call　them　and　say　to　them：　'Look；　Caballuco；　Paso　Largo；'　or　whoever　it　may　be；　'to…night　disguise　yourself　well；　so　that　you　may　not　be　recognized；　take　with　you　a　friend　in　whom　you　have　confidence；　and　station　yourself　at　the　corner　of　the　Calle　de　Santa　Faz。　Wait　a　while；　and　when　Don　Jose　Rey　passes　through　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia　on　his　way　to　the　Casino；for　he　will　certainly　go　to　the　Casino；　understand　me　well；when　he　is　passing　you　will　spring　out　on　him　and　give　him　a　fright。'　〃

〃Maria　Remedios；　don't　be　a　fool！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　with　magisterial　dignity。

〃Nothing　more　than　a　fright；　senora；　attend　well　to　what　I　say；　a　fright。　Why！　Do　you　suppose　I　would　advise　a　crime？　Good　God！　the　very　idea　fills　me　with　horror；　and　I　fancy　I　can　see　before　my　eyes　blood　and　fire！　Nothing　of　the　sort；　senora。　A　frightnothing　but　a　fright；　which　will　make　that　ruffian　understand　that　we　are　well　protected。　He　goes　alone　to　the　Casino；　senora；　entirely　alone；　and　there　he　meets　his　valiant　friends；　those　of　the　sabre　and　the　helmet。　Imagine　that　he　gets　the　fright　and　that　he　has　a　few　bones　broken；　in　addition　without　any　serious　wounds；　of　course。　Well；　in　that　case；　either　his　courage　will　fail　him　and　he　will　leave　Orbajosa；　or　he　will　be　obliged　to　keep　his　bed　for　a　fortnight。　But　they　must　be　told　to　make　the　fright　a　good　one。　No　killing；　of　course；　they　must　take　care　of　that；　but　just　a　good　beating。〃

〃Maria；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　haughtily；　〃you　are　incapable　of　a　lofty　thought；　of　a　great　and　saving　resolve。　What　you　advise　me　is　an　unworthy　piece　of　cowardice。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　be　silent。　Poor　me！　what　a　fool　I　am！〃　exclaimed　the　Penitentiary's　niece　with　humility。　〃I　will　keep　my　follies　to　console　you　after　you　have　lost　your　daughter。〃

〃My　daughter！　Lose　my　daughter！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　with　a　sudden　access　of　rage。　〃Only　to　hear　you　puts　me　out　of　my　senses。　No；　they　shall　not　take　her　from　me！　If　Rosario　does　not　abhor　that　ruffian　as　I　wish　her　to　do；　she　shall　abhor　him。　For　a　mother's　authority　must　have　some　weight。　We　will　tear　this　passion；　or　rather　this　caprice；　from　her　heart；　as　a　tender　plant　is　torn　out　of　the　ground　before　it　has　had　time　to　cast　roots。　No；　this　cannot　be；　Remedios。　Come　what　may；　it　shall　not　be！　Not　even　the　most　infamous　means　he　could　employ　will　avail　that　madman。　Rather　than　see　her　my　nephew's　wife；　I　would　accept　any　evil　that　might　happen　to　her；　even　death！〃

〃Better　dead；　better　buried　and　food　for　worms；〃　affirmed　Remedios；　clasping　her　hands　as　if　she　were　saying　a　prayer〃than　see　her　in　the　power　ofah；　senora；　do　not　be　offended　if　I　say　something　to　you；　and　that　is；　that　it　would　be　a　great　weakness　to　yield　merely　because　Rosarito　has　had　a　few　secret　interviews　with　that　audacious　man。　The　affair　of　the　night　before　last；　as　my　uncle　related　it　to　me；　seems　to　me　a　vile　trick　on　Don　Jose　to　obtain　his　object　by　means　of　a　scandal。　A　great　many　men　do　that。　Ah；　Divine　Saviour；　I　don't　know　how　there　are　women　who　can　look　any　man　in　the　face　unless　it　be　a　priest。〃

〃Be　silent；　be　silent！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　vehemence。　〃Don't　mention　the　occurrenc