dona perecta-第7节

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had　supplied　him　with　a　large　fund　of　quotations　from　Horace　and　of　florid　metaphors；　which　he　employed　with　wit　and　opportuneness。　Nothing　more　need　be　said　regarding　this　personage；　but　that；　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　trot　of　the　animals　approaching　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　he　arranged　the　folds　of　his　cloak；　straightened　his　hat；　which　was　not　altogether　correctly　placed　upon　his　venerable　head；　and；　walking　toward　the　house；　murmured：

〃Let　us　go　and　see　this　paragon。〃

Meanwhile　Pepe　was　alighting　from　his　nag；　and　Dona　Perfecta；　her　face　bathed　in　tears　and　barely　able　to　utter　a　few　trembling　words；　the　sincere　expression　of　her　affection；　was　receiving　him　at　the　gate　itself　in　her　loving　arms。

〃Pepebut　how　tall　you　are！　And　with　a　beard。　Why；　it　seems　only　yesterday　that　I　held　you　in　my　lap。　And　now　you　are　a　man；　a　grown…up　man。　Well；　well！　How　the　years　pass！　This　is　my　daughter　Rosario。〃

As　she　said　this　they　reached　the　parlor　on　the　ground　floor；　which　was　generally　used　as　a　reception…room；　and　Dona　Perfecta　presented　her　daughter　to　Pepe。

Rosario　was　a　girl　of　delicate　and　fragile　appearance；　that　revealed　a　tendency　to　pensive　melancholy。　In　her　delicate　and　pure　countenance　there　was　something　of　the　soft；　pearly　pallor　which　most　novelists　attribute　to　their　heroines；　and　without　which　sentimental　varnish　it　appears　that　no　Enriquieta　or　Julia　can　be　interesting。　But　what　chiefly　distinguished　Rosario　was　that　her　face　expressed　so　much　sweetness　and　modesty　that　the　absence　of　the　perfections　it　lacked　was　not　observed。　This　is　not　to　say　that　she　was　plain；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　true　that　it　would　be　an　exaggeration　to　call　her　beautiful　in　the　strictest　meaning　of　the　word。　The　real　beauty　of　Dona　Perfecta's　daughter　consisted　in　a　species　of　transparency；　different　from　that　of　pearl；　alabaster；　marble；　or　any　of　the　other　substances　used　in　descriptions　of　the　human　countenance；　a　species　of　transparency　through　which　the　inmost　depths　of　her　soul　were　clearly　visible；　depths　not　cavernous　and　gloomy；　like　those　of　the　sea；　but　like　those　of　a　clear　and　placid　river。　But　the　material　was　wanting　there　for　a　complete　personality。　The　channel　was　wanting；　the　banks　were　wanting。　The　vast　wealth　of　her　spirit　overflowed；　threatening　to　wash　away　the　narrow　borders。　When　her　cousin　saluted　her　she　blushed　crimson；　and　uttered　only　a　few　unintelligible　words。

〃You　must　be　fainting　with　hunger；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　to　her　nephew。　〃You　shall　have　your　breakfast　at　once。〃

〃With　your　permission；〃　responded　the　traveller；　〃I　will　first　go　and　get　rid　of　the　dust　of　the　journey。〃

〃That　is　a　sensible　idea；〃　said　the　senora。　〃Rosario；　take　your　cousin　to　the　room　that　we　have　prepared　for　him。　Don't　delay；　nephew。　I　am　going　to　give　the　necessary　orders。〃

Rosario　took　her　cousin　to　a　handsome　apartment　situated　on　the　ground　floor。　The　moment　he　entered　it　Pepe　recognized　in　all　the　details　of　the　room　the　diligent　and　loving　hand　of　a　woman。　All　was　arranged　with　perfect　taste；　and　the　purity　and　freshness　of　everything　in　this　charming　nest　invited　to　repose。　The　guest　observed　minute　details　that　made　him　smile。

〃Here　is　the　bell；〃　said　Rosario；　taking　in　her　hand　the　bell…rope；　the　tassel　of　which　hung　over　the　head　of　the　bed。　〃All　you　have　to　do　is　to　stretch　out　your　hand。　The　writing…table　is　placed　so　that　you　will　have　the　light　from　the　left。　See；　in　this　basket　you　can　throw　the　waste　papers。　Do　you　smoke？〃

〃Unfortunately；　yes；〃　responded　Pepe　Rey。

〃Well；　then；　you　can　throw　the　ends　of　your　cigars　here；〃　she　said；　touching　with　the　tip　of　her　shoe　a　utensil　of　gilt…brass　filled　with　sand。　〃There　is　nothing　uglier　than　to　see　the　floor　covered　with　cigar…ends。　Here　is　the　washstand。　For　your　clothes　you　have　a　wardrobe　and　a　bureau。　I　think　this　is　a　bad　place　for　the　watch…case；　it　would　be　better　beside　the　bed。　If　the　light　annoys　you；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　lower　the　shade　with　this　cord；　see；　this　way。〃

The　engineer　was　enchanted。

Rosarito　opened　one　of　the　windows。

〃Look；〃　she　said；　〃this　window　opens　into　the　garden。　The　sun　comes　in　here　in　the　afternoon。　Here　we　have　hung　the　cage　of　a　canary　that　sings　as　if　he　was　crazy。　If　his　singing　disturbs　you　we　will　take　it　away。〃

She　opened　another　window　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。

〃This　other　window；〃　she　continued；　〃looks　out　on　the　street。　Look；　from　here　you　can　see　the　cathedral；　it　is　very　handsome；　and　full　of　beautiful　things。　A　great　many　English　people　come　to　see　it。　Don't　open　both　windows　at　the　same　time；　because　draughts　are　very　bad。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Pepe；　his　soul　inundated　with　an　inexplicable　joy；　〃in　all　that　is　before　my　eyes　I　see　an　angel's　hand　that　can　be　only　yours。　What　a　beautiful　room　this　is！　It　seems　to　me　as　if　I　had　lived　in　it　all　my　life。　It　invites　to　peace。〃

Rosarito　made　no　answer　to　these　affectionate　expressions；　and　left　the　room；　smiling。

〃Make　no　delay；〃　she　said　from　the　door；　〃the　dining…room　too　is　down　stairsin　the　centre　of　this　hall。〃

Uncle　Licurgo　came　in　with　the　luggage。　Pepe　rewarded　him　with　a　liberality　to　which　the　countryman　was　not　accustomed；　and　the　latter；　after　humbly　thanking　the　engineer；　raised　his　hand　to　his　head　with　a　hesitating　movement；　and　in　an　embarrassed　tone；　and　mumbling　his　words；　he　said　hesitatingly：

〃When　will　it　be　most　convenient　for　me　to　speak　to　Senor　Don　Jose　about　aa　little　matter　of　business？〃

〃A　little　matter　of　business？　At　once；〃　responded　Pepe；　opening　one　of　his　trunks。

〃This　is　not　a　suitable　time；〃　said　the　countryman。　〃When　Senor　Don　Jose　has　rested　it　will　be　time　enough。　There　are　more　days　than　sausages；　as　the　saying　is；　and　after　one　day　comes　another。　Rest　now；　Senor　Don　Jose。　Whenever　you　want　to　take　a　ridethe　nag　is　not　bad。　Well；　good…day；　Senor　Don　Jose。　I　am　much　obliged　to　you。　Ah！　I　had　forgotten；〃　he　added；　returning　a　few　moments　later。　〃If　you　have　any　message　for　the　municipal　judgeI　am　going　now　to　speak　to　him　about　our　little　affair。〃

〃Give　him　my　compliments；〃　said　Pepe　gayly；　no　better　way　of　getting　rid　of　the　Spartan　legislator　occurring　to　him。

〃Good…by；　then；　Senor　Don　Jose。〃

〃Good…by。〃

The　engineer　had　not　yet　taken　his　clothes　out　of　the　trunk　when　for　the　third　time　the　shrewd　eyes　and　the　crafty　face　of　Uncle　Licurgo　appeared　in　the　door…way。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Senor　Don　Jose；〃　he　said；　displaying　his　brilliantly　white　teeth　in　an　affected　smile；　〃butI　wanted　to　say　that　if　you　wish　to　settle　the　matter　by　means　of　friendly　arbitrations　Although；　as　the　saying　is；　'Ask　other　people's　opinion　of　something　that　concerns　only　yourself；　and　some　will　say　it　is　white　and　others　black。'　〃

〃Will　you　get　away　from　here；　man？〃

〃I　say　that；　because　I　hate　the　law。　I　don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　law。　Well；　good…by；　again；　Senor　Don　Jose。　God　give　you　long　life　to　help　the　poor！〃

〃Good…by；　man；　good…by。〃

Pepe　turned　the　key　in　the　lock　of　the　door；　saying　to　himself：

〃The　people　of　this　town　appear　to　be　very　litigious。〃



CHAPTER　V

WILL　THERE　BE　DISSENSION？

A　little　later　Pepe　made　his　appearance　in　the　dining…room。

〃If　you　eat　a　hearty　breakfast；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　to　him；　in　affectionate　accents；　〃you　will　have　no　appetite　for　dinner。　We　dine　here　at　one。　Perhaps　you　may　not　like　the　customs　of　the　country。〃

〃I　am　enchanted　with　them；　aunt。〃

〃Say；　then；　which　you　preferto　eat　a　hearty　breakfast　now；　or　to　take　something　light；　and　keep　your　appetite　for　dinner。〃

〃I　prefer　to　take　something　light　now；　in　order　to　have　the　pleasure　of　dining　with　you。　But　not　even　if　I　had　found　anything　to　eat　in　Villahorrenda；　would　I　have　eaten　any　thing　at　this　early　hour。〃

〃Of　course；　I　need　not　tell　you　that　you　are　to　treat　us　with　perfect　frankness。　You　may　give　your　orders　here　as　if　you　were　in　your　own　house。〃

〃Thanks；　aunt。〃

〃But　how　like　your　father　you　are！〃　said　the　senora；　regarding　the　young　man；　as　he　ate；　with　real　delight。　〃I　can　fancy　I　am　looking　now　at　my　dear　brother　Juan。　He　sat　just　as　you　are　sitting　and　ate　as　you　are　eating。　In　your　expression；　especially；　you　are　as　like　as　two　drops　of　water。〃

Pepe　began　his　frugal　breakfast。　The　words；　as　well　as　the　manner　and　the　expression；　of　his　aunt　and　cousin　inspired　him　with　so　much　confidence　that　he　already　felt　as　if　he　were　in　his　own　house。

〃Do　you　know　what　Rosario　was　saying　to　me　this　morning？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　looking　at　her　nephew。　〃Well；　she　was　saying　that；　as　a　man　accustomed　to　the　luxuries　and　the　etiquette　of　the　capital　and　to　foreign　ways；　you　would　not　be　able　to　put　up　with　the　somewhat　rustic　simplicity　and　the　lack　of　ceremony　of　our　manner　of　life；　for　here　every　thing　is　very　plain。〃

〃What　a　mistake！〃　responded　Pepe；　looking　at　his　cousin。　〃No　one　abhors　more　than　I　do　the　falseness　and　the　hypocrisy　of　what　is　called　high　society。　Believe　me；　I　have　long　wished　to　give　myself　a　complete　bath　in　nature；　as　some　one　has　said；　to　live　far　from　the　turmoil　of　existence　in　the　solitude　and　quiet　of　the　country。　I　long　for　the　tranquillity　of　a　life　without　strife；　without　anxieties；　neither　e