dona perecta-第4节

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eat　of　the　Cavaliers。〃

〃Of　the　Cavaliers？〃

〃Yes；　senor。　They　come　down　to　the　high…road　when　the　Civil　Guards　are　not　watching；　and　rob　all　they　can。　Do　you　see　a　cross　beyond　the　bend　of　the　road？　Well；　that　was　erected　in　remembrance　of　the　death　of　the　Alcalde　of　Villahorrenda；　whom　they　murdered　there　at　the　time　of　the　elections。〃

〃Yes；　I　see　the　cross。〃

〃There　is　an　old　house　there；　in　which　they　hide　themselves　to　wait　for　the　carriers。　They　call　that　place　The　Pleasaunce。〃

〃The　Pleasaunce？〃

〃If　all　the　people　who　have　been　murdered　and　robbed　there　were　to　be　restored　they　would　form　an　army。〃

While　they　were　thus　talking　shots　were　again　heard；　this　time　nearer　than　before；　which　made　the　valiant　hearts　of　the　travellers　quake　a　little；　but　not　that　of　the　country　lad；　who；　jumping　about　for　joy；　asked　Senor　Licurgo's　permission　to　go　forward　to　watch　the　conflict　which　was　taking　place　so　near　them。　Observing　the　courage　of　the　boy　Don　Jose　felt　a　little　ashamed　of　having　been　frightened；　or　at　least　a　little　disturbed；　by　the　proximity　of　the　robbers；　and　cried；　putting　spurs　to　his　nag：

〃We　will　go　forward；　then。　Perhaps　we　may　be　able　to　lend　assistance　to　the　unlucky　travellers　who　find　themselves　in　so　perilous　a　situation；　and　give　a　lesson　besides　to　those　cavaliers。〃

The　peasant　endeavored　to　convince　the　young　man　of　the　rashness　of　his　purpose；　as　well　as　of　the　profitlessness　of　his　generous　design；　since　those　who　had　been　robbed　were　robbed　and　perhaps　dead　also；　and　not　in　a　condition　to　need　the　assistance　of　any　one。

The　gentleman　insisted；　in　spite　of　these　sage　counsels；　the　peasant　reiterated　his　objections　more　strongly　than　before；　when　the　appearance　of　two　or　three　carters；　coming　quietly　down　the　road　driving　a　wagon；　put　an　end　to　the　controversy。　The　danger　could　not　be　very　great　when　these　men　were　coming　along　so　unconcernedly；　singing　merry　songs；　and　such　was　in　fact　the　case；　for　the　shots；　according　to　what　the　carters　said；　had　not　been　fired　by　the　robbers；　but　by　the　Civil　Guards；　who　desired　in　this　way　to　prevent　the　escape　of　half　a　dozen　thieves　whom　they　were　taking；　bound　together；　to　the　town　jail。

〃Yes；　I　know　now　what　it　was；〃　said　Licurgo；　pointing　to　a　light　cloud　of　smoke　which　was　to　be　seen　some　distance　off；　to　the　right　of　the　road。　〃They　have　peppered　them　there。　That　happens　every　other　day。〃

The　young　man　did　not　understand。

〃I　assure　you；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　added　the　Lacedaemonian　legislator；　with　energy；　〃that　it　was　very　well　done；　for　it　is　of　no　use　to　try　those　rascals。　The　judge　cross…questions　them　a　little　and　then　lets　them　go。　If　at　the　end　of　a　trial　dragged　out　for　half　a　dozen　years　one　of　them　is　sent　to　jail；　at　the　moment　least　expected　he　escapes；　and　returns　to　the　Retreat　of　the　Cavaliers。　That　is　the　best　thing　to　doshoot　them！　Take　them　to　prison；　and　when　you　are　passing　a　suitable　placeAh；　dog；　so　you　want　to　escape；　do　you？　pum！　pum！　The　indictment　is　drawn　up；　the　witnesses　summoned；　the　trial　ended；　the　sentence　pronouncedall　in　a　minute。　It　is　a　true　saying　that　the　fox　is　very　cunning；　but　he　who　catches　him　is　more　cunning　still。〃

〃Forward；　then；　and　let　us　ride　faster；　for　this　road；　besides　being　a　long　one；　is　not　at　all　a　pleasant　one；〃　said　Rey。

As　they　passed　The　Pleasaunce；　they　saw；　a　little　in　from　the　road；　the　guards　who　a　few　minutes　before　had　executed　the　strange　sentence　with　which　the　reader　has　been　made　acquainted。　The　country　boy　was　inconsolable　because　they　rode　on　and　he　was　not　allowed　to　get　a　nearer　view　of　the　palpitating　bodies　of　the　robbers；　which　could　be　distinguished　forming　a　horrible　group　in　the　distance。　But　they　had　not　proceeded　twenty　paces　when　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　horse　galloping　after　them　at　so　rapid　a　pace　that　he　gained　upon　them　every　moment。　Our　traveller　turned　round　and　saw　a　man；　or　rather　a　Centaur；　for　the　most　perfect　harmony　imaginable　existed　between　horse　and　rider。　The　latter　was　of　a　robust　and　plethoric　constitution；　with　large　fiery　eyes；　rugged　features；　and　a　black　mustache。　He　was　of　middle　age　and　had　a　general　air　of　rudeness　and　aggressiveness；　with　indications　of　strength　in　his　whole　person。　He　was　mounted　on　a　superb　horse　with　a　muscular　chest；　like　the　horses　of　the　Parthenon；　caparisoned　in　the　picturesque　fashion　of　the　country；　and　carrying　on　the　crupper　a　great　leather　bag　on　the　cover　of　which　was　to　be　seen；　in　large　letters；　the　word　Mail。

〃Hello！　Good…day；　Senor　Caballuco；〃　said　Licurgo；　saluting　the　horseman　when　the　latter　had　come　up　with　them。　〃How　is　it　that　we　got　so　far　ahead　of　you？　But　you　will　arrive　before　us；　if　you　set　your　mind　to　it。〃

〃I　will　rest　a　little；〃　answered　Senor　Caballuco；　adapting　his　horse's　pace　to　that　of　our　travellers'　beasts；　and　attentively　observing　the　most　distinguished　of　the　three；　〃since　there　is　such　good　company。〃

〃This　gentleman；〃　said　Licurgo；　smiling；　〃is　the　nephew　of　Dona　Perfecta。〃

〃Ah！　At　your　service；　senor。〃

The　two　men　saluted　each　other；　it　being　noticeable　that　Caballuco　performed　his　civilities　with　an　expression　of　haughtiness　and　superiority　that　revealed；　at　the　very　least；　a　consciousness　of　great　importance；　and　of　a　high　standing　in　the　district。　When　the　arrogant　horseman　rode　aside　to　stop　and　talk　for　a　moment　with　two　Civil　Guards　who　passed　them　on　the　road；　the　traveller　asked　his　guide：

〃Who　is　that　odd　character？〃

〃Who　should　it　be？　Caballuco。〃

〃And　who　is　Caballuco？〃

〃What！　Have　you　never　heard　of　Caballuco？〃　said　the　countryman；　amazed　at　the　crass　ignorance　of　Dona　Perfecta's　nephew。　〃He　is　a　very　brave　man；　a　fine　rider；　and　the　best　connoisseur　of　horses　in　all　the　surrounding　country。　We　think　a　great　deal　of　him　in　Orbajosa；　and　he　is　well　worthy　of　it。　Just　as　you　see　him；　he　is　a　power　in　the　place；　and　the　governor　of　the　province　takes　off　his　hat　to　him。〃

〃When　there　is　an　election！〃

〃And　the　Governor　of　Madrid　writes　official　letters　to　him　with　a　great　many　titles　in　the　superscription。　He　throws　the　bar　like　a　St。　Christopher；　and　he　can　manage　every　kind　of　weapon　as　easily　as　we　manage　our　fingers。　When　there　was　market　inspection　here；　they　could　never　get　the　best　of　him；　and　shots　were　to　be　heard　every　night　at　the　city　gates。　He　has　a　following　that　is　worth　any　money；　for　they　are　ready　for　anything。　He　is　good　to　the　poor；　and　any　stranger　who　should　come　here　and　attempt　to　touch　so　much　as　a　hair　of　the　head　of　any　native　of　Orbajosa　would　have　him　to　settle　with。　It　is　very　seldom　that　soldiers　come　here　from　Madrid；　but　whenever　they　do　come；　not　a　day　passes　without　blood　being　shed；　for　Caballuco　would　pick　a　quarrel　with　them；　if　not　for　one　thing　for　another。　At　present　it　seems　that　he　is　fallen　into　poverty　and　he　is　employed　to　carry　the　mail。　But　he　is　trying　hard　to　persuade　the　Town　Council　to　have　a　market…　inspector's　office　here　again　and　to　put　him　in　charge　of　it。　I　don't　know　how　it　is　that　you　have　never　heard　him　mentioned　in　Madrid；　for　he　is　the　son　of　a　famous　Caballuco　who　was　in　the　last　rebellion；　and　who　was　himself　the　son　of　another　Caballuco；　who　was　also　in　the　rebellion　of　that　day。　And　as　there　is　a　rumor　now　that　there　is　going　to　be　another　insurrectionfor　the　whole　country　is　in　a　fermentwe　are　afraid　that　Caballuco　will　join　that　also；　following　in　the　illustrious　footsteps　of　his　father　and　his　grandfather；　who；　to　our　glory　be　it　said；　were　born　in　our　city。〃

Our　traveller　was　surprised　to　see　the　species　of　knight…errantry　that　still　existed　in　the　regions　which　he　had　come　to　visit；　but　he　had　no　opportunity　to　put　further　questions；　for　the　man　who　was　the　object　of　them　now　joined　them；　saying　with　an　expression　of　ill…humor：

〃The　Civil　Guard　despatched　three。　I　have　already　told　the　commander　to　be　careful　what　he　is　about。　To…morrow　we　will　speak　to　the　governor　of　the　province；　and　I〃

〃Are　you　going　to　X。？〃

〃No；　but　the　governor　is　coming　here；　Senor　Licurgo；　do　you　know　that　they　are　going　to　send　us　a　couple　of　regiments　to　Orbajosa？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　traveller　quickly；　with　a　smile。　〃I　heard　it　said　in　Madrid　that　there　was　some　fear　of　a　rising　in　this　place。　It　is　well　to　be　prepared　for　what　may　happen。〃

〃They　talk　nothing　but　nonsense　in　Madrid；〃　exclaimed　the　Centaur　violently；　accompanying　his　affirmation　with　a　string　of　tongue…　blistering　vocables。　〃In　Madrid　there　is　nothing　but　rascality。　What　do　they　send　us　soldiers　for？　To　squeeze　more　contributions　out　of　us　and　a　couple　of　conscriptions　afterward。　By　all　that's　holy！　if　there　isn't　a　rising　there　ought　to　be。　So　you〃he　ended；　looking　banteringly　at　the　young　man〃so　you　are　Dona　Perfecta's　nephew？〃

This　abrupt　question　and　the　insolent　glance　of　the　bravo　annoyed　the　young　man。

〃Yes；　senor；　at　your　service。〃

〃I　am　a　friend　of　the　senora's；　and　I　love　her　as　I　do　the　apple　of　my　eye；〃　said　Caballuco。　〃As　you　are　going　to　Orbajosa　we　shall　see　each　other　there。〃

And　without　another　word　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　which；　setting　off　at　a　gallop；　soon　disappeared　in　a　cloud　of　dust。

After　half　an　hour's　ride；　during　which　neither　Senor　Don　Jose　nor　Senor