dona perecta-第31章

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〃It　is　necessary　to　go　to　the　bottomto　the　bottom；　Remedios。　Don't　you　understand　yet？〃

〃No。〃

〃My　nephew　is　not　my　nephew；　woman；　he　is　blasphemy；　sacrilege；　atheism；　demagogy。　Do　you　know　what　demagogy　is？〃

〃Something　relating　to　those　people　who　burned　Paris　with　petroleum；　and　those　who　pull　down　the　churches　and　fire　on　the　images。　So　far　I　understand　very　well。〃

〃Well；　my　nephew　is　all　that！　Ah！　if　he　were　alone　in　Orbajosabut　no；　child。　My　nephew；　through　a　series　of　fatalities；　which　are　trials；　the　transitory　evils　that　God　permits　for　our　chastisement；　is　equivalent　to　an　army；　is　equivalent　to　the　authority　of　the　government；　equivalent　to　the　alcalde；　equivalent　to　the　judge。　My　nephew　is　not　my　nephew；　he　is　the　official　nation；　Remediosthat　second　nation　composed　of　the　scoundrels　who　govern　in　Madrid；　and　who　have　made　themselves　masters　of　its　material　strength；　of　that　apparent　nation　for　the　real　nation　is　the　one　that　is　silent；　that　pays　and　suffers；　of　that　fictitious　nation　that　signs　decrees　and　pronounces　discourses　and　makes　a　farce　of　government；　and　a　farce　of　authority；　and　a　farce　of　every　thing。　That　is　what　my　nephew　is　to…day；　you　must　accustom　yourself　to　look　under　the　surface　of　things。　My　nephew　is　the　government；　the　brigadier；　the　new　alcalde；　the　new　judgefor　they　all　protect　him；　because　of　the　unanimity　of　their　ideas；　because　they　are　chips　of　the　same　block；　birds　of　a　feather。　Understand　it　well；　we　must　defend　ourselves　against　them　all；　for　they　are　all　one；　and　one　is　all；　we　must　attack　them　all　together；　and　not　by　beating　a　man　as　he　turns　a　corner；　but　as　our　forefathers　attacked　the　Moorsthe　Moors；　Remedios。　Understand　this　well；　child；　open　your　understanding　and　allow　an　idea　that　is　not　vulgar　to　enter　itrise　above　yourself；　think　lofty　thoughts；　Remedios！〃

Don　Inocencio's　niece　was　struck　dumb　by　so　much　loftiness　of　soul。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　that　should　be　in　consonance　with　so　sublime　an　idea；　but　she　only　breathed　a　sigh。

〃Like　the　Moors；〃　repeated　Dona　Perfecta。　〃It　is　a　question　of　Moors　and　Christians。　And　did　you　suppose　that　by　giving　a　fright　to　my　nephew　all　would　be　ended？　How　foolish　you　are！　Don't　you　see　that　his　friends　support　him？　Don't　you　see　that　you　are　at　the　mercy　of　that　rabble？　Don't　you　see　that　any　little　lieutenant　can　set　fire　to　my　house；　if　he　takes　it　into　his　head　to　do　so？　But　don't　you　know　this？　Don't　you　comprehend　that　it　is　necessary　to　go　to　the　bottom　of　things？　Don't　you　comprehend　how　vast；　how　tremendous　is　the　power　of　my　enemy；　who　is　not　a　man；　but　a　sect？　Don't　you　comprehend　that　my　nephew；　as　he　confronts　me　to…day；　is　not　a　calamity；　but　a　plague？　Against　this　plague；　dear　Remedios；　we　shall　have　here　a　battalion　sent　by　God　that　will　annihilate　the　infernal　militia　from　Madrid。　I　tell　you　that　this　is　going　to　be　great　and　glorious。〃

〃If　it　were　at　last　so！〃

〃But　do　you　doubt　it？　To…day　we　shall　see　terrible　things　here；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　great　impatience。　〃To…day；　to…day！　What　o'clock　is　it？　Seven？　So　late；　and　nothing　has　happened！〃

〃Perhaps　my　uncle　has　heard　something；　he　is　here　now；　I　hear　him　coming　upstairs。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　rising　to　receive　the　Penitentiary。　〃He　will　have　good　news　for　us。〃

Don　Inocencio　entered　hastily。　His　altered　countenance　showed　that　his　soul；　consecrated　to　religion　and　to　the　study　of　the　classics；　was　not　as　tranquil　as　usual。

〃Bad　news！〃　he　said；　laying　his　hat　on　a　chair　and　loosening　the　cords　of　his　cloak。

Dona　Perfecta　turned　pale。

〃They　are　arresting　people；〃　added　Don　Inocencio；　lowering　his　voice；　as　if　there　was　a　soldier　hidden　under　every　chair。　〃They　suspect；　no　doubt；　that　the　people　here　would　not　put　up　with　their　high…handed　measures；　and　they　have　gone　from　house　to　house；　arresting　all　who　have　a　reputation　for　bravery。〃

Dona　Perfecta　threw　herself　into　an　easy　chair　and　clutched　its　arms　convulsively。

〃It　remains　to　be　seen　whether　they　have　allowed　themselves　to　be　arrested；〃　observed　Remedios。

〃Many　of　them　havea　great　many　of　them；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　with　an　approving　look；　addressing　Dona　Perfecta；　〃have　had　time　to　escape；　and　have　gone　with　arms　and　horses　to　Villahorrenda。〃

〃And　Ramos？〃

〃They　told　me　in　the　cathedral　that　he　is　the　one　they　are　looking　for　most　eagerly。　Oh；　my　God！　to　arrest　innocent　people　in　that　way；　who　have　done　nothing　yet。　Well；　I　don't　know　how　good　Spaniards　can　have　patience　under　such　treatment。　Senora　Dona　Perfecta；　when　I　was　telling　you　about　the　arrests；　I　forgot　to　say　that　you　ought　to　go　home　at　once。〃

〃Yes；　I　will　go　at　once。　Have　those　bandits　searched　my　house？〃

〃It　is　possible。　Senora；　we　have　fallen　upon　evil　days；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　in　solemn　and　feeling　accents。　〃May　God　have　pity　upon　us！〃

〃There　are　half　a　dozen　well…armed　men　in　my　house；〃　responded　the　lady；　greatly　agitated。　〃What　iniquity！　Would　they　be　capable　of　wanting　to　carry　them　off　too？〃

〃Assuredly　Senor　Pinzon　will　not　have　neglected　to　denounce　them。　Senora；　I　repeat　that　we　have　fallen　upon　evil　days。　But　God　will　protect　the　innocent。〃

〃I　am　going　now。　Don't　fail　to　stop　in　at　the　house。〃

〃Senora；　as　soon　as　the　lesson　is　overthough　I　imagine　that　with　the　excitement　that　there　is　in　the　town；　all　the　boys　will　play　truant　to…day　But　in　any　case　I　will　go　to　the　house　after　class　hours。　I　don't　wish　you　to　go　out　alone；　senora。　Those　vagabond　soldiers　are　strutting　about　the　streets　with　such　insolent　airs。　Jacinto；　Jacinto！〃

〃It　is　not　necessary。　I　will　go　alone。〃

〃Let　Jacinto　go　with　you；〃　said　the　young　man's　mother。　〃He　must　be　up　by　this　time。〃

They　heard　the　hurried　footsteps　of　the　little　doctor；　who　was　coming　down　the　stairs　in　the　greatest　haste。　He　entered　the　room　with　flushed　face　and　panting　for　breath。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　his　uncle。

〃In　the　Troyas'　house；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃in　the　house　of　those　those　girls〃

〃Finish　at　once！〃

〃Caballuco　is　there！〃

〃Up　there？　In　the　house　of　the　Troyas？〃

〃Yes；　senor。　He　spoke　to　me　from　the　terrace；　and　he　told　me　he　was　afraid　they　were　coming　there　to　arrest　him。〃

〃Oh；　what　a　fool！　That　idiot　is　going　to　allow　himself　to　be　arrested！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　tapping　the　floor　impatiently　with　her　foot。

〃He　wants　to　come　down　and　let　us　hide　him　in　the　house。〃

〃Here？〃

The　canon　and　his　niece　exchanged　a　glance。

〃Let　him　come　down！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　vehemently。

〃Here？〃　repeated　Don　Inocencio；　with　a　look　of　ill…humor。

〃Here；〃　answered　the　lady。　〃I　don't　know　of　any　house　where　he　would　be　more　secure。〃

〃He　can　let　himself　down　easily　from　the　window　of　my　room；〃　said　Jacinto。

〃Well；　if　it　is　necessary〃

〃Maria　Remedios；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃if　they　take　that　man；　all　is　lost。〃

〃I　am　a　fool　and　a　simpleton；〃　answered　the　canon's　niece；　laying　her　hand　on　her　breast　and　stifling　the　sigh　that　was　doubtless　about　to　escape　from　it；　〃but　they　shall　not　take　him。〃

Dona　Perfecta　went　out　quickly；　and　shortly　afterward　the　Centaur　was　making　himself　comfortable　in　the　arm…chair　in　which　Don　Inocencio　was　accustomed　to　sit　when　he　was　writing　his　sermons。

We　do　not　know　how　it　reached　the　ears　of　Brigadier　Batalla；　but　certain　it　is　that　this　active　soldier　had　had　notice　that　the　Orbajosans　had　changed　their　intentions；　and　on　the　morning　of　this　day　he　had　ordered　the　arrest　of　those　whom　in　our　rich　insurrectional　language　we　are　accustomed　to　call　marked。　The　great　Caballuco　escaped　by　a　miracle；　taking　refuge　in　the　house　of　the　Troyas；　but　not　thinking　himself　safe　there　he　descended；　as　we　have　seen；　to　the　holy　and　unsuspected　mansion　of　the　good　canon。

At　night　the　soldiers；　established　at　various　points　of　the　town；　kept　a　strict　watch　on　all　who　came　in　and　went　out；　but　Ramos　succeeded　in　making　his　escape；　cheating　or　perhaps　without　cheating　the　vigilance　of　the　military。　This　filled　the　measure　of　the　rage　of　the　Orbajosans；　and　numbers　of　people　were　conspiring　in　the　hamlets　near　Villahorrenda；　meeting　at　night　to　disperse　in　the　morning　and　prepare　in　this　way　the　arduous　business　of　the　insurrection。　Ramos　scoured　the　surrounding　country；　collecting　men　and　arms；　and　as　the　flying　columns　followed　the　Aceros　into　the　district　of　Villajuan　de　Nahara；　our　chivalrous　hero　made　great　progress　in　a　very　short　time。

At　night　he　ventured　boldly　into　Orbajosa；　employing　stratagems　and　perhaps　bribery。　His　popularity　and　the　protection　which　he　received　in　the　town　served　him；　to　a　certain　extent；　as　a　safeguard；　and　it　would　not　be　rash　to　affirm　that　the　soldiers　did　not　manifest　toward　this　daring　leader　of　the　insurrection　the　same　rigor　as　toward　the　insignificant　men　of　the　place。　In　Spain；　and　especially　in　time　of　war；　which　is　here　always　demoralizing；　these　unworthy　considerations　toward　the　great　are　often　seen；　while　the　little　are　persecuted　pitilessly。　Favored　then　by　his　boldness；　by　bribery；　or　by　we　know　not　what；　Caballuco　entered　Orbajosa；　gained　new　recruits；　and　collected　arms　and　money。　Either　for　the　great　security　of　his　person　or　in　order　to　save　appearances；　he　did　not　set　foot　in　his　own　house；　he　entered　Dona　Perfecta's　only　for　the　purpose　of　treating　of　important　affairs；　and　he　usually　supped　in　the　house　of　some　friend；　preferring　always　the　respected　domicile　of　some　priest；　and　especially　that　of　Don　Inocencio；　where　he　had　taken　refuge　on　the　fateful　morning　of　the　arrests。

Meanwhile　Batalla　had　telegraphed　to　the　Government　the　information　that　a　plot　of　the　rebels　having　been　discovered　its　authors　had　been　imprisoned；　and　the　few　who　had　succeeded　in　escaping　had　fled　in　various　directions　and　were　being　actively　pursued　by　the　military。



CHAPTER　XXVI

MARIA　REMEDIOS

There　is　nothing　more　entertaining　than　to　search　for　the　cause　of　some　interesting　event　which　surprises　or　agitates　us；　and　nothing　more　satisfactory　than　to　discover　it。　When；　seeing　violent　passions　in　open　or　concealed　conflict；　and　led　by　the　natural　intuitive　impulse　which　always　accompanies　human　observation　we　succeed　in　discovering　the　hidden　source　from　which　that　turbulent　river　had　derived　its　waters；　we　experience　a　sensation　very　similar　to　the　delight　of　the　explorer　or　the　discoverer　of　an　unknown　land。

This　delight　Providence　has　now　bestowed　upon　us；　for；　exploring　the　hidden　recesses　of　the　hearts　which　beat　in　this　story；　we　have　discovered　an　event　that　is　assuredly　the　source　of　the　most　important　events　that　we　have　narrated；　a　passion　which　is　the　first　drop　of　water　of　the　impetuous　current　whose　course　we　are　observing。

Let　us　go　on　with　our　story；　then。　To　do　so；　let　us　leave　Senora　de　Polentinos；　without　concerning　ourselves　in　regard　to　what　may　have　happened　to　her　on　the　morning　of　her　conversation　with　Maria　Remedios。　Returning　to　her　house；　full　of　anxiety；　she　found　herself　obliged　to　endure　the　apologies　and　the　civilities　of　Senor　Pinzon；　who　assured　her　that　while　he　lived　her　house　should　not　be　searched。　Dona　Perfecta　responded　haughtily；　without　deigning　to　look　at　him；　for　which　reason　he　asked　her　politely　for　an　explanation　of　her　coldness；　to　which　she