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〃You　have　offended　mamma；〃　said　Rosarito。

Her　features　expressed　something　like　terror。

〃It　is　true；〃　responded　the　young　man；　〃I　have　offended　your　mammaI　have　offended　you。〃

〃No；　not　me。　I　already　imagined　that　the　Infant　Jesus　ought　not　to　wear　trousers。〃

〃But　I　hope　that　you　will　both　forgive　me。　Your　mamma　was　so　kind　to　me　a　little　while　ago。〃

Dona　Perfecta's　voice　suddenly　vibrated　through　the　dining…room；　with　so　discordant　a　tone　that　her　nephew　started　as　if　he　had　heard　a　cry　of　alarm。　The　voice　said　imperiously：

〃Rosario；　go　to　bed！〃

Startled；　her　mind　filled　with　anxious　fears；　the　girl　lingered　in　the　room；　going　here　and　there　as　if　she　was　looking　for　something。　As　she　passed　her　cousin　she　whispered　softly　and　cautiously　these　words：

〃Mamma　is　angry。〃

〃But〃

〃She　is　angrybe　on　your　guard；　be　on　your　guard。〃

Then　she　left　the　room。　Her　mother；　for　whom　Uncle　Licurgo　was　waiting；　followed　her；　and　for　some　time　the　voices　of　Dona　Perfecta　and　the　countryman　were　heard　mingled　together　in　familiar　conference。　Pepe　was　left　with　Don　Cayetano；　who；　taking　a　light；　said；

〃Good…night；　Pepe。　But　don't　suppose　that　I　am　going　to　sleep；　I　am　going　to　work。　But　why　are　you　so　thoughtful？　What　is　the　matter　with　you？Just　as　I　say；　to　work。　I　am　making　notes　for　a　'Memorial　Discourse　on　the　Genealogies　of　Orbajosa。'　I　have　already　found　data　and　information　of　the　utmost　value。　There　can　be　no　dispute　about　it。　In　every　period　of　our　history　the　Orbajosans　have　been　distinguished　for　their　delicate　sense　of　honor；　their　chivalry；　their　valor；　their　intellectuality。　The　conquest　of　Mexico；　the　wars　of　the　Emperor；　the　wars　of　Philip　against　the　heretics；　testify　to　this。　But　are　you　ill？　What　is　the　matter　with　you？　As　I　say；　eminent　theologians；　valiant　warriors；　conquerors；　saints；　bishops；　statesmenall　sorts　of　illustrious　menhave　flourished　in　this　humble　land　of　the　garlic。　No；　there　is　not　in　Christendom　a　more　illustrious　city　than　ours。　Its　virtues　and　its　glories　are　in　themselves　enough　and　more　than　enough　to　fill　all　the　pages　of　our　country's　history。　Well；　I　see　that　it　is　sleepy　you　aregood…night。　As　I　say；　I　would　not　exchange　the　glory　of　being　a　son　of　this　noble　city　for　all　the　gold　in　the　world。　Augusta；　the　ancients　called　it；　Augustissima；　I　call　it　now；　for　now；　as　then；　high…mindedness；　generosity；　valor；　magnanimity；　are　the　patrimony　of　all。　Well；　good…night；　dear　Pepe。　But　I　fancy　you　are　not　well。　Has　the　supper　disagreed　with　you？Alonzo　Gonzalez　de　Bustamante　was　right　when　he　said　in　his　'Floresta　Amena'　that　the　people　of　Orbajosa　suffice　in　themselves　to　confer　greatness　and　honor　on　a　kingdom。　Don't　you　think　so？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　senor；　undoubtedly；〃　responded　Pepe　Rey；　going　abruptly　toward　his　room。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　DISCORD　GROWS

During　the　following　days　Pepe　Rey　made　the　acquaintance　of　several　of　the　people　of　the　place；　he　visited　the　Casino；　and　formed　friendships　with　some　of　the　individuals　who　spend　their　lives　in　the　rooms　of　that　corporation。

But　the　youth　of　Orbajosa　did　not　spend　all　their　time　in　the　Casino；　as　evil…minded　people　might　imagine。　In　the　afternoons　there　were　to　be　seen　at　the　corner　of　the　cathedral；　and　in　the　little　plaza　formed　by　the　intersection　of　the　Calle　del　Condestable　and　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia；　several　gentlemen　who；　gracefully　enveloped　in　their　cloaks；　stood　there　like　sentinels；　watching　the　people　as　they　passed　by。　If　the　weather　was　fine；　those　shining　lights　of　the　Urbs　Augustan　culture　bent　their　steps；　still　enveloped　in　the　indispensable　cloak；　toward　the　promenade　called　the　Paseo　de　las　Descalzas；　which　was　formed　by　a　double　row　of　consumptive…looking　elms　and　some　withered　bushes　of　broom。　There　the　brilliant　Pleiad　watched　the　daughters　of　this　fellow…　townsman　or　that；　who　had　also　come　there　for　a　walk；　and　the　afternoon　passed　tolerably。　In　the　evening；　the　Casino　filled　up　again；　and　while　some　of　the　members　gave　their　lofty　minds　to　the　delights　of　monte；　others　read　the　newspapers；　while　the　majority　discussed　in　the　coffee…　room　subjects　of　the　various　kinds；　such　as　the　politics；　horses；　bulls；　or　the　gossip　of　the　place。　The　result　of　every　discussion　was　the　renewed　conviction　of　the　supremacy　of　Orbajosa　and　its　inhabitants　over　all　the　other　towns　and　peoples　on　the　face　of　the　earth。

These　distinguished　men　were　the　cream　of　the　illustrious　city；　some　rich　landowners；　others　very　poor；　but　all　alike　free　from　lofty　aspirations。　They　had　the　imperturbable　tranquillity　of　the　beggar　who　desires　nothing　more　so　long　as　he　has　a　crust　of　bread　with　which　to　cheat　hunger；　and　the　sun　to　warm　him。　What　chiefly　distinguished　the　Orbajosans　of　the　Casino　was　a　sentiment　of　bitter　hostility　toward　all　strangers；　and　whenever　any　stranger　of　note　appeared　in　its　august　halls；　they　believed　that　he　had　come　there　to　call　in　question　the　superiority　of　the　land　of　the　garlic；　or　to　dispute　with　it；　through　envy；　the　incontestable　advantages　which　nature　had　bestowed　upon　it。

When　Pepe　Rey　presented　himself　in　the　Casino；　they　received　him　with　something　of　suspicion；　and　as　facetious　persons　abounded　in　it；　before　the　new　member　had　been　there　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　all　sorts　of　jokes　had　been　made　about　him。　When　in　answer　to　the　reiterated　questions　of　the　members　he　said　that　he　had　come　to　Orbajosa　with　a　commission　to　explore　the　basin　of　the　Nahara　for　coal；　and　to　survey　a　road；　they　all　agreed　that　Senor　Don　Jose　was　a　conceited　fellow　who　wished　to　give　himself　airs；　discovering　coalbeds　and　planning　railroads。　Some　one　added：

〃He　has　come　to　a　bad　place　for　that；　then。　Those　gentlemen　imagine　that　here　we　are　all　fools；　and　that　they　can　deceive　us　with　fine　words。　He　has　come　to　marry　Dona　Perfecta's　daughter；　and　all　that　he　says　about　coalbeds　is　only　for　the　sake　of　appearances。〃

〃Well；　this　morning；〃　said　another；　a　merchant　who　had　failed；　〃they　told　me　at　the　Dominguez'　that　the　gentleman　has　not　a　peseta；　and　that　he　has　come　here　in　order　to　be　supported　by　his　aunt　and　to　see　if　he　can　catch　Rosarito。〃

〃It　seems　that　he　is　no　engineer　at　all；〃　added　an　olive…planter；　whose　plantations　were　mortgaged　for　double　their　value。　〃But　it　is　as　you　say：　those　starvelings　from　Madrid　think　they　are　justified　in　deceiving　poor　provincials；　and　as　they　believe　that　here　we　all　wear　tails〃

〃It　is　plain　to　be　seen　that　he　is　penniless〃

〃Well；　half…jest　and　the　whole　earnest；　he　told　us　last　night　that　we　were　lazy　barbarians。〃

〃That　we　spent　our　time　sunning　ourselves；　like　the　Bedouins。〃

〃That　we　lived　with　the　imagination。〃

〃That's　it；　that　we　lived　with　the　imagination。〃

〃And　that　this　city　was　precisely　like　a　city　in　Morocco。〃

〃Well！　one　has　no　patience　to　listen　to　those　things。　Where　else　could　he　see　（unless　it　might　be　in　Paris）　a　street　like　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　that　can　show　seven　houses　in　a　row；　all　of　them　magnificent；　from　Dona　Perfecta's　house　to　that　of　Nicolasita　Hernandez？　Does　that　fellow　suppose　that　one　has　never　seen　any　thing；　or　has　never　been　in　Paris？〃

〃He　also　said；　with　a　great　deal　of　delicacy；　that　Orbajosa　was　a　city　of　beggars；　and　he　gave　us　to　understand　that　in　his　opinion　we　live　in　the　meanest　way　here　without　being　ourselves　aware　of　it。〃

〃What　insolence！　If　he　ever　says　that　to　me；　there　will　be　a　scene　in　the　Casino；〃　exclaimed　the　collector　of　taxes。　〃Why　didn't　they　tell　him　how　many　arrobas　of　oil　Orbajosa　produced　last　year？　Doesn't　the　fool　know　that　in　good　years　Orbajosa　produces　wheat　enough　to　supply　all　Spain；　and　even　all　Europe；　with　bread？　It　is　true　that　the　crops　have　been　bad　for　several　years　past；　but　that　is　not　the　rule。　And　the　crop　of　garlic！　I　wager　the　gentleman　doesn't　know　that　the　garlic　of　Orbajosa　made　the　gentleman　of　the　jury　in　the　Exposition　of　London　stare！〃

These　and　other　conversations　of　a　similar　kind　were　to　be　heard　in　the　rooms　of　the　Casino　in　those　days。　Notwithstanding　this　boastful　talk；　so　common　in　small　towns；　which；　for　the　very　reason　that　they　are　small；　are　generally　arrogant；　Rey　was　not　without　finding　sincere　friends　among　the　members　of　the　learned　corporation；　for　they　were　not　all　gossips；　nor　were　there　wanting　among　them　persons　of　good　sense。　But　our　hero　had　the　misfortuneif　misfortune　it　can　be　calledto　be　unusually　frank　in　the　manifestation　of　his　feelings；　and　this　awakened　some　antipathy　toward　him。

Days　passed。　In　addition　to　the　natural　disgust　which　the　social　customs　of　the　episcopal　city　produced　in　him；　various　causes；　all　of　them　disagreeable；　began　to　develop　in　his　mind　a　profound　sadness；　chief　among　these　causes　being　the　crowd　of　litigants　that　swarmed　about　him　like　voracious　ants。　Many　others　of　the　neighboring　landowners　besides　Uncle　Licurgo　claimed　damages　from　him；　or　asked　him　to　render　accounts　for　lands　managed　by　his　grandfather。　A　claim　was　also　brought　against　him　because　of　a　certain　contract　of　partnership　entered　into　by　his　mother　and　which；　as　it　appeared；　had　not　been　fulfilled；　and　he　was　required　in　the　same　way　to　acknowledge　a　mortgage　on　the　estate　of　The　Poplars　executed　in　an　irregular　form　by　his　uncle。　Claims　swarmed　around　him；　multiplying　with　ant…like　rapidity。　He　had　come　to　the　determination　to　renounce　the　ownership　of　his　lands；　but　meanwhile　his　dignity　required　that　he　should　not　yield　to　the　wily　manoeuvres　of　the　artful　rustics；　and　as　the　town…council　brought　a　claim　against　him　also　on　account　of　a　pretended　confusion　of　the　boundary　lines　of　his　estate　with　those　of　an　adjoining　wood　belonging　to　the　town…lands；　the　unfortunate　young　man　found　himself　at　every　step　obliged　to　prove　his　rights；　which　were　being　continually　called　in　question。　His　honor　was　engaged；　and　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　defend　his　rights　to　the　death。

Dona　Perfecta　had　promised　in　her　magnanimity　to　help　him　to　free　himself　from　these　disgraceful　plots　by　means　of　an　amicable　arrangement；　but　the　days　passed；　and　the　good　offices　of　the　exemplary　lady　had　produced　no　result　whatever。　The　claims　multiplied　with　the　dangerous　swiftness　of　a　violent　disease。　Pepe　Rey　passed　hour　after　hour　at　court；　making