dona perecta-第21节

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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　that　name？〃

〃Because；　when　she　is　talking；　she　sighs　after　every　word；　and　although　she　has　every　thing　she　wants；　she　is　always　complaining。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence　in　the　house　below。　Pepita　Troya　looked　cautiously　down。

〃There　she　comes　again；〃　she　whispered；　once　more　imposing　silence　by　a　gesture。　〃Maria；　give　me　a　pebble。　Give　it　herebang！　there　it　goes！〃

〃You　didn't　hit　her。　It　struck　the　ground。〃

〃Let　me　see　if　I　can。　Let　us　wait　until　she　comes　out　of　the　pantry　again。〃

〃Now；　now　she　is　coming　out。　Take　care；　Florentina。〃

〃One；　two；　three！　There　it　goes！〃

A　cry　of　pain　was　heard　from　below；　a　malediction；　a　masculine　exclamation；　for　it　was　a　man　who　uttered　it。　Pepe　Rey　could　distinguish　clearly　these　words：

〃The　devil！　They　have　put　a　hole　in　my　head；　the　Jacinto；　Jacinto！　But　what　an　abominable　neighborhood　this　is！〃

〃Good　Heavens！　what　have　I　done！〃　exclaimed　Florentina；　filled　with　consternation。　〃I　have　struck　Senor　Don　Inocencio　on　the　head。〃

〃The　Penitentiary？〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃Yes。〃

〃Does　he　live　in　that　house？〃

〃Why；　where　else　should　he　live？〃

〃And　the　lady　of　the　sighs〃

〃Is　his　niece；　his　housekeeper；　or　whatever　else　she　may　be。　We　amuse　ourselves　with　her　because　she　is　very　tiresome；　but　we　are　not　accustomed　to　play　tricks　on　his　reverence；　the　Penitentiary。〃

While　this　dialogue　was　being　rapidly　carried　on；　Pepe　Rey　saw；　in　front　of　the　terrace　and　very　near　him；　a　window　belonging　to　the　bombarded　house　open；　he　saw　a　smiling　face　appear　at　ita　familiar　facea　face　the　sight　of　which　stunned　him；　terrified　him；　made　him　turn　pale　and　tremble。　It　was　that　of　Jacinto；　who；　interrupted　in　his　grave　studies；　appeared　at　it　with　his　pen　behind　his　ear。　His　modest；　fresh；　and　smiling　countenance；　appearing　in　this　way；　had　an　auroral　aspect。

〃Good…afternoon；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　he　said　gayly。

〃Jacinto；　Jacinto；　I　say！〃

〃I　am　coming。　I　was　saluting　a　friend。〃

〃Come　away；　come　away！〃　cried　Florentina；　in　alarm。　〃The　Penitentiary　is　going　up　to　Don　Nominative's　room　and　he　will　give　us　a　blessing。〃

〃Yes；　come　away；　let　us　close　the　door　of　the　dining…room。〃

They　rushed　pell…mell　from　the　terrace。

〃You　might　have　guessed　that　Jacinto　would　see　you　from　his　temple　of　learning；〃　said　Tafetan　to　the　Troyas。

〃Don　Nominative　is　our　friend；〃　responded　one　of　the　girls。　〃From　his　temple　of　science　he　says　a　great　many　sweet　things　to　us　on　the　sly；　and　he　blows　us　kisses　besides。〃

〃Jacinto？〃　asked　the　engineer。　〃What　the　deuce　is　that　name　you　gave　him？〃

〃Don　Nominative。〃

The　three　girls　burst　out　laughing。

〃We　call　him　that　because　he　is　very　learned。〃

〃No；　because　when　we　were　little　he　was　little　too。　But；　yes；　now　I　remember。　We　used　to　play　on　the　terrace；　and　we　could　hear　him　studying　his　lessons　aloud。〃

〃Yes；　and　the　whole　blessed　day　he　used　to　spend　singling。〃

〃Declining；　girl！　That　is　what　it　was。　He　would　go　like　this：　'Nominative；　rosa；　Genitive；　Dative；　Accusative。'　〃

〃I　suppose　that　I　have　my　nickname　too；〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃Let　Maria　Juana　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Florentina；　hiding　herself。

〃I？　Tell　it　to　him　you；　Pepa。〃

〃You　haven't　any　name　yet；　Don　Jose。〃

〃But　I　shall　have　one。　I　promise　you　that　I　will　come　to　hear　what　it　is　and　to　receive　confirmation；〃　said　the　young　man；　making　a　movement　to　go。

〃What；　are　you　going？〃

〃Yes。　You　have　lost　time　enough　already。　To　work；　girls！　Throwing　stones　at　the　neighbors　and　the　passers…by　is　not　the　most　suitable　occupation　for　girls　as　pretty　and　as　clever　as　you　are。　Well；　good…　by。〃

And　without　waiting　for　further　remonstrances；　or　answering　the　civilities　of　the　girls；　he　left　the　house　hastily；　leaving　Don　Juan　Tafetan　behind　him。

The　scene　which　he　had　just　witnessed；　the　indignity　suffered　by　the　canon；　the　unexpected　appearance　of　the　little　doctor　of　laws；　added　still　further　to　the　perplexities；　the　anxieties；　and　the　disagreeable　presentiments　that　already　disturbed　the　soul　of　the　unlucky　engineer。　He　regretted　with　his　whole　soul　having　entered　the　house　of　the　Troyas；　and；　resolving　to　employ　his　time　better　while　his　hypochondriasm　lasted；　he　made　a　tour　of　inspection　through　the　town。

He　visited　the　market；　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia；　where　the　principal　stores　were；　he　observed　the　various　aspects　presented　by　the　industry　and　commerce　of　the　great　city　of　Orbajosa；　and；　finding　only　new　motives　of　weariness；　he　bent　his　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzas；　but　he　saw　there　only　a　few　stray　dogs；　for；　owing　to　the　disagreeable　wind　which　prevailed；　the　usual　promenaders　had　remained　at　home。　He　went　to　the　apothecary's；　where　various　species　of　ruminant　friends　of　progress；　who　chewed　again　and　again　the　cud　of　the　same　endless　theme；　were　accustomed　to　meet；　but　there　he　was　still　more　bored。　Finally；　as　he　was　passing　the　cathedral；　he　heard　the　strains　of　the　organ　and　the　beautiful　chanting　of　the　choir。　He　entered；　knelt　before　the　high　altar；　remembering　the　warnings　which　his　aunt　had　given　him　about　behaving　with　decorum　in　church；　then　visited　a　chapel；　and　was　about　to　enter　another　when　an　acolyte；　warden；　or　beadle　approached　him；　and　with　the　rudest　manner　and　in　the　most　discourteous　tone　said　to　him：

〃His　lordship　says　that　you　are　to　get　out　of　the　church。〃

The　engineer　felt　the　blood　rush　to　his　face。　He　obeyed　without　a　word。　Turned　out　everywhere；　either　by　superior　authority　or　by　his　own　tedium；　he　had　no　resource　but　to　return　to　his　aunt's　house；　where　he　found　waiting　for　him：

First；　Uncle　Licurgo；　to　announce　a　second　lawsuit　to　him；　second；　Senor　Don　Cayetano；　to　read　him　another　passage　from　his　discourse　on　the　〃Genealogies　of　Orbajosa〃；　third；　Caballuco；　on　some　business　which　he　had　not　disclosed；　fourth；　Dona　Perfecta　and　her　affectionate　smile；　for　what　will　appear　in　the　following　chapter。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　DISCORD　CONTINUES　TO　INCREASE

A　fresh　attempt　to　see　his　cousin　that　evening　failed；　and　Pepe　Rey　shut　himself　up　in　his　room　to　write　several　letters；　his　mind　preoccupied　with　one　thought。

〃To…night　or　to…morrow；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃this　will　end　one　way　or　another。〃

When　he　was　called　to　supper　Dona　Perfecta；　who　was　already　in　the　dining…room；　went　up　to　him　and　said；　without　preface：

〃Dear　Pepe；　don't　distress　yourself；　I　will　pacify　Senor　Don　Inocencio。　I　know　every　thing　already。　Maria　Remedios；　who　has　just　left　the　house；　has　told　me　all　about　it。〃

Dona　Perfecta's　countenance　radiated　such　satisfaction　as　an　artist；　proud　of　his　work；　might　feel。

〃About　what？〃

〃Set　your　mind　at　rest。　I　will　make　an　excuse　for　you。　You　took　a　few　glasses　too　much　in　the　Casino；　that　was　it；　was　it　not？　There　you　have　the　result　of　bad　company。　Don　Juan　Tafetan；　the　Troyas！　This　is　horrible；　frightful。　Did　you　consider　well？〃

〃I　considered　every　thing；〃　responded　Pepe；　resolved　not　to　enter　into　discussions　with　his　aunt。

〃I　shall　take　good　care　not　to　write　to　your　father　what　you　have　done。〃

〃You　may　write　whatever　you　please　to　him。〃

〃You　will　exculpate　yourself　by　denying　the　truth　of　this　story；　then？〃

〃I　deny　nothing。〃

〃You　confess　then　that　you　were　in　the　house　of　those〃

〃I　was。〃

〃And　that　you　gave　them　a　half　ounce；　for；　according　to　what　Maria　Remedios　has　told　me；　Florentina　went　down　to　the　shop　of　the　Extramaduran　this　afternoon　to　get　a　half　ounce　changed。　They　could　not　have　earned　it　with　their　sewing。　You　were　in　their　house　to…day；　consequently〃

〃Consequently　I　gave　it　to　her。　You　are　perfectly　right。〃

〃You　do　not　deny　it？〃

〃Why　should　I　deny　it？　I　suppose　I　can　do　whatever　I　please　with　my　money？〃

〃But　you　will　surely　deny　that　you　threw　stones　at　the　Penitentiary。〃

〃I　do　not　throw　stones。〃

〃I　mean　that　those　girls；　in　your　presence〃

〃That　is　another　matter。〃

〃And　they　insulted　poor　Maria　Remedios；　too。〃

〃I　do　not　deny　that；　either。〃

〃And　how　do　you　excuse　your　conduct！　Pepe　in　Heaven's　name；　have　you　nothing　to　say？　That　you　are　sorry；　that　you　deny〃

〃Nothing；　absolutely　nothing；　senora！〃

〃You　don't　even　give　me　any　satisfaction。〃

〃I　have　done　nothing　to　offend　you。〃

〃Come；　the　only　thing　there　is　left　for　you　to　do　now　isthere；　take　that　stick　and　beat　me！〃

〃I　don't　beat　people。〃

〃What　a　want　of　respect！　What；　don't　you　intend　to　eat　any　supper？〃

〃I　intend　to　take　supper。〃

For　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　no　one　spoke。　Don　Cayetano；　Dona　Perfecta；　and　Pepe　Rey　ate　in　silence。　This　was　interrupted　when　Don　Inocencio　entered　the　dining…room。

〃How　sorry　I　was　for　it；　my　dear　Don　Jose！　Believe　me；　I　was　truly　sorry　for　it；〃　he　said；　pressing　the　young　man's　hand　and　regarding　him　with　a　look　of　compassion。

The　engineer　was　so　perplexed　for　a　moment　that　he　did　not　know　what　to　answer。

〃I　refer　to　the　occurrence　of　this　afternoon。〃

〃Ah；　yes！〃

〃To　your　expulsion　from　the　sacred　precincts　of　the　cathedral。〃

〃The　bishop　should　consider　well；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　〃bef