dona perecta-第22章

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；　although　poor；　did　not　lack　treasures　in　chickens；　fruits；　money；　and　maidenhood；　all　of　which　ran　great　risk　from　the　moment　when　the　before…mentioned　sons　of　Mars　entered　it。　In　addition　to　this；　the　native　town　of　Polentinos；　as　a　city　remote　from　the　movement　and　stir　brought　with　them　by　traffic；　the　newspapers；　railroads；　and　other　agents　which　it　is　unnecessary　now　to　specify；　did　not　wish　to　be　disturbed　in　its　tranquil　existence。

Besides　which；　it　manifested　on　every　favorable　occasion　a　strong　aversion　to　submitting　to　the　central　authority　which；　badly　or　well；　governs　us；　and　calling　to　mind　its　former　privileges　and　ruminating　upon　them　anew；　as　the　camel　chews　the　cud　of　the　grass　which　it　ate　yesterday；　it　would　occasionally　display　a　certain　rebellious　independence；　and　vicious　tendencies　much　to　be　deplored；　which　at　times　gave　no　little　anxiety　to　the　governor　of　the　province。

It　must　also　be　taken　into　account　that　Orbajosa　had　rebellious　antecedents；　or　rather　ancestry。　Doubtless　it　still　retained　some　of　those　energetic　fibres　which；　in　remote　ages；　according　to　the　enthusiastic　opinion　of　Don　Cayetano；　impelled　it　to　unexampled　epic　deeds；　and；　even　in　its　decadence；　occasionally　felt　an　eager　desire　to　do　great　things；　although　they　might　be　only　barbarities　and　follies。　As　it　had　given　to　the　world　so　many　illustrious　sons；　it　desired；　no　doubt；　that　its　actual　scions；　the　Caballucos；　Merengues；　and　Pelosmalos；　should　renew　the　glorious　/Gesta/　of　their　predecessors。

Whenever　there　was　disaffection　in　Spain；　Orbajosa　gave　proof　that　it　was　not　in　vain　that　it　existed　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　although　it　is　true　that　it　was　never　the　theatre　of　a　real　war。　The　spirit　of　the　town；　its　situation；　its　history；　all　reduced　it　to　the　secondary　part　of　raising　guerillas。　It　bestowed　upon　the　country　this　national　product　in　1827；　at　the　time　of　the　Apostolics；　during　the　Seven　Years'　War；　in　1848；　and　at　other　epochs　of　less　resonance　in　the　national　history。　The　guerillas　and　their　chiefs　were　always　popular；　a　fatal　circumstance　due　to　the　War　of　Independence；　one　of　those　good　things　which　have　been　the　origin　of　an　infinite　number　of　detestable　things。　/Corruptio　optimi　pessima/。　And　with　the　popularity　of　the　guerillas　and　their　chiefs　coincided；　in　ever…increasing　proportion；　the　unpopularity　of　every　one　who　entered　Orbajosa　in　the　character　of　a　delegate　or　instrument　of　the　central　power。　The　soldiers　were　held　in　such　disrepute　there　that；　whenever　the　old　people　told　of　any　crime；　any　robbery；　assassination；　or　the　like　atrocity；　they　added：　〃This　happened　when　the　soldiers　were　here。〃

And　now　that　these　important　observations　have　been　made；　it　will　be　well　to　add　that　the　battalions　sent　there　during　the　days　in　which　the　events　of　our　story　took　place　did　not　go　to　parade　through　the　streets；　but　for　another　purpose　which　will　be　clearly　and　minutely　set　forth　later　on。　As　a　detail　of　no　little　interest；　it　may　be　noted　that　the　events　here　related　took　place　at　a　period　neither　very　remote　nor　very　recent。　It　may　also　be　said　that　Orbajosa　（called　by　the　Romans　Urbs　Augusta；　although　some　learned　moderns；　enquiring　into　the　etymology　of　the　termination　/ajosa/＇*＇　are　of　the　opinion　that　it　comes　by　it　from　being　the　richest　garlic…growing　country　in　the　world）　is　neither　very　near　Madrid　nor　very　far　from　it；　nor　can　we　say　whether　its　glorious　foundations　are　laid　toward　the　north　or　toward　the　south；　toward　the　east　or　toward　the　west；　but　that　it　may　be　supposed　to　be　in　any　part　of　Spain　where　the　pungent　odor　of　its　garlic　is　to　be　perceived。

＇*＇　Rich　in　garlic。

The　billets　of　residence　being　distributed　by　the　authorities；　each　soldier　went　to　seek　his　borrowed　home。　They　were　received　by　their　hosts　with　a　very　ill　grace　and　assigned　the　most　atrociously　uninhabitable　parts　of　the　houses。　The　girls　of　the　city　were　not　indeed　among　those　who　were　most　dissatisfied；　but　a　strict　watch　was　kept　over　them；　and　it　was　considered　not　decent　to　show　pleasure　at　the　visit　of　such　rabble。　The　few　soldiers　who　were　natives　of　the　district　only　were　treated　like　kings。　The　others　were　regarded　as　invaders。

At　eight　in　the　morning　a　lieutenant…colonel　of　cavalry　entered　the　house　of　Dona　Perfecta　Polentinos　with　his　billet。　He　was　received　by　the　servants；　by　order　of　its　mistress；　who；　being　at　the　time　in　a　deplorable　state　of　mind；　did　not　wish　to　go　down　stairs　to　meet　the　soldier；　and　by　them　he　was　shown　to　the　only　room　in　the　house　which；　it　seemed；　was　disposable；　the　room　occupied　by　Pepe　Rey。

〃Let　them　settle　themselves　as　best　they　can；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　an　expression　of　gall　and　vinegar。　〃And　if　they　have　not　room　enough；　let　them　go　into　the　street。〃

Was　it　her　intention　to　annoy　in　this　way　her　detested　nephew；　or　was　there　really　no　other　unoccupied　room　in　the　house？　This　we　do　not　know；　nor　do　the　chronicles　from　which　this　true　history　is　taken　say　a　word　on　this　important　point。　What　we　know　positively　is　that；　far　from　displeasing　the　two　guests　to　be　thus　boxed　up　together；　it　gave　them　great　pleasure；　as　they　happened　to　be　old　friends。　They　were　greatly　surprised　and　delighted　when　they　met；　and　they　were　never　tired　of　asking　each　other　questions　and　uttering　exclamations；　dwelling　on　the　strange　chance　that　had　brought　them　together　in　such　a　place　and　on　such　an　occasion。

〃Pinzonyou　here！　Why；　what　is　this？　I　had　no　suspicion　that　you　were　in　this　neighborhood。〃

〃I　heard　that　you　were　in　this　part　of　the　country；　Pepe；　but　I　had　no　idea；　either；　that　I　should　meet　you　in　this　horrible；　this　barbarous　Orbajosa。〃

〃But　what　a　fortunate　chance！　For　this　chance　is　most　fortunate　providential。　Pinzon；　between　us　both　we　are　going　to　do　a　great　thing　in　this　wretched　town。〃

〃And　we　shall　have　time　enough　to　consult　about　it；〃　answered　the　other；　seating　himself　on　the　bed　in　which　the　engineer　was　lying；　〃for　it　appears　that　we　are　both　to　occupy　this　room。　What　the　devil　sort　of　a　house　is　this？〃

〃Why；　man；　it　is　my　aunt's。　Speak　with　more　respect　about　it。　Have　you　not　met　my　aunt？　But　I　am　going　to　get　up。〃

〃I　am　very　glad　of　it；　for　then　I　can　lie　down　and　rest；　and　badly　I　need　it。　What　a　road；　friend　Pepe；　what　a　road；　and　what　a　town！〃

〃Tell　me；　have　you　come　to　set　fire　to　Orbajosa？〃

〃Fire！〃

〃I　ask　you　because；　in　that　case；　I　might　help　you。〃

〃What　a　town！　But　what　a　town！〃　exclaimed　the　soldier；　removing　his　shako；　and　laying　aside　sword　and　shoulder…belt；　travelling　case　and　cloak。　〃This　is　the　second　time　they　have　sent　us　here。　I　swear　to　you　that　the　third　time　I　will　ask　my　discharge。〃

〃Don't　talk　ill　of　these　good　people！　But　you　have　come　in　the　nick　of　time。　It　seems　as　if　Providence　has　sent　you　to　my　aid；　Pinzon。　I　have　a　terrible　project　on　hand；　an　adventure；a　plot；　if　you　wish　to　call　it　so；　my　friend；and　it　would　have　been　difficult　for　me　to　carry　it　through　without　you。　A　moment　ago　I　was　in　despair；　wondering　how　I　should　manage；　and　saying　to　myself　anxiously；　'If　I　only　had　a　friend　here；　a　good　friend！'　〃

〃A　project；　a　plot；　an　adventure！　One　of　two　things；　Senor　Mathematician：　it　is　either　the　discovery　of　aerial　navigation；　or　else　some　love　affair。〃

〃It　is　serious；　very　serious。　Go　to　bed；　sleep　a　while；　and　afterward　we　will　talk　about　it。〃

〃I　will　go　to　bed；　but　I　will　not　sleep。　You　may　say　all　you　wish　to　me。　All　that　I　ask　is　that　you　will　say　as　little　as　possible　about　Orbajosa。〃

〃It　is　precisely　about　Orbajosa　that　I　wish　to　speak　to　you。　But　have　you　also　an　antipathy　to　this　cradle　of　illustrious　men？〃

〃These　garlic…venderswe　call　them　the　garlic…vendersmay　be　as　illustrious　as　you　choose；　but　to　me　they　are　as　irritating　as　the　product　of　the　country。　This　is　a　town　ruled　by　people　who　teach　distrust；　superstition；　and　hatred　of　the　whole　human　race。　When　we　have　leisure　I　will　relate　to　you　an　occurrencean　adventure；　half…　comic；　half…tragicthat　happened　to　me　here　last　year。　When　I　tell　it　to　you；　you　will　laugh　and　I　shall　be　fuming。　But；　in　fine；　what　is　past　is　past。〃

〃In　what　is　happening　to　me　there　is　nothing　comic。〃

〃But　I　have　various　reasons　for　hating　this　wretched　place。　You　must　know　that　my　father　was　assassinated　here　in　'48　by　a　party　of　barbarous　guerillas。　He　was　a　brigadier；　and　he　had　left　the　service。　The　Government　sent　for　him；　and　he　was　passing　through　Villahorrenda　on　his　way　to　Madrid；　when　he　was　captured　by　half　a　dozen　ruffians。　Here　there　are　several　dynasties　of　guerilla　chiefsthe　Aceros；　the　Caballucos；　the　Pelosmalosa　periodical　eruption；　as　some　one　has　said　who　knew　very　well　what　he　was　talking　about。〃

〃I　suppose　that　two　infantry　regiments　and　some　cavalry　have　not　come　here　solely　for　the　pleasure　of　visiting　these　delightful　regions。〃

〃Certainly　not！　We　have　come　to　survey　the　country。　There　are　many　deposits　of　arms　here。　The　Government　does　not　venture；　as　it　desires；　to　remove　from　office　the　greater　number　of　the　municipal　councils　without　first　distributing　a　few　companies　of　soldiers　through　these　towns。　As　there　is　so　much　disturbance　in　this　part　of　the　country；　as　two　of　the　neighboring　provinces　are　already　infested；　and　as　this　municipal　district　of　Orbajosa　has；　besides；　so　brilliant　a　record　in　all　the　civil　wars；　there　are　fears　that　the　bravos　of　the　place　may　take　to　the　roads　and　rob　all　they　can　lay　hands　on。〃

〃A　good　precaution！　But　I　am　firmly　convinced　that　not　until　these　people　die　and　are　born　over　again；　not　until　the　very　stones　have　changed　their　form；　will　there　be　peace　in　Orbajosa。〃

〃That　is　my　opinion　too；〃　said　the　officer；　lighting　a　cigarette。　〃Don't　you　see　that　the　guerilla　chiefs　are　the　pets　of　this　place？　Those　who　desolated　the　district　in　1848　and　at　other　epochs；　or；　if　not　they；　their　sons；　are　employed　in　the　market　inspector's　office；　at　the　town　gates；　in　the　town…hall；　in　the　post…office；　among　them　are　constables；　sacristans；　bailiffs。　Some　have　become　powerful　party　leaders　and　they　are　the　ones　who　manage　the　elections；　have　influence　in　Madrid；　bestow　placesin　short；　this　is　terrible。〃

〃And　tell　me；　is　there　no　hope　of　the　guerilla　chiefs　performing　some　exploit　in　these　days？　If　that　should　happen；　you　could　destroy　the　town；　and　I　would　help　you。〃

〃If　it　depended　upon　me　They　will　play　their　usual　pranks　no　doubt；〃　said　Pinzon；　〃for　the　insurrection　in　the　two　neighboring　provinces　is　spreading　like　wildfire。　And　between　ourselves；　friend　Rey；　I　think　this　is　going　to　last　for　a　long　time。　Some　people　smile　and　say　that　it　would　be　impossible　that　there　should　be　another　insurrection　like　the　last　one。　They　don't　know　the　country；　they　don't　know　Orbajosa　and　its　inhabitants。　I　believe　that　the　war　that　is　now　beginning　will　have　serious　consequences；　and　that　we　shall　have　another　cruel　and　bloody　struggle；　that　will　last　Heaven　knows　how　long。　What　is　your　opinion？〃

〃Well；　in　Madrid　I　laughed　at　any　one　who　spoke　of　the　possibility　of　a　civil　war　as　long　and　as　terrible　as　the　Seven　Years'　War；　but　since　I　have　been　here〃

〃One　must　come　to　the　heart　of　this　enchanting　country；　see　the　people　at　home；　and　hear　them　talk；　to　know　what　the　real　state