dona perecta-第41部分

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me　a　telegraphic　despatch　at　once；　for　I　shall　be　very　anxious　until　I　receive　it。　But　now　I　remember　that；　on　account　of　these　vexatious　and　troublesome　wars；　the　telegraph　is　not　working。　I　shall　await　your　answer　by　return　of　mail。

〃I　shall　soon　go　to　Madrid　for　the　purpose　of　having　my　long　delayed　work；　the　'Genealogies　of　Orbajosa；'　printed。　I　appreciate　your　kindness；　my　dear　friend；　but　I　cannot　accept　your　too　flattering　expressions。　My　work　does　not　indeed　deserve　the　high　encomiums　you　bestow　upon　it；　it　is　a　work　of　patience　and　study；　a　rude　but　solid　and　massive　monument　which　I　shall　have　erected　to　the　past　glories　of　my　beloved　country。　Plain　and　humble　in　its　form；　it　is　noble　in　the　idea　that　inspired　it；　which　was　solely　to　direct　the　eyes　of　this　proud　and　unbelieving　generation　to　the　marvellous　deeds　and　the　pure　virtues　of　our　forefathers。　Would　that　the　studious　youth　of　our　country　might　take　the　step　to　which　with　all　my　strength　I　incite　them！　Would　that　the　abominable　studies　and　methods　of　reasoning　introduced　by　philosophic　license　and　erroneous　doctrines　might　be　forever　cast　into　oblivion！　Would　that　our　learned　men　might　occupy　themselves　exclusively　in　the　contemplation　of　those　glorious　ages；　in　order　that；　this　generation　being　penetrated　with　their　essence　and　their　beneficent　sap；　its　insane　eagerness　for　change；　and　its　ridiculous　mania　for　appropriating　to　itself　foreign　ideas　which　conflict　with　our　beautiful　national　constitution；　might　disappear。　I　fear　greatly　that　among　the　crowd　of　mad　youth　who　pursue　vain　Utopias　and　heathenish　novelties；　my　desires　are　not　destined　to　be　fulfilled；　and　that　the　contemplation　of　the　illustrious　virtues　of　the　past　will　remain　confined　within　the　same　narrow　circle　as　to…day。　What　is　to　be　done；　my　friend？　I　am　afraid　that　very　soon　our　poor　Spain　is　doomed　to　be　so　disfigured　that　she　will　not　be　able　to　recognize　herself；　even　beholding　herself　in　the　bright　mirror　of　her　stainless　history。

〃I　do　not　wish　to　close　this　letter　without　informing　you　of　a　disagreeable　eventthe　unfortunate　death　of　an　estimable　young　man；　well　known　in　Madrid；　the　civil　engineer　Don　Jose　de　Rey；　a　nephew　of　my　sister…in…law。　This　melancholy　event　occurred　last　night　in　the　garden　of　our　house；　and　I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　form　a　correct　judgment　regarding　the　causes　that　may　have　impelled　the　unfortunate　Rey　to　this　horrible　and　criminal　act。　According　to　what　Perfecta　told　me　this　morning；　on　my　return　from　Mundo　Grande；　Pepe　Rey　at　about　twelve　o'clock　last　night　entered　the　garden　of　the　house　and　shot　himself　in　the　right　temple；　expiring　instantly。　Imagine　the　consternation　and　alarm　which　such　an　event　would　produce　in　this　peaceable　and　virtuous　mansion。　Poor　Perfecta　was　so　greatly　affected　that　we　were　for　a　time　alarmed　about　her；　but　she　is　better　now；　and　this　afternoon　we　succeeded　in　inducing　her　to　take　a　little　broth。　We　employ　every　means　of　consoling　her；　and　as　she　is　a　good　Christian；　she　knows　how　to　support　with　edifying　resignation　even　so　great　a　misfortune　as　this。

〃Between　you　and　me；　my　friend；　I　will　say　here　that　in　young　Rey's　fatal　attempt　upon　his　life；　I　believe　the　moving　causes　to　have　been　an　unfortunate　attachment；　perhaps　remorse　for　his　conduct；　and　the　state　of　hypochondriasm　into　which　he　had　fallen。　I　esteemed　him　greatly；　I　think　he　was　not　lacking　in　excellent　qualities；　but　he　was　held　in　such　disrepute　here　that　never　once　have　I　heard　any　one　speak　well　of　him。　According　to　what　they　say；　he　made　a　boast　of　the　most　extravagant　ideas　and　opinions；　he　mocked　at　religion；　entered　the　church　smoking　and　with　his　hat　on；　he　respected　nothing；　and　for　him　there　was　neither　modesty；　nor　virtue；　nor　soul；　nor　ideal；　nor　faith　nothing　but　theodolites；　squares；　rules；　engines；　pick…axes；　and　spades。　What　do　you　thing　of　that？　To　be　just；　I　must　say　that　in　his　conversations　with　me　he　always　concealed　these　ideas；　doubtless　through　fear　of　being　utterly　routed　by　the　fire　of　my　arguments；　but　in　public　innumerable　stories　are　told　of　his　heretical　ideas　and　his　stupendous　excesses。

〃I　cannot　continue；　my　dear　friend；　for　at　this　moment　I　hear　firing。　As　I　have　no　love　for　fighting；　and　as　I　am　not　a　soldier；　my　pulse　trembles　a　little。　In　due　time　I　will　give　you　further　particulars　of　this　war。

〃Yours　affectionately；　etc。；　etc。〃



〃APRIL　22。

〃MY　EVER…REMEMBERED　FRIEND：

〃To…day　we　have　had　a　bloody　skirmish　on　the　outskirts　of　Orbajosa。　The　large　body　of　men　raised　in　Villahorrenda　were　attacked　by　the　troops　with　great　fury。　There　was　great　loss　in　killed　and　wounded　on　both　sides。　After　the　combat　the　brave　guerillas　dispersed；　but　they　are　greatly　encouraged；　and　it　is　possible　that　you　may　hear　of　wonderful　things。　Cristobal　Caballuco；　the　son　of　the　famous　Caballuco　whom　you　will　remember　in　the　last　war；　though　suffering　from　a　wound　in　the　arm；　how　or　when　received　is　not　known；　commanded　them。　The　present　leader　has　eminent　qualifications　for　the　command；　and　he　is；　besides；　an　honest　and　simple…hearted　man。　As　we　must　finally　come　to　a　friendly　arrangement；　I　presume　that　Caballuco　will　be　made　a　general　in　the　Spanish　army；　whereby　both　sides　will　gain　greatly。

〃I　deplore　this　war；　which　is　beginning　to　assume　alarming　proportions；　but　I　recognize　that　our　valiant　peasants　are　not　responsible　for　it；　since　they　have　been　provoked　to　the　inhuman　conflict　by　the　audacity　of　the　Government；　by　the　demoralization　of　its　sacrilegious　delegates；　by　the　systematic　fury　with　which　the　representatives　of　the　state　attack　what　is　most　venerated　by　the　peopletheir　religious　faith　and　the　national　spirit　which　fortunately　still　exists　in　those　places　that　are　not　yet　contaminated　by　the　desolating　pestilence。　When　it　is　attempted　to　take　away　the　soul　of　a　people　to　give　it　a　different　one；　when　it　is　sought　to　denationalize　a　people；　so　to　say；　perverting　its　sentiments；　its　customs；　its　ideasit　is　natural　that　this　people　should　defend　itself；　like　the　man　who　is　attacked　by　highwaymen　on　a　solitary　road。　Let　the　spirit　and　the　pure　and　salutiferous　substance　of　my　work　on　the　'Genealogies'excuse　the　apparent　vanityonce　reach　the　sphere　of　the　Government　and　there　will　no　longer　be　wars。

〃To…day　we　have　had　here　a　very　disagreeable　question。　The　clergy；　my　friend；　have　refused　to　allow　Rey　to　be　buried　in　consecrated　ground。　I　interfered　in　the　matter；　entreating　the　bishop　to　remove　this　heavy　anathema；　but　without　success。　Finally；　we　buried　the　body　of　the　young　man　in　a　grave　made　in　the　field　of　Mundo　Grande；　where　my　patient　explorations　have　discovered　the　archaeological　treasures　of　which　you　know。　I　spent　some　very　sad　hours；　and　the　painful　impression　which　I　received　has　not　yet　altogether　passed　away。　Don　Juan　Tafetan　and　ourselves　were　the　only　persons　who　accompanied　the　funeral　cortege。　A　little　later；　strange　to　say；　the　girls　whom　they　call　here　the　Troyas　went　to　the　field；　and　prayed　for　a　long　time　beside　the　rustic　tomb　of　the　mathematician。　Although　this　seemed　a　ridiculous　piece　of　officiousness　it　touched　me。

〃With　respect　to　the　death　of　Rey；　the　rumor　circulates　throughout　the　town　that　he　was　assassinated；　but　by　whom　is　not　known。　It　is　asserted　that　he　declared　this　to　be　the　case；　for　he　lived　for　about　an　hour　and　a　half。　According　to　what　they　say；　he　refused　to　reveal　the　name　of　his　murderer。　I　repeat　this　version；　without　either　contradicting　or　supporting　it。　Perfecta　does　not　wish　this　matter　to　be　spoken　of；　and　she　becomes　greatly　distressed　whenever　I　allude　to　it。

〃Poor　woman！　no　sooner　had　one　misfortune　occurred　than　she　met　with　another；　which　has　grieved　us　all　deeply。　My　friend；　the　fatal　malady　that　has　been　for　so　many　generations　connatural　in　our　family　has　now　claimed　another　victim。　Poor　Rosario；　who；　thanks　to　our　cares；　was　improving　gradually　in　her　health；　has　entirely　lost　her　reason。　Her　incoherent　words；　her　frenzy；　her　deadly　pallor；　bring　my　mother　and　my　sister　forcibly　to　my　mind。　This　is　the　most　serious　case　that　I　have　witnessed　in　our　family；　for　the　question　here　is　not　one　of　mania　but　of　real　insanity。　It　is　sad；　terribly　sad　that　out　of　so　many　I　should　be　the　only　one　to　escape；　preserving　a　sound　mind　with　all　my　faculties　unimpaired　and　entirely　free　from　any　sign　of　that　fatal　malady。

〃I　have　not　been　able　to　give　your　remembrances　to　Don　Inocencio；　for　the　poor　man　has　suddenly　fallen　ill　and　refuses　to　see　even　his　most　intimate　friends。　But　I　am　sure　that　he　would　return　your　remembrances；　and　I　do　not　doubt　that　he　could　lay　his　hand　instantly　on　the　translation　of　the　collection　of　Latin　epigrams　which　you　recommend　to　him。　I　hear　firing　again。　They　say　that　we　shall　have　a　skirmish　this　afternoon。　The　troops　have　just　been　called　out。〃



〃BARCELONA；　June　1。

〃I　have　just　arrived　here　after　leaving　my　niece　in　San　Baudilio　de　Llobregat。　The　director　of　the　establishment　has　assured　me　that　the　case　is　incurable。　She　will；　however；　have　the　greatest　care　in　that　cheerful　and　magnificent　sanitarium。　My　dear　friend；　if　I　also　should　ever　succumb；　let　me　be　taken　to　San　Baudilio。　I　hope　to　find　the　proofs　of　my　'Genealogies'　awaiting　me　on　my　return。　I　intend　to　add　six　pages　more；　for　it　would　be　a　great　mistake　not　to　publish　my　reasons　for　maintaining　that　Mateo　Diez　Coronel；　author　of　the　'Metrico　Encomio；'　is　descended；　on　the　mother's　side；　from　the　Guevaras；　and　not　from　the　Burguillos；　as　the　author　of　the　'Floresta　Amena'　erroneously　maintains。

〃I　write　this　letter　principally　for　the　purpose　of　giving　you　a　caution。　I　have　heard　several　persons　here　speaking　of　Pepe　Rey's　death；　and　they　describe　it　exactly　as　it　occurred。　The　secret　of　the　manner　of　his　death；　which　I　learned　some　time　after　the　event；　I　revealed　to　you　in　confidence　when　we　met　in　Madrid。　It　has　appeared　strange　to　me　that　having　told　it　to　no　one　but　yourself；　it　should　be　known　here　in　all　its　detailshow　he　entered　the　garden；　how　he　fired　on　Caballuco　when　the　latter　attacked　him　with　his　dagger；　how　Ramos　then　fired　on　him　with　so　sure　an　aim　that　he　fell　to　the　ground　mortally　wounded。　In　short；　my　dear　friend；　in　case　you　should　ha