dona perecta-第7部分

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d　the　insatiable　vampire　of　play；　came　to　a　sudden　termination。　His　sole　heir　was　a　daughter　a　few　months　old。　With　the　death　of　Perfecta's　husband　the　terrors　of　the　family　were　at　an　end；　but　the　great　struggle　began。　The　house　of　Polentinos　was　ruined；　the　estates　were　in　danger　of　being　seized　by　the　money…lenders；　all　was　in　confusion：　enormous　debts；　lamentable　management　in　Orbajosa；　discredit　and　ruin　in　Madrid。

Perfecta　sent　for　her　brother；　who；　coming　to　the　distressed　widow's　assistance；　displayed　so　much　diligence　and　skill　that　in　a　short　time　the　greater　part　of　the　dangers　that　threatened　her　had　disappeared。　He　began　by　obliging　his　sister　to　live　in　Orbajosa；　managing　herself　her　vast　estates；　while　he　faced　the　formidable　pressure　of　the　creditors　in　Madrid。　Little　by　little　the　house　freed　itself　from　the　enormous　burden　of　its　debts；　for　the　excellent　Don　Juan　Rey；　who　had　the　best　way　in　the　world　for　managing　such　matters；　pleaded　in　the　court；　made　settlements　with　the　principal　creditors　and　arranged　to　pay　them　by　instalments；　the　result　of　this　skilful　management　being　that　the　rich　patrimony　of　Polentinos　was　saved　from　ruin　and　might　continue；　for　many　years　to　come；　to　bestow　splendor　and　glory　on　that　illustrious　family。

Perfecta's　gratitude　was　so　profound　that　in　writing　to　her　brother　from　Orbajosa；　where　she　determined　to　reside　until　her　daughter　should　be　grown　up；　she　said　to　him；　among　other　affectionate　things：　〃You　have　been　more　than　a　brother　to　me；　more　than　a　father　to　my　daughter。　How　can　either　of　us　ever　repay　you　for　services　so　great？　Ah；　my　dear　brother？　from　the　moment　in　which　my　daughter　can　reason　and　pronounce　a　name　I　will　teach　her　to　bless　yours。　My　gratitude　will　end　only　with　my　life。　Your　unworthy　sister　regrets　only　that　she　can　find　no　opportunity　of　showing　you　how　much　she　loves　you　and　of　recompensing　you　in　a　manner　suited　to　the　greatness　of　your　soul　and　the　boundless　goodness　of　your　heart。〃

At　the　same　time　when　these　words　were　written　Rosarito　was　two　years　old。　Pepe　Rey；　shut　up　in　a　school　in　Seville；　was　making　lines　on　paper；　occupied　in　proving　that　〃the　sum　of　all　the　interior　angles　of　any　polygon　is　equal　to　twice　as　many　right　angles；　wanting　four；　as　the　figure　has　sides。〃　These　vexatious　commonplaces　of　the　school　kept　him　very　busy。　Year　after　year　passed。　The　boy　grew　up；　still　continuing　to　make　lines。　At　last；　he　made　one　which　is　called　〃From　Tarragona　to　Montblanch。〃　His　first　serious　toy　was　the　bridge；　120　metres　in　length；　over　the　River　Francoli。

During　all　this　time　Dona　Perfecta　continued　to　live　in　Orbajosa。　As　her　brother　never　left　Seville；　several　years　passed　without　their　seeing　each　other。　A　quarterly　letter；　as　punctually　written　as　it　was　punctually　answered；　kept　in　communication　these　two　hearts；　whose　affection　neither　time　nor　distance　could　cool。　In　1870；　when　Don　Juan　Rey；　satisfied　with　having　fulfilled　his　mission　in　society；　retired　from　it　and　went　to　live　in　his　fine　house　in　Puerto　Real；　Pepe；　who　had　been　employed　for　several　years　in　the　works　of　various　rich　building　companies；　set　out　on　a　tour　through　Germany　and　England；　for　the　purpose　of　study。　His　father's　fortune；　（as　large　as　it　is　possible　for　a　fortune　which　has　only　an　honorable　law…office　for　its　source　to　be　in　Spain）；　permitted　him　to　free　himself　in　a　short　time　from　the　yoke　of　material　labor。　A　man　of　exalted　ideas　and　with　an　ardent　love　for　science；　he　found　his　purest　enjoyment　in　the　observation　and　study　of　the　marvels　by　means　of　which　the　genius　of　the　age　furthers　at　the　same　time　the　culture　and　material　comfort　and　the　moral　progress　of　man。

On　returning　from　his　tour　his　father　informed　him　that　he　had　an　important　project　to　communicate　to　him。　Pepe　supposed　that　it　concerned　some　bridge；　dockyard；　or；　at　the　least；　the　draining　of　some　marsh；　but　Don　Juan　soon　dispelled　his　error；　disclosing　to　him　his　plan　in　the　following　words：

〃This　is　March；　and　Perfecta's　quarterly　letter　has　not　failed　to　come。　Read　it；　my　dear　boy；　and　if　you　can　agree　to　what　that　holy　and　exemplary　woman；　my　dear　sister；　says　in　it；　you　will　give　me　the　greatest　happiness　I　could　desire　in　my　old　age。　If　the　plan　does　not　please　you；　reject　it　without　hesitation；　for；　although　your　refusal　would　grieve　me；　there　is　not　in　it　the　shadow　of　constraint　on　my　part。　It　would　be　unworthy　of　us　both　that　it　should　be　realized　through　the　coercion　of　an　obstinate　father。　You　are　free　either　to　accept　or　to　reject　it；　and　if　there　is　in　your　mind　the　slightest　repugnance　to　it；　arising　either　from　your　inclinations　or　from　any　other　cause；　I　do　not　wish　you　to　do　violence　to　your　feelings　on　my　account。〃

Pepe　laid　the　letter　on　the　table　after　he　had　glanced　through　it；　and　said　quietly：

〃My　aunt　wishes　me　to　marry　Rosario！〃

〃She　writes　accepting　joyfully　my　idea；〃　said　his　father；　with　emotion。　〃For　the　idea　was　mine。　Yes；　it　is　a　long　time；　a　very　long　time　since　it　occurred　to　me；　but　I　did　not　wish　to　say　anything　to　you　until　I　knew　what　your　sister　might　think　about　it。　As　you　see；　Perfecta　receives　my　plan　with　joy；　she　says　that　she　too　had　thought　of　it；　but　that　she　did　not　venture　to　mention　it　to　me；　because　you　areyou　have　seen　what　she　saysbecause　you　are　a　young　man　of　very　exceptional　merit　and　her　daughter　is　a　country　girl；　without　either　a　brilliant　education　or　worldly　attractions。　Those　are　her　words。　My　poor　sister！　How　good　she　is！　I　see　that　you　are　not　displeased；　I　see　that　this　project　of　mine；　resembling　a　little　the　officious　prevision　of　the　fathers　of　former　times　who　married　their　children　without　consulting　their　wishes　in　the　matter；　and　making　generally　inconsiderate　and　unwise　matches；　does　not　seem　absurd　to　you。　God　grant　that　this　may　be；　as　it　seems　to　promise；　one　of　the　happiest。　It　is　true　that　you　have　never　seen　your　cousin；　but　we　are　both　aware　of　her　virtue；　of　her　discretion；　of　her　modest　and　noble　simplicity。　That　nothing　may　be　wanting；　she　is　even　beautiful。　My　opinion　is；〃　he　added　gayly；　〃that　you　should　at　once　start　for　that　out…of…the…way　episcopal　city；　that　Urbs　Augusta；　and　there；　in　the　presence　of　my　sister　and　her　charming　Rosarito；　decide　whether　the　latter　is　to　be　something　more　to　me　or　not；　than　my　niece。〃

Pepe　took　up　the　letter　again　and　read　it　through　carefully。　His　countenance　expressed　neither　joy　nor　sorrow。　He　might　have　been　examining　some　plan　for　the　junction　of　two　railroads。

〃In　truth；〃　said　Don　Juan；　〃in　that　remote　Orbajosa；　where；　by　the　way；　you　have　some　land　that　you　might　take　a　look　at　now；　life　passes　with　the　tranquillity　and　the　sweetness　of　an　idyl。　What　patriarchal　customs！　What　noble　simplicity！　What　rural　and　Virgilian　peace！　If；　instead　of　being　a　mathematician；　you　were　a　Latinist；　you　would　repeat；　as　you　enter　it；　the　/ergo　tua　rura　manebunt/。　What　an　admirable　place　in　which　to　commune　with　one's　own　soul　and　to　prepare　one's　self　for　good　works。　There　all　is　kindness　and　goodness；　there　the　deceit　and　hypocrisy　of　our　great　cities　are　unknown；　there　the　holy　inclinations　which　the　turmoil　of　modern　life　stifles　spring　into　being　ag