dona perecta-第30节

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〃God　knows　that　I　love　her；　and　that　is　sufficient　for　me。〃

〃Be　silent；　blasphemer！　and　don't　take　the　name　of　God　upon　your　lips！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃In　the　name　of　God；　whom　I　can　invoke；　for　I　believe　in　him；　I　tell　you　that　my　daughter　will　never　be　your　wife。　My　daughter　will　be　saved；　Pepe；　my　daughter　shall　not　be　condemned　to　a　living　hell；　for　a　union　with　you　would　be　a　hell！〃

〃Rosario　will　be　my　wife；〃　repeated　the　mathematician；　with　pathetic　calmness。

The　pious　lady　was　still　more　exasperated　by　her　nephew's　calm　energy。　In　a　broken　voice　she　said：

〃Don't　suppose　that　your　threats　terrify　me。　I　know　what　I　am　saying。　What！　are　a　home　and　a　family　to　be　outraged　like　this？　Are　human　and　divine　authority　to　be　trampled　under　foot　in　this　way？〃

〃I　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot；〃　said　the　engineer；　beginning　to　lose　his　composure　and　speaking　with　some　agitation。

〃You　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot！　Ah！　it　is　easy　to　see　that　you　are　a　barbarian；　a　savage；　a　man　who　lives　by　violence。〃

〃No；　dear　aunt；　I　am　mild；　upright；　honorable；　and　an　enemy　to　violence；　but　between　you　and　mebetween　you　who　are　the　law　and　I　who　am　to　honor　itis　a　poor　tormented　creature；　one　of　God's　angels；　subjected　to　iniquitous　tortures。　The　spectacle　of　this　injustice；　this　unheard…of　violence；　is　what　has　converted　my　rectitude　into　barbarity；　my　reason　into　brute　force；　my　honor　into　violence；　like　an　assassin's　or　a　thief's；　this　spectacle；　senora；　is　what　impels　me　to　disregard　your　law；　what　impels　me　to　trample　it　under　foot；　braving　every　thing。　This　which　appears　to　you　lawlessness　is　obedience　to　an　unescapable　law。　I　do　what　society　does　when　a　brutal　power；　as　illogical　as　irritating；　opposes　its　progress。　It　tramples　it　under　foot　and　destroys　it　in　an　outburst　of　frenzy。　Such　am　I　at　this　momentI　do　not　recognize　myself。　I　was　reasonable；　and　now　I　am　a　brute；　I　was　respectful；　and　now　I　am　insolent；　I　was　civilized；　and　now　I　am　a　savage。　You　have　brought　me　to　this　horrible　extremity；　infuriating　me　and　driving　me　from　the　path　of　rectitude　which　I　was　tranquilly　pursuing。　Who　is　to　blameI　or　you？〃

〃You；　you！〃

〃Neither　you　nor　I　can　decide　the　question。　I　think　we　are　both　to　blame：　you　for　your　violence　and　injustice；　I　for　my　injustice　and　violence。　We　have　both　become　equally　barbarous；　and　we　struggle　with　and　wound　each　other　without　compassion。　God　has　permitted　that　it　should　be　so；　my　blood　will　be　upon　your　conscience；　yours　will　be　upon　mine。　Enough　now；　senora。　I　do　not　wish　to　trouble　you　with　useless　words。　We　will　now　proceed　to　acts。〃

〃To　acts；　very　well！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　roaring　rather　than　speaking。　〃Don't　suppose　that　in　Orbajosa　there　is　no　civil　guard！〃

〃Good…by；　senora。　I　will　now　leave　this　house。　I　think　we　shall　meet　again。〃

〃Go；　go！　go　now！〃　she　cried；　pointing　with　an　energetic　gesture　to　the　door。

Pepe　Rey　left　the　room。　Dona　Perfecta；　after　pronouncing　a　few　incoherent　words；　which　were　the　clearest　expression　of　her　anger；　sank　into　a　chair；　with　indications　of　fatigue；　or　of　a　coming　attack　of　nerves。　The　maids　came　running　in。

〃Go　for　Senor　Don　Inocencio！〃　she　cried。　〃Instantlyhurry！　Ask　him　to　come　here！〃

Then　she　tore　her　handkerchief　with　her　teeth。



CHAPTER　XX

RUMORSFEARS

On　the　day　following　that　of　this　lamentable　quarrel；　various　rumors　regarding　Pepe　Rey　and　his　conduct　spread　through　Orbajosa；　going　from　house　to　house；　from　club　to　club；　from　the　Casino　to　the　apothecary's　and　from　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzes　to　the　Puerta　de　Baidejos。　They　were　repeated　by　every　body；　and　so　many　were　the　comments　made　that；　if　Don　Cayetano　had　collected　and　compiled　them；　he　might　have　formed　with　them　a　rich　〃Thesaurus〃　of　Orbajosan　benevolence。　In　the　midst　of　the　diversity　of　the　reports　circulated；　there　was　agreement　in　regard　to　certain　important　particulars；　one　of　which　was　the　following：

That　the　engineer；　enraged　at　Dona　Perfecta's　refusal　to　marry　Rosario　to　an　atheist；　had　raised　his　hand　to　his　aunt。

The　young　man　was　living　in　the　widow　De　Cusco's　hotel；　an　establishment　mounted；　as　they　say　now；　not　at　the　height；　but　at　the　depth　of　the　superlative　backwardness　of　the　town。　Lieutenant…colonel　Pinzon　visited　him　with　frequency；　in　order　that　they　might　discuss　together　the　plot　which　they　had　on　hand；　and　for　the　successful　conduct　of　which　the　soldier　showed　the　happiest　dispositions。　New　artifices　and　stratagems　occurred　to　him　at　every　instant；　and　he　hastened　to　put　them　into　effect　with　excellent　humor；　although　he　would　often　say　to　his　friend：

〃The　role　I　am　playing；　dear　Pepe；　is　not　a　very　dignified　one；　but　to　give　an　annoyance　to　the　Orbajosans　I　would　walk　on　my　hands　and　feet。〃

We　do　not　know　what　cunning　stratagems　the　artful　soldier；　skilled　in　the　wiles　of　the　world；　employed；　but　certain　it　is　that　before　he　had　been　in　the　house　three　days　he　had　succeeded　in　making　himself　greatly　liked　by　every　body　in　it。　His　manners　were　very　pleasing　to　Dona　Perfecta；　who　could　not　hear　unmoved　his　flattering　praises　of　the　elegance　of　the　house；　and　of　the　nobility；　piety；　and　august　magnificence　of　its　mistress。　With　Don　Inocencio　he　was　hand　and　glove。　Neither　her　mother　nor　the　Penitentiary　placed　any　obstacle　in　the　way　of　his　speaking　with　Rosario　（who　had　been　restored　to　liberty　on　the　departure　of　her　ferocious　cousin）；　and；　with　his　delicate　compliments；　his　skilful　flattery；　and　great　address；　he　had　acquired　in　the　house　of　Polentinos　considerable　ascendency；　and　he　had　even　succeeded　in　establishing　himself　in　it　on　a　footing　of　familiarity。　But　the　object　of　all　his　arts　was　a　servant　maid　named　Librada；　whom　he　had　seduced　（chastely　speaking）　that　she　might　carry　messages　and　notes　to　Rosario；　of　whom　he　pretended　to　be　enamored。　The　girl　allowed　herself　to　be　bribed　with　persuasive　words　and　a　good　deal　of　money；　because　she　was　ignorant　of　the　source　of　the　notes　and　of　the　real　meaning　of　the　intrigue；　for　had　she　known　that　it　was　all　a　diabolical　plot　of　Don　Jose；　although　she　liked　the　latter　greatly；　she　would　not　have　acted　with　treachery　toward　her　mistress　for　all　the　money　in　the　world。

One　day　Dona　Perfecta；　Don　Inocencio；　Jacinto；　and　Pinzon　were　conversing　together　in　the　garden。　They　were　talking　about　the　soldiers　and　the　purpose　for　which　they　had　been　sent　to　Orbajosa；　in　which　the　Penitentiary　found　motive　for　condemning　the　tyrannical　conduct　of　the　Government；　and；　without　knowing　how　it　came　about；　Pepe　Rey's　name　was　mentioned。

〃He　is　still　at　the　hotel；〃　said　the　little　lawyer。　〃I　saw　him　yesterday；　and　he　gave　me　remembrances　for　you；　Dona　Perfecta。〃

〃Was　there　ever　seen　such　insolence！　Ah；　Senor　Pinzon！　do　not　be　surprised　at　my　using　this　language；　speaking　of　my　own　nephewthat　young　man；　you　remember；　who　had　the　room　which　you　occupy。〃

〃Yes；　I　know。　I　am　not　acquainted　with　him；　but　I　know　him　by　sight　and　by　reputation。　He　is　an　intimate　friend　of　our　brigadier。〃

〃An　intimate　friend　of　the　brigadier？〃

〃Yes；　senor；　of　the　commander　of　the　brigade　that　has　just　arrived　in　this　district；　and　which　is　quartered　in　the　neighboring　villages。〃

〃And　where　is　he？〃　asked　the　lady。

〃In　Orbajosa。〃

〃I　think　he　is　stopping　at　Polavieja's；〃　observed　Jacinto。

〃Your　nephew　and　Brigadier　Batalla　are　intimate　friends；〃　continued　Pinzon；　〃they　are　always　to　be　seen　together　in　the　streets。〃

〃Well；　my　friend；　that　gives　me　a　bad　idea　of　your　chief；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。

〃He　ishe　is　very　good…natured；〃　said　Pinzon；　in　the　tone　of　one　who；　through　motives　of　respect；　did　not　venture　to　use　a　harsher　word。

〃With　your　permission；　Senor　Pinzon；　and　making　an　honorable　exception　in　your　favor；　it　must　be　said　that　in　the　Spanish　army　there　are　some　curious　types〃

〃Our　brigadier　was　an　excellent　soldier　before　he　gave　himself　up　to　spiritualism。〃

〃To　spiritualism！〃

〃That　sect　that　calls　up　ghosts　and　goblins　by　means　of　the　legs　of　a　table！〃　said　the　canon；　laughing。

〃From　curiosity；　only　from　curiosity；〃　said　Jacintillo；　with　emphasis；　〃I　ordered　Allan　Kardec's　book　from　Madrid。　It　is　well　to　know　something　about　every　thing。〃

〃But　is　it　possible　that　such　folliesHeavens！　Tell　me；　Pinzon；　does　my　nephew　too　belong　to　that　sect　of　table…tippers？〃

〃I　think　it　was　he　who　indoctrinated　our　valiant　Brigadier　Batalla。〃

〃Good　Heavens！〃

〃Yes；　and　whenever　he　chooses；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　unable　to　contain　his　laughter；　〃he　can　speak　to　Socrates；　St。　Paul；　Cervantes；　or　Descartes；　as　I　speak　to　Librada　to　ask　her　for　a　match。　Poor　Senor　de　Rey！　I　was　not　mistaken　in　saying　that　there　was　something　wrong　in　his　head。〃

〃Outside　that；〃　continued　Pinzon；　〃our　brigadier　is　a　good　soldier。　If　he　errs　at　all；　it　is　on　the　side　of　severity。　He　takes　the　orders　of　the　Government　so　literally　that；　if　he　were　to　meet　with　much　opposition　here；　he　would　be　capable　of　not　leaving　one　stone　upon　another　in　Orbajosa。　Yes；　I　advise　you　all　to　be　on　your　guard。〃

〃But　is　that　monster　going　to　cut　all　our　heads　off；　then？　Ah；　Senor　Don　Inocencio！　these　visits　of　the　army　remind　me　of　what　I　have　read　in　the　lives　of　the　martyrs　about　the　visits