dona perecta-第25节

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〃Rosario！　What　are　you　saying？　What　absurdities　are　you　imagining？〃　responded　her　cousin；　perplexed。

〃Answer　me。〃

Pepe　Rey　felt　drops　of　moisture　on　his　hands。

〃Why　are　you　crying？〃　he　said；　greatly　disturbed。　〃Rosario；　you　are　killing　me　with　your　absurd　doubts。　Do　I　believe　in　God？　Do　you　doubt　it？〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it；　but　they　all　say　that　you　are　an　atheist。〃

〃You　would　suffer　in　my　estimation；　you　would　lose　your　aureole　of　purityyour　charmif　you　gave　credit　to　such　nonsense。〃

〃When　I　heard　them　accuse　you　of　being　an　atheist；　although　I　could　bring　no　proof　to　the　contrary；　I　protested　from　the　depths　of　my　soul　against　such　a　calumny。　You　cannot　be　an　atheist。　I　have　within　me　as　strong　and　deep　a　conviction　of　your　faith　as　of　my　own。〃

〃How　wisely　you　speak！　Why；　then；　do　you　ask　me　if　I　believe　in　God？〃

〃Because　I　wanted　to　hear　it　from　your　own　lips；　and　rejoice　in　hearing　you　say　it。　It　is　so　long　since　I　have　heard　the　sound　of　your　voice！　What　greater　happiness　than　to　hear　it　again；　saying：　'I　believe　in　God？'　〃

〃Rosario；　even　the　wicked　believe　in　him。　If　there　be　atheists；　which　I　doubt；　they　are　the　calumniators；　the　intriguers　with　whom　the　world　is　infested。　For　my　part；　intrigues　and　calumnies　matter　little　to　me；　and　if　you　rise　superior　to　them　and　close　your　heart　against　the　discord　which　a　perfidious　hand　would　sow　in　it；　nothing　shall　interfere　with　our　happiness。〃

〃But　what　is　going　on　around　us？　Pepe；　dear　Pepe；　do　you　believe　in　the　devil？〃

The　engineer　was　silent。　The　darkness　of　the　chapel　prevented　Rosario　from　seeing　the　smile　with　which　her　cousin　received　this　strange　question。

〃We　must　believe　in　him；〃　he　said　at　last。

〃What　is　going　on？　Mamma　forbids　me　to　see　you；　but；　except　in　regard　to　the　atheism；　she　does　not　say　any　thing　against　you。　She　tells　me　to　wait；　that　you　will　decide；　that　you　are　going　away；　that　you　are　coming　back　Speak　to　me　with　franknesshave　you　formed　a　bad　opinion　of　my　mother？〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Rey；　urged　by　a　feeling　of　delicacy。

〃Do　you　not　believe；　as　I　do；　that　she　loves　us　both；　that　she　desires　only　our　good；　and　that　we　shall　in　the　end　obtain　her　consent　to　our　wishes？〃

〃If　you　believe　it；　I　do　too。　Your　mama　adores　us　both。　But；　dear　Rosario；　it　must　be　confessed　that　the　devil　has　entered　this　house。〃

〃Don't　jest！〃　she　said　affectionately。　〃Ah！　Mamma　is　very　good。　She　has　not　once　said　to　me　that　you　were　unworthy　to　be　my　husband。　All　she　insists　upon　is　the　atheism。　They　say；　besides；　that　I　have　manias；　and　that　I　have　the　mania　now　of　loving　you　with　all　my　soul。　In　our　family　it　is　a　rule　not　to　oppose　directly　the　manias　that　are　hereditary　in　it；　because　to　oppose　them　aggravates　them。〃

〃Well；　I　believe　that　there　are　skilful　physicians　at　your　side　who　have　determined　to　cure　you；　and　who　will；　in　the　end；　my　adored　girl；　succeed　in　doing　so。〃

〃No；　no；　a　thousand　times　no！〃　exclaimed　Rosario；　leaning　her　forehead　on　her　lover's　breast。　〃I　am　willing　to　be　mad　if　I　am　with　you。　For　you　I　am　suffering；　for　you　I　am　ill；　for　you　I　despise　life　and　I　risk　death。　I　know　it　nowto…morrow　I　shall　be　worse；　I　shall　be　dangerously　ill；　I　shall　die。　What　does　it　matter　to　me？〃

〃You　are　not　ill；〃　he　responded；　with　energy；　〃there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　you　but　an　agitation　of　mind　which　naturally　brings　with　it　some　slight　nervous　disturbances；　there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　you　but　the　suffering　occasioned　by　the　horrible　coercion　which　they　are　using　with　you。　Your　simple　and　generous　soul　does　not　comprehend　it。　You　yield；　you　forgive　those　who　injure　you；　you　torment　yourself；　attributing　your　suffering　to　baleful；　supernatural　influences；　you　suffer　in　silence；　you　give　your　innocent　neck　to　the　executioner；　you　allow　yourself　to　be　slain；　and　the　very　knife　which　is　plunged　into　your　breast　seems　to　you　the　thorn　of　a　flower　that　has　pierced　you　in　passing。　Rosario；　cast　those　ideas　from　your　mind；　consider　our　real　situation；　which　is　serious；　seek　its　cause　where　it　really　is；　and　do　not　give　way　to　your　fears；　do　not　yield　to　the　tortures　which　are　inflicted　upon　you；　making　yourself　mentally　and　physically　ill。　The　courage　which　you　lack　would　restore　you　to　health；　because　you　are　not　really　ill；　my　dear　girl；　you　aredo　you　wish　me　to　say　it？you　are　frightened；　terrified。　You　are　under　what　the　ancients；　not　knowing　how　to　express　it；　called　an　evil　spell。　Courage；　Rosario；　trust　in　me！　Rise　and　follow　me。　That　is　all　I　will　say。〃

〃Ah；　Pepecousin！　I　believe　that　you　are　right；〃　exclaimed　Rosario；　drowned　in　tears。　〃Your　words　resound　within　my　heart；　arousing　in　it　new　energy；　new　life。　Here　in　this　darkness；　where　we　cannot　see　each　other's　faces；　an　ineffable　light　emanates　from　you　and　inundates　my　soul。　What　power　have　you　to　transform　me　in　this　way？　The　moment　I　saw　you　I　became　another　being。　In　the　days　when　I　did　not　see　you　I　returned　to　my　former　insignificance；　my　natural　cowardice。　Without　you；　my　Pepe；　I　live　in　Limbo。　I　will　do　as　you　tell　me；　I　will　arise　and　follow　you。　We　will　go　together　wherever　you　wish。　Do　you　know　that　I　feel　well？　Do　you　know　that　I　have　no　fever：　that　I　have　recovered　my　strength；　that　I　want　to　run　about　and　cry　out；　that　my　whole　being　is　renewed　and　enlarged；　and　multiplied　a　hundred…fold　in　order　to　adore　you？　Pepe；　you　are　right。　I　am　not　sick；　I　am　only　afraid；　or　rather；　bewitched。〃

〃That　is　it；　bewitched。〃

〃Bewitched！　Terrible　eyes　look　at　me；　and　I　remain　mute　and　trembling。　I　am　afraid；　but　of　what？　You　alone　have　the　strange　power　of　calling　me　back　to　life。　Hearing　you；　I　live　again。　I　believe　if　I　were　to　die　and　you　were　to　pass　by　my　grave；　that　deep　under　the　ground　I　should　feel　your　footsteps。　Oh；　if　I　could　see　you　now！　But　you　are　here　beside　me；　and　I　cannot　doubt　that　it　is　you。　So　many　days　without　seeing　you！　I　was　mad。　Each　day　of　solitude　appeared　to　me　a　century。　They　said　to　me；　to…morrow　and　to…morrow；　and　always　to…morrow。　I　looked　out　of　the　window　at　night；　and　the　light　of　the　lamp　in　your　room　served　to　console　me。　At　times　your　shadow　on　the　window　was　for　me　a　divine　apparition。　I　stretched　out　my　arms　to　you；　I　shed　tears　and　cried　out　inwardly；　without　daring　to　do　so　with　my　voice。　When　I　received　the　message　you　sent　me　with　the　maid；　when　I　received　your　letter　telling　me　that　you　were　going　away；　I　grew　very　sad；　I　thought　my　soul　was　leaving　my　body　and　that　I　was　dying　slowly。　I　fell；　like　the　bird　wounded　as　it　flies；　that　falls　and；　falling；　dies。　To…night；　when　I　saw　that　you　were　awake　so　late；　I　could　not　resist　the　longing　I　had　to　speak　to　you；　and　I　came　down　stairs。　I　believe　that　all　the　courage　of　my　life　has　been　used　up　in　this　single　act；　and　that　now　I　can　never　be　any　thing　again　but　a　coward。　But　you　will　give　me　courage；　you　will　give　me　strength；　you　will　help　me；　will　you　not？　Pepe；　my　dear　cousin；　tell　me　that　you　will；　tell　me　that　I　am　strong；　and　I　will　be　strong；　tell　me　that　I　am　not　ill；　and　I　will　not　be　ill。　I　am　not　ill　now。　I　feel　so　well　that　I　could　laugh　at　my　ridiculous　maladies。〃

As　she　said　this　she　felt　herself　clasped　rapturously　in　her　cousin's　arms。　An　〃Oh！〃　was　heard；　but　it　came；　not　from　her　lips；　but　from　his；　for　in　bending　his　head；　he　had　struck　it　violently　against　the　feet　of　the　crucifix。　In　the　darkness　it　is　that　the　stars　are　seen。

In　the　exalted　state　of　his　mind；　by　a　species　of　hallucination　natural　in　the　darkness；　it　seemed　to　Pepe　Rey　not　that　his　head　had　struck　against　the　sacred　foot；　but　that　this　had　moved；　warning　him　in　the　briefest　and　most　eloquent　manner。　Raising　his　head　he　said；　half　seriously；　half　gayly：

〃Lord；　do　not　strike　me；　I　will　do　nothing　wrong。〃

At　the　same　moment　Rosario　took　the　young　man's　hand　and　pressed　it　against　her　heart。　A　voice　was　heard；　a　pure；　grave；　angelic　voice；　full　of　feeling；　saying：

〃Lord　whom　I　adore；　Lord　God　of　the　world；　and　guardian　of　my　house　and　of　my　family；　Lord　whom　Pepe　also　adores；　holy　and　blessed　Christ　who　died　on　the　cross　for　our　sins；　before　thee；　before　thy　wounded　body；　before　thy　forehead　crowned　with　thorns；　I　say　that　this　man　is　my　husband；　and　that；　after　thee；　he　is　the　being　whom　my　heart　loves　most；　I　say　that　I　declare　him　to　be　my　husband；　and　that　I　will　die　before　I　belong　to　another。　My　heart　and　my　soul　are　his。　Let　not　the　world　oppose　our　happiness；　and　grant　me　the　favor　of　this　union；　which　I　swear　to　be　true　and　good　before　the　world；　as　it　is　in　my　conscience。〃

〃Rosario；　you　are　mine！〃　exclaimed　Pepe　Rey；　with　exaltation。　〃Neither　your　mother　nor　any　one　else　shall　prevent　it。〃

Rosario　sank　powerless　into　her　cousin's　arms。　She　trembled　in　his　manly　embrace；　as　the　dove　trembles　in　the　talons　of　the　eagle。

Through　the　engineer's　mind　the　thought　flashed　that　the　devil　existed；　but　the　devil　then　was　he。　Rosario　made　a　slight　movement　of　fear；　she　felt　the　thrill　of　surprise；　so　to　say；　that　gives　warning　that　danger　is　near。

〃Swear　to　me　that　you　will　not　yield　to　them；〃　said　Pepe　Rey；　with　confusion；　observing　the　movement。

〃I　swear　it　to　you　by　my　father's　ashes　that　are〃

〃Where？〃

〃Under　our　feet。〃

The　mathematic