dona perecta-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
epe； who had been employed for several years in the works of various rich building companies； set out on a tour through Germany and England； for the purpose of study。 His father's fortune； （as large as it is possible for a fortune which has only an honorable law…office for its source to be in Spain）； permitted him to free himself in a short time from the yoke of material labor。 A man of exalted ideas and with an ardent love for science； he found his purest enjoyment in the observation and study of the marvels by means of which the genius of the age furthers at the same time the culture and material comfort and the moral progress of man。
On returning from his tour his father informed him that he had an important project to communicate to him。 Pepe supposed that it concerned some bridge； dockyard； or； at the least； the draining of some marsh； but Don Juan soon dispelled his error； disclosing to him his plan in the following words：
〃This is March； and Perfecta's quarterly letter has not failed to come。 Read it； my dear boy； and if you can agree to what that holy and exemplary woman； my dear sister； says in it； you will give me the greatest happiness I could desire in my old age。 If the plan does not please you； reject it without hesitation； for； although your refusal would grieve me； there is not in it the shadow of constraint on my part。 It would be unworthy of us both that it should be realized through the coercion of an obstinate father。 You are free either to accept or to reject it； and if there is in your mind the slightest repugnance to it； arising either from your inclinations or from any other cause； I do not wish you to do violence to your feelings on my account。〃
Pepe laid the letter on the table after he had glanced through it； and said quietly：
〃My aunt wishes me to marry Rosario！〃
〃She writes accepting joyfully my idea；〃 said his father； with emotion。 〃For the idea was mine。 Yes； it is a long time； a very long time since it occurred to me； but I did not wish to say anything to you until I knew what your sister might think about it。 As you see； Perfecta receives my plan with joy； she says that she too had thought of it； but that she did not venture to mention it to me； because you areyou have seen what she saysbecause you are a young man of very exceptional merit and her daughter is a country girl； without either a brilliant education or worldly attractions。 Those are her words。 My poor sister！ How good she is！ I see that you are not displeased； I see that this project of mine； resembling a little the officious prevision of the fathers of former times who married their children without consulting their wishes in the matter； and making generally inconsiderate and unwise matches； does not seem absurd to you。 God grant that this may be； as it seems to promise； one of the happiest。 It is true that you have never seen your cousin； but we are both aware of her virtue； of her discretion； of her modest and noble simplicity。 That nothing may be wanting； she is even beautiful。 My opinion is；〃 he added gayly； 〃that you should at once start for that out…of…the…way episcopal city； that Urbs Augusta； and there； in the presence of my sister and her charming Rosarito； decide whether the latter is to be something more to me or not； than my niece。〃
Pepe took up the letter again and read it through carefully。 His countenance expressed neither joy nor sorrow。 He might have been examining some plan for the junction of two railroads。
〃In truth；〃 said Don Juan； 〃in that remote Orbajosa； where； by the way； you have some land that you might take a look at now； life passes with the tranquillity and the sweetness of an idyl。 What patriarchal customs！ What noble simplicity！ What rural and Virgilian peace！ If； instead of being a mathematician； you were a Latinist； you would repeat； as you enter it； the /ergo tua rura manebunt/。 What an admirable place in which to commune with one's own soul and to prepare one's self for good works。 There all is kindness and goodness； there the deceit and hypocrisy of our great cities are unknown； there the holy inclinations which the turmoil of modern life stifles spring into being again； there dormant faith reawakens and one feels within the breast an impulse； vague but keen； like the impatience of youth； that from the depths of the soul cries out： 'I wish to live！' 〃
A few days after this conference Pepe left Puerto Real。 He had refused； some months before； a commission from the government to survey； in its mineralogical aspects； the basin of the River Nahara； in the valley of Orbajosa； but the plans to which the conference above recorded gave rise； caused him to say to himself： 〃It will be as well to make use of the time。 Heaven only knows how long this courtship may last； or what hours of weariness it may bring with it。〃 He went； then； to Madrid； solicited the commission to explore the basin of the Nahara； which he obtained without difficulty； although he did not belong officially to the mining corps； set out shortly afterward； and； after a second change of trains； the mixed train No。 65 bore him； as we have seen； to the loving arms of Uncle Licurgo。
The age of our hero was about thirty…four years。 He was of a robust constitution； of athletic build； and so admirably proportioned and of so commanding an appearance that； if he had worn a uniform； he would have presented the most martial air and figure that it is possible to imagine。 His hair and beard were blond in color； but in his countenance there was none of the phlegmatic imperturbability of the Saxon； but； on the contrary； so much animation that his eyes； although they were not black； seemed to be so。 His figure would have served as a perfect and beautiful model for a statue； on the pedestal of which the sculptor might engrave the words： 〃Intellect； strength。〃 If not in visible characters； he bore them vaguely expressed in the brilliancy of his glance； in the potent attraction with which his person was peculiarly endowed； and in the sympathy which his cordial manners inspired。
He was not very talkativeonly persons of inconstant ideas and unstable judgment are prone to verbosity。 His profound moral sense made him sparing of words in the disputes in which the men of the day are prone to engage on any and every subject； but in polite conversation he displayed an eloquence full of wit and intelligence； emanating always from good sense and a temperate and just appreciation of worldly matters。 He had no toleration for those sophistries； and mystifications； and quibbles of the understanding with which persons of intelligence； imbued with affected culture； sometimes amuse themselves； and in defence of the truth Pepe Rey employed at times； and not always with moderation； the weapon of ridicule。 This was almost a defect in the eyes of many people who esteemed him； for our hero thus appeared wanting in respect for a multitude of things commonly accepted and believed。 It must be acknowledged； although it may lessen him in the opinion of many； that Rey did not share the mild toleration of the compliant age which has invented strange disguises of words and of acts to conceal what to the general eye might be disagreeable。
Such was the man； whatever slanderous tongues may say to the contrary； whom Uncle Licurgo introduced into Orbajosa just as the cathedral bells were ringing for high mass。 When； looking over the garden wall； they saw the young girl and the Penitentiary； and then the flight of the former toward the house； they put spurs to their beasts and entered the Calle Real； where a great many idlers stood still to gaze at the traveller； as if he were a stranger and an intruder in the patriarchal city。 Turning presently to the right and riding in the direction of the cathedral； whose massive bulk dominated the town； they entered the Calle del Condestable； in which； being narrow and paved； the hoofs of the animals clattered noisily； alarming the people of the neighborhood； who came to the windows and to the balconies to satisfy their curiosity。 Shutters opened with a grating sound and various faces； almost all feminine； appeared above and below。 By the time Pepe Rey had reached the threshold of the house of Polentinos many and diverse comments had been already made on his person。
CHAPTER IV
THE ARRIVAL OF THE COUSIN
When Rosarito left him so abruptly the Penitentiary looked toward the garden wall； and seeing the faces of Licurgo and his companion； said to himself：
〃So the prodigy is already here； then。〃
He remained thoughtful for some moments； his cloak； grasped with both hands； folded over his abdomen； his eyes fixed on the ground； his gold… rimmed spectacles slipping gently toward the point of his nose； his under…lip moist and projecting； and his iron…gray eyebrows gathered in a slight frown。 He was a pious and holy man； of uncommon learning and of irreproachable clerical habits； a little past his sixtieth year； affable in his manners； courteous and kind； and greatly addicted to giving advice and counsel to both men and women。 For many years past he had been master of Latin and rhetoric in the Institute； which noble profession had supplied him with a large fund of quotations from Horace and of florid metaphors； which he emplo
