On the day following that of this lamentable1 quarrel, various rumors2 regarding Pepe Rey and his conduct spread through Orbajosa, going from house to house, from club to club, from the Casino to the apothecary’s and from the Paseo de las Descalzes to the Puerta de Baidejos. They were repeated by every body, and so many were the comments made that, if Don Cayetano had collected and compiled them, he might have formed with them a rich “Thesaurus” of Orbajosan benevolence3. In the midst of the diversity of the reports circulated, there was agreement in regard to certain important particulars, one of which was the following:
That the engineer, enraged4 at Doña Perfecta’s refusal to marry Rosario to an atheist5, had raised his hand to his aunt.
The young man was living in the widow De Cusco’s hotel, an establishment mounted, as they say now, not at the height, but at the depth of the superlative backwardness of the town. Lieutenant-colonel Pinzon visited him with frequency, in order that they might discuss together the plot which they had on hand, and for the successful conduct of which the soldier showed the happiest dispositions6. New artifices7 and stratagems8 occurred to him at every instant, and he hastened to put them into effect with excellent humor, although he would often say to his friend:
“The role I am playing, dear Pepe, is not a very dignified9 one; but to give an annoyance10 to the Orbajosans I would walk on my hands and feet.”
We do not know what cunning stratagems the artful soldier, skilled in the wiles11 of the world, employed; but certain it is that before he had been in the house three days he had succeeded in making himself greatly liked by every body in it. His manners were very pleasing to Doña Perfecta, who could not hear unmoved his flattering praises of the elegance12 of the house, and of the nobility, piety13, and august magnificence of its mistress. With Don Inocencio he was hand and glove. Neither her mother nor the Penitentiary14 placed any obstacle in the way of his speaking with Rosario (who had been restored to liberty on the departure of her ferocious15 cousin); and, with his delicate compliments, his skilful16 flattery, and great address, he had acquired in the house of Polentinos considerable ascendency, and he had even succeeded in establishing himself in it on a footing of familiarity. But the object of all his arts was a servant maid named Librada, whom he had seduced17 (chastely speaking) that she might carry messages and notes to Rosario, of whom he pretended to be enamored. The girl allowed herself to be bribed18 with persuasive19 words and a good deal of money, because she was ignorant of the source of the notes and of the real meaning of the intrigue20, for had she known that it was all a diabolical21 plot of Don José, although she liked the latter greatly, she would not have acted with treachery toward her mistress for all the money in the world.
One day Doña Perfecta, Don Inocencio, Jacinto, and Pinzon were conversing22 together in the garden. They were talking about the soldiers and the purpose for which they had been sent to Orbajosa, in which the Penitentiary found motive23 for condemning24 the tyrannical conduct of the Government; and, without knowing how it came about, Pepe Rey’s name was mentioned.
“He is still at the hotel,” said the little lawyer. “I saw him yesterday, and he gave me remembrances for you, Doña Perfecta.”
“Was there ever seen such insolence25! Ah, Señor Pinzon! do not be surprised at my using this language, speaking of my own nephew—that young man, you remember, who had the room which you occupy.”
“Yes, I know. I am not acquainted with him, but I know him by sight and by reputation. He is an intimate friend of our brigadier.”
“An intimate friend of the brigadier?”
“Yes, señor; of the commander of the brigade that has just arrived in this district, and which is quartered in the neighboring villages.”
“And where is he?” asked the lady.
“In Orbajosa.”
“I think he is stopping at Polavieja’s,” observed Jacinto.
“Your nephew and Brigadier Batalla are intimate friends,” continued Pinzon; “they are always to be seen together in the streets.”
“Well, my friend, that gives me a bad idea of your chief,” said Doña Perfecta.
“He is—he is very good-natured,” said Pinzon, in the tone of one who, through motives26 of respect, did not venture to use a harsher word.
“With your permission, Señor Pinzon, and making an honorable exception in your favor, it must be said that in the Spanish army there are some curious types——”
“Our brigadier was an excellent soldier before he gave himself up to spiritualism.”
“To spiritualism!”
“That sect27 that calls up ghosts and goblins by means of the legs of a table!” said the canon, laughing.
“From curiosity, only from curiosity,” said Jacintillo, with emphasis, “I ordered Allan Kardec’s book from Madrid. It is well to know something about every thing.”
“But is it possible that such follies—Heavens! Tell me, Pinzon, does my nephew too belong to that sect of table-tippers?”
“Good Heavens!”
“Yes; and whenever he chooses,” said Don Inocencio, unable to contain his laughter, “he can speak to Socrates, St. Paul, Cervantes, or Descartes, as I speak to Librada to ask her for a match. Poor Señor de Rey! I was not mistaken in saying that there was something wrong in his head.”
“Outside that,” continued Pinzon, “our brigadier is a good soldier. If he errs29 at all, it is on the side of severity. He takes the orders of the Government so literally30 that, if he were to meet with much opposition31 here, he would be capable of not leaving one stone upon another in Orbajosa. Yes, I advise you all to be on your guard.”
“But is that monster going to cut all our heads off, then? Ah, Señor Don Inocencio! these visits of the army remind me of what I have read in the lives of the martyrs32 about the visits of the Roman proconsuls to a Christian33 town.”
“The comparison is not wanting in exactness,” said the Penitentiary, looking at the soldier over his spectacles.
“It is not very agreeable, but if it is the truth, why should it not be said?” observed Pinzon benevolently34. “Now you all are at our mercy.”
“The authorities of the place,” objected Jacinto, “still exercise their functions as usual.”
“I think you are mistaken,” responded the soldier, whose countenance35 Doña Perfecta and the Penitentiary were studying with profound interest. “The alcalde of Orbajosa was removed from office an hour ago.”
“By the governor of the province?”
“The governor of the province has been replaced by a delegate from the Government, who was to arrive this morning. The municipal councils will all be removed from office to-day. The minister has so ordered because he suspected, I don’t know on what grounds, that they were not supporting the central authority.”
“This is a pretty state of things!” murmured the canon, frowning and pushing out his lower lip.
Doña Perfecta looked thoughtful.
“Some of the judges of the primary court, among them the judge of Orbajosa, have been deprived of office.”
“The judge! Periquito—Periquito is no longer judge!” exclaimed Doña Perfecta, in a voice and with the manner of a person who has just been stung by a snake.
“The person who was judge in Orbajosa is judge no longer,” said Pinzon. “To-morrow the new judge will arrive.”
“A stranger!”
“A stranger.”
“A rascal36, perhaps. The other was so honorable!” said Doña Perfecta, with alarm. “I never asked any thing from him that he did not grant it to me at once. Do you know who will be the new alcalde?”
“They say a corregidor is coming.”
“There, say at once that the Deluge37 is coming, and let us be done with it,” said the canon, rising.
“So that we are at the brigadier’s mercy!”
“For a few days only. Don’t be angry with me. In spite of my uniform I am an enemy of militarism; but we are ordered to strike—and we strike. There could not be a viler38 trade than ours.”
“That it is, that it is!” said Doña Perfecta, with difficulty concealing39 her fury. “Now that you have confessed it——So, then, neither alcalde nor judge——”
“Nor governor of the province.”
“That is all that is wanting—if the people here will allow them to do it,” murmured Don Inocencio, lowering his eyes. “They won’t stop at trifles.”
“And it is all because they are afraid of an insurrection in Orbajosa,” exclaimed Doña Perfecta, clasping her hands and waving them up and down. “Frankly, Pinzon, I don’t know why it is that even the very stones don’t rise up in rebellion. I wish you no harm; but it would be a just judgment42 on you if the water you drink turned into mud. You say that my nephew is the intimate friend of the brigadier?”
“So intimate that they are together all day long; they were school-fellows. Batalla loves him like a brother, and would do anything to please him. In your place, señora, I would be uneasy.”
“Oh, my God! I fear there will be an attack on the house!”
“Señora,” declared the canon, with energy, “before I would consent that there should be an attack on this honorable house—before I would consent that the slightest harm should be done to this noble family—I, my nephew, all the people of Orbajosa——”
Don Inocencio did not finish. His anger was so great that the words refused to come. He took a few steps forward with a martial43 air, then returned to his seat.
“I think that your fears are not idle,” said Pinzon. “If it should be necessary, I——”
“And I——” said Jacinto.
Doña Perfecta had fixed44 her eyes on the glass door of the dining-room, through which could be seen a graceful45 figure. As she looked at it, it seemed as if the cloud of apprehension46 which rested on her countenance grew darker.
“Rosario! come in here, Rosario!” she said, going to meet the young girl. “I fancy you look better to-day, and that you are more cheerful. Don’t you think that Rosario looks better? She seems a different being.”
点击收听单词发音
1 lamentable | |
adj.令人惋惜的,悔恨的 | |
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2 rumors | |
n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
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3 benevolence | |
n.慈悲,捐助 | |
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4 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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5 atheist | |
n.无神论者 | |
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6 dispositions | |
安排( disposition的名词复数 ); 倾向; (财产、金钱的)处置; 气质 | |
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7 artifices | |
n.灵巧( artifice的名词复数 );诡计;巧妙办法;虚伪行为 | |
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8 stratagems | |
n.诡计,计谋( stratagem的名词复数 );花招 | |
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9 dignified | |
a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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10 annoyance | |
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 | |
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11 wiles | |
n.(旨在欺骗或吸引人的)诡计,花招;欺骗,欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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12 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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13 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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14 penitentiary | |
n.感化院;监狱 | |
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15 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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16 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
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17 seduced | |
诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
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18 bribed | |
v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
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19 persuasive | |
adj.有说服力的,能说得使人相信的 | |
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20 intrigue | |
vt.激起兴趣,迷住;vi.耍阴谋;n.阴谋,密谋 | |
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21 diabolical | |
adj.恶魔似的,凶暴的 | |
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22 conversing | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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23 motive | |
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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24 condemning | |
v.(通常因道义上的原因而)谴责( condemn的现在分词 );宣判;宣布…不能使用;迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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25 insolence | |
n.傲慢;无礼;厚颜;傲慢的态度 | |
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26 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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27 sect | |
n.派别,宗教,学派,派系 | |
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28 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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29 errs | |
犯错误,做错事( err的第三人称单数 ) | |
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30 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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31 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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32 martyrs | |
n.martyr的复数形式;烈士( martyr的名词复数 );殉道者;殉教者;乞怜者(向人诉苦以博取同情) | |
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33 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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34 benevolently | |
adv.仁慈地,行善地 | |
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35 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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36 rascal | |
n.流氓;不诚实的人 | |
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37 deluge | |
n./vt.洪水,暴雨,使泛滥 | |
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38 viler | |
adj.卑鄙的( vile的比较级 );可耻的;极坏的;非常讨厌的 | |
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39 concealing | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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40 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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41 choir | |
n.唱诗班,唱诗班的席位,合唱团,舞蹈团;v.合唱 | |
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42 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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43 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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44 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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45 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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46 apprehension | |
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑 | |
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47 depicted | |
描绘,描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 ); 描述 | |
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