dona perecta-第38部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


choose。　God　knows　what　I　am。〃

〃You　have　no　dignity！〃

〃That　is　an　opinion；　like　any　other。　The　world　may　hold　you　to　be　infallible。　I　do　not。　I　am　far　from　believing　that　from　your　judgments　there　is　no　appeal　to　God。〃

〃But　is　what　you　say　true？　But　do　you　persist　in　your　purpose；　after　my　refusal？　You　respect　nothing；　you　are　a　monster；　a　bandit。〃

〃I　am　a　man。〃

〃A　wretch！　Let　us　end　this　at　once。　I　refuse　to　give　my　daughter　to　you；　I　refuse　her　to　you！〃

〃I　will　take　her　then！　I　shall　take　only　what　is　mine。〃

〃Leave　my　presence！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　rising　suddenly　to　her　feet。　〃Coxcomb；　do　you　suppose　that　my　daughter　thinks　of　you？〃

〃She　loves　me；　as　I　love　her。〃

〃It　is　a　lie！　It　is　a　lie！〃

〃She　herself　has　told　me　so。　Excuse　me　if；　on　this　point；　I　put　more　faith　in　her　words　than　in　her　mother's。〃

〃How　could　she　have　told　you　so；　when　you　have　not　seen　her　for　several　days？〃

〃I　saw　her　last　night；　and　she　swore　to　me　before　the　crucifix　in　the　chapel　that　she　would　be　my　wife。〃

〃Oh；　scandal；　oh；　libertinism！　But　what　is　this？　My　God；　what　a　disgrace！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　pressing　her　head　again　between　her　hands　and　walking　up　and　down　the　room。　〃Rosario　left　her　room　last　night？〃

〃She　left　it　to　see　me。　It　was　time。〃

〃What　vile　conduct　is　yours！　You　have　acted　like　a　thief；　you　have　acted　like　a　vulgar　seducer！〃

〃I　have　acted　in　accordance　with　the　teachings　of　your　school。　My　intention　was　good。〃

〃And　she　came　down　stairs！　Ah；　I　suspected　it！　This　morning　at　daybreak　I　surprised　her；　dressed；　in　her　room。　She　told　me　she　had　gone　out；　I　don't　know　for　what。　You　were　the　real　criminal；　then。　This　is　a　disgrace！　Pepe；　I　expected　any　thing　from　you　rather　than　an　outrage　like　this。　Every　thing　is　at　an　end！　Go　away！　You　are　dead　to　me。　I　forgive　you；　provided　you　go　away。　I　will　not　say　a　word　about　this　to　your　father。　What　horrible　selfishness！　No；　there　is　no　love　in　you。　You　do　not　love　my　daughter！〃

〃God　knows　that　I　love　her；　and　that　is　sufficient　for　me。〃

〃Be　silent；　blasphemer！　and　don't　take　the　name　of　God　upon　your　lips！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃In　the　name　of　God；　whom　I　can　invoke；　for　I　believe　in　him；　I　tell　you　that　my　daughter　will　never　be　your　wife。　My　daughter　will　be　saved；　Pepe；　my　daughter　shall　not　be　condemned　to　a　living　hell；　for　a　union　with　you　would　be　a　hell！〃

〃Rosario　will　be　my　wife；〃　repeated　the　mathematician；　with　pathetic　calmness。

The　pious　lady　was　still　more　exasperated　by　her　nephew's　calm　energy。　In　a　broken　voice　she　said：

〃Don't　suppose　that　your　threats　terrify　me。　I　know　what　I　am　saying。　What！　are　a　home　and　a　family　to　be　outraged　like　this？　Are　human　and　divine　authority　to　be　trampled　under　foot　in　this　way？〃

〃I　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot；〃　said　the　engineer；　beginning　to　lose　his　composure　and　speaking　with　some　agitation。

〃You　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot！　Ah！　it　is　easy　to　see　that　you　are　a　barbarian；　a　savage；　a　man　who　lives　by　violence。〃

〃No；　dear　aunt；　I　am　mild；　upright；　honorable；　and　an　enemy　to　violence；　but　between　you　and　mebetween　you　who　are　the　law　and　I　who　am　to　honor　itis　a　poor　tormented　creature；　one　of　God's　angels；　subjected　to　iniquitous　tortures。　The　spectacle　of　this　injustice；　this　unheard…of　violence；　is　what　has　converted　my　rectitude　into　barbarity；　my　reason　into　brute　force；　my　honor　into　violence；　like　an　assassin's　or　a　thief's；　this　spectacle；　senora；　is　what　impels　me　to　disregard　your　law；　what　impels　me　to　trample　it　under　foot；　braving　every　thing。　This　which　appears　to　you　lawlessness　is　obedience　to　an　unescapable　law。　I　do　what　society　does　when　a　brutal　power；　as　illogical　as　irritating；　opposes　its　progress。　It　tramples　it　under　foot　and　destroys　it　in　an　outburst　of　frenzy。　Such　am　I　at　this　momentI　do　not　recognize　myself。　I　was　reasonable；　and　now　I　am　a　brute；　I　was　respectful；　and　now　I　am　insolent；　I　was　civilized；　and　now　I　am　a　savage。　You　have　brought　me　to　this　horrible　extremity；　infuriating　me　and　driving　me　from　the　path　of　rectitude　which　I　was　tranquilly　pursuing。　Who　is　to　blameI　or　you？〃

〃You；　you！〃

〃Neither　you　nor　I　can　decide　the　question。　I　think　we　are　both　to　blame：　you　for　your　violence　and　injustice；　I　for　my　injustice　and　violence。　We　have　both　become　equally　barbarous；　and　we　struggle　with　and　wound　each　other　without　compassion。　God　has　permitted　that　it　should　be　so；　my　blood　will　be　upon　your　conscience；　yours　will　be　upon　mine。　Enough　now；　senora。　I　do　not　wish　to　trouble　you　with　useless　words。　We　will　now　proceed　to　acts。〃

〃To　acts；　very　well！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　roaring　rather　than　speaking。　〃Don't　suppose　that　in　Orbajosa　there　is　no　civil　guard！〃

〃Good…by；　senora。　I　will　now　leave　this　house。　I　think　we　shall　meet　again。〃

〃Go；　go！　go　now！〃　she　cried；　pointing　with　an　energetic　gesture　to　the　door。

Pepe　Rey　left　the　room。　Dona　Perfecta；　after　pronouncing　a　few　incoherent　words；　which　were　the　clearest　expression　of　her　anger；　sank　into　a　chair；　with　indications　of　fatigue；　or　of　a　coming　attack　of　nerves。　The　maids　came　running　in。

〃Go　for　Senor　Don　Inocencio！〃　she　cried。　〃Instantlyhurry！　Ask　him　to　come　here！〃

Then　she　tore　her　handkerchief　with　her　teeth。



CHAPTER　XX

RUMORSFEARS

On　the　day　following　that　of　this　lamentable　quarrel；　various　rumors　regarding　Pepe　Rey　and　his　conduct　spread　through　Orbajosa；　going　from　house　to　house；　from　club　to　club；　from　the　Casino　to　the　apothecary's　and　from　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzes　to　the　Puerta　de　Baidejos。　They　were　repeated　by　every　body；　and　so　many　were　the　comments　made　that；　if　Don　Cayetano　had　collected　and　compiled　them；　he　might　have　formed　with　them　a　rich　〃Thesaurus〃　of　Orbajosan　benevolence。　In　the　midst　of　the　diversity　of　the　reports　circulated；　there　was　agreement　in　regard　to　certain　important　particulars；　one　of　which　was　the　following：

That　the　engineer；　enraged　at　Dona　Perfecta's　refusal　to　marry　Rosario　to　an　atheist；　had　raised　his　hand　to　his　aunt。

The　young　man　was　living　in　the　widow　De　Cusco's　hotel；　an　establishment　mounted；　as　they　say　now；　not　at　the　height；　but　at　the　depth　of　the　superlative　backwardness　of　the　town。　Lieutenant…colonel　Pinzon　visited　him　with　frequency；　in　order　that　they　might　discuss　together　the　plot　which　they　had　on　hand；　and　for　the　successful　conduct　of　which　the　soldier　showed　the　happiest　dispositions。　New　artifices　and　stratagems　occurred　to　him　at　every　instant；　and　he　hastened　to　put　them　into　effect　with　excellent　humor；　although　he　would　often　say　to　his　friend：

〃The　role　I　am　playing；　dear　Pepe；　is　not　a　very　dignified　one；　but　to　give　an　annoyance　to　the　Orbajosans　I　would　walk　on　my　hands　and　feet。〃

We　do　not　know　what　cunning　stratagems　the　artful　soldier；　skilled　in　the　wiles　of　the　world；　employed；　but　certain　it　is　that　before　he　had　been　in　the　house　three　days　he　had　succeeded　in　making　himself　greatly　liked　by　every　body　in　it。　His　manners　were　very　pleasing　to　Dona　Perfecta；　who　could　not　hear　unmoved　his　flattering　praises　of　the　elegance　of　the　house；　and　of　the　nobility；　piety；　and　august　magnificence　of　its　mistress。　With　Don　Inocenc