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　in　their　mind　the　feudal　sentiment；　and　as　they　would　settle　every　question　by　brute　force；　with　the　sword　and　with　fire；　killing　all　who　do　not　think　as　they　do；　they　believe　that　no　one　in　the　world　employs　other　methods。

〃Far　from　intending　to　perform　quixotic　deeds　in　this　lady's　house；　I　have　in　reality　saved　her　some　annoyances　from　which　the　rest　of　the　town　have　not　escaped。　Owing　to　my　friendship　with　the　brigadier　she　has　not　been　obliged　to　present；　as　was　ordered；　a　list　of　those　of　the　men　in　her　service　who　have　joined　the　insurgents；　and　if　her　house　was　searched　I　have　certain　knowledge　that　it　was　only　for　form's　sake；　and　if　the　six　men　there　were　disarmed；　they　have　been　replaced　by　six　others；　and　nothing　has　been　done　to　her。　You　see　to　what　my　hostility　to　that　lady　is　reduced。

〃It　is　true　that　I　have　the　support　of　the　military　chiefs；　but　I　make　use　of　it　solely　to　escape　being　insulted　or　ill…used　by　these　implacable　people。　The　probabilities　of　my　success　consist　in　the　fact　that　the　authorities　recently　appointed　by　the　commander　of　the　brigade　are　all　my　friends。　I　derive　from　them　the　moral　force　which　enables　me　to　intimidate　these　people。　I　don't　know　whether　I　shall　find　myself　compelled　to　commit　some　violent　action；　but　don't　be　alarmed；　for　the　assault　and　the　taking　of　the　house　is　altogether　a　wild；　feudal　idea　of　your　sister。　Chance　has　placed　me　in　an　advantageous　position。　Rage；　the　passion　that　burns　within　me；　will　impel　me　to　profit　by　it。　I　don't　know　how　far　I　may　go。〃



〃APRIL　17。

〃Your　letter　has　given　me　great　consolation。　Yes；　I　can　attain　my　object；　employing　only　the　resources　of　the　law；　which　will　be　completely　effectual　for　it。　I　have　consulted　the　authorities　of　this　place；　and　they　all　approve　of　the　course　you　indicate。　I　am　very　glad　of　it。　Since　I　have　put　into　my　cousin's　mind　the　idea　of　disobedience；　let　it　at　least　be　under　the　protection　of　the　law。　I　will　do　what　you　bid　me；　that　is　to　say　I　will　renounce　the　somewhat　unworthy　collaboration　of　Pinzon；　I　will　break　up　the　terrorizing　solidarity　which　I　established　with　the　soldiers；　I　will　cease　to　make　a　display　of　the　power　I　derived　from　them；　I　will　have　done　with　adventures；　and　at　the　fitting　moment　I　will　act　with　calmness；　prudence；　and　all　the　benignity　possible。　It　is　better　so。　My　coalition；　half…serious；　half…　jesting；　with　the　army；　had　for　its　object　to　protect　me　against　the　violence　of　the　Orbajosans　and　of　the　servants　and　the　relations　of　my　aunt。　For　the　rest；　I　have　always　disapproved　of　the　idea　of　what　we　call　armed　intervention。

〃The　friend　who　aided　me　has　been　obliged　to　leave　the　house；　but　I　am　not　entirely　cut　off　from　communication　with　my　cousin。　The　poor　girl　shows　heroic　valor　in　the　midst　of　her　sufferings；　and　will　obey　me　blindly。

〃Set　your　mind　at　rest　about　my　personal　safety。　For　my　part；　I　have　no　fear　and　I　am　quite　tranquil。〃



〃APRIL　20。

〃To…day　I　can　write　only　a　few　lines。　I　have　a　great　deal　to　do。　All　will　be　ended　within　two　or　three　days。　Don't　write　to　me　again　to　this　miserable　town。　I　shall　soon　have　the　happiness　of　embracing　you。


〃PEPE。〃



CHAPTER　XXIX

FROM　PEPE　REY　TO　ROSARITO　POLENTINOS

〃Give　Estebanillo　the　key　of　the　garden　and　charge　him　to　take　care　about　the　dog。　The　boy　is　mine；　body　and　soul。　Fear　nothing！　I　shall　be　very　sorry　if　you　cannot　come　down　stairs　as　you　did　the　other　night。　Do　all　you　can　to　manage　it。　I　will　be　in　the　garden　a　little　after　midnight。　I　will　then　tell　you　what　course　I　have　decided　upon；　and　what　you　are　to　do。　Tranquillize　your　mind；　my　dear　girl；　for　I　have　abandoned　all　imprudent　or　violent　expedients。　I　will　tell　you　every　thing　when　I　see　you。　There　is　much　to　tell；　and　it　must　be　spoken；　not　written。　I　can　picture　to　myself　your　terror　and　anxiety　at　the　thought　of　my　being　so　near　you。　But　it　is　a　week　since　I　have　seen　you。　I　have　sworn　that　this　separation　from　you　shall　soon　be　ended；　and　it　will　be　ended。　My　heart　tells　me　that　I　shall　see　you。　I　swear　that　I　will　see　you。〃



CHAPTER　XXX

BEATING　UP　THE　GAME

A　man　and　a　woman　entered　the　hotel　of　the　widow　De　Cuzco　a　little　after　ten　o'clock；　and　left　it　at　half…past　eleven。

〃Now；　Senora　Dona　Maria；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　will　take　you　to　your　house；　for　I　have　something　to　do。〃

〃Wait；　Senor　Ramos；　for　the　love　of　God！〃　she　answered。　〃Why　don't　we　go　to　the　Casino　to　see　if　he　comes　out？　You　heard　just　now　that　Estebanillo；　the　boy　that　works　in　the　garden；　was　talking　with　him　this　afternoon。〃

〃But　are　you　looking　for　Don　Jose？〃　asked　the　Centaur；　with　ill…humor。　〃What　have　we　to　do　with　him？　The　courtship　with　Dona　Rosario　ended　as　it　was　bound　to　end；　and　now　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　for　my　mother　to　marry　them。　That　is　my　opinion。〃

〃You　are　a　fool！〃　said　Remedios　angrily。

〃Senora；　I　am　going。〃

〃Why；　you　rude　man；　are　you　going　to　leave　me　alone　in　the　street？〃

〃Yes；　senora；　unless　you　go　home　at　once。〃

〃That's　rightleave　me　alone；　exposed　to　be　insulted！　Listen　to　me；　Senor　Ramos。　Don　Jose　will　come　out　of　the　Casino　in　a　moment；　as　usual。　I　want　to　see　whether　he　goes　into　his　hotel　or　goes　past　it。　It　is　a　fancy　of　mine；　only　a　fancy。〃

〃What　I　know　is　that　I　have　something　to　do；　and　that　it　is　near　twelve　o'clock。〃

〃Silence！〃　said　Remedios。　〃Let　us　hide　ourselves　around　the　corner。　A　man　is　coming　down　the　Calle　de　la　Triperia　Alta。　It　is　he！〃

〃Don　Jose！　I　know　him　by　his　walk。〃

〃Let　us　follow　him；〃　said　Maria　Remedios　with　anxiety。　〃Let　us　follow　him　at　a　little　distance；　Ramos。〃

〃Senora〃

〃Only　a　minute；　then；　Dona　Remedios。　After　that　I　must　go。〃

They　walked　on　about　thirty　paces；　keeping　at　a　moderate　distance　behind　the　man　they　were　watching。　The　Penitentiary's　niece　stopped　then　and　said：

〃He　is　not　going　into　his　hotel。〃

〃He　may　be　going　to　the　brigadier's。〃

〃The　brigadier　lives　up　the　street；　and　Don　Pepe　is　going　down　in　the　direction　of　the　senora's　house。〃

〃Of　the　senora's　house！〃　exclaimed　Caballuco；　quickening　his　steps。

But　they　were　mistaken。　The　man　whom　they　were　watching　passed　the　house　of　Polentinos　and　walked　on。

〃Do　you　see　that　you　were　wrong？〃

〃Senor　Ramos；　let　us　follow　him！〃　said　Remedios；　pressing　the　Centaur's　hand　convulsively。　〃I　have　a　foreboding。〃

〃We　shall　soon　know；　for　we　are　near　the　end　of　the　town。〃

〃Don't　go　so　fasthe　may　see　us。　It　is　as　I　thought；　Senor　Ramos；　he　is　going　into　the　garden　by　the　condemned　door。〃

〃Senora；　you　have　lost　your　senses！〃

〃Come　on；　and　we　shall　see。〃

The　night　was　dark；　and　the　watchers　could　not　tell　precisely　at　what　point　Senor　de　Rey　had　entered；　but　a　grating　of　rusty　hinges　which　they　heard；　and　the　circumstance　of　not　meeting　the　young　man　in　the　whole　length　of　the　garden　wall；　convinced　them　that　he　had　entered　the　garden。　Caballuco　looked　at　his　companion　with　stupefaction。　He　seemed　bewildered。

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？　Do　you　still　doubt？〃

〃What　ought　I　to　do？〃　asked　the　bravo；　covered　with　confusion。　〃Shall　we　give　him　a　fright？　I　don't　know　what　the　senora　would　think　about　it。　I　say　that　because　I　was　at　her　house　this　evening；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　mother　and　daughter　had　become　reconciled。〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool！　Why　don't　you　go　in？〃

〃Now　I　remember　that　the　armed　men　are　not　there；　I　told　them　to　leave　this　evening。〃

〃And　this　block　of　marble　still　doubts　what　he　ought　to　do！　Ramos；　go　into　the　garden　and　don't　be　a　coward。〃

〃How　can　I　go　in　if　the　door　is　closed？〃

〃Get　over　the　wall。　What　a　snail！　If　I　were　a　man〃

〃Well；　then；　up！　There　are　some　broken　bricks　here　where　the　boys　climb　over　the　wall　to　steal　the　fruit。〃

〃Up　quickly！　I　will　go　and　knock　at　the　front　door　to　waken　the　senora；　if　she　should　be　asleep。〃

The　Centaur　climbed　up；　not　without　difficulty。　He　sat　astride　on　the　wall　for　an　instant；　and　then　disappeared　among　the　dark　foliage　of　the　trees。　Maria　Remedios　ran　desperately　toward　the　Calle　del　Condestable；　and；　seizing　the　knocker　of　the　front　door；　knockedknocked　three　times　with　all　her　heart　and　soul。



CHAPTER　XXXI

DONA　PERFECTA

See　with　what　tranquillity　Senora　Dona　Perfecta　pursues　her　occupation　of　writing。　Enter　her　room；　and；　notwithstanding　the　lateness　of　the　hour；　you　will　surprise　her　busily　engaged；　her　mind　divided　between　meditation　and　the　writing　of　several　long　and　carefully　worded　epistles　traced　with　a　firm　hand；　every　hair…stroke　of　every　letter　in　which　is　correctly　formed。　The　light　of　the　lamp　falls　full　upon　her　face　and　bust　and　hands；　its　shade　leaving　the　rest　of　her　person　and　almost　the　whole　of　the　room　in　a　soft　shadow。　She　seems　like　a　luminous　figure　evoked　by　the　imagination　from　amid　the　vague　shadows　of　fear。

It　is　strange　that　we　should　not　have　made　before　this　a　very　important　statement；　which　is　that　Dona　Perfecta　was　handsome；　or　rather　that　she　was　still　handsome；　her　face　preserving　the　remains　of　former　beauty。　The　life　of　the　country；　her　total　lack　of　vanity；　her　disregard　for　dress　and　personal　adornment；　her　hatred　of　fashion；　her　contempt　for　the　vanities　of　the　capital；　were　all　causes　why　her　native　beauty　did　not　shine　or　shone　very　little。　The　intense　shallowness　of　her　complexion；　indicating　a　very　bilious　constitution；　still　further　impaired　her　beauty。

Her　eyes　black　and　well…opened；　her　nose　finely　and　delicately　shaped；　her　forehead　broad　and　smooth；　she　was　considered　by　all　who　saw　her　as　a　finished　type　of　the　human　figure；　but　there　rested　on　those　features　a　certain　hard　and　proud　expression　which　excited　a　feeling　of　antipathy。　As　some　persons；　although　ugly；　attract；　Dona　Perfecta　repelled。　Her　glance；　even　when　accompanied　by　amiable　words；　placed　between　herself　and　those　who　were　strangers　to　her　the　impassable　distance　of　a　mistrustful　respect；　but　for　those　of　her　housethat　is　to　say；　for　her　relations；　admirers；　and　alliesshe　possessed　a　singular　attraction。　She　was　a　mistress　in　governing；　and　no　one　could　equal　her　in　the　art　of　adapting　her　language　to　the　person　whom　she　was　addressing。

Her　bilious　temperament　and　an　excessive　association　with　devout　persons　and　things；　which　excited　her　imagination　without