dona perecta-第29部分

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〃As　for　turning　you　out　of　the　housenever。　What　would　your　father　say？〃

〃Notwithstanding　all　your　kindness；　dearest　aunt；　notwithstanding　the　cordial　friendship　of　the　reverend　canon；　it　is　possible　that　I　may　myself　decide　to　go　away。〃

〃To　go　away！〃

〃To　go　awayyou！〃

A　strange　light　shone　in　Dona　Perfecta's　eyes。　The　canon；　experienced　though　he　was　in　dissimulation；　could　not　conceal　his　joy。

〃Yes；　and　perhaps　this　very　night。〃

〃Why；　man；　how　impetuous　you　are；　Why　don't　you　at　least　wait　until　morning？　HereJuan；　let　some　one　go　for　Uncle　Licurgo　to　get　the　nag　ready。　I　suppose　you　will　take　some　luncheon　with　you。　Nicolasa；　that　piece　of　veal　that　is　on　the　sideboard！　Librada；　the　senorito's　linen。〃

〃No；　I　cannot　believe　that　you　would　take　so　rash　a　resolution；〃　said　Don　Cayetano；　thinking　himself　obliged　to　take　some　part　in　the　question。

〃But　you　will　come　back；　will　you　not？〃　asked　the　canon。

〃At　what　time　does　the　morning　train　pass？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta；　in　whose　eyes　was　clearly　discernible　the　feverish　impatience　of　her　exaltation。

〃I　am　going　away　to…night。〃

〃But　there　is　no　moon。〃

In　the　soul　of　Dona　Perfecta；　in　the　soul　of　the　Penitentiary；　in　the　little　doctor's　youthful　soul　echoed　like　a　celestial　harmony　the　word；　〃To…night！〃

〃Of　course；　dear　Pepe；　you　will　come　back。　I　wrote　to…day　to　your　father；　your　excellent　father；〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　with　all　the　physiognomic　signs　that　make　their　appearance　when　a　tear　is　about　to　be　shed。

〃I　will　trouble　you　with　a　few　commissions；〃　said　the　savant。

〃A　good　opportunity　to　order　the　volume　that　is　wanting　in　my　copy　of　the　Abbe　Gaume's　work；〃　said　the　youthful　lawyer。

〃You　take　such　sudden　notions；　Pepe；　you　are　so　full　of　caprices；〃　murmured　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　door　of　the　dining…room。　〃But　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　Caballuco　is　waiting　to　speak　to　you。〃



CHAPTER　XV

DISCORD　CONTINUES　TO　GROW　UNTIL　WAR　IS　DECLARED

Every　one　looked　toward　the　door；　at　which　appeared　the　imposing　figure　of　the　Centaur；　serious…looking　and　frowning；　embarrassed　by　his　anxiety　to　salute　the　company　politely；　savagely　handsome；　but　disfigured　by　the　violence　which　he　did　himself　in　smiling　civilly　and　treading　softly　and　holding　his　herculean　arms　in　a　correct　posture。

〃Come　in；　Senor　Ramos；〃　said　Pepe　Rey。

〃No；　no！〃　objected　Dona　Perfecta。　〃What　he　has　to　say　to　you　is　an　absurdity。〃

〃Let　him　say　it。〃

〃I　ought　not　to　allow　such　ridiculous　questions　to　be　discussed　in　my　house。〃

〃What　is　Senor　Ramos'　business　with　me？〃

Caballuco　uttered　a　few　words。

〃Enough；　enough！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Don't　trouble　my　nephew　any　more。　Pepe；　don't　mind　this　simpleton。　Do　you　wish　me　to　tell　you　the　cause　of　the　great　Caballuco's　anger？〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　others。

〃Anger？　I　think　I　can　imagine；〃　said　the　Penitentiary；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　laughing　with　boisterous　hilarity。

〃I　wanted　to　say　to　Senor　Don　Jose〃　growled　the　formidable　horseman。

〃Hold　your　tongue；　man；　for　Heaven's　sake！　And　don't　tire　us　any　more　with　that　nonsense。〃

〃Senor　Caballuco；〃　said　the　canon；　〃it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　gentlemen　from　the　capital　should　cut　out　the　rough　riders　of　this　savage　country。〃

〃In　two　words；　Pepe；　the　question　is　this：　Caballuco　is〃

She　could　not　go　on　for　laughing。

〃IsI　don't　know　just　what；〃　said　Don　Inocencio；　〃of　one　of　the　Troya　girls；　of　Mariquita　Juana；　if　I　am　not　mistaken。〃

〃And　he　is　jealous！　After　his　horse；　the　first　thing　in　creation　for　him　is　Mariquilla　Troya。〃

〃A　pretty　insinuation　that！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Poor　Cristobal！　Did　you　suppose　that　a　person　like　my　nephewlet　us　hear；　what　were　you　going　to　say　to　him？　Speak。〃

〃Senor　Don　Jose　and　I　will　talk　together　presently；〃　responded　the　bravo　of　the　town　brusquely。

And　without　another　word　he　left　the　room。

Shortly　afterward　Pepe　Rey　left　the　dining…room　to　retire　to　his　own　room。　In　the　hall　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　his　Trojan　antagonist；　and　he　could　not　repress　a　smile　at　the　sight　of　the　fierce　and　gloomy　countenance　of　the　offended　lover。

〃A　word　with　you；〃　said　the　latter；　planting　himself　insolently　in　front　of　the　engineer。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

As　he　spoke　he　laid　his　heavy　hand　on　the　young　man's　shoulder　with　such　insolent　familiarity　that　the　latter；　incensed；　flung　him　off　with　violence；　saying：

〃It　is　not　necessary　to　crush　one　to　say　that。〃

The　bravo；　somewhat　disconcerted；　recovered　himself　in　a　moment；　and　looking　at　Rey　with　provoking　boldness；　repeated　his　refrain：

〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　now　that　you　are　a　brute。〃

He　pushed　the　bully　roughly　aside　and　went　into　his　room。　As　traced　on　the　excited　brain　of　our　unfortunate　friend　at　this　moment；　his　plan　of　action　might　be　summed　up　briefly　and　definitely　as　follows：　To　break　Caballuco's　head　without　loss　of　time；　then　to　take　leave　of　his　aunt　in　severe　but　polite　words　which　should　reach　her　soul；　to　bid　a　cold　adieu　to　the　canon　and　give　an　embrace　to　the　inoffensive　Don　Cayetano；　to　administer　a　thrashing　to　Uncle　Licurgo；　by　way　of　winding　up　the　entertainment；　and　leave　Orbajosa　that　very　night；　shaking　the　dust　from　his　shoes　at　the　city　gates。

But　in　the　midst　of　all　these　mortifications　and　persecutions　the　unfortunate　young　man　had　not　ceased　to　think　of　another　unhappy　being；　whom　he　believed　to　be　in　a　situation　even　more　painful　and　distressing　than　his　own。　One　of　the　maid…servants　followed　the　engineer　into　his　room。

〃Did　you　give　her　my　message？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　senor；　and　she　gave　me　this。〃

Rey　took　from　the　girl's　hand　a　fragment　of　a　newspaper；　on　the　margin　of　which　he　read　these　words：

　　〃They　say　you　are　going　away。　I　shall　die　if　you　do。〃

When　he　returned　to　the　dining…room　Uncle　Licurgo　looked　in　at　the　door　and　asked：

〃At　what　hour　do　you　want　the　horse？〃

〃At　no　hour；〃　answered　Rey　quickly。

〃Then　you　are　not　going　to…night？〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Well；　it　is　better　to　wait　until　to…morrow。〃

〃I　am　not　going　to…morrow；　either。〃

〃When　are　you　going；　then？〃

〃We　will　see　presently；〃　said　the　young　man　coldly；　looking　at　his　aunt　with　imperturbable　calmness。　〃For　the　present　I　do　not　intend　to　go　away。〃

His　eyes　flashed　forth　a　fierce　challenge。

Dona　Perfecta　turned　first　red；　then　pale。　She　looked　at　the　canon；　who　had　taken　off　his　gold　spectacles　to　wipe　them；　and　then　fixed　her　eyes　successively　on　each　of　the　other　persons　in　the　room；　including　Caballuco；　who；　entering　shortly　before；　had　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　a　chair。　Dona　Perfecta　looked　at　them　as　a　general　looks　at　his　trusty　body…guard。　Then　she　studied　the　thoughtful　and　serene　countenance　of　her　nephewof　that　enemy；　who；　by　a　strategic　movement；　suddenly　reappeared　before　her　when　she　believed　him　to　be　in　shameful　flight。

Alas！　Bloodshed；　ruin；　and　desolation！　A　great　battle　was　about　to　be　fought。



CHAPTER　XVI

NIGHT

Orbajosa　slept。　The　melancholy　street…lamps　were　shedding　their　last　gleams　at　street…corners　and　in　by…ways；　like　tired　eyes　struggling　in　vain　against　sleep。　By　their　dim　light；　wrapped　in