dona perecta-第23节

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Every　one　looked　toward　the　door；　at　which　appeared　the　imposing　figure　of　the　Centaur；　serious…looking　and　frowning；　embarrassed　by　his　anxiety　to　salute　the　company　politely；　savagely　handsome；　but　disfigured　by　the　violence　which　he　did　himself　in　smiling　civilly　and　treading　softly　and　holding　his　herculean　arms　in　a　correct　posture。

〃Come　in；　Senor　Ramos；〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃No；　no！〃　objected　Dona　Perfecta。　〃What　he　has　to　say　to　you　is　an　absurdity。〃

〃Let　him　say　it。〃

〃I　ought　not　to　allow　such　ridiculous　questions　to　be　discussed　in　my　house。〃

〃What　is　Senor　Ramos'　business　with　me？〃

Caballuco　uttered　a　few　words。

〃Enough；　enough！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Don't　trouble　my　nephew　any　more。　Pepe；　don't　mind　this　simpleton。　Do　you　wish　me　to　tell　you　the　cause　of　the　great　Caballuco's　anger？〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　others。

〃Anger？　I　think　I　can　imagine；〃　said　the　Penitentiary；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　laughing　with　boisterous　hilarity。

〃I　wanted　to　say　to　Senor　Don　Jose〃　growled　the　formidable　horseman。

〃Hold　your　tongue；　man；　for　Heaven's　sake！　And　don't　tire　us　any　more　with　that　nonsense。〃

〃Senor　Caballuco；〃　said　the　canon；　〃it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　gentlemen　from　the　capital　should　cut　out　the　rough　riders　of　this　savage　country。〃

〃In　two　words；　Pepe；　the　question　is　this：　Caballuco　is〃

She　could　not　go　on　for　laughing。

〃IsI　don't　know　just　what；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　〃of　one　of　the　Troya　girls；　of　Mariquita　Juana；　if　I　am　not　mistaken。〃

〃And　he　is　jealous！　After　his　horse；　the　first　thing　in　creation　for　him　is　Mariquilla　Troya。〃

〃A　pretty　insinuation　that！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Poor　Cristobal！　Did　you　suppose　that　a　person　like　my　nephewlet　us　hear；　what　were　you　going　to　say　to　him？　Speak。〃

〃Senor　Don　Jose　and　I　will　talk　together　presently；〃　responded　the　bravo　of　the　town　brusquely。

And　without　another　word　he　left　the　room。

Shortly　afterward　Pepe　Rey　left　the　dining…room　to　retire　to　his　own　room。　In　the　hall　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　his　Trojan　antagonist；　and　he　could　not　repress　a　smile　at　the　sight　of　the　fierce　and　gloomy　countenance　of　the　offended　lover。

〃A　word　with　you；〃　said　the　latter；　planting　himself　insolently　in　front　of　the　engineer。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

As　he　spoke　he　laid　his　heavy　hand　on　the　young　man's　shoulder　with　such　insolent　familiarity　that　the　latter；　incensed；　flung　him　off　with　violence；　saying：

〃It　is　not　necessary　to　crush　one　to　say　that。〃

The　bravo；　somewhat　disconcerted；　recovered　himself　in　a　moment；　and　looking　at　Rey　with　provoking　boldness；　repeated　his　refrain：

〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　now　that　you　are　a　brute。〃

He　pushed　the　bully　roughly　aside　and　went　into　his　room。　As　traced　on　the　excited　brain　of　our　unfortunate　friend　at　this　moment；　his　plan　of　action　might　be　summed　up　briefly　and　definitely　as　follows：　To　break　Caballuco's　head　without　loss　of　time；　then　to　take　leave　of　his　aunt　in　severe　but　polite　words　which　should　reach　her　soul；　to　bid　a　cold　adieu　to　the　canon　and　give　an　embrace　to　the　inoffensive　Don　Cayetano；　to　administer　a　thrashing　to　Uncle　Licurgo；　by　way　of　winding　up　the　entertainment；　and　leave　Orbajosa　that　very　night；　shaking　the　dust　from　his　shoes　at　the　city　gates。

But　in　the　midst　of　all　these　mortifications　and　persecutions　the　unfortunate　young　man　had　not　ceased　to　think　of　another　unhappy　being；　whom　he　believed　to　be　in　a　situation　even　more　painful　and　distressing　than　his　own。　One　of　the　maid…servants　followed　the　engineer　into　his　room。

〃Did　you　give　her　my　message？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　senor；　and　she　gave　me　this。〃

Rey　took　from　the　girl's　hand　a　fragment　of　a　newspaper；　on　the　margin　of　which　he　read　these　words：

　　〃They　say　you　are　going　away。　I　shall　die　if　you　do。〃

When　he　returned　to　the　dining…room　Uncle　Licurgo　looked　in　at　the　door　and　asked：

〃At　what　hour　do　you　want　the　horse？〃

〃At　no　hour；〃　answered　Rey　quickly。

〃Then　you　are　not　going　to…night？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Well；　it　is　better　to　wait　until　to…morrow。〃

〃I　am　not　going　to…morrow；　either。〃

〃When　are　you　going；　then？〃

〃We　will　see　presently；〃　said　the　young　man　coldly；　looking　at　his　aunt　with　imperturbable　calmness。　〃For　the　present　I　do　not　intend　to　go　away。〃

His　eyes　flashed　forth　a　fierce　challenge。

Dona　Perfecta　turned　first　red；　then　pale。　She　looked　at　the　canon；　who　had　taken　off　his　gold　spectacles　to　wipe　them；　and　then　fixed　her　eyes　successively　on　each　of　the　other　persons　in　the　room；　including　Caballuco；　who；　entering　shortly　before；　had　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　a　chair。　Dona　Perfecta　looked　at　them　as　a　general　looks　at　his　trusty　body…guard。　Then　she　studied　the　thoughtful　and　serene　countenance　of　her　nephewof　that　enemy；　who；　by　a　strategic　movement；　suddenly　reappeared　before　her　when　she　believed　him　to　be　in　shameful　flight。

Alas！　Bloodshed；　ruin；　and　desolation！　A　great　battle　was　about　to　be　fought。



CHAPTER　XVI

NIGHT

Orbajosa　slept。　The　melancholy　street…lamps　were　shedding　their　last　gleams　at　street…corners　and　in　by…ways；　like　tired　eyes　struggling　in　vain　against　sleep。　By　their　dim　light；　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　glided　past　like　shadows；　vagabonds；　watchmen；　and　gamblers。　Only　the　hoarse　shout　of　the　drunkard　or　the　song　of　the　serenader　broke　the　peaceful　silence　of　the　historic　city。　Suddenly　the　〃Ave　Maria　Purisima〃　of　some　drunken　watchman　would　be　heard；　like　a　moan　uttered　in　its　sleep　by　the　town。

In　Dona　Perfecta's　house　also　silence　reigned；　unbroken　but　for　a　conversation　which　was　taking　place　between　Don　Cayetano　and　Pepe　Rey；　in　the　library　of　the　former。　The　savant　was　seated　comfortably　in　the　arm…chair　beside　his　study　table；　which　was　covered　with　papers　of　various　kinds　containing　notes；　annotations；　and　references；　all　arranged　in　the　most　perfect　order。　Rey's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　heap　of　papers；　but　his　thoughts　were　doubtless　far　away　from　this　accumulated　learning。

〃Perfecta；〃　said　the　antiquary；　〃although　she　is　an　excellent　woman；　has　the　defect　of　allowing　herself　to　be　shocked　by　any　little　act　of　folly。　In　these　provincial　towns；　my　dear　friend；　the　slightest　slip　is　dearly　paid　for。　I　see　nothing　particular　in　your　having　gone　to　the　Troyas'　house。　I　fancy　that　Don　Inocencio；　under　his　cloak　of　piety；　is　something　of　a　mischief…maker。　What　has　he　to　do　with　the　matter？〃

〃We　have　reached　a　point；　Senor　Don　Cayetano；　in　which　it　is　necessary　to　take　a　decisive　resolution。　I　must　see　Rosario　and　speak　with　her。〃

〃See　her；　then！〃

〃But　they　will　not　let　me；〃　answered　the　engineer；　striking　the　table　with　his　clenched　hand。　〃Rosario　is　kept　a　prisoner。〃

〃A　prisoner！〃　repeated　the　savant　incredulously。　〃The　truth　is　that　I　do　not　like　her　looks　or　her　hair；　and　still　less　the　vacant　expression　in　her　beautiful　eyes。　She　is　melancholy；　she　talks　little；　she　weeps　friend　Don　Jose；　I　greatly　fear　that　the　girl　may　be　attacked　by　the　terrible　malady　to　which　so　many　of　the　members　of　my　family　have　fallen　victims。〃

〃A　terrible　malady！　What　is　it？〃

〃Madnessor　rather　mania。　Not　a　single　member　of　my　family　has　been　free　from　it。　I　alone　have　escaped　it。〃

〃You！　But　leaving　aside　the　question　of　madness；〃　said　Rey；　with　impatience；　〃I　wish　to　see　Rosario。〃

〃Nothing　more　natural。　But　the　isolation　in　which　her　mother　keeps　her　is　a　hygienic　measure；　dear　Pepe；　and　the　only　one　that　has　been　successfully　employed　with　the　various　members　of　my　family。　Consider　that　the　person　whose　presence　and　voice　would　make　the　strongest　impression　on　Rosarillo's　delicate　nervous　system　is　the　chosen　of　her　heart。〃

〃In　spite　of　all　that；〃　insisted　Pepe；　〃I　wish　to　see　her。〃

〃Perhaps　Perfecta　will　not　oppose　your　doing　so；〃　said　the　savant；　giving　his　attention　to　his　notes　and　papers。　〃I　don't　want　to　take　any　responsibility　in　the　matter。〃

The　engineer；　seeing　that　he　could　obtain　nothing　from　the　good　Polentinos；　rose　to　retire。

〃You　are　going　to　work；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　not　trouble　you　any　longer。〃

〃No；　there　is　time　enough。　See　the　amount　of　precious　information　that　I　collected　to…day。　Listen：　'In　1537　a　native　of　Orbajosa；　called　Bartolome　del　Hoyo；　went　to　Civita…Vecchia　in　one　of　the　galleys　of　the　Marquis　of　Castel　Rodrigo。'　Another：　'In　the　same　year　two　brothers　named　Juan　and　Rodrigo　Gonzalez　del　Arco　embarked　in　one　of　the　six　ships　which　sailed　from　Maestricht　on　the　20th　of　February；　and　which　encountered　in　the　latitude　of　Calais　an　English　vessel　and　the　Flemish　fleet　commanded　by　Van　Owen。'　That　was　truly　an　important　exploit　of　our　navy。　I　have　discovered　that　it　was　an　Orbajosan；　one　Mateo　Diaz　Coronel；　an　ensign　in　the　guards；　who；　in　1709；　wrote　and　published　in　Valencia　the　'Metrical　Encomium；　Funeral　Chant；　Lyrical　Eulogy；　Numerical　Description；　Glorious　Sufferings；　and　Sorrowful　Glories　of　the　Queen　of　the　Angels。'　I　possess　a　most　precious　copy　of　this　work；　which　is　worth　the　mines　of　Peru。　Another　Orbajosan　was　the　author　of　that　famous　'Treatise　on　the　Various　Styles　of　Horsemanship'　which　I　showed　you　yesterday；　and；　in　short；　there　is　not　a　step　I　take　in　the　labyrinth　of　unpublished　history