dona perecta-第31部分

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hanging　by　a　hair；　for　Spain；　doubt　it　not；　will　witness　scenes　like　those　of　the　French　Revolution；　in　which　thousands　of　pious　ecclesiastics　perished　in　a　single　day。　But　I　am　not　troubled。　When　the　hour　to　kill　strikes；　I　will　present　my　neck。　I　have　lived　long　enough。　Of　what　use　am　I？　None；　none！〃

〃May　I　be　devoured　by　dogs；〃　exclaimed　Vejarruco；　shaking　his　fist；　which　had　all　the　hardness　and　the　strength　of　a　hammer；　〃if　we　do　not　soon　make　an　end　of　that　thievish　rabble！〃

〃They　say　that　next　week　they　will　begin　to　pull　down　the　cathedral；〃　observed　Frasquito。

〃I　suppose　they　will　pull　it　down　with　pickaxes　and　hammers；〃　said　the　canon；　smiling。　〃There　are　artificers　who；　without　those　implements；　can　build　more　rapidly　than　they　can　pull　down。　You　all　know　that；　according　to　holy　tradition；　our　beautiful　chapel　of　the　Sagrario　was　pulled　down　by　the　Moors　in　a　month；　and　immediately　afterward　rebuilt　by　the　angels　in　a　single　night。　Let　them　pull　it　down；　let　them　pull　it　down！〃

〃In　Madrid；　as　the　curate　of　Naharilla　told　us　the　other　night；〃　said　Vejarruco；　〃there　are　so　few　churches　left　standing　that　some　of　the　priests　say　mass　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　and　as　they　are　beaten　and　insulted　and　spat　upon；　there　are　many　who　don't　wish　to　say　it。〃

〃Fortunately　here；　my　children；〃　observed　Don　Inocencio；　〃we　have　not　yet　had　scenes　of　that　nature。　Why？　Because　they　know　what　kind　of　people　you　are；　because　they　have　heard　of　your　ardent　piety　and　your　valor。　I　don't　envy　the　first　ones　who　lay　hands　on　our　priests　and　our　religion。　Of　course　it　is　not　necessary　to　say　that；　if　they　are　not　stopped　in　time；　they　will　commit　atrocities。　Poor　Spain；　so　holy　and　so　meek　and　so　good！　Who　would　have　believed　she　would　ever　arrive　at　such　extremities！　But　I　maintain　that　impiety　will　not　triumph；　no。　There　are　courageous　people　still；　there　are　people　still　like　those　of　old。　Am　I　not　right；　Senor　Ramos？〃

〃Yes；　senor；　that　there　are；〃　answered　the　latter。

〃I　have　a　blind　faith　in　the　triumph　of　the　law　of　God。　Some　one　must　stand　up　in　defence　of　it。　If　not　one；　it　will　be　another。　The　palm　of　victory；　and　with　it　eternal　glory；　some　one　must　bear。　The　wicked　will　perish；　if　not　to…day；　to…morrow。　That　which　goes　against　the　law　of　God　will　fall　irremediably。　Let　it　be　in　this　manner　or　in　that；　fall　it　must。　Neither　its　sophistries；　nor　its　evasions；　nor　its　artifices　will　save　it。　The　hand　of　God　is　raised　against　it　and　will　infallibly　strike　it。　Let　us　pity　them　and　desire　their　repentance。　As　for　you；　my　children；　do　not　expect　that　I　shall　say　a　word　to　you　about　the　step　which　you　are　no　doubt　going　to　take。　I　know　that　you　are　good；　I　know　that　your　generous　determination　and　the　noble　end　which　you　have　in　view　will　wash　away　from　you　all　the　stain　of　the　sin　of　shedding　blood。　I　know　that　God　will　bless　you；　that　your　victory；　the　same　as　your　death；　will　exalt　you　in　the　eyes　of　men　and　in　the　eyes　of　God。　I　know　that　you　deserve　palms　and　glory　and　all　sorts　of　honors；　but　in　spite　of　this；　my　children；　my　lips　will　not　incite　you　to　the　combat。　They　have　never　done　it；　and　they　will　not　do　it　now。　Act　according　to　the　impulse　of　your　own　noble　hearts。　If　they　bid　you　to　remain　in　your　houses；　remain　in　them；　if　they　bid　you　to　leave　themwhy；　then；　leave　them。　I　will　resign　myself　to　be　a　martyr　and　to　bow　my　neck　to　the　executioner；　if　that　vile　army　remains　here。　But　if　a　noble　and　ardent　and　pious　impulse　of　the　sons　of　Orbajosa　contributes　to　the　great　work　of　the　extirpation　of　our　country's　ills；　I　shall　hold　myself　the　happiest　of　men；　solely　in　being　your　fellow…townsman；　and　all　my　life　of　study；　of　penitence；　of　resignation；　will　seem　to　me　less　meritorious；　less　deserving　of　heaven；　than　a　single　one　of　your　heroic　days。〃

〃Impossible　to　say　more　or　to　say　it　better！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　in　a　burst　of　enthusiasm。

Caballuco　had　leaned　forward　in　his　chair　and　was　resting　his　elbows　on　his　knees；　when　the　canon　ended　he　took　his　hand　and　kissed　it　with　fervor。

〃A　better　man　was　never　born；〃　said　Uncle　Licurgo；　wiping；　or　pretending　to　wipe　away　a　tear。

〃Long　life　to　the　Senor　Penitentiary！〃　cried　Frasquito　Gonzalez；　rising　to　his　feet　and　throwing　his　cap　up　to　the　ceiling。

〃Silence！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Sit　down；　Frasquito！　You　are　one　of　those　with　whom　it　is　always　much　cry　and　little　wool。〃

〃Blessed　be　God　who　gave　you　that　eloquent　tongue！〃　exclaimed　Cristobal；　inflamed　with　admiration。　〃What　a　pair　I　have　before　me！　While　these　two　live　what　need　is　there　of　any　one　else？　All　the　people　in　Spain　ought　to　be　like　them。　But　how　could　that　be；　when　there　is　nothing　in　it　but　roguery！　In　Madrid；　which　is　the　capital　where　the　law　and　the　mandarins　come　from；　every　thing　is　robbery　and　cheating。　Poor　religion；　what　a　state　they　have　brought　it　to！　There　is　nothing　to　be　seen　but　crimes。　Senor　Don　Inocencio；　Senora　Dona　Perfecta；　by　my　father's　soul；　by　the　soul　of　my　grandfather；　by　the　salvation　of　my　own　soul；　I　swear　that　I　wish　to　die！〃

〃To　die！〃

〃That　I　wish　those　rascally　dogs　may　kill　me；　and　I　say　that　I　wish　they　may　kill　me；　because　I　cannot　cut　them　in　quarters。　I　am　very　little。〃

〃Ramos；　you　are　great；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta　solemnly。

〃Great？　Great？　Very　great；　as　far　as　my　courage　is　concerned；　but　have　I　fortresses；　have　I　cavalry；　have　I　artillery？〃

〃That　is　a　thing；　Ramos；〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　smiling；　〃about　which　I　would　not　concern　myself。　Has　not　the　enemy　what　you　lack？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Take　it　from　him；　then。〃

〃We　will　take　it　from　him；　yes；　senora。　When　I　say　that　we　will　take　it　from　him〃

〃My　dear　Ramos；〃　exclaimed　Don　Inocencio；　〃yours　is　an　enviable　position。　To　distinguish　yourself；　to　raise　yourself　above　the　base　multitude；　to　put　yourself　on　an　equality　with　the　greatest　heroes　of　the　earth；　to　be　able　to　say　that　the　hand　of　God　guides　your　handoh；　what　grandeur　and　honor！　My　friend；　this　is　not　flattery。　What　dignity；　what　nobleness；　what　magnanimity！　No；　men　of　such　a　temper　cannot　die。　The　Lord　goes　with　them；　and　the　bullet　and　the　steel　of　the　enemy　are　arrested　in　their　course；　they　do　not　darehow　should　they　dareto　touch　them；　coming　from　the　musket　and　the　hand　of　heretics？　Dear　Caballuco；　seeing　you；　seeing　your　bravery　and　your　nobility；　there　come　to　my　mind　involuntarily　the　verses　of　that　ballad　on　the　conquest　of　the　Empire　of　Trebizond：

〃　'Came　the　valiant　Roland　　　　Armed　at　every　point；　　　　On　his　war…horse　mounted；　　　　The　gallant　Briador；　　　　His　good　sword　Durlindana　　　　Girded　to　his　side；　　　　Couched　for　the　attack　his　lance；　　　　On　his　arm　his　buckler　stout；　　　　Through　his　helmet's　visor　　　　Flashing　fire　he　came；　　　　Quivering　like　a　slender　reed　　　　Shaken　by　the　wind　his　lance；　　　　And　all　the　host　united　　　　Defying　haughtily。'　〃

〃Very　good；〃　exclaimed　Licurgo；　clapping　his　hands。　〃And　I　say　like　Don　Renialdos：

〃　'Let　none　the　wrath　of　Don　Renialdos　　　　Dare　brave　and　hope　to　escape　unscathed；　　　　For　he　who　seeks　with　him　a　quarrel；　　　　Shall　pay　so　dearly　for　his　rashness　　　　That　he；　and　all　his　cause　who　champion；　　　　Shall　at　my　hand　or　meet　destruction　　　　Or　chastisement　severe　shall　suffer。'　〃

〃Ramos；　you　will　take　some　supper；　you　will　eat　something；　won't　you？〃　said　the　mistress　of　the　house。

〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　answered　the　Centaur。　〃Or　if　you　give　me　any　thing；　let　it　be　a　plate　of　gunpowder。〃

And　bursting　into　a　boisterous　laugh；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　room　several　times；　attentively　observed　by　every　one；　then；　stopping　beside　the　group；　he　looked　fixedly　at　Dona　Perfecta　and　thundered　forth　these　words：

〃I　say　that　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。　Long　live　Orbajosa！　death　to　Madrid！〃

And　he　brought　his　hand　down　on　the　table　with　such　violence　that　the　floor　shook。

〃What　a　valiant　spirit！〃　said　Don　Inocencio。

〃What　a　fist　you　have！〃

Every　one　was　looking　at　the　table；　which　had　been　split　in　two　by　the　blow。

Then　they　looked　at　the　never…enough…to…be…admired　Renialdos　or　Caballuco。　Undoubtedly　there　was　in　his　handsome　countenance；　in　his　green　eyes　animated　by　a　strange；　feline　glow；　in　his　black　hair；　in　his　herculean　frame；　a　certain　expression　and　air　of　grandeura　trace；　or　rather　a　memory；　of　the　grand　races　that　dominated　the　world。　But　his　general　aspect　was　one　of　pitiable　degeneration；　and　it　was　difficult　to　discover　the　noble　and　heroic　filiation　in　the　brutality　of　the　present。　He　resembled　Don　Cayetano's　great　men　as　the　mule　resembles　the　horse。



CHAPTER　XXIII

MYSTERY

The　conference　lasted　for　some　time　longer；　but　we　omit　what　followed　as　not　being　necessary　to　a　clear　understanding　of　our　story。　At　last　they　separated；　Senor　Don　Inocencio　remaining　to　the　last；　as　usual。　Before　the　canon　and　Dona　Perfecta　had　had　time　to　exchange　a　word；　an　elderly　woman；　Dona　Perfecta's　confidential　servant　and　her　right　hand；　entered　the　dining…room；　and　her　mistress；　seeing　that　she　looked　disturbed　and　anxious；　was　at　once　filled　with　disquietude；　suspecting　that　something　wrong　was　going　on　in　the　house。

〃I　can't　find　the　senorita　anywhere；〃　said　the　servant；　in　answer　to　her　mistress'　questions。

〃Good　HeavensRosario！　Where　is　my　daughter？〃

〃Virgin　of　Succor　protect　us！〃　cried　the　Penitentiary；　taking　up　his　hat　and　preparing　to　hurry　out　with　Dona　Perfecta。

〃Search　for　her　well。　But　was　she　not　with　you　in　her　room？〃

〃Yes；　senora；〃　answered　the　old　woman；　trembling；　〃but　the　devil　tempted　me；　and　I　fell　asleep。〃

〃A　curse　upon　your　sleep！　What　is　this？　Rosario；　Rosario！　Librada！〃

They　went　upstairs　and　came　down　again；　they　went　up　a　second　time　and　came　down　again；　carrying　a　light　and　looking　carefully　in　all　the　rooms。　At　last　the　voice　of　the　Penitentiary　was　heard　saying　joyfully　from　the　stairs：

〃Here　she　is；　here　she　is！　She　has　been　found。〃

A　moment　later　mother　and　daughter　were　standing　face　to　face　in　the　hall。

〃Where　were　you？〃　asked　Dona　Perfecta；　in　a　severe　voice；　scrutinizing　her　daughter's　face　closely。

〃In　the　garden；〃　answered　the　girl；　more　dead　than　alive。

〃In　the　garden　at　this　hour？　Rosario！〃

〃I　was　warm；　I　went　to　the　window；　my　handkerchief　dropped　out；　and　I　came　down　stairs　for　it！