dona perecta-第52部分

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〃Oh；　I　know　very　well　what　I　am　talking　about！　Fine　times　before　us！〃　added　the　excellent　woman；　forcing　still　more　the　lachrymose　note　in　her　diatribe。　〃My　God！　What　is　going　to　become　of　us？　Ah；　it　is　only　a　mother's　heart　that　can　feel　these　things！　Only　a　mother　is　capable　of　suffering　so　much　anxiety　about　a　son's　welfare。　How　should　you　understand　it？　No；　it　is　one　thing　to　have　children　and　to　suffer　anxiety　on　their　account　and　another　to　sing　the　/gori　gori/　in　the　cathedral　and　to　teach　Latin　in　the　institute。　Of　great　use　is　it　for　my　son　to　be　your　nephew　and　to　have　taken　so　many　honors　and　to　be　the　pride　and　ornament　of　Orbajosa。　He　will　die　of　starvation；　for　we　already　know　what　law　brings；　or　else　he　will　have　to　ask　the　deputies　for　a　situation　in　Havana；　where　the　yellow　fever　will　kill　him。〃

〃But；　niece〃

〃No；　I　am　not　grieving；　I　am　silent　now；　I　won't　annoy　you　any　more。　I　am　very　troublesome；　always　crying　and　sighing；　and　I　am　not　to　be　endured　because　I　am　a　fond　mother　and　I　will　look　out　for　the　good　of　my　beloved　son。　I　will　die；　yes；　I　will　die　in　silence；　and　stifle　my　grief。　I　will　swallow　my　tears；　in　order　not　to　annoy　his　reverence　the　canon。　But　my　idolized　son　will　comprehend　me　and　he　won't　put　his　hands　to　his　ears　as　you　are　doing　now。　Woe　is　me！　Poor　Jacinto　knows　that　I　would　die　for　him；　and　that　I　would　purchase　his　happiness　at　the　sacrifice　of　my　life。　Darling　child　of　my　soul！　To　be　so　deserving　and　to　be　forever　doomed　to　mediocrity；　to　a　humble　station；　fordon't　get　indignant；　uncleno　matter　what　airs　we　put　on；　you　will　always　be　the　son　of　Uncle　Tinieblas；　the　sacristan　of　San　Bernardo；　and　I　shall　never　be　any　thing　more　than　the　daughter　of　Ildefonso　Tinieblas；　your　brother；　who　used　to　sell　crockery；　and　my　son　will　be　the　grandson　of　the　Tinieblasfor　obscure　we　were　born；　and　we　shall　never　emerge　from　our　obscurity；　nor　own　a　piece　of　land　of　which　we　can　say；　'This　is　mine'；　nor　shall　I　ever　plunge　my　arms　up　to　the　elbows　in　a　sack　of　wheat　threshed　and　winnowed　on　our　own　threshing…floorall　because　of　your　cowardice；　your　folly；　your　soft…heartedness。〃

〃Butbut；　niece！〃

The　canon's　voice　rose　higher　every　time　he　repeated　this　phrase；　and；　with　his　hands　to　his　ears；　he　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side　with　a　look　of　mingled　grief　and　desperation。　The　shrill　complaint　of　Maria　Remedios　grew　constantly　shriller；　and　pierced　the　brain　of　the　unhappy　and　now　dazed　priest　like　an　arrow。　But　all　at　once　the　woman's　face　became　transformed；　her　plaintive　wail　was　changed　to　a　hard；　shrill　scream；　she　turned　pale；　her　lips　trembled；　she　clenched　her　hands；　a　few　locks　of　her　disordered　hair　fell　over　her　forehead；　her　eyes　glittered；　dried　by　the　heat　of　the　anger　that　glowed　in　her　breast；　she　rose　from　her　seat　and；　not　like　a　woman；　but　like　a　harpy；　cried：

〃I　am　going　away　from　here！　I　am　going　away　from　here　with　my　son！　We　will　go　to　Madrid；　I　don't　want　my　son　to　fret　himself　to　death　in　this　miserable　town！　I　am　tired　now　of　seeing　that　my　son；　under　the　protection　of　the　cassock；　neither　is　nor　ever　will　be　any　thing。　Do　you　hear；　my　reverend　uncle？　My　son　and　I　are　going　away！　You　will　never　see　us　againnever！〃

Don　Inocencio　had　clasped　his　hands　and　was　receiving　the　thunderbolts　of　his　niece's　wrath　with　the　consternation　of　a　criminal　whom　the　presence　of　the　executioner　has　deprived　of　his　last　hope。

〃In　Heaven's　name；　Remedios；〃　he　murmured；　in　a　pained　voice；　〃in　the　name　of　the　Holy　Virgin〃

These　fits　of　range　of　his　niece；　who　was　usually　so　meek；　were　as　violent　as　they　were　rare；　and　five　or　six　years　would　sometimes　pass　without　Don　Inocencio　seeing　Remedios　transformed　into　a　fury。

〃I　am　a　mother！　I　am　a　mother！　and　since　no　one　else　will　look　out　for　my　son；　I　will　look　out　for　him　myself！〃　roared　the　improvised　lioness。

〃In　the　name　of　the　Virgin；　niece；　don't　let　your　passion　get　the　best　of　you！　Remember　that　you　are　committing　a　sin。　Let　us　say　the　Lord's　Prayer　and　an　Ave　Maria；　and　you　will　see　that　this　will　pass　away。〃

As　he　said　this　the　Penitentiary　trembled；　and　the　perspiration　stood　on　his　forehead。　Poor　dove　in　the　talons　of　the　vulture！　The　furious　woman　completed　his　discomfiture　with　these　words：

〃You　are　good　for　nothing；　you　are　a　poltroon！　My　son　and　I　will　go　away　from　this　place　forever；　forever！　I　will　get　a　position　for　my　son；　I　will　find　him　a　good　position；　do　you　understand？　Just　as　I　would　be　willing　to　sweep　the　streets　with　my　tongue　if　I　could　gain　a　living　for　him　in　no　other　way；　so　I　will　move　heaven　and　earth　to　find　a　position　for　my　boy　in　order　that　he　may　rise　in　the　world　and　be　rich；　and　a　person　of　consequence；　and　a　gentleman；　and　a　lord　and　great；　and　all　that　there　is　to　beall；　all！〃

〃Heaven　protect　me！〃　cried　Don　Inocencio；　sinking　into　a　chair　and　letting　his　head　fall　on　his　breast。

There　was　a　pause　during　which　the　agitated　breathing　of　the　furious　woman　could　be　heard。

〃Niece；〃　said　Don　Inocencio　at　last；　〃you　have　shortened　my　life　by　ten　years；　you　have　set　my　blood　on　fire；　you　have　put　me　beside　myself。　God　give　me　the　calmness　that　I　need　to　bear　with　you！　Lord；　patience　patience　is　what　I　ask。　And　you；　niece；　do　me　the　favor　to　sigh　and　cry　to　your　heart's　content　for　the　next　ten　years；　for　your　confounded　mania　of　sniveling；　greatly　as　it　annoys　me；　is　preferable　to　these　mad　fits　of　rage。　If　I　did　not　know　that　you　are　good　at　heart　Well；　for　one　who　confessed　and　received　communion　this　morning　you　are　behaving〃

〃Yes；　but　you　are　the　cause　of　ityou！〃

〃Because　in　the　matter　of　Rosario　and　Jacinto　I　say　to　you；　resignation？〃

〃Because　when　every　thing　is　going　on　well　you　turn　back　and　allow　Senor　de　Rey　to　get　possession　of　Rosario。〃

〃And　how　am　I　going　to　prevent　it？　Dona　Perfecta　is　right　in　saying　that　you　have　an　understanding　of　brick。　Do　you　want　me　to　go　about　the　town　with　a　sword；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　to　make　mincemeat　of　the　whole　regiment；　and　then　confront　Rey　and　say　to　him；　'Leave　the　girl　in　peace　or　I　will　cut　your　throat'？〃

〃No；　but　when　I　advised　the　senora　to　give　her　nephew　a　fright；　you　opposed　my　advice；　instead　of　supporting　it。〃

〃You　are　crazy　with　your　talk　about　a　fright。〃

〃Because　when　the　dog　is　dead　the　madness　is　at　an　end。〃

〃I　cannot　advise　what　you　call　a　fright；　and　what　might　be　a　terrible　thing。〃

〃Yes；　because　I　am　a　cut…throat；　am　I　not；　uncle？〃

〃You　know　that　practical　jokes　are　vulgar。　Besides；　do　you　suppose　that　man　would　allow　himself　to　be　insulted？　And　his　friends？〃

〃At　night　he　goes　out　alone。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃I　know　every　thing；　he　does　not　take　a　step　that　I　am　not　aware　of；　do　you　understand？　The　widow　De　Cuzco　keeps　me　informed　of　every　thing。〃

〃There；　don't　set　me　crazy。　And　who　is　going　to　give　him　that　fright？　Let　us　hear。〃

〃Caballuco。〃

〃So　that　he　is　disposed〃

〃No；　but　he　will　be　if　you　command　him。〃

〃Come；　niece；　leave　me　in　peace。　I　cannot　command　such　an　atrocity。　A　fright！　And　what　is　that？　Have　you　spoken　to　him　already？〃

〃Yes；　senor；　but　he　paid　no　attention　to　me；　or　rather　he　refused。　There　are　only　two　people　in　Orbajos