dona perecta-第8节

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t　of　the　country。　I　long　for　the　tranquillity　of　a　life　without　strife；　without　anxieties；　neither　envying　nor　envied；　as　the　poet　has　said。　For　a　long　time　my　studies　at　first；　and　my　work　afterward；　prevented　me　from　taking　the　rest　which　I　need；　and　which　my　mind　and　my　body　both　require；　but　ever　since　I　entered　this　house；　my　dear　aunt；　my　dear　cousin；　I　have　felt　myself　surrounded　by　the　peaceful　atmosphere　which　I　have　longed　for。　You　must　not　talk　to　me；　then；　of　society；　either　high　or　low；　or　of　the　world；　either　great　or　small；　for　I　would　willingly　exchange　them　all　for　this　peaceful　retreat。〃

While　he　was　thus　speaking；　the　glass　door　which　led　from　the　dining…　room　into　the　garden　was　obscured　by　the　interposition　between　it　and　the　light　of　a　dark　body。　The　glasses　of　a　pair　of　spectacles；　catching　a　sunbeam；　sent　forth　a　fugitive　gleam；　the　latch　creaked；　the　door　opened；　and　the　Penitentiary　gravely　entered　the　room。　He　saluted　those　present；　taking　off　his　broad…brimmed　hat　and　bowing　until　its　brim　touched　the　floor。

〃It　is　the　Senor　Penitentiary；　of　our　holy　cathedral；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta：　〃a　person　whom　we　all　esteem　greatly；　and　whose　friend　you　will；　I　hope；　be。　Take　a　seat；　Senor　Don　Inocencio。〃

Pepe　shook　hands　with　the　venerable　canon；　and　both　sat　down。

〃If　you　are　accustomed　to　smoke　after　meals；　pray　do　so；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　amiably；　〃and　the　Senor　Penitentiary　also。〃

The　worthy　Don　Inocencio　drew　from　under　his　cassock　a　large　leather　cigar…case；　which　showed　unmistakable　signs　of　long　use；　opened　it；　and　took　from　it　two　long　cigarettes；　one　of　which　he　offered　to　our　friend。　Rosario　took　a　match　from　a　little　leaf…shaped　matchbox；　which　the　Spaniards　ironically　call　a　wagon；　and　the　engineer　and　the　canon　were　soon　puffing　their　smoke　over　each　other。

〃And　what　does　Senor　Don　Jose　think　of　our　dear　city　of　Orbajosa？〃　asked　the　canon；　shutting　his　left　eye　tightly；　according　to　his　habit　when　he　smoked。

〃I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　form　an　idea　of　the　town；〃　said　Pepe。　〃From　the　little　I　have　seen　of　it；　however；　I　think　that　half　a　dozen　large　capitalists　disposed　to　invest　their　money　here；　a　pair　of　intelligent　heads　to　direct　the　work　of　renovating　the　place；　and　a　couple　of　thousands　of　active　hands　to　carry　it　out；　would　not　be　a　bad　thing　for　Orbajosa。　Coming　from　the　entrance　to　the　town　to　the　door　of　this　house；　I　saw　more　than　a　hundred　beggars。　The　greater　part　of　them　are　healthy；　and　even　robust　men。　It　is　a　pitiable　army；　the　sight　of　which　oppresses　the　heart。〃

〃That　is　what　charity　is　for；〃　declared　Don　Inocencio。　〃Apart　from　that；　Orbajosa　is　not　a　poor　town。　You　are　already　aware　that　the　best　garlic　in　all　Spain　is　produced　here。　There　are　more　than　twenty　rich　families　living　among　us。〃

〃It　is　true；　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃that　the　last　few　years　have　been　wretched；　owing　to　the　drought；　but　even　so；　the　granaries　are　not　empty；　and　several　thousands　of　strings　of　garlic　were　recently　carried　to　market。〃

〃During　the　many　years　that　I　have　lived　in　Orbajosa；〃　said　the　priest；　with　a　frown；　〃I　have　seen　innumerable　persons　come　here　from　the　capital；　some　brought　by　the　electoral　hurly…burly；　others　to　visit　some　abandoned　site；　or　to　see　the　antiquities　of　the　cathedral；　and　they　all　talk　to　us　about　the　English　ploughs　and　threshing…machines　and　water…power　and　banks；　and　I　don't　know　how　many　other　absurdities。　The　burden　of　their　song　is　that　this　place　is　very　backward；　and　that　it　could　be　improved。　Let　them　keep　away　from　us；　in　the　devil's　name！　We　are　well　enough　as　we　are；　without　the　gentlemen　from　the　capital　visiting　us；　a　great　deal　better　off　without　hearing　that　continual　clamor　about　our　poverty　and　the　grandeurs　and　the　wonders　of　other　places。　The　fool　in　his　own　house　is　wiser　than　the　wise　man　in　another's。　Is　it　not　so；　Senor　Don　Jose？　Of　course；　you　mustn't　imagine；　even　remotely；　that　I　say　this　on　your　account。　Not　at　all！　Of　course　not！　I　know　that　we　have　before　us　one　of　the　most　eminent　young　men　of　modern　Spain；　a　man　who　would　be　able　to　transform　into　fertile　lands　our　arid　wastes。　And　I　am　not　at　all　angry　because　you　sing　us　the　same　old　song　about　the　English　ploughs　and　arboriculture　and　silviculture。　Not　in　the　least。　Men　of　such　great；　such　very　great　merit；　may　be　excused　for　the　contempt　which　they　manifest　for　our　littleness。　No；　no；　my　friend；　no；　no；　Senor　Don　Jose！　you　are　entitled　to　say　any　thing　you　please；　even　to　tell　us　that　we　are　not　much　better　than　Kaffirs。〃

This　philippic；　concluded　in　a　marked　tone　of　irony；　and　all　of　it　impertinent　enough；　did　not　please　the　young　man；　but　he　refrained　from　manifesting　the　slightest　annoyance　and　continued　the　conversation；　endeavoring　to　avoid　as　far　as　possible　the　subjects　in　which　the　over…　sensitive　patriotism　of　the　canon　might　find　cause　of　offence。　The　latter　rose　when　Dona　Perfecta　began　to　speak　to　her　nephew　about　family　matters；　and　took　a　few　turns　about　the　room。

This　was　a　spacious　and　well…lighted　apartment；　the　walls　of　which　were　covered　with　an　old…fashioned　paper　whose　flowers　and　branches；　although　faded；　preserved　their　original　pattern；　thanks　to　the　cleanliness　which　reigned　in　each　and　every　part　of　the　dwelling。　The　clock；　from　the　case　of　which　hung；　uncovered；　the　apparently　motionless　weights　and　the　voluble　pendulum；　perpetually　repeating　No；　no；　occupied；　with　its　variegated　dial；　the　most　prominent　place　among　the　solid　pieces　of　furniture　of　the　dining…room；　the　adornment　of　the　walls　being　completed　by　a　series　of　French　engravings　representing　the　exploits　of　the　conqueror　of　Mexico；　with　prolix　explanations　at　the　foot　of　each　concerning　a　Ferdinand　Cortez；　and　a　Donna　Marine；　as　little　true　to　nature　as　were　the　figures　delineated　by　the　ignorant　artist。　In　the　space　between　the　two　glass　doors　which　communicated　with　the　garden　was　an　apparatus　of　brass；　which　it　is　not　necessary　to　describe　further　than　to　say　that　it　served　to　support　a　parrot；　which　maintained　itself　on　it　with　the　air　of　gravity　and　circumspection　peculiar　to　those　animals；　taking　note　of　everything　that　went　on。　The　hard　and　ironical　expression　of　the　parrot　tribe；　their　green　coats；　their　red　caps；　their　yellow　boots；　and　finally；　the　hoarse；　mocking　words　which　they　generally　utter；　give　them　a　strange　and　repulsive　aspect；　half　serious；　half…comic。　There　is　in　their　air　an　indescribable　something　of　the　stiffness　of　diplomats。　At　times　they　remind　one　of　buffoons；　and　they　always　resemble　those　absurdly　conceited　people　who；　in　their　desire　to　appear　very　superior；　look　like　caricatures。

The　Penitentiary　was　very　fond　of　the　parrot。　When　he　left　Dona　Perfecta　and　Rosario　conversing　with　the　traveller；　he　went　over　to　the　bird；　and；　allowing　it　to　bite　his　forefinger　with　the　greatest　good　humor；　said　to　it：

〃Rascal；　knave；　why　don't　you　talk？　You　would　be　of　little　account　if　you　weren't　a　prater。　The　world　of　birds；　as　well　as　men；　is　full　of　praters。〃

Then；　with　his　own　venerable　hand；　he　took　some　peas　from　the　dish　beside　him；　and　gave　them　to　the　bird　to　eat。　The　parrot　began　to　call　to　the　maid；　asking　her　for　some　chocolate；　and　its　words　diverted　the　two　ladies　and　the　young　man　from　a　conversation　which　could　not　have　been　very　engrossing。



CHAPTER　VI

IN　WHICH　IT　IS　SEEN　THAT　DISAGREEMENT　MAY　ARISE　WHEN　LEAST　EXPECTED

Suddenly　Don　Cayetano　Polentinos；　Dona　Perfecta's　brother…in…law；　appeared　at　the　door；　and　entering　the　room　with　outstretched　arms；　cried：

〃Let　me　embrace　you；　my　dear　Don　Jose。〃

They　embraced　each　other　cordially。　Don　Cayetano　and　Pepe　were　already　acquainted　with　each　other；　for　the　eminent　scholar　and　bibliophile　was　in　the　habit　of　making　a　trip　to　Madrid　whenever　an　executor's　sale　of　the　stock　of　some　dealer　in　old　books　was　advertised。　Don　Cayetano　was　tall　and　thin；　of　middle　age；　although　constant　study　or　ill…health　had　given　him　a　worn　appearance；　he　expressed　himself　with　a　refined　correctness　which　became　him　admirably；　and　he　was　affectionate　and　amiable　in　his　manners；　at　times　to　excess。　With　respect　to　his　vast　learning；　what　can　be　said　but　that　he　was　a　real　prodigy？　In　Madrid　his　name　was　always　mentioned　with　respect；　and　if　Don　Cayetano　had　lived　in　the　capital；　he　could　not　have　escaped　becoming　a　member；　in　spite　of　his　modesty；　of　every　academy　in　it；　past；　present；　and　to　come。　But　he　was　fond　of　quiet　and　retirement；　and　the　place　which　vanity　occupies　in　the　souls　of　others；　a　pure　passion　for　books；　a　love　of　solitary　and　secluded　study；　without　any　other　aim　or　incentive　than　the　books　and　the　study　themselves；　occupied　in　his。

He　had　formed　in　Orbajosa　one　of　the　finest　libraries　that　is　to　be　found　in　all　Spain；　and　among　his　books　he　passed　long　hours　of　the　day　and　of　the　night；　compiling；　classifying；　taking　notes；　and　selecting　various　sorts　of　precious　information；　or　composing；　perhaps；　some　hitherto　unheard…of　and　undreamed…of　work；　worthy　of　so　great　a　mind。　His　habits　were　patriarchal；　he　ate　little；　drank　less；　and　his　only　dissipations　consisted　of　a　luncheon　in　the　Alamillos　on　very　great　occasions；　and　daily　walks　to　a　place　called　Mundogrande；　where　were