dona perecta-第43章

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〃Finish　at　once！〃

〃Caballuco　is　there！〃

〃Up　there？　In　the　house　of　the　Troyas？〃

〃Yes；　senor。　He　spoke　to　me　from　the　terrace；　and　he　told　me　he　was　afraid　they　were　coming　there　to　arrest　him。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　fool！　That　idiot　is　going　to　allow　himself　to　be　arrested！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　tapping　the　floor　impatiently　with　her　foot。

〃He　wants　to　come　down　and　let　us　hide　him　in　the　house。〃

〃Here？〃

The　canon　and　his　niece　exchanged　a　glance。

〃Let　him　come　down！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　vehemently。

〃Here？〃　repeated　Don　Inocencio；　with　a　look　of　ill…humor。

〃Here；〃　answered　the　lady。　〃I　don't　know　of　any　house　where　he　would　be　more　secure。〃

〃He　can　let　himself　down　easily　from　the　window　of　my　room；〃　said　Jacinto。

〃Well；　if　it　is　necessary〃

〃Maria　Remedios；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃if　they　take　that　man；　all　is　lost。〃

〃I　am　a　fool　and　a　simpleton；〃　answered　the　canon's　niece；　laying　her　hand　on　her　breast　and　stifling　the　sigh　that　was　doubtless　about　to　escape　from　it；　〃but　they　shall　not　take　him。〃

Dona　Perfecta　went　out　quickly；　and　shortly　afterward　the　Centaur　was　making　himself　comfortable　in　the　arm…chair　in　which　Don　Inocencio　was　accustomed　to　sit　when　he　was　writing　his　sermons。

We　do　not　know　how　it　reached　the　ears　of　Brigadier　Batalla；　but　certain　it　is　that　this　active　soldier　had　had　notice　that　the　Orbajosans　had　changed　their　intentions；　and　on　the　morning　of　this　day　he　had　ordered　the　arrest　of　those　whom　in　our　rich　insurrectional　language　we　are　accustomed　to　call　marked。　The　great　Caballuco　escaped　by　a　miracle；　taking　refuge　in　the　house　of　the　Troyas；　but　not　thinking　himself　safe　there　he　descended；　as　we　have　seen；　to　the　holy　and　unsuspected　mansion　of　the　good　canon。

At　night　the　soldiers；　established　at　various　points　of　the　town；　kept　a　strict　watch　on　all　who　came　in　and　went　out；　but　Ramos　succeeded　in　making　his　escape；　cheating　or　perhaps　without　cheating　the　vigilance　of　the　military。　This　filled　the　measure　of　the　rage　of　the　Orbajosans；　and　numbers　of　people　were　conspiring　in　the　hamlets　near　Villahorrenda；　meeting　at　night　to　disperse　in　the　morning　and　prepare　in　this　way　the　arduous　business　of　the　insurrection。　Ramos　scoured　the　surrounding　country；　collecting　men　and　arms；　and　as　the　flying　columns　followed　the　Aceros　into　the　district　of　Villajuan　de　Nahara；　our　chivalrous　hero　made　great　progress　in　a　very　short　time。

At　night　he　ventured　boldly　into　Orbajosa；　employing　stratagems　and　perhaps　bribery。　His　popularity　and　the　protection　which　he　received　in　the　town　served　him；　to　a　certain　extent；　as　a　safeguard；　and　it　would　not　be　rash　to　affirm　that　the　soldiers　did　not　manifest　toward　this　daring　leader　of　the　insurrection　the　same　rigor　as　toward　the　insignificant　men　of　the　place。　In　Spain；　and　especially　in　time　of　war；　which　is　here　always　demoralizing；　these　unworthy　considerations　toward　the　great　are　often　seen；　while　the　little　are　persecuted　pitilessly。　Favored　then　by　his　boldness；　by　bribery；　or　by　we　know　not　what；　Caballuco　entered　Orbajosa；　gained　new　recruits；　and　collected　arms　and　money。　Either　for　the　great　security　of　his　person　or　in　order　to　save　appearances；　he　did　not　set　foot　in　his　own　house；　he　entered　Dona　Perfecta's　only　for　the　purpose　of　treating　of　important　affairs；　and　he　usually　supped　in　the　house　of　some　friend；　preferring　always　the　respected　domicile　of　some　priest；　and　especially　that　of　Don　Inocencio；　where　he　had　taken　refuge　on　the　fateful　morning　of　the　arrests。

Meanwhile　Batalla　had　telegraphed　to　the　Government　the　information　that　a　plot　of　the　rebels　having　been　discovered　its　authors　had　been　imprisoned；　and　the　few　who　had　succeeded　in　escaping　had　fled　in　various　directions　and　were　being　actively　pursued　by　the　military。



CHAPTER　XXVI

MARIA　REMEDIOS

There　is　nothing　more　entertaining　than　to　search　for　the　cause　of　some　interesting　event　which　surprises　or　agitates　us；　and　nothing　more　satisfactory　than　to　discover　it。　When；　seeing　violent　passions　in　open　or　concealed　conflict；　and　led　by　the　natural　intuitive　impulse　which　always　accompanies　human　observation　we　succeed　in　discovering　the　hidden　source　from　which　that　turbulent　river　had　derived　its　waters；　we　experience　a　sensation　very　similar　to　the　delight　of　the　explorer　or　the　discoverer　of　an　unknown　land。

This　delight　Providence　has　now　bestowed　upon　us；　for；　exploring　the　hidden　recesses　of　the　hearts　which　beat　in　this　story；　we　have　discovered　an　event　that　is　assuredly　the　source　of　the　most　important　events　that　we　have　narrated；　a　passion　which　is　the　first　drop　of　water　of　the　impetuous　current　whose　course　we　are　observing。

Let　us　go　on　with　our　story；　then。　To　do　so；　let　us　leave　Senora　de　Polentinos；　without　concerning　ourselves　in　regard　to　what　may　have　happened　to　her　on　the　morning　of　her　conversation　with　Maria　Remedios。　Returning　to　her　house；　full　of　anxiety；　she　found　herself　obliged　to　endure　the　apologies　and　the　civilities　of　Senor　Pinzon；　who　assured　her　that　while　he　lived　her　house　should　not　be　searched。　Dona　Perfecta　responded　haughtily；　without　deigning　to　look　at　him；　for　which　reason　he　asked　her　politely　for　an　explanation　of　her　coldness；　to　which　she　replied　requesting　Senor　Pinzon　to　leave　her　house；　deferring　to　a　future　occasion　the　explanation　which　she　would　require　from　him　of　his　perfidious　conduct　while　in　it。　Don　Cayetano　arriving　at　this　moment；　words　were　exchanged　between　the　two　gentlemen；　as　between　man　and　man；　but　as　we　are　more　interested　at　present　in　another　matter；　we　will　leave　the　Polentinos　and　the　lieutenant…colonel　to　settle　matters　between　them　as　best　they　can；　and　proceed　to　examine　the　question　of　the　sources　above　mentioned。

Let　us　fix　our　attention　on　Maria　Remedios；　an　estimable　woman；　to　whom　it　is　indispensably　necessary　to　devote　a　few　words。　She　was　a　lady；　a　real　ladyfor；　notwithstanding　her　humble　origin；　the　virtues　of　her　uncle；　Senor　Don　Inocencio；　also　of　low　origin；　but　elevated　by　his　learning　and　his　estimable　qualities；　had　shed　extraordinary　lustre　over　the　whole　family。

The　love　of　Remedios　for　Jacinto　was　one　of　the　strongest　passions　of　which　the　maternal　heart　is　capable。　She　loved　him　with　delirium；　her　son's　welfare　was　her　first　earthly　consideration；　she　regarded　him　as　the　most　perfect　type　of　beauty　and　talent　ever　created　by　God；　and　to　see　him　happy　and　great　and　powerful　she　would　have　given　her　whole　life　and　even　a　part　of　the　life　to　come。　The　maternal　sentiment　is　the　only　one　which；　because　of　its　nobility　and　its　sanctity；　will　admit　of　exaggeration；　the　only　one　which　the　delirium　of　passion　does　not　debase。　Nevertheless　it　is　a　singular　phenomenon；　frequently　observed；　that　this　exaltation　of　maternal　affection；　if　not　accompanied　with　absolute　purity　of　heart　and　with　perfect　uprightness　is　apt　to　become　perverted　and　transformed　into　a　lamentable　frenzy；　which　may　lead；　like　any　other　ungoverned　passion；　to　great　errors　and　catastrophies。

In　Orbajosa　Maria　Remedios　passed　for　a　model　of　virtue　and　a　model　nieceperhaps　she　was　so　in　reality。　She　served　with　affection　all　who　needed　her　services；　she　never　gave　occasion　for　gossip　or　for　scandal；　she　never　mixed　herself　up　in　intrigues。　She　carried　her　religion　to　the　extreme　of　an　offensive　fanaticism；　she　practised　charity；　she　managed　her　uncle's　house　with　the　utmost　ability；　she　was　well　received；　admired　and　kindly　treated　everywhere；　in　spite　of　the　almost　intolerable　annoyance　produced　by　her　persistent　habit　of　sighing　and　speaking　always　in　a　complaining　voice。

But　in　Dona　Perfecta's　house　this　excellent　lady　suffered　a　species　of　/capitis　diminutio/。　In　times　far　distant　and　very　bitter　for　the　family　of　the　good　Penitentiary；　Maria　Remedios　（since　it　is　the　truth；　why　should　it　not　be　told？）　had　been　a　laundress　in　the　house　of　Polentinos。　And　let　it　not　be　supposed　that　Dona　Perfecta　looked　down　upon　her　on　this　accountnothing　of　the　kind。　She　behaved　to　her　without　any　haughtiness；　she　felt　a　real　sisterly　affection　for　her；　they　ate　together；　they　prayed　together；　they　confided　their　troubles　to　each　other；　they　aided　each　other　in　their