dona perecta-第20节

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hief…makers；　fond　of　playing　practical　jokes；　and　bold　and　free　in　their　manners。　They　wrote　anonymous　letters　to　grave　personages；　they　gave　nicknames　to　every　living　being　in　Orbajosa；　from　the　bishop　down　to　the　lowest　vagabond；　they　threw　pebbles　at　the　passers…by；　they　hissed　behind　the　window　bars；　in　order　to　amuse　themselves　with　the　perplexity　and　annoyance　of　the　startled　passer…by；　they　found　out　every　thing　that　occurred　in　the　neighborhood；　to　which　end　they　made　constant　use　of　every　window　and　aperture　in　the　upper　part　of　the　house；　they　sang　at　night　in　the　balcony；　they　masked　themselves　during　the　Carnival；　in　order　to　obtain　entrance　into　the　houses　of　the　highest　families；　and　they　played　many　other　mischievous　pranks　peculiar　to　small　towns。　But　whatever　its　cause；　the　fact　was　that　on　the　Troya　triumvirate　rested　one　of　those　stigmas　that；　once　affixed　on　any　one　by　a　susceptible　community；　accompanies　that　person　implacably　even　beyond　the　tomb。

〃This　is　the　gentleman　they　say　has　come　to　discover　the　gold…mines？〃　said　one　of　the　girls。

〃And　to　do　away　with　the　cultivation　of　garlic　in　Orbajosa　to　plant　cotton　or　cinnamon　trees　in　its　stead？〃

Pepe　could　not　help　laughing　at　these　absurdities。

〃All　he　has　come　for　is　to　make　a　collection　of　pretty　girls　to　take　back　with　him　to　Madrid；〃　said　Tafetan。

〃Ah！　I'll　be　very　glad　to　go！〃　cried　one。

〃I　will　take　the　three　of　you　with　me；〃　said　Pepe。　〃But　I　want　to　know　one　thing；　why　were　you　laughing　at　me　when　I　was　at　the　window　of　the　Casino？〃

These　words　were　the　signal　for　fresh　bursts　of　laughter。

〃These　girls　are　silly　things；〃　said　the　eldest。

〃It　was　because　we　said　you　deserved　something　better　than　Dona　Perfecta's　daughter。〃

〃It　was　because　this　one　said　that　you　are　only　losing　your　time；　for　Rosarito　cares　only　for　people　connected　with　the　Church。〃

〃How　absurd　you　are！　I　said　nothing　of　the　kind！　It　was　you　who　said　that　the　gentleman　was　a　Lutheran　atheist；　and　that　he　enters　the　cathedral　smoking　and　with　his　hat　on。〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　invent　it；　that　is　what　Suspiritos　told　me　yesterday。〃

〃And　who　is　this　Suspiritos　who　says　such　absurd　things　about　me？〃

〃Suspiritos　isSuspiritos。〃

〃Girls；〃　said　Tafetan；　with　smiling　countenance；　〃there　goes　the　orange…vender。　Call　him；　I　want　to　invite　you　to　eat　oranges。〃

One　of　the　girls　called　the　orange…vender。

The　conversation　started　by　the　Troyas　displeased　Pepe　Rey　not　a　little；　dispelling　the　slight　feeling　of　contentment　which　he　had　experienced　at　finding　himself　in　such　gay　and　communicative　company。　He　could　not；　however；　refrain　from　smiling　when　he　saw　Don　Juan　Tafetan　take　down　a　guitar　and　begin　to　play　upon　it　with　all　the　grace　and　skill　of　his　youthful　years。

〃I　have　been　told　that　you　sing　beautifully；〃　said　Rey　to　the　girls。

〃Let　Don　Juan　Tafetan　sing。〃

〃I　don't　sing。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　said　the　second　of　the　girls；　offering　the　engineer　some　pieces　of　the　skin　of　the　orange　she　had　just　peeled。

〃Maria　Juana；　don't　leave　your　sewing；〃　said　the　eldest　of　the　Troyas。　〃It　is　late；　and　the　cassock　must　be　finished　to…night。〃

〃There　is　to　be　no　work　to…day。　To　the　devil　with　the　needles！〃　exclaimed　Tafetan。

And　he　began　to　sing　a　song。

〃The　people　are　stopping　in　the　street；〃　said　the　second　of　the　girls；　going　out　on　the　balcony。　〃Don　Juan　Tafetan's　shouts　can　be　heard　in　the　PlazaJuana；　Juana！〃

〃Well？〃

〃Suspiritos　is　walking　down　the　street。〃

〃Throw　a　piece　of　orange…peel　at　her。〃

Pepe　Rey　looked　out　also；　he　saw　a　lady　walking　down　the　street　at　whom　the　youngest　of　the　Troyas；　taking　a　skilful　aim；　threw　a　large　piece　of　orange…peel；　which　struck　her　straight　on　the　back　of　the　head。　Then　they　hastily　closed　the　blinds；　and　the　three　girls　tried　to　stifle　their　laughter　so　that　it　might　not　be　heard　in　the　street。

〃There　is　no　work　to…day；〃　cried　one；　overturning　the　sewing…basket　with　the　tip　of　her　shoe。

〃That　is　the　same　as　saying；　to…morrow　there　is　to　be　no　eating；〃　said　the　eldest；　gathering　up　the　sewing　implements。

Pepe　Rey　instinctively　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket。　He　would　gladly　have　given　them　an　alms。　The　spectacle　of　these　poor　orphans；　condemned　by　the　world　because　of　their　frivolity；　saddened　him　beyond　measure。　If　the　only　sin　of　the　Troyas；　if　the　only　pleasure　which　they　had　to　compensate　them　for　solitude；　poverty；　and　neglect；　was　to　throw　orange…peels　at　the　passers…by；　they　might　well　be　excused　for　doing　it。　The　austere　customs　of　the　town　in　which　they　lived　had　perhaps　preserved　them　from　vice；　but　the　unfortunate　girls　lacked　decorum　and　good…breeding；　the　common　and　most　visible　signs　of　modesty；　and　it　might　easily　be　supposed　that　they　had　thrown　out　of　the　window　something　more　than　orange…peels。　Pepe　Rey　felt　profound　pity　for　them。　He　noted　their　shabby　dresses；　made　over；　mended；　trimmed；　and　retrimmed；　to　make　them　look　like　new；　he　noted　their　broken　shoesand　once　more　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket。

〃Vice　may　reign　here；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃but　the　faces；　the　furniture；　all　show　that　this　is　the　wreck　of　a　respectable　family。　If　these　poor　girls　were　as　bad　as　it　is　said　they　are；　they　would　not　live　in　such　poverty　and　they　would　not　work。　In　Orbajosa　there　are　rich　men。〃

The　three　girls　went　back　and　forward　between　him　and　the　window；　keeping　up　a　gay　and　sprightly　conversation；　which　indicated；　it　must　be　said；　a　species　of　innocence　in　the　midst　of　all　their　frivolity　and　unconventionality。

〃Senor　Don　Jose；　what　an　excellent　lady　Dona　Perfecta　is！〃

〃She　is　the　only　person　in　Orbajosa　who　has　no　nickname；　the　only　person　in　Orbajosa　who　is　not　spoken　ill　of。〃

〃Every　one　respects　her。〃

〃Every　one　adores　her。〃

To　these　utterances　the　young　man　responded　by　praises　of　his　aunt；　but　he　had　no　longer　any　inclination　to　take　money　from　his　pocket　and　say；　〃Maria　Juana；　take　this　for　a　pair　of　boots。〃　〃Pepa；　take　this　to　buy　a　dress　for　yourself。〃　〃Florentina；　take　this　to　provide　yourself　with　a　week's　provisions；〃　as　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　doing。　At　a　moment　when　the　three　girls　had　run　out　to　the　balcony　to　see　who　was　passing；　Don　Juan　Tafetan　approached　Rey　and　whispered　to　him：

〃How　pretty　they　are！　Are　they　not？　Poor　things！　It　seems　impossible　that　they　should　be　so　gay　when　it　may　be　positively　affirmed　that　they　have　not　dined　to…day。〃

〃Don　Juan；　Don　Juan！〃　cried　Pepilla。　〃Here　comes　a　friend　of　yours；　Nicolasito　Hernandez；　in　other　words；　Cirio　Pascual；　with　this　three…　story　hat。　He　is　praying　to　himself；　no　doubt；　for　the　souls　of　those　whom　he　has　sent　to　the　grave　with　his　extortion。〃

〃I　wager　that　neither　of　you　will　dare　to　call　him　by　his　nickname。〃

〃It　is　a　bet。〃

〃Juana；　shut　the　blinds；　wait　until　he　passes；　and　when　he　is　turning　the　corner；　I　will　call　out；　'Cirio；　Cirio　Pascual！'　〃

Don　Juan　Tafetan　ran　out　to　the　balcony。

〃Come　here；　Don　Jose；　so　that　you　may　know　this　type；〃　he　called。

Pepe　Rey；　availing　himself　of　the　moment　in　which　the　three　girls　and　Don　Juan　were　making　merry　in　the　balcony；　calling　Nicolasito　Hernandez　the　nickname　which　so　greatly　enraged　him；　stepped　cautiously　to　one　of　the　sewing　baskets　in　the　room　and　placed　in　it　a　half　ounce　which　he　had　left　after　his　losses　at　play。

Then　he　hurried　out　to　the　balcony　just　as　the　two　youngest　cried　in　the　midst　of　wild　bursts　of　laughter；　〃Cirio；　Cirio　Pascual！〃



CHAPTER　XIII

A　CASUS　BELLI

After　this　prank　the　Troyas　commenced　a　conversation　with　their　visitors　about　the　people　and　the　affairs　of　the　town。　The　engineer；　fearing　that　his　exploit　might　be　discovered　while　he　was　present；　wished　to　go；　which　displeased　the　Troyas　greatly。　One　of　them　who　had　left　the　room　now　returned；　saying：

〃Suspiritos　is　now　in　the　yard；　she　is　hanging　out　the　clothes。〃

〃Don　Jose　will　wish　to　see　her；〃　said　another　of　the　girls。

〃She　is　a　fine…looking　woman。　And　now　she　arranges　her　hair　in　the　Madrid　fashion。　Come；　all　of　you。〃

They　took　their　visitors　to　the　dining…rooman　apartment　very　little　usedwhich　opened　on　a　terrace；　where　there　were　a　few　flowers　in　pots　and　many　broken　and　disused　articles　of　furniture。　The　terrace　overlooked　the　yard　of　an　adjoining　house；　with　a　piazza　full　of　green　vines　and　plants　in　pots　carefully　cultivated。　Every　thing　about　it　showed　it　to　be　the　abode　of　neat　and　industrious　people　of　modest　means。

The　Troyas；　approaching　the　edge　of　the　roof；　looked　attentively　at　the　neighboring　house；　and　then；　imposing　silence　by　a　gesture　on　their　cavaliers；　retreated　to　a　part　of　the　terrace　from　which　they　could　not　see　into　the　yard；　and　where　there　was　no　danger　of　their　being　seen　from　it。

〃She　is　coming　out　of　the　kitchen　now　with　a　pan　of　peas；〃　said　Maria　Juana；　stretching　out　her　neck　to　look。

〃There　goes！〃　cried　another；　throwing　a　pebble　into　the　yard。

The　noise　of　the　projectile　striking　against　the　glass　of　the　piazza　was　heard；　and　then　an　angry　voice　crying：

〃Now　they　have　broken　another　pane　of　glass！〃

The　girls；　hidden；　close　beside　the　two　men；　in　a　corner　of　the　terrace；　were　suffocating　with　laughter。

〃Senora　Suspiritos　is　very　angry；〃　said　Rey。　〃Why　do　they　call　her　by