dona perecta-第37节

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Dona　Perfecta；　for　she　it　was；　bending　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　remained　for　a　long　time　wrapped　in　thought。　She　was　pale；　and　her　brows　were　gathered　in　a　frown。　At　last　she　exclaimed：

〃Well；　I　see　no　way　of　preventing　it！〃

〃But　I　see　a　way；〃　quickly　said　the　other　woman；　who　was　the　niece　of　the　Penitentiary　and　Jacinto's　mother；　〃I　see　a　very　simple　way；　that　I　explained　to　you；　and　that　you　do　not　like。　Ah；　senora！　you　are　too　good。　On　occasions　like　this　it　is　better　to　be　a　little　less　perfect　to　lay　scruples　aside。　Why；　would　that　be　an　offence　to　God？〃

〃Maria　Remedios；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　haughtily；　〃don't　talk　nonsense。〃

〃Nonsense！　You；　with　all　your　wisdom；　cannot　make　your　nephew　do　as　you　wish。　What　could　be　simpler　than　what　I　propose？　Since　there　is　no　justice　now　to　protect　us；　let　us　do　a　great　act　of　justice　ourselves。　Are　there　not　men　in　your　house　who　are　ready　for　any　thing？　Well；　call　them　and　say　to　them：　'Look；　Caballuco；　Paso　Largo；'　or　whoever　it　may　be；　'to…night　disguise　yourself　well；　so　that　you　may　not　be　recognized；　take　with　you　a　friend　in　whom　you　have　confidence；　and　station　yourself　at　the　corner　of　the　Calle　de　Santa　Faz。　Wait　a　while；　and　when　Don　Jose　Rey　passes　through　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia　on　his　way　to　the　Casino；for　he　will　certainly　go　to　the　Casino；　understand　me　well；when　he　is　passing　you　will　spring　out　on　him　and　give　him　a　fright。'　〃

〃Maria　Remedios；　don't　be　a　fool！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　with　magisterial　dignity。

〃Nothing　more　than　a　fright；　senora；　attend　well　to　what　I　say；　a　fright。　Why！　Do　you　suppose　I　would　advise　a　crime？　Good　God！　the　very　idea　fills　me　with　horror；　and　I　fancy　I　can　see　before　my　eyes　blood　and　fire！　Nothing　of　the　sort；　senora。　A　frightnothing　but　a　fright；　which　will　make　that　ruffian　understand　that　we　are　well　protected。　He　goes　alone　to　the　Casino；　senora；　entirely　alone；　and　there　he　meets　his　valiant　friends；　those　of　the　sabre　and　the　helmet。　Imagine　that　he　gets　the　fright　and　that　he　has　a　few　bones　broken；　in　addition　without　any　serious　wounds；　of　course。　Well；　in　that　case；　either　his　courage　will　fail　him　and　he　will　leave　Orbajosa；　or　he　will　be　obliged　to　keep　his　bed　for　a　fortnight。　But　they　must　be　told　to　make　the　fright　a　good　one。　No　killing；　of　course；　they　must　take　care　of　that；　but　just　a　good　beating。〃

〃Maria；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　haughtily；　〃you　are　incapable　of　a　lofty　thought；　of　a　great　and　saving　resolve。　What　you　advise　me　is　an　unworthy　piece　of　cowardice。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　be　silent。　Poor　me！　what　a　fool　I　am！〃　exclaimed　the　Penitentiary's　niece　with　humility。　〃I　will　keep　my　follies　to　console　you　after　you　have　lost　your　daughter。〃

〃My　daughter！　Lose　my　daughter！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　with　a　sudden　access　of　rage。　〃Only　to　hear　you　puts　me　out　of　my　senses。　No；　they　shall　not　take　her　from　me！　If　Rosario　does　not　abhor　that　ruffian　as　I　wish　her　to　do；　she　shall　abhor　him。　For　a　mother's　authority　must　have　some　weight。　We　will　tear　this　passion；　or　rather　this　caprice；　from　her　heart；　as　a　tender　plant　is　torn　out　of　the　ground　before　it　has　had　time　to　cast　roots。　No；　this　cannot　be；　Remedios。　Come　what　may；　it　shall　not　be！　Not　even　the　most　infamous　means　he　could　employ　will　avail　that　madman。　Rather　than　see　her　my　nephew's　wife；　I　would　accept　any　evil　that　might　happen　to　her；　even　death！〃

〃Better　dead；　better　buried　and　food　for　worms；〃　affirmed　Remedios；　clasping　her　hands　as　if　she　were　saying　a　prayer〃than　see　her　in　the　power　ofah；　senora；　do　not　be　offended　if　I　say　something　to　you；　and　that　is；　that　it　would　be　a　great　weakness　to　yield　merely　because　Rosarito　has　had　a　few　secret　interviews　with　that　audacious　man。　The　affair　of　the　night　before　last；　as　my　uncle　related　it　to　me；　seems　to　me　a　vile　trick　on　Don　Jose　to　obtain　his　object　by　means　of　a　scandal。　A　great　many　men　do　that。　Ah；　Divine　Saviour；　I　don't　know　how　there　are　women　who　can　look　any　man　in　the　face　unless　it　be　a　priest。〃

〃Be　silent；　be　silent！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　vehemence。　〃Don't　mention　the　occurrence　of　the　night　before　last　to　me。　What　a　horrible　affair！　Maria　Remedios；　I　understand　now　how　anger　can　imperil　the　salvation　of　a　soul。　I　am　burning　with　rageunhappy　that　I　am；　to　see　such　things　and　not　to　be　a　man！　But　to　speak　the　truth　in　regard　to　the　occurrence　of　the　night　before　lastI　still　have　my　doubts。　Librada　vows　and　declares　that　Pinzon　was　the　man　who　came　into　the　house。　My　daughter　denies　every　thing；　my　daughter　has　never　told　me　a　lie！　I　persist　in　my　suspicions。　I　think　that　Pinzon　is　a　hypocritical　go…between；　but　nothing　more。〃

〃We　come　back　to　the　same　thingthat　the　author　of　all　the　trouble　is　the　blessed　mathematician。　Ah！　my　heart　did　not　deceive　me　when　I　first　saw　him。　Well；　then　senora！　resign　yourself　to　see　something　still　more　terrible；　unless　you　make　up　your　mind　to　call　Caballuco　and　say　to　him；　'Caballuco；　I　hope　that'　〃

〃The　same　thing　again；　what　a　simpleton　you　are！〃

〃Oh　yes！　I　know　I　am　a　great　simpleton；　but　how　can　I　help　it　if　I　am　not　any　wiser？　I　say　what　comes　into　my　head；　without　any　art。〃

〃What　you　think　ofthat　silly　and　vulgar　idea　of　the　beating　and　the　frightis　what　would　occur　to　any　one。　You　have　not　an　ounce　of　brains；　Remedios；　to　solve　a　serious　question　you　can　think　of　nothing　better　than　a　piece　of　folly　like　that。　I　have　thought　of　a　means　more　worthy　of　noble…minded　and　well…bred　persons。　A　beating！　What　stupidity！　Besides；　I　would　not　on　any　account　have　my　nephew　receive　even　so　much　as　a　scratch　by　an　order　of　mine。　God　will　send　him　his　punishment　through　some　one　of　the　wonderful　ways　which　he　knows　how　to　choose。　All　we　have　to　do　is　to　work　in　order　that　the　designs　of　God　may　find　no　obstacle。　Maria　Remedios；　it　is　necessary　in　matters　of　this　kind　to　go　directly　to　the　causes　of　things。　But　you　know　nothing　about　causesyou　can　see　only　trifles。〃

〃That　may　be　so；〃　said　the　priest's　niece；　with　humility。　〃I　wonder　why　God　made　me　so　foolish　that　I　can　understand　nothing　of　those　sublime　ideas！〃

〃It　is　necessary　to　go　to　the　bottomto　the　bottom；　Remedios。　Don't　you　understand　yet？〃

〃No。〃

〃My　nephew　is　not　my　nephew；　woman；　he　is　blasphemy；　sacrilege；　atheism；　demagogy。　Do　you　know　what　demagogy　is？〃

〃Something　relating　to　those　people　who　burned　Paris　with　petroleum；　and　those　who　pull　down　the　churches　and　fire　on　the　images。　So　far　I　understand　very　well。〃

〃Well；　my　nephew　is　all　that！　Ah！　if　he　were　alone　in　Orbajosabut　no；　child。　My　nephew；　through　a　series　of　fatalities；　which　are　trials；　the　transitory　evils　that　God　permits　for　our　chastisement；　is　equivalent　to　an　army；　is　equivalent　to　the　authority　of　the　government；　equivalent　to　the　alcalde；　equivalent　to　the　judge。　My　nephew　is　not　my　nephew；　he　is　the　official　nation；　Remediosthat　second　nation　composed　of　the　scoundrels　who　govern　in　Madrid；　and　who　have　made　themselves　masters　of　its　material　strength；　of　that　apparent　nation　for　the　real　nation　is　the　one　that　is　silent；　that　pays　and　suffers；　of　that　fictitious　nation　that　signs　decrees　and　pronounces　discourses　and　makes　a　farce　of　government；　and　a　farce　of　authority；　and　a　farce　of　every　thing。　That　is　what　my　nephew　is　to…day；　you　must　accustom　yourself　to　look　under　the　surface　of　things。　My　nephew　is　the　government；　the　brigadier；　the　new　alcalde；　the　new　judgefor　they　all　protect　him；　because　of　the　unanimity　of　their　ideas；　because　they　are　chips　of　the　same　block；　birds　of　a　feather。　Understand　it　well；　we　must　defend　ourselves　against　them　all；　for　they　are　all　one；　and　one　is　all；　we　must　attack　them　all　together；　and　not　by　beating　a　man　as　he　turns　a　corner；　but　as　our　forefathers　attacked　the　Moorsthe　Moors；　Remedios。　Understand　this　well；　child；　open　your　understanding　and　allow　an　idea　that　is　not　vulgar　to　enter　itrise　above　yourself；　think　lofty　thoughts；　Remedios！〃

Don　Inocencio's　niece　was　struck　dumb　by　so　much　loftiness　of　soul。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　that　should　be　in　consonance　with　so　sublime　an　idea；　but　she　only　breathed　a　sigh。

〃Like　the　Moors；〃　repeated　Dona　Perfecta。　〃It　is　a　question　of　Moors　and　Christians。　And　did　you　suppose　that　by　giving　a　fright　to　my　nephew　all　would　be　ended？　How　foolish　you　are！　Don't　you　see　that　his　friends　support　him？　Don't　you　see　that　you　are　at　the　mercy　of　that　rabble？　Don't　you　see　that　any　little　lieutenant　can　set　fire　to　my　house；　if　he　takes　it　into　his　head　to　do　so？　But　don't　you　know　this？　Don't　you　comprehend　that　it　is　necessary　to　go　to　the　bottom　of　things？　Don't　you　comprehend　how　vast；　how　tremendous　is　the　power　of　my　enemy；　who　is　not　a　man；　but　a　sect？　Don't　you　comprehend　that　my　nephew；　as　he　confronts　me　to…day；　is　not　a　calamity；　but　a　plague？　Against　this　plague；　dear　Remedios；　we　shall　have　here　a　battalion　sent　by　God　that　will　annihilate　the　infernal　militia　from　Madrid。　I　tell　you　that　this　is　going　to　be　great　and　glorious。〃

〃If　it　were　at　last　so！〃

〃But　do　you　doubt　it？　To…day　we　shall　see　terrible　things　here；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　great　impatience。　〃To…day；　to…day！　What　o'clock　is　it？　Seven？　So　late；　and　nothing　has　happened！〃

〃Perhaps　my　uncle　has　h