Her house was sad because other people were merry, as Sinang put it. There neither lanterns nor flags could be seen. In fact, if the sentry11 were not walking up and down in front of the gate, you would have said that the house was unoccupied.
A feeble light illumined the disarranged sala, and made transparent12 the oyster-shell windows filled with spider-webs and covered with dust. The Se?ora, according to her custom, her hands folded, sat in a wide arm-chair. She was dressed the same as every day, that is to say, outrageously13 out of taste. In detail, she had a handkerchief tied around her head, while short, slender locks of tangled14 hair hung down on either side; a blue flannel shirt over another shirt which should have been white; and a faded-out skirt which moulded itself to her slender thighs15 as she sat with her legs crossed and nervously16 wiggled her foot. From her mouth, came big puffs17 of smoke, which she fastidiously blew up in the space toward which she looked when her eyes were open. [130]
That morning the Se?ora had not heard mass, not because she had not cared to hear it, for on the contrary she wanted to show herself to the multitude and to hear the sermon, but because her husband had not permitted her to do so. As was usually the case, his prohibition18 was accompanied by two or three insults, oaths and threats of kicking. The alferez understood that his “female” dressed herself in a ridiculous manner, and that it was not fitting to expose her to the eyes of the people from the capital nor even the country districts.
But she did not understand it that way. She knew that she was beautiful, attractive, that she had the manners of a queen and that she dressed much better and more gorgeously than Maria Clara herself, though to be sure the latter wore a tapis over her skirt while she wore only the skirt. The alferez had to say to her: “Oh, shut your mouth or I’ll kick you till you do!”
Do?a Consolacion did not care to be kicked, but she planned revenge.
The dark face of the Se?ora never had inspired confidence in anybody, not even when she painted it. That morning she was exceptionally uneasy, and as she walked from one end of the sala to the other, in silence and as if meditating19 something terrible, her eyes shone like those of a serpent about to be crushed. Her look was cold, luminous20, and penetrating21 and had something vicious, loathsome22 and cruel in it.
The slightest defect in anything, the most insignificant23 or unusual noise brought forth24 an obscene and infamous25 expression; but no one responded. To offer an excuse was a crime.
So the day passed. Encountering no obstacle in her way—her husband had been invited out—she became saturated26 with bile.
Everything around bent27 itself before her. She met no resistance, there was nothing upon which she could discharge the vials of her wrath28. Soldiers and servants crawled before her.
That she might not hear the rejoicing going on outside, she ordered the windows to be closed, and charged the sentry not to permit any one to enter. She tied a handkerchief [131]around her head to prevent it from bursting; and, in spite of the fact that the sun was still shining brightly, she ordered the lamps lighted.
A madwoman who had been detained for disturbing the public peace was taken to the barracks. The alferez was not there at the time and the unhappy woman had to pass the night seated on a bench. The following day the alferez returned. Fearing lest the unhappy woman should become the butt30 of the crowd during the fiesta, he ordered the soldiers who were guarding her to treat her with pity and give her something to eat. Thus the demented woman passed two days.
Whether the proximity31 to Captain Tiago’s house made it possible for the sad song of Maria Clara to reach her ears, whether other strains of music awoke in her memories of old songs, or whether there was some other cause for it, at any rate, the madwoman began that night to sing with a sweet and melancholy32 voice the songs of her youth. The soldiers heard her and kept silent. Those songs brought back memories of the old times.
Do?a Consolacion also heard it in her sorrow, and became interested in the person who was singing.
“Tell her to come upstairs at once!” she ordered, after some seconds of meditation33. Something like a smile passed over her dry lips.
They brought the woman and she presented herself without any discomposure, and without manifesting either fear or surprise.
“Orderly, tell this woman in Tagalog to sing!” said the alfereza. “She don’t understand me; she does not know Spanish.”
The demented woman understood the orderly and sang the song “Night.”
Do?a Consolacion listened to the beginning with a mocking smile which disappeared gradually from her lips. She became attentive34, then more serious and pensive35. The woman’s voice, the sentiment of the verses and the song itself impressed her. That dry and burning heart was perhaps softened36. She understood the song well: “Sadness, cold, and dampness, wrapped in the mantle37 of Night descend38 from the sky,” as the folk song [132]puts it. It seemed that they were also descending39 upon her heart. “The withered40 flower which during the day has paraded its dress, desirous of applause and full of vanity, at nightfall repenting41, makes an effort to raise its faded petals42 to the sky, and begs for a little shade in which to hide itself, so as to die without the mockery of the light which saw it in its pomp, to die without the vanity of its pride being seen, and begging for a drop of dew, to weep over it. The night bird, leaving its solitary43 retreat in the hollow of the old tree, disturbs the melancholy of the forests....”
“No, no! Do not sing!” exclaimed the alfereza in perfect Tagalog and raising to her feet somewhat agitated44. “Don’t sing! Those verses hurt me!”
The demented woman stopped. The orderly muttered “Bah!” and exclaimed “She knows how to patá Tagalog!” and stood looking at the se?ora full of surprise.
The Muse understood that she had been caught, and was ashamed. As her nature was not that of a woman, her shame took the form of rage and hatred45. She pointed46 out the door to the impudent47 orderly and with a kick closed it behind him. She took several turns about the room, twisting a whip between her nervous hands, and then, stopping suddenly in front of the demented woman, said in Spanish: “Dance!”
The demented one did not move.
“Dance! Dance!” she repeated in a threatening voice.
The poor woman looked at the Se?ora, her eyes devoid48 of expression. The alfereza raised one arm and then the other, shaking them in a menacing way.
She then leaped up in the air, and jumped around urging the other woman to imitate her. The band in the procession could be heard playing a slow, majestic49 march, but the Se?ora, leaping about furiously was keeping time to different music than that the band was playing, that music which resounded50 within her. A curious look appeared in the madwoman’s eyes, and a weak smile moved her pale lips. She liked the Se?ora’s dancing.
The alfereza stopped dancing as if ashamed. She raised the whip, that terrible whip made in Ulango and improved by the alferez by winding51 wire around it, that [133]same terrible whip which the ladrones and soldiers knew so well.
“Now it is your turn to dance ... dance!”
And she began to whip lightly the demented woman’s bare feet.
The pale face contracted with pain, and she was obliged to defend herself from the blows by her hands.
“Come! Go ahead!” she exclaimed with savage52 delight, and she passed from lento to allegro-vivace in the use of her whip.
The unhappy woman screamed and quickly raised her feet.
“You have got to dance, you d——d Indian!” exclaimed the Se?ora and the whip whizzed and whistled.
The woman let herself sink to the floor and tried to cover her legs with her hands, at the same time looking with wild eyes at her tormentor53. Two heavy lashes54 on her back made her rise again. Now it was no longer a scream; it was a howl which escaped from the unfortunate woman. The thin shirt was torn, the skin broke open and the blood oozed55 out.
The sight of blood excites a tiger; so, too, the sight of the blood of her victim infuriated Do?a Consolacion.
“Dance! dance! Curse you! D——n you! Dance! Cursed be the mother who bore you!” she cried. “Dance, or I’ll kill you by whipping you to death!”
Then the alfereza, taking the woman with one hand and whipping her with another, began to jump and dance.
The insane woman understood her at last and went on moving her arms regardless of time or tune56. A smile of satisfaction contracted the lips of the teacher. It was like the smile of a female Mephistopheles who had succeeded in developing a good pupil; it was full of hatred, contempt, mockery and cruelty; a coarse laugh could not have expressed more.
Absorbed in the enjoyment57 which the spectacle afforded her, she did not hear her husband coming, until he opened the door with a kick.
The alferez appeared, pale and gloomy. He saw what was going on there and looked daggers58 at his wife. She [134]did not move from her tracks and stood smiling in a cynical59 way.
In the gentlest manner possible, he put his hand on the shoulder of the dancing woman and made her stop. The demented woman sighed and slowly sat down on the blood-covered floor.
The silence continued. The alferez was breathing heavily. His wife was observing him with her questioning eyes. She seized the whip and in a calm and measured tone asked him: “What’s the matter with you? You have not said ‘good evening’ to me.”
The alferez, without replying, called the orderly.
“Take this woman,” he said, “and have Marta give her another shirt and take care of her. Find her good food, and a good bed.... Let him look out who treats her badly!”
After carefully closing the door, he turned the key in the lock and approached his se?ora.
“What’s the matter with you?” asked she, retreating a step or two.
“What’s the matter with me?” he shouted, in a thundering voice, and, giving vent29 to an oath, showed her a paper covered with scribbling61. He continued:
“Didn’t you write this letter to the Alcalde, saying that I am paid for permitting the gambling62, d——n you? I don’t know how I can keep from smashing you.”
“Go ahead! Try it if you dare!” said she, with a mocking smile. “He who smashes me has got to be more of a man than you!”
He heard the insult, but he saw the whip. He seized one of the plates which were on the table and threw it at her head. The woman, accustomed to these fights, ducked quickly and the plate was shivered to pieces against the wall. A glass, a cup, and a knife shared the same fortune.
“Coward!” she cried. “You dare not come near me!”
And then she spat63 at him to exasperate64 him more. The man, blind and howling with rage, threw himself on her, but she, with wonderful rapidity, struck him a few blows [135]across the face with the whip, and quickly escaped. Closing the door of her room with a slam, she locked herself in. Roaring with rage and pain the alferez followed her, but, coming up against the door, he could do nothing but belch65 forth a string of blasphemies66.
“Cursed be your ancestors, you swine! Open, d——n you! Open that door or I’ll break your skull67!” he howled, pounding and kicking the panels.
Do?a Consolacion did not reply. A moving of chairs and trunks could be heard, as though some one was trying to raise a barricade68 of household furniture. The house fairly shook with the oaths and kicks of the husband.
“Don’t you come in! Don’t you come in!” she said, in a bitter voice. “If you show yourself, I’ll shoot you!”
The husband calmed down, little by little, and contented69 himself with pacing from one end of the sala to the other like a wild animal in its cage.
“Go and cool your head!” continued the woman in mockery. She seemed to have concluded her preparations for defense70.
“I swear that when I catch you, no one—not even God—will see you again! I’ll smash you so fine.”
“Yes! Now you can say what you wish. You would not let me go to mass. You would not let me fulfill71 my duty to God!” she said with such sarcasm72 as she alone knew how to use.
The alferez took his helmet, straightened out his clothes, and walked away several paces. But, at the end of several minutes, he returned without making the slightest noise, for he had taken off his boots. The servants, accustomed to these spectacles, paid no attention to them, but the novelty of this move with the boots attracted their notice and they gave each other the wink73.
The alferez sat down on a chair next to the door and had the patience to wait more than half an hour.
“Have you really gone out or are you there, you he-goat?” asked a voice from time to time, changing the epithets74 but raising the tone.
Finally, she commenced to take away the furniture from her barricade. He heard the noise and smiled. [136]
“Orderly! Has the se?or gone out?” cried Do?a Consolacion.
The orderly at a signal from the alferez, replied: “Yes, se?ora, he has gone out!”
He could hear her laugh triumphantly75. She drew back the bolt. The husband arose to his feet slowly; the door was opened.
A cry, the noise of a body falling, oaths, howling, swearing, blows, hoarse76 voices. Who can describe what took place in the darkness of the bedroom?
The orderly, going out to the kitchen, made a very expressive77 gesture to the cook.
“And now you’ll catch it!” said the latter.
“I? No, sir. The town will, not I. She asked me if he had gone out, not if he had returned.”
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收听单词发音
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1
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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muse
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| n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感 | |
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swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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17
puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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pensive
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| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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40
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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41
repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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42
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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43
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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50
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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51
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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52
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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53
tormentor
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| n. 使苦痛之人, 使苦恼之物, 侧幕 =tormenter | |
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54
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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55
oozed
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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56
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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57
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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58
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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59
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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60
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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61
scribbling
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| n.乱涂[写]胡[乱]写的文章[作品]v.潦草的书写( scribble的现在分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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62
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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64
exasperate
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| v.激怒，使（疾病）加剧，使恶化 | |
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65
belch
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| v.打嗝，喷出 | |
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66
blasphemies
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| n.对上帝的亵渎，亵渎的言词[行为]( blasphemy的名词复数 )；侮慢的言词（或行为） | |
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67
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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68
barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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70
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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71
fulfill
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| vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意 | |
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72
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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73
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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74
epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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75
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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76
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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77
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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