dona perecta-第44节

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at　the　senora　would　think　about　it。　I　say　that　because　I　was　at　her　house　this　evening；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　mother　and　daughter　had　become　reconciled。〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool！　Why　don't　you　go　in？〃

〃Now　I　remember　that　the　armed　men　are　not　there；　I　told　them　to　leave　this　evening。〃

〃And　this　block　of　marble　still　doubts　what　he　ought　to　do！　Ramos；　go　into　the　garden　and　don't　be　a　coward。〃

〃How　can　I　go　in　if　the　door　is　closed？〃

〃Get　over　the　wall。　What　a　snail！　If　I　were　a　man〃

〃Well；　then；　up！　There　are　some　broken　bricks　here　where　the　boys　climb　over　the　wall　to　steal　the　fruit。〃

〃Up　quickly！　I　will　go　and　knock　at　the　front　door　to　waken　the　senora；　if　she　should　be　asleep。〃

The　Centaur　climbed　up；　not　without　difficulty。　He　sat　astride　on　the　wall　for　an　instant；　and　then　disappeared　among　the　dark　foliage　of　the　trees。　Maria　Remedios　ran　desperately　toward　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　and；　seizing　the　knocker　of　the　front　door；　knockedknocked　three　times　with　all　her　heart　and　soul。



CHAPTER　XXXI

DONA　PERFECTA

See　with　what　tranquillity　Senora　Dona　Perfecta　pursues　her　occupation　of　writing。　Enter　her　room；　and；　notwithstanding　the　lateness　of　the　hour；　you　will　surprise　her　busily　engaged；　her　mind　divided　between　meditation　and　the　writing　of　several　long　and　carefully　worded　epistles　traced　with　a　firm　hand；　every　hair…stroke　of　every　letter　in　which　is　correctly　formed。　The　light　of　the　lamp　falls　full　upon　her　face　and　bust　and　hands；　its　shade　leaving　the　rest　of　her　person　and　almost　the　whole　of　the　room　in　a　soft　shadow。　She　seems　like　a　luminous　figure　evoked　by　the　imagination　from　amid　the　vague　shadows　of　fear。

It　is　strange　that　we　should　not　have　made　before　this　a　very　important　statement；　which　is　that　Dona　Perfecta　was　handsome；　or　rather　that　she　was　still　handsome；　her　face　preserving　the　remains　of　former　beauty。　The　life　of　the　country；　her　total　lack　of　vanity；　her　disregard　for　dress　and　personal　adornment；　her　hatred　of　fashion；　her　contempt　for　the　vanities　of　the　capital；　were　all　causes　why　her　native　beauty　did　not　shine　or　shone　very　little。　The　intense　shallowness　of　her　complexion；　indicating　a　very　bilious　constitution；　still　further　impaired　her　beauty。

Her　eyes　black　and　well…opened；　her　nose　finely　and　delicately　shaped；　her　forehead　broad　and　smooth；　she　was　considered　by　all　who　saw　her　as　a　finished　type　of　the　human　figure；　but　there　rested　on　those　features　a　certain　hard　and　proud　expression　which　excited　a　feeling　of　antipathy。　As　some　persons；　although　ugly；　attract；　Dona　Perfecta　repelled。　Her　glance；　even　when　accompanied　by　amiable　words；　placed　between　herself　and　those　who　were　strangers　to　her　the　impassable　distance　of　a　mistrustful　respect；　but　for　those　of　her　housethat　is　to　say；　for　her　relations；　admirers；　and　alliesshe　possessed　a　singular　attraction。　She　was　a　mistress　in　governing；　and　no　one　could　equal　her　in　the　art　of　adapting　her　language　to　the　person　whom　she　was　addressing。

Her　bilious　temperament　and　an　excessive　association　with　devout　persons　and　things；　which　excited　her　imagination　without　object　or　result；　had　aged　her　prematurely；　and　although　she　was　still　young　she　did　not　seem　so。　It　might　be　said　of　her　that　with　her　habits　and　manner　of　life　she　had　wrought　a　sort　of　rind；　a　stony；　insensible　covering　within　which　she　shut　herself；　like　the　snail　within　his　portable　house。　Dona　Perfecta　rarely　came　out　of　her　shell。

Her　irreproachable　habits；　and　that　outward　amiability　which　we　have　observed　in　her　from　the　moment　of　her　appearance　in　our　story；　were　the　causes　of　the　great　prestige　which　she　enjoyed　in　Orbajosa。　She　kept　up　relations；　besides；　with　some　excellent　ladies　in　Madrid；　and　it　was　through　their　means　that　she　obtained　the　dismissal　of　her　nephew。　At　the　moment　which　we　have　now　arrived　in　our　story；　we　find　her　seated　at　her　desk；　which　is　the　sole　confidant　of　her　plans　and　the　depository　of　her　numerical　accounts　with　the　peasants；　and　of　her　moral　accounts　with　God　and　with　society。　There　she　wrote　the　letters　which　her　brother　received　every　three　months；　there　she　composed　the　notes　that　incited　the　judge　and　the　notary　to　embroil　Pepe　Rey　in　lawsuits；　there　she　prepared　the　plot　through　which　the　latter　lost　the　confidence　of　the　Government；　there　she　held　long　conferences　with　Don　Inocencio。　To　become　acquainted　with　the　scene　of　others　of　her　actions　whose　effects　we　have　observed；　it　would　be　necessary　to　follow　her　to　the　episcopal　palace　and　to　the　houses　of　various　of　her　friends。

We　do　not　know　what　Dona　Perfecta　would　have　been；　loving。　Hating；　she　had　the　fiery　vehemence　of　an　angel　of　hatred　and　discord　among　men。　Such　is　the　effect　produced　on　a　character　naturally　hard；　and　without　inborn　goodness；　by　religious　exaltation；　when　this；　instead　of　drawing　its　nourishment　from　conscience　and　from　truth　revealed　in　principles　as　simple　as　they　are　beautiful；　seeks　its　sap　in　narrow　formulas　dictated　solely　by　ecclesiastical　interests。　In　order　that　religious　fanaticism　should　be　inoffensive；　the　heart　in　which　it　exists　must　be　very　pure。　It　is　true　that　even　in　that　case　it　is　unproductive　of　good。　But　the　hearts　that　have　been　born　without　the　seraphic　purity　which　establishes　a　premature　Limbo　on　the　earth；　are　careful　not　to　become　greatly　inflamed　with　what　they　see　in　retables；　in　choirs；　in　locutories　and　sacristies；　unless　they　have　first　erected　in　their　own　consciences　an　altar；　a　pulpit；　and　a　confessional。

Dona　Perfecta　left　her　writing　from　time　to　time；　to　go　into　the　adjoining　room　where　her　daughter　was。　Rosarito　had　been　ordered　to　sleep；　but；　already　precipitated　down　the　precipice　of　disobedience；　she　was　awake。

〃Why　don't　you　sleep？〃　her　mother　asked　her。　〃I　don't　intend　to　go　to　bed　to…night。　You　know　already　that　Caballuco　has　taken　away　with　him　the　men　we　had　here。　Something　might　happen；　and　I　will　keep　watch。　If　I　did　not　watch　what　would　become　of　us　both？〃

〃What　time　is　it？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃It　will　soon　be　midnight。　Perhaps　you　are　not　afraid；　but　I　am。〃

Rosarito　was　trembling；　and　every　thing　about　her　denoted　the　keenest　anxiety。　She　lifted　her　eyes　to　heaven　supplicatingly；　and　then　turned　them　on　her　mother　with　a　look　of　the　utmost　terror。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Did　you　not　say　it　was　midnight？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　But　is　it　already　midnight？〃

Rosario　made　an　effort　to　speak；　then　shook　her　head；　on　which　the　weight　of　a　world　was　pressing。

〃Something　is　the　matter　with　you；　you　have　something　on　your　mind；〃　said　her　mother；　fixing　on　her　daughter　her　penetrating　eyes。

〃YesI　wanted　to　tell　you；〃　stammered　the　girl；　〃I　wanted　to　say　Nothing；　nothing；　I　will　go　to　sleep。〃

〃Rosario；　Rosario！　your　mother　can　read　your　heart　like　an　open　book；〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta　with　severity。　〃You　are　agitated。　I　have　told　you　already　that　I　am　willing　to　pardon　you　if　you　will　repent；　if　you　are　a　good　and　sensible　girl。〃

〃Why；　am　I　not　good？　Ah；　mamma；　mamma！　I　am　dying！〃

Rosario　burst　into　a　flood　of　bitter　and　disconsolate　tears。

〃What　are　these　tears　about？〃　said　her　mother；　embracing　her。　〃If　they　are　tears　of　repentance；　blessed　be　they。〃

〃I　don't　repent；　I　can't　repent！〃　cried　the　girl；　in　a　burst　of　sublime　despair。

She　lifted　her　head　and　in　her　face　was　depicted　a　sudden　inspired　strength。　Her　hair　fell　in　disorder　over　her　shoulders。　Never　was　there　seen　a　more　beautiful　image　of　a　rebellious　angel。

〃What　is　this？　Have　you　lost　your　senses？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　laying　both　her　hands　on　her　daughter's　shoulders。

〃I　am　going　away；　I　am　going　away！〃　said　the　girl；　with　the　exaltation　of　delirium。

And　she　sprang　out　of　bed。

〃Rosario；　Rosario　My　daughter！　For　God's　sake；　what　is　this？〃

〃Ah；　mamma；　senora！〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　embracing　her　mother；　〃bind　me　fast！〃

〃In　truth　you　would　deserve　it。　What　madness　is　this？〃

〃Bind　me　fast！　I　am　going　awayI　am　going　away　with　him！〃

Dona　Perfecta　felt　a　flood　of　fire　surging　from　her　heart　up　to　her　lips。　She　controlled　herself；　however；　and　answered　her　daughter　only　with　her　eyes；　blacker　than　the　night。

〃Mamma；　mamma；　I　hate　all　that　is　not　he！〃　exclaimed　Rosario。　〃Hear　my　confession；　for　I　wish　to　confess　it　to　every　one；　and　to　you　first　of　all。〃

〃You　are　going　to　kill　me；　you　are　killing　me！〃

〃I　want　to　confess　it；　so　that　you　may　pardon　me。　This　weight；　this　weight　that　is　pressing　me　down；　will　not　let　me　live。〃

〃The　weight　of　a　sin！　Add　to　it　the　malediction　of　God；　and　see　if　you　can　carry　that　burden　about　with　you；　wretched　girl！　Only　I　can　take　it　from　you。〃

〃No；　not　you；　not　you！〃　cried　Rosario；　with　desperation。　〃But　hear　me；　I　want　to　confess　it　all；　all！　Afterward；　turn　me　out　of　this　house　where　I　was　born。〃

〃I　turn　you　out！〃

〃I　will　go　away；　then。〃

〃Still　less。　I　will　teach　you　a　daughter's　duty；　which　you　have　forgotten。〃

〃I　will　fly；　then；　he　will　take　me　with　him！〃

〃Has　he　told　you　to　do　so？　has　he　counselled　you　to　do　that？　has　he　commanded　you　to　do　that？〃　asked　the　mother；　launching　these　words　like　thunderbolts　against　her　daughter。

〃He　has　counselled　me　to　do　it。　We　h