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　have　read　in　the　lives　of　the　martyrs　about　the　visits　of　the　Roman　proconsuls　to　a　Christian　town。〃

〃The　comparison　is　not　wanting　in　exactness；〃　said　the　Penitentiary；　looking　at　the　soldier　over　his　spectacles。

〃It　is　not　very　agreeable；　but　if　it　is　the　truth；　why　should　it　not　be　said？〃　observed　Pinzon　benevolently。　〃Now　you　all　are　at　our　mercy。〃

〃The　authorities　of　the　place；〃　objected　Jacinto；　〃still　exercise　their　functions　as　usual。〃

〃I　think　you　are　mistaken；〃　responded　the　soldier；　whose　countenance　Dona　Perfecta　and　the　Penitentiary　were　studying　with　profound　interest。　〃The　alcalde　of　Orbajosa　was　removed　from　office　an　hour　ago。〃

〃By　the　governor　of　the　province？〃

〃The　governor　of　the　province　has　been　replaced　by　a　delegate　from　the　Government；　who　was　to　arrive　this　morning。　The　municipal　councils　will　all　be　removed　from　office　to…day。　The　minister　has　so　ordered　because　he　suspected；　I　don't　know　on　what　grounds；　that　they　were　not　supporting　the　central　authority。〃

〃This　is　a　pretty　state　of　things！〃　murmured　the　canon；　frowning　and　pushing　out　his　lower　lip。

Dona　Perfecta　looked　thoughtful。

〃Some　of　the　judges　of　the　primary　court；　among　them　the　judge　of　Orbajosa；　have　been　deprived　of　office。〃

〃The　judge！　PeriquitoPeriquito　is　no　longer　judge！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　in　a　voice　and　with　the　manner　of　a　person　who　has　just　been　stung　by　a　snake。

〃The　person　who　was　judge　in　Orbajosa　is　judge　no　longer；〃　said　Pinzon。　〃To…morrow　the　new　judge　will　arrive。〃

〃A　stranger！〃

〃A　stranger。〃

〃A　rascal；　perhaps。　The　other　was　so　honorable！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　alarm。　〃I　never　asked　any　thing　from　him　that　he　did　not　grant　it　to　me　at　once。　Do　you　know　who　will　be　the　new　alcalde？〃

〃They　say　a　corregidor　is　coming。〃

〃There；　say　at　once　that　the　Deluge　is　coming；　and　let　us　be　done　with　it；〃　said　the　canon；　rising。

〃So　that　we　are　at　the　brigadier's　mercy！〃

〃For　a　few　days　only。　Don't　be　angry　with　me。　In　spite　of　my　uniform　I　am　an　enemy　of　militarism；　but　we　are　ordered　to　strikeand　we　strike。　There　could　not　be　a　viler　trade　than　ours。〃

〃That　it　is；　that　it　is！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　difficulty　concealing　her　fury。　〃Now　that　you　have　confessed　it　So；　then；　neither　alcalde　nor　judge〃

〃Nor　governor　of　the　province。〃

〃Let　them　take　the　bishop　from　us　also　and　send　us　a　choir　boy　in　his　stead。〃

〃That　is　all　that　is　wantingif　the　people　here　will　allow　them　to　do　it；〃　murmured　Don　Inocencio；　lowering　his　eyes。　〃They　won't　stop　at　trifles。〃

〃And　it　is　all　because　they　are　afraid　of　an　insurrection　in　Orbajosa；〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　clasping　her　hands　and　waving　them　up　and　down。　〃Frankly；　Pinzon；　I　don't　know　why　it　is　that　even　the　very　stones　don't　rise　up　in　rebellion。　I　wish　you　no　harm；　but　it　would　be　a　just　judgment　on　you　if　the　water　you　drink　turned　into　mud。　You　say　that　my　nephew　is　the　intimate　friend　of　the　brigadier？〃

〃So　intimate　that　they　are　together　all　day　long；　they　were　school…　fellows。　Batalla　loves　him　like　a　brother；　and　would　do　anything　to　please　him。　In　your　place；　senora；　I　would　be　uneasy。〃

〃Oh；　my　God！　I　fear　there　will　be　an　attack　on　the　house！〃

〃Senora；〃　declared　the　canon；　with　energy；　〃before　I　would　consent　that　there　should　be　an　attack　on　this　honorable　housebefore　I　would　consent　that　the　slightest　harm　should　be　done　to　this　noble　familyI；　my　nephew；　all　the　people　of　Orbajosa〃

Don　Inocencio　did　not　finish。　His　anger　was　so　great　that　the　words　refused　to　come。　He　took　a　few　steps　forward　with　a　martial　air；　then　returned　to　his　seat。

〃I　think　that　your　fears　are　not　idle；〃　said　Pinzon。　〃If　it　should　be　necessary；　I〃

〃And　I〃　said　Jacinto。

Dona　Perfecta　had　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　glass　door　of　the　dining…room；　through　which　could　be　seen　a　graceful　figure。　As　she　looked　at　it；　it　seemed　as　if　the　cloud　of　apprehension　which　rested　on　her　countenance　grew　darker。

〃Rosario！　come　in　here；　Rosario！〃　she　said；　going　to　meet　the　young　girl。　〃I　fancy　you　look　better　to…day；　and　that　you　are　more　cheerful。　Don't　you　think　that　Rosario　looks　better？　She　seems　a　different　being。〃

They　all　agreed　that　the　liveliest　happiness　was　depicted　on　her　countenance。



CHAPTER　XXI

〃DESPERTA　FERRO〃

About　this　time　the　following　items　of　news　appeared　in　the　Madrid　newspapers：

〃There　is　no　truth　whatever　in　the　report　that　there　has　been　an　insurrection　in　the　neighborhood　of　Orbajosa。　Our　correspondent　in　that　place　informs　us　that　the　country　is　so　little　disposed　for　adventures　that　the　further　presence　of　the　Batalla　brigade　in　that　locality　is　considered　unnecessary。〃

〃It　is　said　that　the　Batalla　brigade　will　leave　Orbajosa；　as　troops　are　not　required　there；　to　go　to　Villajuan　de　Nahara；　where　guerillas　have　made　their　appearance。〃

〃The　news　has　been　confirmed　that　the　Aceros；　with　a　number　of　mounted　followers；　are　ranging　the　district　of　Villajuan；　adjacent　to　the　judicial　district　of　Orbajosa。　The　governor　of　the　province　of　X。　has　telegraphed　to　the　Government　that　Francisco　Acero　entered　Las　Roquetas；　where　he　demanded　provisions　and　money。　Domingo　Acero　（Faltriquera）；　was　ranging　the　Jubileo　mountains；　actively　pursued　by　the　Civil　Guards；　who　killed　one　of　his　men　and　captured　another。　Bartolome　Acero　is　the　man　who　burned　the　registry　office　of　Lugarnoble　and　carried　away　with　him　as　hostages　the　alcalde　and　two　of　the　principal　landowners。〃

〃Complete　tranquillity　reigns　in　Orbajosa；　according　to　a　letter　which　we　have　before　us；　and　no　one　there　thinks　of　anything　but　cultivating　the　garlic　fields；　which　promise　to　yield　a　magnificent　crop。　The　neighboring　districts；　however；　are　infested　with　guerillas；　but　the　Batalla　brigade　will　make　short　work　of　these。〃



Orbajosa　was；　in　fact；　tranquil。　The　Aceros；　that　warlike　dynasty；　worthy；　in　the　opinion　of　some；　of　figuring　in　the　〃Romancero；〃　had　taken　possession　of　the　neighboring　province；　but　the　insurrection　was　not　spreading　within　the　limits　of　the　episcopal　city。　It　might　be　supposed　that　modern　culture　had　at　last　triumphed　in　its　struggle　with　the　turbulent　habits　of　the　great　city　of　disorder；　and　that　the　latter　was　tasting　the　delights　of　a　lasting　peace。　So　true　is　this　that　Caballuco　himself；　one　of　the　most　important　figures　of　the　historic　rebellion　of　Orbajosa；　said　frankly　to　every　one　that　he　did　not　wish　to　quarrel　with　the　Government　nor　involve　himself　in　a　business　which　might　cost　him　dear。

Whatever　may　be　said　to　the　contrary；　the　impetuous　nature　of　Ramos　had　quieted　down　with　years；　and　the　fiery　temper　which　he　had　received　with　life　from　the　ancestral　Caballucos；　the　most　valiant　race　of　warriors　that　had　ever　desolated　the　earth；　had　grown　cooler。　It　is　also　related　that　in　those　days　the　new　governor　of　the　province　held　a　conference　with　this　important　personage；　and　received　from　his　lips　the　most　solemn　assurances　that　he　would　contribute　as　far　as　in　him　lay　to　the　tranquillity　of　the　country；　and　would　avoid　doing　any　thing　that　might　give　rise　to　disturbances。　Reliable　witnesses　declare　that　he　was　to　be　seen　in　friendly　companionship　with　the　soldiers；　hobnobbing　with　this　sergeant　or　the　other　in　the　tavern；　and　it　was　even　said　that　an　important　position　in　the　town…hall　of　the　capital　of　the　province　was　to　be　given　him。　How　difficult　it　is　for　the　historian　who　tries　to　be　impartial　to　arrive　at　the　exact　truth　in　regard　to　the　sentiments　and　opinions　of　the　illustrious　personages　who　have　filled　the　world　with　their　fame！　He　does　not　know　what　to　hold　by；　and　the　absence　of　authentic　records　often　gives　rise　to　lamentable　mistakes。　Considering　events　of　such　transcendent　importance　as　that　of　the　18th　Brumaire；　the　sack　of　Rome　by　Bourbon；　or　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem　where　is　the　psychologist　or　the　historian　who　would　be　able　to　determine　what　were　the　thoughts　which　preceded　or　followed　them　in　the　minds　of　Bonaparte；　of　Charles　V。；　and　of　Titus？　Ours　is　an　immense　responsibility。　To　discharge　it　in　part　we　will　report　words；　phrases；　and　even　discourses　of　the　Orbajosan　emperor　himself；　and　in　this　way　every　one　will　be　able　to　form　the　opinion　which　may　seem　to　him　most　correct。

It　is　beyond　a　doubt　that　Cristobal　Ramos　left　his　house　just　after　dark；　crossed　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　and；　seeing　three　countrymen　mounted　on　powerful　mules　coming　toward　him；　asked　them　where　they　were　going；　to　which　they　answered　that　they　were　going　to　Senora　Dona　Perfecta's　house　to　take　her　some　of　the　first　fruits　of　their　gardens　and　a　part　of　the　rent　that　had　fallen　due。　They　were　Senor　Paso　Largo；　a　young　man　named　Frasquito　Gonzales；　and　a　third；　a　man　of　medium　stature　and　robust　make；　who　was　called　Vejarruco；　although　his　real　name　was　Jose　Esteban　Romero。　Caballuco　turned　back；　tempted　by　the　agreeable　society　of　these　persons；　who　were　old　and　intimate　friends　of　his；　and　accompanied　them　to　Dona　Perfecta's　house。　This　took　place；　according　to　the　most　reliable　accounts；　at　nightfall；　and　two　days　after　the　day　on　which　Dona　Perfecta　and　Pinzon　held　the　conversation　which　those　who　have　read　the　preceding　chapter　will　have　seen　recorded　there。　The　great　Ramos　stoppe