dona perecta-第8章

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〃That　depends；〃　said　Don　Cayetano。　〃Every　thing　has　its　/pro/　and　its　/contra/。〃

〃Take　some　more　salad；　Senor　Penitentiary；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　〃it　is　just　as　you　like　itwith　a　good　deal　of　mustard。〃

Pepe　Rey　was　not　fond　of　engaging　in　useless　discussions；　he　was　not　a　pedant；　nor　did　he　desire　to　make　a　display　of　his　learning；　and　still　less　did　he　wish　to　do　so　in　the　presence　of　women；　and　in　a　private　re…union；　but　the　importunate　and　aggressive　verbosity　of　the　canon　required；　in　his　opinion；　a　corrective。　To　flatter　his　vanity　by　agreeing　with　his　views　would；　he　thought；　be　a　bad　way　to　give　it　to　him；　and　he　determined　therefore　to　express　only　such　opinions　as　should　be　most　directly　opposed　to　those　of　the　sarcastic　Penitentiary　and　most　offensive　to　him。

〃So　you　wish　to　amuse　yourself　at　my　expense；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃Wait；　and　you　will　see　what　a　fine　dance　I　will　lead　you。〃

Then　he　said　aloud：

〃All　that　the　Senor　Penitentiary　has　said　ironically　is　the　truth。　But　it　is　not　our　fault　if　science　overturns　day　after　day　the　vain　idols　of　the　past：　its　superstitions；　its　sophisms；　its　innumerable　fables　beautiful；　some　of　them；　ridiculous　othersfor　in　the　vineyard　of　the　Lord　grow　both　good　fruit　and　bad。　The　world　of　illusions；　which　is；　as　we　might　say；　a　second　world；　is　tumbling　about　us　in　ruins。　Mysticism　in　religion；　routine　in　science；　mannerism　in　art；　are　falling；　as　the　Pagan　gods　fell；　amid　jests。　Farewell；　foolish　dreams！　the　human　race　is　awakening　and　its　eyes　behold　the　light。　Its　vain　sentimentalism；　its　mysticism；　its　fevers；　its　hallucination；　its　delirium　are　passing　away；　and　he　who　was　before　sick　is　now　well　and　takes　an　ineffable　delight　in　the　just　appreciation　of　things。　Imagination；　the　terrible　madwoman；　who　was　the　mistress　of　the　house；　has　become　the　servant。　Look　around　you；　Senor　Penitentiary；　and　you　will　see　the　admirable　aggregation　of　truths　which　has　taken　the　place　of　fable。　The　sky　is　not　a　vault；　the　stars　are　not　little　lamps；　the　moon　is　not　a　sportive　huntress；　but　an　opaque　mass　of　stone；　the　sun　is　not　a　gayly　adorned　and　vagabond　charioteer　but　a　fixed　fire；　Scylla　and　Charybdis　are　not　nymphs　but　sunken　rocks；　the　sirens　are　seals；　and　in　the　order　of　personages；　Mercury　is　Manzanedo；　Mars　is　a　clean…　shaven　old　man；　the　Count　von　Moltke；　Nestor　may　be　a　gentleman　in　an　overcoat；　who　is　called　M。　Thiers；　Orpheus　is　Verdi；　Vulcan　is　Krupp；　Apollo　is　any　poet。　Do　you　wish　more？　Well；　then；　Jupiter；　a　god　who；　if　he　were　living　now；　would　deserve　to　be　put　in　jail；　does　not　launch　the　thunderbolt；　but　the　thunderbolt　falls　when　electricity　wills　it。　There　is　no　Parnassus；　there　is　no　Olympus；　there　is　no　Stygian　lake；　nor　are　there　any　other　Elysian　Fields　than　those　of　Paris。　There　is　no　other　descent　to　hell　than　the　descents　of　Geology；　and　this　traveller；　every　time　he　returns　from　it；　declares　that　there　are　no　damned　souls　in　the　centre　of　the　earth。　There　are　no　other　ascents　to　heaven　than　those　of　Astronomy；　and　she；　on　her　return；　declares　that　she　has　not　seen　the　six　or　seven　circles　of　which　Dante　and　the　mystical　dreamers　of　the　Middle　Ages　speak。　She　finds　only　stars　and　distances；　lines；　vast　spaces；　and　nothing　more。　There　are　now　no　false　computations　of　the　age　of　the　earth；　for　paleontology　and　prehistoric　research　have　counted　the　teeth　of　this　skull　in　which　we　live　and　discovered　the　true　age。　Fable；　whether　it　be　called　paganism　or　Christian　idealism；　exists　no　longer；　and　imagination　plays　only　a　secondary　part。　All　the　miracles　possible　are　such　as　I　work；　whenever　I　desire　to　do　so；　in　my　laboratory；　with　my　Bunsen　pile；　a　conducting　wire；　and　a　magnetized　needle。　There　are　now　no　other　multiplications　of　loaves　and　fishes　than　those　which　Industry　makes；　with　her　moulds　and　her　machines；　and　those　of　the　printing　press；　which　imitates　Nature；　taking　from　a　single　type　millions　of　copies。　In　short；　my　dear　canon；　orders　have　been　given　to　put　on　the　retired　list　all　the　absurdities；　lies；　illusions；　dreams；　sentimentalities；　and　prejudices　which　darken　the　understanding　of　man。　Let　us　rejoice　at　the　fact。〃

When　Pepe　finished　speaking；　a　furtive　smile　played　upon　the　canon's　lips　and　his　eyes　were　extraordinarily　animated。　Don　Cayetano　busied　himself　in　giving　various　formsnow　rhomboidal；　now　prismaticto　a　little　ball　of　bread。　But　Dona　Perfecta　was　pale　and　kept　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　canon　with　observant　insistence。　Rosarito　looked　with　amazement　at　her　cousin。　The　latter；　bending　toward　her；　whispered　under　his　breath：

〃Don't　mind　me；　little　cousin；　I　am　talking　all　this　nonsense　only　to　enrage　the　canon。〃



CHAPTER　VII

THE　DISAGREEMENT　INCREASES

〃Perhaps　you　think；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　with　a　tinge　of　conceit　in　her　tones；　〃that　Senor　Don　Inocencio　is　going　to　remain　silent　and　not　give　you　an　answer　to　each　and　every　one　of　those　points。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　exclaimed　the　canon；　arching　his　eyebrows。　〃I　will　not　attempt　to　measure　my　poor　abilities　with　a　champion　so　valiant　and　at　the　same　time　so　well　armed。　Senor　Don　Jose　knows　every　thing；　that　is　to　say；　he　has　at　his　command　the　whole　arsenal　of　the　exact　sciences。　Of　course　I　know　that　the　doctrines　he　upholds　are　false；　but　I　have　neither　the　talent　nor　the　eloquence　to　combat　them。　I　would　employ　theological　arguments；　drawn　from　revelation；　from　faith；　from　the　Divine　Word；　but　alas！　Senor　Don　Jose；　who　is　an　eminent　savant；　would　laugh　at　theology；　at　faith；　at　revelation；　at　the　holy　prophets；　at　the　gospel。　A　poor　ignorant　priest；　an　unhappy　man　who　knows　neither　mathematics；　nor　German　philosophy　with　its　/ego/　and　its　/non　ego/；　a　poor　dominie；　who　knows　only　the　science　of　God　and　something　of　the　Latin　poets；　cannot　enter　into　combat　with　so　valiant　a　champion。〃

Pepe　Rey　burst　into　a　frank　laugh。

〃I　see　that　Senor　Don　Inocencio；〃　he　said；　〃has　taken　seriously　all　the　nonsense　I　have　been　talking。　Come；　Senor　Canon；　regard　the　whole　matter　as　a　jest；　and　let　it　end　there。　I　am　quite　sure　that　my　opinions　do　not　in　reality　differ　greatly　from　yours。　You　are　a　pious　and　learned　man；　it　is　I　who　am　ignorant。　If　I　have　allowed　myself　to　speak　in　jest；　pardon　me；　all　of　youthat　is　my　way。〃

〃Thanks！〃　responded　the　presbyter；　visibly　annoyed。　〃Is　that　the　way　you　want　to　get　out　of　it　now？　I　am　well　aware；　we　are　all　well　aware；　that　the　views　you　have　sustained　are　your　own。　It　could　not　be　otherwise。　You　are　the　man　of　the　age。　It　cannot　be　denied　that　you　have　a　wonderful；　a　truly　wonderful　intellect。　While　you　were　talking；　at　the　same　time　that　I　inwardly　deplored　errors　so　great；　I　could　not　but　admire；　I　will　confess　it　frankly；　the　loftiness　of　expression；　the　prodigious　fluency；　the　surprising　method　of　your　reasoning；　the　force　of　your　arguments。　What　a　head；　Senora　Dona　Perfecta；　what　a　head　your　young　nephew　has！　When　I　was　in　Madrid　and　they　took　me　to　the　Atheneum；　I　confess　that　I　was　amazed　to　see　the　wonderful　talent　which　God　has　bestowed　on　the　atheists　and　the　Protestants。〃

〃Senor　Don　Inocencio；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　looking　alternately　at　her　nephew　and　her　friend；　〃I　think　that　in　judging　this　boy　you　are　more　than　benevolent。　Don't　get　angry；　Pepe；　or　mind　what　I　say；　for　I　am　neither　a　savante；　nor　a　philosopher；　nor　a　theologian；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　Senor　Don　Inocencio　has　just　given　a　proof　of　his　great　modesty　and　Christian　charity　in　not　crushing　you　as　he　could　have　done　if　he　had　wished。〃

〃Oh；　senora！〃　said　the　ecclesiastic。

〃That　is　the　way　with　him；〃　continued　Dona　Perfecta；　〃always　pretending　to　know　nothing。　And　he　knows　more　than　the　seven　doctors　put　together。　Ah；　Senor　Don　Inocencio；　how　well　the　name　you　have　suits　you！　But　don't　affect　an　unseasonable　humility　now。　Why；　my　nephew　has　no　pretensions。　All　he　knows　is　what　he　has　been　taught。　If　he　has　been　taught　error；　what　more　can　he　desire　than　that　you　should　enlighten　him　and　take　him　out　of　the　limbo　of　his　false　doctrines？〃

〃Just　so；　I　desire　nothing　more　than　that　the　Senor　Penitentiary　should　take　me　out；〃murmured　Pepe；　comprehending　that　without　intending　it；　he　had　got　himself　into　a　labyrinth。

〃I　am　a　poor　priest；　whose　only　learning　is　some　knowledge　of　the　ancients；〃　responded　Don　Inocencio。　〃I　recognize　the　immense　value；　from　a　worldly　point　of　view；　of　Senor　Don　Jose's　scientific　knowledge；　and　before　so　brilliant　an　oracle　I　prostrate　myself　and　am　silent。〃

So　saying；　the　canon　folded　his　hands　across　his　breast　and　bent　his　head。　Pepe　Rey　was　somewhat　disturbed　because　of　the　turn　which　his　mind　had　chosen　to　give　to　an　idle　discussion　jestingly　followed　up；　and　in　which　he　had　engaged　only　to　enliven　the　conversation　a　little。　He　thought　that　the　most　prudent　course　to　pursue　would　be　to　end　at　once　so　dangerous　a　debate；　and　for　this　purpose　he　addressed　a　question　to　Senor　Don　Cayetano　when　the　latter；　shaking　off　the　drowsiness　which　had　overcome　him　after　the　dessert；　offered　the　guests　the　indispensable　toothpicks　stuck　in　a　china　peacock　with　outspread　tail。

〃Yesterday　I　discovered　a　hand　grasping　the　handle　of　an　amphora；　on　which　there　are　a　number　of　hieratic　characters。　I　will　show　it　to　you；〃　said　Don　Cayetano；　delighted　to　introduce　a　favorite　theme。

〃I　suppose　that　Senor　de　Rey　is　very　expert　in　archaeological　matters　also；〃　said　the　canon；　who；　still　implacable；　pursued　his　victim　to　his　last　retreat。

〃Of　course；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃What　is　there　that　these　clever　children　of　our　day　do　not　understand？　They　have　all　the　sciences　at　their　fingers'　ends。　The　universities　and　the　academics　teach　them　every　thing　in　a　twinkling；　giving　them　a　patent　of　learning。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　unjust！〃　responded　the　canon；　observing　the　pained　expression　of　the　engineer's　countenance。

〃My　aunt　is　right；〃　declared　Pepe。　〃At　the　present　day　we　learn　a　little　of　every　thing；　and　leave　school　with　the　rudiments　of　various　studies。〃

〃I　was　saying；〃　continued　the　canon；　〃that　you　are　no　doubt　a　great　archaeologist。〃

〃I　know　absolutely　nothing　of　that　science；〃　responded　the　young　man。　〃Ruins　are　ruins；　and　I　have　never　cared　to　cover　myself　with　dust　going　among　them。〃

Don　Cayetano　made　an　expressive　grimace。

〃That　is　not　to　say　that　I　condemn　archaeology；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta's　nephew　quickly；　observing　with　pain　that　he　could　not　utter　a　word　without　wounding　some　one。　〃I　know　that　from　that　dust　issues　history。　Those　studies　are　delightful　and　very　useful。〃

〃You；〃　said　the　Penitentiary；　putting　his　toothpick　into　the　last　of　his　back　teeth；　〃are　no　doubt　more　inclined　to　controversial　studies。　An　excellent　idea　has　just　occurred　to　me；　Senor　Don　Jose；　you　ought　to　be　a　lawyer。〃

〃Law　is　a　profession　which　I　abhor；〃　replied　Pepe　Rey。　〃I　know　many　estimable　lawyers；　among　them　my　father；　who　is　the　best　of　men；　but；　in　spite　of　so　favorable　a　specimen；　I　could　never　had　brought　myself　to　practise　a　profession　which　consists　in　defending　with　equal　readiness　the　/pro/　and　the　/contra/　of　a　question。　I　know　of　no　greater　misjudgment；　no　greater　prejudice；　no　greater　blindness；　than　parents　show　in　their　eagerness　to　dedicate　their　sons　to　the　law。　The　chief　and　the　most　terrible　plague　of　Spain　is　the　crowd　of　our　youn