dona perecta-第13部分

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ent。　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　young　lawyers；　for　whose　existence　a　fabulous　number　of　lawsuits　are　necessary。　Lawsuits　multiply　in　proportion　to　the　demand。　And　even　thus；　numbers　are　left　without　employment；　and；　as　a　jurisconsult　cannot　put　his　hand　to　the　plough　or　seat　himself　at　the　loom；　the　result　is　that　brilliant　squadron　of　idlers　full　of　pretensions；　who　clamor　for　places；　embarrass　the　administration；　agitate　public　opinion；　and　breed　revolutions。　In　some　way　they　must　make　a　living。　It　would　be　a　greater　misfortune　if　there　were　lawsuits　enough　for　all　of　them。〃

〃Pepe；　for　Heaven's　sake；　take　care　what　you　say；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　in　a　tone　of　marked　severity。　〃But　excuse　him；　Senor　Don　Inocencio；　for　he　is　not　aware　that　you　have　a　nephew　who；　although　he　has　only　lately　left　the　university；　is　a　prodigy　in　the　law。〃

〃I　speak　in　general　terms；〃　said　Pepe；　with　firmness。　〃Being；　as　I　am；　the　son　of　a　distinguished　lawyer；　I　cannot　be　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　there　are　many　men　who　practise　that　noble　profession　with　honor　to　themselves。〃

〃No；　my　nephew　is　only　a　boy　yet；〃　said　the　canon；　with　affected　humility。　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　assert　that　he　is　a　prodigy　of　learning；　like　Senor　de　Rey。　In　time；　who　can　tell？　His　talents　are　neither　brilliant　nor　seductive。　Of　course；　Jacinto's　ideas　are　solid　and　his　judgment　is　sound。　What　he　knows　he　knows　thoroughly。　He　is　unacquainted　with　sophistries　and　hollow　phrases。〃

Pepe　Rey　appeared　every　moment　more　and　more　disturbed。　The　idea　that；　without　desiring　it；　his　opinions　should　be　in　opposition　to　those　of　the　friends　of　his　aunt；　vexed　him；　and　he　resolved　to　remain　silent　lest　he　and　Don　Inocencio　should　end　by　throwing　the　plates　at　each　other's　heads。　Fortunately　the　cathedral　bell；　calling　the　canon　to　the　important　duties　of　the　choir；　extricated　him　from　his　painful　position。　The　venerable　ecclesiastic　rose　and　took　leave　of　every　one；　treating　Rey　with　as　much　amiability　and　kindness　as　if　they　had　been　old　and　dear　friends。　The　canon；　after　offering　his　services　to　Pepe　for　all　that　he　might　require；　promised　to　present　his　nephew　to　him　in　order　that　the　young　man　might　accompany　him　to　see　the　town；　speaking　in　the　most　affectionate　terms　and　deigning；　on　leaving　the　room；　to　pat　him　on　the　shoulder。　Pepe　Rey；　accepting　with　pleasure　these　formulas　of　concord；　nevertheless　felt　indescribably　relieved　when　the　priest　had　left　the　dining…room　and　the　house。



CHAPTER　VIII

IN　ALL　HASTE

A　little　later　the　scene　had　changed。　Don　Cayetano；　finding　rest　from　his　sublime　labors　in　a　gentle　slumber　that　had　overcome　him　after　dinner；　reclined　comfortably　in　an　arm…chair　in　the　dining…room。　Rosarito；　seated　at　one　of　the　windows　that　opened　into　the　garden；　glanced　at　her　cousin；　saying　to　him　with　the　mute　eloquence　of　her　eyes：

〃Cousin；　sit　down　here　beside　me　and　tell　me　every　thing　you　have　to　say　to　me。〃

Her　cousin；　mathematician　though　he　was；　understood。

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Pepe；　〃how　you　must　have　been　bored　this　afternoon　by　our　disputes！　Heaven　knows　that　for　my　own　pleasure　I　would　not　have　played　the　pedant　as　I　did；　the　canon　was　to　bla