dona perecta-第11部分

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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　often　disinterred　from　the　accumulated　dust　of　twenty　centuries；　medals；　bits　of　architecture；　and　occasionally　an　amphora　or　cubicularia　of　inestimable　value。

Don　Cayetano　and　Dona　Perfecta　lived　in　such　perfect　harmony　that　the　peace　of　Paradise　was　not　to　be　compared　to　it。　They　never　disagreed。　It　is　true　that　Don　Cayetano　never　interfered　in　the　affairs　of　the　house　nor　Dona　Perfecta　in　those　of　the　library；　except　to　have　it　swept　and　dusted　every　Saturday；　regarding　with　religious　respect　the　books　and　papers　that　were　in　use　on　the　table　or　anywhere　else　in　the　room。

After　the　questions　and　answers　proper　to　the　occasion　had　been　interchanged　Don　Cayetano　said：

〃I　have　already　looked　at　the　books。　I　am　very　sorry　that　you　did　not　bring　me　the　edition　of　1527。　I　shall　have　to　make　a　journey　to　Madrid　myself。　Are　you　going　to　remain　with　us　long？　The　longer　the　better；　my　dear　Pepe。　How　glad　I　am　to　have　you　here！　Between　us　both　we　will　arrange　a　part　of　my　library　and　make　an　index　of　the　writers　on　the　Art　of　Horsemanship。　It　is　not　always　one　has　at　hand　a　man　of　your　talents。　You　shall　see　my　library。　You　can　take　your　fill　of　reading　thereas　often　as　you　like。　You　will　see　marvels；　real　marvels；　inestimable　treasures；　rare　works　that　no　one　but　myself　has　a　copy　of。　But　I　think　it　must　be　time　for　dinner；　is　it　not；　Jose？　Is　it　not；　Perfecta？　Is　it　not；　Rosarito？　Is　it　not；　Senor　Don　Inocencio？　To…day　you　are　doubly　a　PenitentiaryI　mean　because　you　will　accompany　us　in　doing　penance。〃

The　canon　bowed　and　smiled；　manifesting　his　pleased　acquiescence。　The　dinner　was　substantial；　and　in　all　the　dishes　there　was　noticeable　the　excessive　abundance　of　country　banquets；　realized　at　the　expense　of　variety。　There　was　enough　to　surfeit　twice　as　many　persons　as　sat　down　to　table。　The　conversation　turned　on　various　subjects。

〃You　must　visit　our　cathedral　as　soon　as　possible；〃　said　the　canon。　〃There　are　few　cathedrals　like　ours；　Senor　Don　Jose！　But　of　course　you；　who　have　seen　so　many　wonders　in　foreign　countries；　will　find　nothing　remarkable　in　our　old　church。　We　poor　provincials　of　Orbajosa；　however；　think　it　divine。　Master　Lopez　of　Berganza；　one　of　the　prebendaries　of　the　cathedral；　called　it　in　the　sixteenth　century　/pulchra　augustissima/。　But　perhaps　for　a　man　of　your　learning　it　would　possess　no　merit；　and　some　market　constructed　of　iron　would　seem　more　beautiful。〃

The　ironical　remarks　of　the　wily　canon　annoyed　Pepe　Rey　more　and　more　every　moment；　but；　determined　to　control　himself　and　to　conceal　his　anger；　he　answered　only　with　vague　words。　Dona　Perfecta　then　took　up　the　theme　and　said　playfully：

〃Take　care；　Pepito；　I　warn　you　that　if　you　speak　ill　of　our　holy　church　we　shall　cease　to　be　friends。　You　know　a　great　deal；　you　are　a　man　eminent　for　your　knowledge　on　every　subject；　but　if　you　are　going　to　discover　that　that　grand　edifice　is　not　the　eighth　wonder　of　the　world　you　will　do　well　to　keep　your　knowledge　to　yourself　and　leave　us　in　our　ignorance。〃

〃Far　from　thinking　that　the　building　is　not　handsome；〃　responded　Pepe；　〃the　little　I　have　seen　of　its　exterior　has　seemed　to　me　of　imposing　beauty。　So　there　is　no　need　for　you　to　be　alarmed；　aunt。　And　I　am　very　far　from　being　a　savant。〃

〃Softly；　softly；〃　said　the　canon；　extending　his　hand　and　giving　his　mouth　a　truce　from　eating　in　order　to　talk。　〃Stop　theredon't　come　now　pretending　modesty；　Senor　Don　Jose；　we　are　too　well　aware　of　your　great　merit；　of　the　high　reputation　you　enjoy　and　the　important　part　you　play　wherever　you　are；　for　that。　Men　like　you　are　not　to　be　met　with　every　day。　But　now　that　I　have　extolled　your　merits　in　this　way〃

He　stopped　to　eat　a　mouthful；　and　when　his　tongue　was　once　more　at　liberty　he　continued　thus：

〃Now　that　I　have　extolled　your　merits　in　this　way；　permit　me　to　express　a　different　opinion　with　the　frankness　which　belongs　to　my　character。　Yes；　Senor　Don　Jose；　yes；　Senor　Don　Cayetano；　yes；　senora　and　senorita；　science；　as　the　moderns　study　and　propagate　it；　is　the　death　of　sentiment　and　of　every　sweet　illusion。　Under　its　influence　the　life　of　the　spirit　declines；　every　thing　is　reduced　to　fixed　rules；　and　even　the　sublime　charms　of　nature　disappear。　Science　destroys　the　marvellous　in　the　arts；　as　well　as　faith　in　the　soul。　Science　says　that　every　thing　is　a　lie；　and　would　reduce　every　thing　to　figures　and　lines；　not　only　/maria　ac　terras/；　where　we　are；　but　/coelumque　profundum/；　where　God　is。　The　wonderful　visions　of　the　soul；　its　mystic　raptures；　even　the　inspiration　of　the　poets；　are　all　a　lie。　The　heart　is　a　sponge；　the　brain；　a　place　for　breeding　maggots。〃

Every　one　laughed；　while　the　canon　took　a　draught　of　wine。

〃Come；　now；　will　Senor　Don　Jose　deny；〃　continued　the　ecclesiastic；　〃that　science；　as　it　is　taught　and　propagated　to…day；　is　fast　making　of　the　world　and　of　the　human　race　a　great　machine？〃

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

〃Take　some　more　salad；　S