dona perecta-第12节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Rosario felt her face burning； and her heart was beating violently。
〃See； my dear cousin；〃 continued the young man。 〃I swear to you that if you had not pleased me I should be already far away from this place。 Although politeness and delicacy would have obliged me to make an effort to conceal my disappointment； I should have found it hard to do so。 That is my character。〃
〃Cousin； you have only just arrived；〃 said Rosarito laconically； trying to laugh。
〃I have only just arrived； and I already know all that I wanted to know； I know that I love you； that you are the woman whom my heart has long been announcing to me； saying to me night and day； 'Now she is coming； now she is near； now you are burning。' 〃
These words served Rosario as an excuse for breaking into the laugh that had been dimpling her lips。 Her soul swelled with happiness； she breathed an atmosphere of joy。
〃You persist in depreciating yourself；〃 continued Pepe； 〃but for me you possess every perfection。 You have the admirable quality of radiating on all around you the divine light of your soul。 The moment one sees you one feels instinctively the nobility of your mind and the purity of your heart。 To see you is to see a celestial being who； through the forgetfulness of Heaven； remains upon the earth； you are an angel； and I adore you。〃
When he had said this it seemed as if he had fulfilled an important mission。 Rosarito； overcome by the violence of her emotion； felt her scant strength suddenly fail her； and； half…fainting； she sank on a stone that in those pleasant solitudes served as a seat。 Pepe bent over her。 Her eyes were closed； her forehead rested on the palm of her hand。 A few moments later the daughter of Dona Perfecta Polentinos gave her cousin； amid happy tears； a tender glance followed by these words：
〃I loved you before I had ever seen you。〃
Placing her hands in those of the young man she rose to her feet； and their forms disappeared among the leafy branches of an oleander walk。 Night was falling and soft shadows enveloped the lower end of the garden； while the last rays of the setting sun crowned the tree…tops with fleeting splendors。 The noisy republic of the birds kept up a deafening clamor in the upper branches。 It was the hour in which； after flitting about in the joyous regions of the sky； they were all going to rest； and they were disputing with one another the branches they had selected for sleeping…places。 Their chatter at times had a sound of recrimination and controversy； at times of mockery and merriment。 In their voluble twitter the little rascals said the most insulting things to each other； pecking at each other and flapping their wings； as orators wave their arms when they want to make their hearers believe the lies they are telling them。 But words of love were to be heard there too； for the peace of the hour and the beauty of the spot invited to it。 A sharp ear might have distinguished the following：
〃I loved you before I had even seen you； and if you had not come I should have died of grief。 Mamma used to give me your father's letters to read； and he praised you so much in them that I used to say； 'That is the man who ought to be my husband。' For a long time your father said nothing about our marrying； which seemed to me great negligence。 Uncle Cayetano； whenever he spoke of you； would say； 'There are not many men like him in the world。 The woman who gets him for a husband may think herself fortunate。' At last your father said what he could not avoid saying。 Yes； he could not avoid saying itI was expecting it every day。〃
Shortly after these words the same voice added uneasily： 〃Some one is following us。〃
Emerging from among the oleanders； Pepe； turning round； saw two men approaching them； and touching the leaves of a young tree near by； he said aloud to his companion：
〃It is not proper to prune young trees like this for the first time until they have taken firm root。 Trees recently planted have not sufficient strength to bear the operation。 You know that the roots can grow only by means of the leaves； so that if you take the leaves from a tree〃
〃Ah； Senor Don Jose；〃 cried the Penitentiary； with a frank laugh； approaching the two young people and bowing to them； 〃are you giving lessons in horticulture？ /Insere nunc Meliboee piros； pone ordine vites/； as the great singer of the labors of the field said。 'Graft the pear…tree； dear Meliboeus； trim the vines。' And how are we now； Senor Don Jose？〃
The engineer and the canon shook hands。 Then the latter turned round； and indicating by a gesture a young man who was behind him； said； smiling：
〃I have the pleasure of presenting to you my dear Jacintilloa great rogue； a feather…head； Senor Don Jose。〃
CHAPTER IX
THE DISAGREEMENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE； AND THEREAFTER TO BECOME DISCORD
Close beside the black cassock was a fresh and rosy face； that seemed fresher and rosier from the contrast。 Jacinto saluted our hero； not without some embarrassment。
He was one of those precocious youths whom the indulgent university sends prematurely forth into the arena of life； making them fancy that they are men because they have received their doctor's degree。 Jacinto had a round； handsome face with rosy cheeks； like a girl's； and without any beard save the down which announced its coming。 In person he was plump and below the medium height。 His age was a little over twenty。 He had been educated from childhood under the direction of his excellent and learned uncle； which is the same as saying that the twig had not become crooked in the growing。 A severe moral training had kept him always straight； and in the fulfilment of his scholastic duties he had been almost above reproach。 Having concluded his studies at the university with astonishing success； for there was scarcely a class in which he did not take the highest honors； he entered on the practice of his profession； promising； by his application and his aptitude for the law； to maintain fresh and green in the forum the laurels of the lecture…hall。
At times he was as mischievous as a boy； at times as sedate as a man。 In very truth； if Jacinto had not had a little； and even a great deal of liking for pretty girls； his uncle would have thought him perfect。 The worthy man preached to him unceasingly on this point； hastening to clip the wings of every audacious fancy。 But not even this mundane inclination of the young man could cool the great affection which our worthy canon bore the charming offspring of his dear niece； Maria Remedios。 Where the young lawyer was concerned； every thing else must give way。 Even the grave and methodical habits of the worthy ecclesiastic were altered when they interfered with the affairs of his precocious pupil。 That order and regularity； apparently as fixed as the laws of a planetary system； were interrupted whenever Jacinto was ill or had to take a journey。 Useless celibacy of the clergy！ The Council of Trent prohibits them from having children of their own； but Godand not the Devil； as the proverb saysgives them nephews and nieces in order that they may know the tender anxieties of paternity。
Examining impartially the qualities of this clever boy； it was impossible not to recognize that he was not wanting in merit。 His character was in the main inclined to uprightness； and noble actions awakened a frank admiration in his soul。 With respect to his intellectual endowments and his social knowledge； they were sufficient to enable him to become in time one of those notabilities of whom there are so many in Spain； he might be what we take delight in calling hyperbolically a distinguished patrician； or an eminent public man； species which； owing to their great abundance； are hardly appreciated at their just value。 In the tender age in which the university degree serves as a sort of solder between boyhood and manhood； few young men especially if they have been spoiled by their mastersare free from an offensive pedantry； which； if it gives them great importance beside their mamma's arm…chair； makes them very ridiculous when they are among grave and experienced men。 Jacinto had this defect； which was excusable in him； not only because of his youth； but also because his worthy uncle stimulated his puerile vanity by injudicious praise。
When the introduction was over they resumed their walk。 Jacinto was silent。 The canon； returning to the interrupted theme of the /pyros/ which were to be grafted and the /vites/ which were to be trimmed； said：
〃I am already aware that Senor Don Jose is a great agriculturist。〃
〃Not at all； I know nothing whatever about the subject；〃 responded the young man； observing with no little annoyance the canon's mania of supposing him to be learned in all the sciences。
〃Oh； yes！ a great agriculturist；〃 continued the Penitentiary； 'but on agricultural subjects； don't quote the latest treatises to me。 For me the whole of that science； Senor de Rey； is condensed in what I call the Bible of the Field； in the 'Georgics' of the immortal Roman。 It is all admirable； from that grand sentence； /Nec vero terroe ferre omnes omnia possunt/that is to say； that not every soil is suited to every tree； Senor Don Joseto the exhaustive treatise on bees； in which the poet descri
