dona perecta-第4章

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　the　bar　like　a　St。　Christopher；　and　he　can　manage　every　kind　of　weapon　as　easily　as　we　manage　our　fingers。　When　there　was　market　inspection　here；　they　could　never　get　the　best　of　him；　and　shots　were　to　be　heard　every　night　at　the　city　gates。　He　has　a　following　that　is　worth　any　money；　for　they　are　ready　for　anything。　He　is　good　to　the　poor；　and　any　stranger　who　should　come　here　and　attempt　to　touch　so　much　as　a　hair　of　the　head　of　any　native　of　Orbajosa　would　have　him　to　settle　with。　It　is　very　seldom　that　soldiers　come　here　from　Madrid；　but　whenever　they　do　come；　not　a　day　passes　without　blood　being　shed；　for　Caballuco　would　pick　a　quarrel　with　them；　if　not　for　one　thing　for　another。　At　present　it　seems　that　he　is　fallen　into　poverty　and　he　is　employed　to　carry　the　mail。　But　he　is　trying　hard　to　persuade　the　Town　Council　to　have　a　market…　inspector's　office　here　again　and　to　put　him　in　charge　of　it。　I　don't　know　how　it　is　that　you　have　never　heard　him　mentioned　in　Madrid；　for　he　is　the　son　of　a　famous　Caballuco　who　was　in　the　last　rebellion；　and　who　was　himself　the　son　of　another　Caballuco；　who　was　also　in　the　rebellion　of　that　day。　And　as　there　is　a　rumor　now　that　there　is　going　to　be　another　insurrectionfor　the　whole　country　is　in　a　fermentwe　are　afraid　that　Caballuco　will　join　that　also；　following　in　the　illustrious　footsteps　of　his　father　and　his　grandfather；　who；　to　our　glory　be　it　said；　were　born　in　our　city。〃

Our　traveller　was　surprised　to　see　the　species　of　knight…errantry　that　still　existed　in　the　regions　which　he　had　come　to　visit；　but　he　had　no　opportunity　to　put　further　questions；　for　the　man　who　was　the　object　of　them　now　joined　them；　saying　with　an　expression　of　ill…humor：

〃The　Civil　Guard　despatched　three。　I　have　already　told　the　commander　to　be　careful　what　he　is　about。　To…morrow　we　will　speak　to　the　governor　of　the　province；　and　I〃

〃Are　you　going　to　X。？〃

〃No；　but　the　governor　is　coming　here；　Senor　Licurgo；　do　you　know　that　they　are　going　to　send　us　a　couple　of　regiments　to　Orbajosa？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　traveller　quickly；　with　a　smile。　〃I　heard　it　said　in　Madrid　that　there　was　some　fear　of　a　rising　in　this　place。　It　is　well　to　be　prepared　for　what　may　happen。〃

〃They　talk　nothing　but　nonsense　in　Madrid；〃　exclaimed　the　Centaur　violently；　accompanying　his　affirmation　with　a　string　of　tongue…　blistering　vocables。　〃In　Madrid　there　is　nothing　but　rascality。　What　do　they　send　us　soldiers　for？　To　squeeze　more　contributions　out　of　us　and　a　couple　of　conscriptions　afterward。　By　all　that's　holy！　if　there　isn't　a　rising　there　ought　to　be。　So　you〃he　ended；　looking　banteringly　at　the　young　man〃so　you　are　Dona　Perfecta's　nephew？〃

This　abrupt　question　and　the　insolent　glance　of　the　bravo　annoyed　the　young　man。

〃Yes；　senor；　at　your　service。〃

〃I　am　a　friend　of　the　senora's；　and　I　love　her　as　I　do　the　apple　of　my　eye；〃　said　Caballuco。　〃As　you　are　going　to　Orbajosa　we　shall　see　each　other　there。〃

And　without　another　word　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse；　which；　setting　off　at　a　gallop；　soon　disappeared　in　a　cloud　of　dust。

After　half　an　hour's　ride；　during　which　neither　Senor　Don　Jose　nor　Senor　Licurgo　manifested　much　disposition　to　talk；　the　travellers　came　in　sight　of　an　ancient…looking　town　seated　on　the　slope　of　a　hill；　from　the　midst　of　whose　closely　clustered　houses　arose　many　dark　towers；　and；　on　a　height　above　it；　the　ruins　of　a　dilapidated　castle。　Its　base　was　formed　by　a　mass　of　shapeless　walls；　of　mud　hovels；　gray　and　dusty　looking　as　the　soil；　together　with　some　fragments　of　turreted　walls；　in　whose　shelter　about　a　thousand　humble　huts　raised　their　miserable　adobe　fronts；　like　anaemic　and　hungry　faces　demanding　an　alms　from　the　passer…by。　A　shallow　river　surrounded　the　town；　like　a　girdle　of　tin；　refreshing；　in　its　course；　several　gardens；　the　only　vegetation　that　cheered　the　eye。　People　were　going　into　and　coming　out　of　the　town；　on　horseback　and　on　foot；　and　the　human　movement；　although　not　great；　gave　some　appearance　of　life　to　that　great　dwelling　place　whose　architectural　aspect　was　rather　that　of　ruin　and　death　than　of　progress　and　life。　The　innumerable　and　repulsive…looking　beggars　who　dragged　themselves　on　either　side　of　the　road；　asking　the　obolus　from　the　passer…by；　presented　a　pitiful　spectacle。　It　would　be　impossible　to　see　beings　more　in　harmony　with；　or　better　suited　to　the　fissures　of　that　sepulchre　in　which　a　city　was　not　only　buried　but　gone　to　decay。　As　our　travellers　approached　the　town；　a　discordant　peal　of　bells　gave　token；　with　their　expressive　sound；　that　that　mummy　had　still　a　soul。

It　was　called　Orbajosa；　a　city　that　figures；　not　in　the　Chaldean　or　Coptic　geography；　but　in　that　of　Spain；　with　7324　inhabitants；　a　town…　hall；　an　episcopal　seat；　a　court…house；　a　seminary；　a　stock　farm；　a　high　school；　and　other　official　prerogatives。

〃The　bells　are　ringing　for　high　mass　in　the　cathedral；〃　said　Uncle　Licurgo。　〃We　have　arrived　sooner　than　I　expected。〃

〃The　appearance　of　your　native　city；〃　said　the　young　man；　examining　the　panorama　spread　out　before　him；　〃could　not　be　more　disagreeable。　The　historic　city　of　Orbajosa；　whose　name　is　no　doubt　a　corruption　of　Urbs　Augusta；　looks　like　a　great　dunghill。〃

〃All　that　can　be　seen　from　here　is　the　suburbs；〃　said　the　guide；　in　an　offended　tone。　〃When　you　enter　the　Calle　Real　and　the　Calle　de　Condestable；　you　will　see　handsome　buildings；　like　the　cathedral。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　speak　ill　of　Orbajosa　before　seeing　it；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃And　you　must　not　take　what　I　have　said　as　a　mark　of　contempt；　for　whether　humble　and　mean；　or　stately　and　handsome；　that　city　will　always　be　very　dear　to　me；　not　only　is　it　my　mother's　native　place；　but　because　there　are　persons　living　in　it　whom　I　love　without　seeing　them。　Let　us　enter　the　august　city；　then。〃

They　were　now　ascending　a　road　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town；　and　passing　close　to　the　walls　of　the　gardens。

〃Do　you　see　that　great　house　at　the　end　of　this　large　garden　whose　wall　we　are　now　passing？〃　said　Uncle　Licurgo；　pointing　to　a　massive；　whitewashed　wall　belonging　to　the　only　dwelling　in　view　which　had　the　appearance　of　a　cheerful　and　comfortable　habitation。

〃Yes；　that　is　my　aunt's　house？〃

〃Exactly　so！　What　we　are　looking　at　is　the　rear　of　the　house。　The　front　faces　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　and　it　has　five　iron　balconies　that　look　like　five　castles。　The　fine　garden　behind　the　wall　belongs　to　the　house；　and　if　you　rise　up　in　your　stirrups　you　will　be　able　to　see　it　all　from　here。〃

〃Why；　we　are　at　the　house；　then！〃　cried　the　young　man。　〃Can　we　not　enter　from　here？〃

〃There　is　a　little　door；　but　the　senora　had　it　condemned。〃

The　young　man　raised　himself　in　his　stirrups　and；　stretching　his　neck　as　far　as　he　could；　looked　over　the　wall。

〃I　can　see　the　whole　of　the　garden；〃　he　said。　〃There；　under　the　trees；　there　is　a　woman；　a　girl；　a　young　lady。〃

〃That　is　Senorita　Rosario；〃　answered　Licurgo。

And　at　the　same　time　he　also　raised　himself　in　his　stirrups　to　look　over　the　wall。

〃Eh！　Senorita　Rosario！〃　he　cried；　making　energetic　signs　with　his　right　hand。　〃Here　we　are；　I　have　brought　your　cousin　with　me。〃

〃She　has　seen　us；〃　said　the　young　man；　stretching　out　his　neck　as　far　as　was　possible。　〃But　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　there　is　an　ecclesiastic　with　hera　priest。〃

〃That　is　the　Penitentiary；〃　answered　the　countryman；　with　naturalness。

〃My　cousin　has　seen　usshe　has　left　the　priest；　and　is　running　toward　the　house。　She　is　beautiful。〃

〃As　the　sun！〃

〃She　has　turned　redder　than　a　cherry。　Come；　come；　Senor　Licurgo。〃



CHAPTER　III

PEPE　REY

Before　proceeding　further；　it　will　be　well　to　tell　who　Pepe　Rey　was；　and　what　were　the　affairs　which　had　brought　him　to　Orbajosa。

When　Brigadier　Rey　died　in　1841；　his　two　children；　Juan　and　Perfecta；　had　just　married：　the　latter　the　richest　land…owner　of　Orbajosa；　the　former　a　young　girl　of　the　same　city。　The　husband　of　Perfecta　was　called　Don　Manuel　Maria　Jose　de　Polentinos；　and　the　wife　of　Juan；　Maria　Polentinos；　but　although　they　had　the　same　surname；　their　relationship　was　somewhat　distant　and　not　very　easy　to　make　out。　Juan　Rey　was　a　distinguished　jurisconsult　who　had　been　graduated　in　Seville　and　had　practised　law　in　that　city　for　thirty　years　with　no　less　honor　than　profit。　In　1845　he　was　left　a　widower　with　a　son　who　was　old　enough　to　play　mischievous　pranks；　he　would　sometimes　amuse　himself　by　constructing　viaducts；　mounds；　ponds；　dikes；　and　trenches　of　earth；　in　the　yard　of　the　house；　and　then　flooding　those　fragile　works　with　water。　His　father　let　him　do　so；　saying；　〃You　will　be　an　engineer。〃

Perfecta　and　Juan　had　ceased　to　see　each　other　from　the　time　of　their　marriage；　because　the　sister　had　gone　to　Madrid　with　her　husband；　the　wealthy　Polentinos；　who　was　as　rich　as　he　was　extravagant。　Play　and　women　had　so　completely　enslaved　Manuel　Maria　Jose　that　he　would　have　dissipated　all　his　fortune；　if　death　had　not　been　beforehand　with　him　and　carried　him　off　before　he　had　had　time　to　squander　it。　In　a　night　of　orgy　the　life　of　the　rich　provincial；　who　had　been　sucked　so　voraciously　by　the　leeches　of　the　capital　and　the　insatiable　vampire　of　play；　came　to　a　sudden　termination。　His　sole　heir　was　a　daughter　a　few　months　old。　With　the　death　of　Perfecta's　husband　the　terrors　of　the　family　were　at　an　end；　but　the　great　struggle　began。　The　house　of　Polentinos　was　ruined；　the　estates　were　in　danger　of　being　seized　by　the　money…lenders；　all　was　in　confusion：　enormous　debts；　lamentable　management　in　Orbajosa；　discredit　and　ruin　in　Madrid。

Perfecta　sent　for　her　brother；　who；　coming　to　the　distressed　widow's　assistance；　displayed　so　much　diligence　and　skill　that　in　a　short　time　the　greater　part　of　the　dangers　that　threatened　her　had　disappeared。　He　began　by　obliging　his　sister　to　live　in　Orbajosa；　managing　herself　her　vast　estates；　while　he　faced　the　formidable　pressure　of　the　creditors　in　Madrid。　Little　by　little　the　house　freed　itself　from　the　enormous　burden　of　its　debts；　for　the　excellent　Don　Juan　Rey；　who　had　the　best　way　in　the　world　for　managing　such　matters；　pleaded　in　the　court；　made　settlements　with　the　principal　creditors　and　arranged　to　pay　them　by　instalments；　the　result　of　this　skilful　management　being　that　the　rich　patrimony　of　Polentinos　was　saved　from　ruin　and　might　continue；　for　many　years　to　come；　to　bestow　splendor　and　glory　on　that　illustrious　family。

Perfecta's　gratitude　was　so　profound　that　in　writing　to　her　brother　from　Orbajosa；　where　she　determined　to　reside　until　her　daughter　should　be　grown　up；　she　said　to　him；　among　other　affectionate　things：　〃You　have　been　more　than　a　brother　to　me；　more　than　a　father　to　my　daughter。　How　can　either　of　us　ever　repay　you　for　services　so　great？　Ah；　my　dear　brother？　from　the　moment　in　which　my　daughter　can　reason　and　pronounce　a　name　I　will　teach　her　to　bless　yours。　My　gratitude　will　end　only　with　my　life。　Your　unworthy　sister　regrets　only　that　she　can　find　no　opportunity　of　showing　you　how　much　she　loves　you　and　of　recompensing　you　in　a　manner　suited　to　the　greatness　of　your　soul　and　the　boundless　goodness　of　your　heart。〃

At　the　same　time　when　these　words　were　written　Rosarito　was　two　years　old。　Pepe　Rey；　shut　up　in　a　school　in　Seville；　was　making　lines　on　paper；