dona perecta-第22节

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〃The　bishop　should　consider　well；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　〃before　he　turns　a　Christian　out　of　the　church。〃

〃That　is　very　true。　I　don't　know　who　can　have　put　it　into　his　lordship's　head　that　you　are　a　man　of　very　bad　habits；　I　don't　know　who　has　told　him　that　you　make　a　boast　of　your　atheism　everywhere；　that　you　ridicule　sacred　things　and　persons；　and　even　that　you　are　planning　to　pull　down　the　cathedral　to　build　a　large　tar　factory　with　the　stones。　I　tried　my　best　to　dissuade　him；　but　his　lordship　is　a　little　obstinate。〃

〃Thanks　for　so　much　kindness。〃

〃And　it　is　not　because　the　Penitentiary　has　any　reason　to　show　you　these　considerations。　A　little　more；　and　they　would　have　left　him　stretched　on　the　ground　this　afternoon。〃

〃Bah！〃　said　the　ecclesiastic；　laughing。　〃But　have　you　heard　of　that　little　prank　already？　I　wager　Maria　Remedios　came　with　the　story。　And　I　forbade　her　to　do　itI　forbade　her　positively。　The　thing　in　itself　is　of　no　consequence；　am　I　not　right；　Senor　de　Rey？〃

〃Since　you　think　so〃

〃That　is　what　I　think。　Young　people's　pranks！　Youth；　let　the　moderns　say　what　they　will；　is　inclined　to　vice　and　to　vicious　actions。　Senor　de　Rey；　who　is　a　person　of　great　endowments；　could　not　be　altogether　perfectwhy　should　it　be　wondered　at　that　those　pretty　girls　should　have　captivated　him；　and；　after　getting　his　money　out　of　him；　should　have　made　him　the　accomplice　of　their　shameless　and　criminal　insults　to　their　neighbors？　My　dear　friend；　for　the　painful　part　that　I　had　in　this　afternoon's　sport；〃　he　added；　raising　his　hand　to　the　wounded　spot；　〃I　am　not　offended；　nor　will　I　distress　you　by　even　referring　to　so　disagreeable　an　incident。　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　that　Maria　Remedios　came　here　to　tell　all　about　it。　My　niece　is　so　fond　of　gossiping！　I　wager　she　told　too　about　the　half　ounce；　and　your　romping　with　the　girls　on　the　terrace；　and　your　chasing　one　another　about；　and　the　pinches　and　the　capers　of　Don　Juan　Tafetan。　Bah！　those　things　ought　not　to　be　told。〃

Pepe　Rey　did　not　know　which　annoyed　him　mosthis　aunt's　severity　or　the　hypocritical　condescension　of　the　canon。

〃Why　should　they　not　be　told？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃He　does　not　seem　ashamed　of　his　conduct　himself。　I　assure　you　all　that　I　keep　this　from　my　dear　daughter　only　because；　in　her　nervous　condition；　a　fit　of　anger　might　be　dangerous　to　her。〃

〃Come；　it　is　not　so　serious　as　all　that；　senora；〃　said　the　Penitentiary。　〃I　think　the　matter　should　not　be　again　referred　to；　and　when　the　one　who　was　stoned　says　that；　the　rest　may　surely　be　satisfied。　And　the　blow　was　no　joke；　Senor　Don　Jose。　I　thought　they　had　split　my　head　open　and　that　my　brains　were　oozing　out。〃

〃I　am　truly　sorry　for　the　occurrence！〃　stammered　Pepe　Rey。　〃It　gives　me　real　pain；　although　I　had　no　part　in　it〃

〃Your　visit　to　those　Senoras　Troyas　will　be　talked　about　all　over　the　town；〃　said　the　canon。　〃We　are　not　in　Madrid；　in　that　centre　of　corruption；　of　scandal〃

〃There　you　can　visit　the　vilest　places　without　any　one　knowing　it；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。

〃Here　we　are　very　observant　of　one　another；〃　continued　Don　Inocencio。　〃We　take　notice　of　everything　our　neighbors　do；　and　with　such　a　system　of　vigilance　public　morals　are　maintained　at　a　proper　height。　Believe　me；　my　friend；　believe　me；and　I　do　not　say　this　to　mortify　you；you　are　the　first　gentleman　of　your　position　who；　in　the　light　of　daythe　first；　yes；　senor/Trojoe　qui　primus　ab　oris/。〃

And　bursting　into　a　laugh；　he　clapped　the　engineer　on　the　back　in　token　of　amity　and　good…will。

〃How　grateful　I　ought　to　be；〃　said　the　young　man；　concealing　his　anger　under　the　sarcastic　words　which　he　thought　the　most　suitable　to　answer　the　covert　irony　of　his　interlocutors；　〃to　meet　with　so　much　generosity　and　tolerance；　when　my　criminal　conduct　would　deserve〃

〃What！　Is　a　person　of　one's　own　blood；　one　who　bears　one's　name；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃to　be　treated　like　a　stranger？　You　are　my　nephew；　you　are　the　son　of　the　best　and　the　most　virtuous　of　men；　of　my　dear　brother　Juan；　and　that　is　sufficient。　Yesterday　afternoon　the　secretary　of　the　bishop　came　here　to　tell　me　that　his　lordship　is　greatly　displeased　because　I　have　you　in　my　house。〃

〃And　that　too？〃　murmured　the　canon。

〃And　that　too。　I　said　that　in　spite　of　the　respect　which　I　owe　the　bishop；　and　the　affection　and　reverence　which　I　bear　him；　my　nephew　is　my　nephew；　and　I　cannot　turn　him　out　of　my　house。〃

〃This　is　another　singularity　which　I　find　in　this　place；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　pale　with　anger。　〃Here；　apparently；　the　bishop　governs　other　people's　houses。〃

〃He　is　a　saint。　He　is　so　fond　of　me　that　he　imagineshe　imagines　that　you　are　going　to　contaminate　us　with　your　atheism；　your　disregard　for　public　opinion；　your　strange　ideas。　I　have　told　him　repeatedly　that；　at　bottom；　you　are　an　excellent　young　man。〃

〃Some　concession　must　always　be　made　to　superior　talent；〃　observed　Don　Inocencio。

〃And　this　morning；　when　I　was　at　the　Cirujedas'oh；　you　cannot　imagine　in　what　a　state　they　had　my　head！　Was　it　true　that　you　had　come　to　pull　down　the　cathedral；　that　you　were　commissioned　by　the　English　Protestants　to　go　preaching　heresy　throughout　Spain；　that　you　spent　the　whole　night　gambling　in　the　Casino；　that　you　were　drunk　in　the　streets？　'But；　senoras；'　I　said　to　them；　'would　you　have　me　send　my　nephew　to　the　hotel？'　Besides；　they　are　wrong　about　the　drunkenness；　and　as　for　gamblingI　have　never　yet　heard　that　you　gambled。〃

Pepe　Rey　found　himself　in　that　state　of　mind　in　which　the　calmest　man　is　seized　by　a　sudden　rage；　by　a　blind　and　brutal　impulse　to　strangle　some　one；　to　strike　some　one　in　the　face；　to　break　some　one's　head；　to　crush　some　one's　bones。　But　Dona　Perfecta　was　a　woman　and　was；　besides；　his　aunt；　and　Don　Inocencio　was　an　old　man　and　an　ecclesiastic。　In　addition　to　this；　physical　violence　is　in　bad　taste　and　unbecoming　a　person　of　education　and　a　Christian。　There　remained　the　resource　of　giving　vent　to　his　suppressed　wrath　in　dignified　and　polite　language；　but　this　last　resource　seemed　to　him　premature；　and　only　to　be　employed　at　the　moment　of　his　final　departure　from　the　house　and　from　Orbajosa。　Controlling　his　fury；　then；　he　waited。

Jacinto　entered　as　they　were　finishing　supper。

〃Good…evening；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　he　said；　pressing　the　young　man's　hand。　〃You　and　your　friends　kept　me　from　working　this　afternoon。　I　was　not　able　to　write　a　line。　And　I　had　so　much　to　do！〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　it；　Jacinto。　But　according　to　what　they　tell　me；　you　accompany　them　sometimes　in　their　frolics。〃

〃I！〃　exclaimed　the　boy；　turning　scarlet。　〃Why；　you　know　very　well　that　Tafetan　never　speaks　a　word　of　truth。　But　is　it　true；　Senor　de　Rey；　that　you　are　going　away？〃

〃Is　that　the　report　in　the　town？〃

〃Yes。　I　heard　it　in　the　Casino　and　at　Don　Lorenzo　Ruiz's。〃

Rey　contemplated　in　silence　for　a　few　moments　the　fresh　face　of　Don　Nominative。　Then　he　said：

〃Well；　it　is　not　true；　my　aunt　is　very　well　satisfied　with　me；　she　despises　the　calumnies　with　which　the　Orbajosans　are　favoring　meand　she　will　not　turn　me　out　of　her　house；　even　though　the　bishop　himself　should　try　to　make　her　do　so。〃

〃As　for　turning　you　out　of　the　housenever。　What　would　your　father　say？〃

〃Notwithstanding　all　your　kindness；　dearest　aunt；　notwithstanding　the　cordial　friendship　of　the　reverend　canon；　it　is　possible　that　I　may　myself　decide　to　go　away。〃

〃To　go　away！〃

〃To　go　awayyou！〃

A　strange　light　shone　in　Dona　Perfecta's　eyes。　The　canon；　experienced　though　he　was　in　dissimulation；　could　not　conceal　his　joy。

〃Yes；　and　perhaps　this　very　night。〃

〃Why；　man；　how　impetuous　you　are；　Why　don't　you　at　least　wait　until　morning？　HereJuan；　let　some　one　go　for　Uncle　Licurgo　to　get　the　nag　ready。　I　suppose　you　will　take　some　luncheon　with　you。　Nicolasa；　that　piece　of　veal　that　is　on　the　sideboard！　Librada；　the　senorito's　linen。〃

〃No；　I　cannot　believe　that　you　would　take　so　rash　a　resolution；〃　said　Don　Cayetano；　thinking　himself　obliged　to　take　some　part　in　the　question。

〃But　you　will　come　back；　will　you　not？〃　asked　the　canon。

〃At　what　time　does　the　morning　train　pass？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta；　in　whose　eyes　was　clearly　discernible　the　feverish　impatience　of　her　exaltation。

〃I　am　going　away　to…night。〃

〃But　there　is　no　moon。〃

In　the　soul　of　Dona　Perfecta；　in　the　soul　of　the　Penitentiary；　in　the　little　doctor's　youthful　soul　echoed　like　a　celestial　harmony　the　word；　〃To…night！〃

〃Of　course；　dear　Pepe；　you　will　come　back。　I　wrote　to…day　to　your　father；　your　excellent　father；〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　with　all　the　physiognomic　signs　that　make　their　appearance　when　a　tear　is　about　to　be　shed。

〃I　will　trouble　you　with　a　few　commissions；〃　said　the　savant。

〃A　good　opportunity　to　order　the　volume　that　is　wanting　in　my　copy　of　the　Abbe　Gaume's　work；〃　said　the　youthful　lawyer。

〃You　take　such　sudden　notions；　Pepe；　you　are　so　full　of　caprices；〃　murmured　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　door　of　the　dining…room。　〃But　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　Caballuco　is　waiting　to　speak　to　you。〃



CHAPTER　XV

DISCORD　CONTINUES　TO　GROW　UNTIL　WAR　IS　DECLARED

Every　one　looked　toward　the　door；　at　which　appeared　the　imposing　figure　of　the　Centaur；　serious…looking　and　frowning；　embarr