dona perecta-第32节

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hich　those　who　have　read　the　preceding　chapter　will　have　seen　recorded　there。　The　great　Ramos　stopped　for　a　moment　to　give　Librada　certain　messages　of　trifling　importance；　which　a　neighbor　had　confided　to　his　good　memory；　and　when　he　entered　the　dining…room　he　found　the　three　before…mentioned　countrymen　and　Senor　Licurgo；　who　by　a　singular　coincidence　was　also　there；　conversing　about　domestic　matters　and　the　crops。　The　Senora　was　in　a　detestable　humor；　she　found　fault　with　every　thing；　and　scolded　them　harshly　for　the　drought　of　the　heavens　and　the　barrenness　of　the　earth；　phenomena　for　which　they；　poor　men！　were　in　no　wise　to　blame。　The　Penitentiary　was　also　present。　When　Caballuco　entered；　the　good　canon　saluted　him　affectionately　and　motioned　him　to　a　seat　beside　himself。

〃Here　is　the　individual；〃　said　the　mistress　of　the　house　disdainfully。　〃It　seems　impossible　that　a　man　of　such　little　account　should　be　so　much　talked　about。　Tell　me；　Caballuco；　is　it　true　that　one　of　the　soldiers　slapped　you　on　the　face　this　morning？〃

〃Me！　me！〃　said　the　Centaur；　rising　indignantly；　as　if　he　had　received　the　grossest　insult。

〃That　is　what　they　say；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Is　it　not　true？　I　believed　it；　for　any　one　who　thinks　so　little　of　himselfthey　might　spit　in　your　face　and　you　would　think　yourself　honored　with　the　saliva　of　the　soldiers。〃

〃Senora！〃　vociferated　Ramos　with　energy；　〃saving　the　respect　which　I　owe　you；　who　are　my　mother；　my　mistress；　my　queensaving　the　respect；　I　say；　which　I　owe　to　the　person　who　has　given　me　all　that　I　possess　saving　the　respect〃

〃Well？　One　would　think　you　were　going　to　say　something。〃

〃I　say　then；　that　saving　the　respect；　that　about　the　slap　is　a　slander；〃　he　ended；　expressing　himself　with　extraordinary　difficulty。　〃My　affairs　are　in　every　one's　mouthwhether　I　come　in　or　whether　I　go　out；　where　I　am　going　and　where　I　have　come　fromand　why？　All　because　they　want　to　make　me　a　tool　to　raise　the　country。　Pedro　is　contented　in　his　own　house；　ladies　and　gentlemen。　The　troops　have　come？　Bad！　but　what　are　we　going　to　do　about　it？　The　alcalde　and　the　secretary　and　the　judge　have　been　removed　from　office？　Very　bad！　I　wish　the　very　stones　of　Orbajosa　might　rise　up　against　them；　but　I　have　given　my　word　to　the　governor；　and　up　to　the　present…〃

He　scratched　his　head；　gathered　his　gloomy　brows　in　a　frown；　and　with　ever…increasing　difficulty　of　speech　continued：

〃I　may　be　brutal；　disagreeable；　ignorant；　quarrelsome；　obstinate；　and　every　thing　else　you　choose；　but　in　honor　I　yield　to　no　one。〃

〃What　a　pity　of　the　Cid　Campeador！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　contemptuously。　〃Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Senor　Penitentiary；　that　there　is　not　a　single　man　left　in　Orbajosa　who　has　any　shame　in　him？〃

〃That　is　a　serious　view　to　take　of　the　case；〃　responded　the　capitular；　without　looking　at　his　friend；　or　removing　from　his　chin　the　hand　on　which　he　rested　his　thoughtful　face；　〃but　I　think　this　neighborhood　has　accepted　with　excessive　submission　the　heavy　yoke　of　militarism。〃

Licurgo　and　the　three　countrymen　laughed　boisterously。

〃When　the　soldiers　and　the　new　authorities；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃have　taken　from　us　our　last　real；　when　the　town　has　been　disgraced；　we　will　send　all　the　valiant　men　of　Orbajosa　in　a　glass　case　to　Madrid　to　be　put　in　the　museum　there　or　exhibited　in　the　streets。〃

〃Long　life　to　the　mistress！〃　cried　the　man　called　Vejarruco　demonstratively。　〃What　she　says　is　like　gold。　It　won't　be　said　on　my　account　that　there　are　no　brave　men　here；　for　if　I　am　not　with　the　Aceros　it　is　only　because　I　have　a　wife　and　three　children；　and　if　any　thing　was　to　happenif　it　wasn't　for　that〃

〃But　haven't　you　given　your　word　to　the　governor；　too？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。

〃To　the　governor？〃　cried　the　man　named　Frasquito　Gonzalez。　〃There　is　not　in　the　whole　country　a　scoundrel　who　better　deserves　a　bullet。　Governor　and　Government；　they　are　all　of　a　piece。　Last　Sunday　the　priest　said　so　many　rousing　things　in　his　sermon　about　the　heresies　and　the　profanities　of　the　people　of　Madridoh！　it　was　worth　while　hearing　him！　Finally；　he　shouted　out　in　the　pulpit　that　religion　had　no　longer　any　defenders。〃

〃Here　is　the　great　Cristobal　Ramos！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　clapping　the　Centaur　on　the　back。　〃He　mounts　his　horse　and　rides　about　in　the　Plaza　and　up　and　down　the　high…road　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　soldiers；　when　they　see　him　they　are　terrified　at　the　fierce　appearance　of　the　hero；　and　they　all　run　away；　half…dead　with　fright。〃

Dona　Perfecta　ended　with　an　exaggerated　laugh；　which　the　profound　silence　of　her　hearers　made　still　more　irritating。　Caballuco　was　pale。

〃Senor　Paso　Largo；〃　continued　the　lady；　becoming　serious；　〃when　you　go　home　to…night；　send　me　your　son　Bartolome　to　stay　here。　I　need　to　have　brave　people　in　the　house；　and　even　with　that　it　may　very　well　happen　that；　some　fine　morning；　my　daughter　and　myself　will　be　found　murdered　in　our　beds。〃

〃Senora！〃　exclaimed　every　one。

〃Senora！〃　cried　Caballuco；　rising　to　his　feet；　〃is　that　a　jest；　or　what　is　it？〃

〃Senor　Vejarruco；　Senor　Paso　Largo；〃　continued　Dona　Perfecta；　without　looking　at　the　bravo　of　the　place；　〃I　am　not　safe　in　my　own　house。　No　one　in　Orbajosa　is；　and　least　of　all；　I。　I　live　with　my　heart　in　my　mouth。　I　cannot　close　my　eyes　in　the　whole　night。〃

〃But　who；　who　would　dare〃

〃Come；〃　exclaimed　Licurgo　with　fire；　〃I；　old　and　sick　as　I　am；　would　be　capable　of　fighting　the　whole　Spanish　army　if　a　hair　of　the　mistress'　head　should　be　touched！〃

〃Senor　Caballuco；〃　said　Frasquito　Gonzalez；　〃will　be　enough　and　more　than　enough。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　responded　Dona　Perfecta；　with　cruel　sarcasm；　〃don't　you　see　that　Ramos　has　given　his　word　to　the　governor？〃

Caballuco　sat　down　again；　and；　crossing　one　leg　over　the　other；　clasped　his　hands　on　them。

〃A　coward　will　be　enough　for　me；〃　continued　the　mistress　of　the　house　implacably；　〃provided　he　has　not　given　his　word　to　any　one。　Perhaps　I　may　come　to　see　my　house　assaulted；　my　darling　daughter　torn　from　my　arms；　myself　trampled　under　foot　and　insulted　in　the　vilest　manner〃

She　was　unable　to　continue。　Her　voice　died　away　in　her　throat；　and　she　burst　into　tears。

〃Senora；　for　Heaven's　sake　calm　yourself！　Come；　there　is　no　cause　yet！〃　said　Don　Inocencio　hastily；　and　manifesting　the　greatest　distress　in　his　voice　and　his　countenance。　〃Besides；　we　must　have　a　little　resignation　and　bear　patiently　the　calamities　which　God　sends　us。〃

〃But　who；　senora；　who　would　dare　to　commit　such　outrages？〃　asked　one　of　the　four　countrymen。　〃Orbajosa　would　rise　as　one　man　to　defend　the　mistress。〃

〃But　who；　who　would　do　it？〃　they　all　repeated。

〃There；　don't　trouble　yourselves　asking　useless　questions；〃　said　the　Penitentiary　officiously。　〃You　may　go。〃

〃No；　no；　let　them　stay；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　quickly；　drying　her　tears。　〃The　company　of　my　loyal　servants　is　a　great　consolation　to　me。〃

〃May　my　race　be　accursed！〃　said　Uncle　Licurgo；　striking　his　knee　with　his　clenched　hand；　〃if　all　this　mess　is　not　the　work　of　the　mistress'　own　nephew。〃

〃Of　Don　Juan　Rey's　son？〃

〃From　the　moment　I　first　set　eyes　on　him　at　the　station　at　Villahorrenda；　and　he　spoke　to　me　with　his　honeyed　voice　and　his　mincing　manners；〃　declared　Licurgo；　〃I　thought　him　a　greatI　will　not　say　what；　through　respect　for　the　mistress。　But　I　knew　himI　put　my　mark　upon　him　from　that　moment；　and　I　make　no　mistakes。　A　thread　shows　what　the　ball　is；　as　the　saying　goes；　a　sample　tells　what　the　cloth　is；　and　a　claw　what　the　lion　is。〃

〃Let　no　one　speak　ill　of　that　unhappy　young　man　in　my　presence；〃　said　Senora　de　Polentinos　severely。　〃No　matter　how　great　his　faults　may　be；　charity　forbids　our　speaking　of　them　and　giving　them　publicity。〃

〃But　charity；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　with　some　energy；　〃does　not　forbid　us　protecting　ourselves　against　the　wicked；　and　that　is　what　the　question　is。　Since　character　and　courage　have　sunk　so　low　in　unhappy　Orbajosa；　since　our　town　appears　disposed　to　hold　up　its　face　to　be　spat　upon　by　half　a　dozen　soldiers　and　a　corporal；　let　us　find　protection　in　union　among　ourselves。〃

〃I　will　protect　myself　in　whatever　way　I　can；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　resignedly；　clasping　her　hands。　〃God's　will　be　done！〃

〃Such　a　stir　about　nothing！　By　the　Lord！　In　this　house　they　are　all　afraid　of　their　shadows；〃　exclaimed　Caballuco；　half　seriously；　half　jestingly。　〃One　would　think　this　Don　Pepito　was　a　legion　of　devils。　Don't　be　frightened；　senora。　My　little　nephew　Juan；　who　is　thirteen；　will　guard　the　house；　and　we　shall　see；　nephew　for　nephew；　which　is　the　best　man。〃

〃We　all　know　already　what　your　boasting　and　bragging　signify；〃　replied　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Poor　Ramos！　You　want　to　pretend　to　be　very　brave　when　we　have　already　had　proof　that　you　are　not　worth　any　thing。〃

Ramos　turned　slightly　pale；　while　he　fixed　on　Dona　Perfecta　a　strange　look　in　which　terror　and　respect　were　blended。

〃Yes；　man；　don't　look　at　me　in　that　way。　You　know　already　that　I　am　not　afraid　of　bugaboos。　Do　you　want　me　to　speak　plainly　to　you　now？　Well；　you　are　a　coward。〃

Ramos；　moving　about　restlessly　in　his　chair；　like　one　who　is　troubled　with　the　itch；　seemed　greatly　disturbed。　His　nostrils　expelled　and　drew　in　the　air；　like　those　of　a　horse。　Within　t