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〃Be silent； be silent！〃 said Dona Perfecta； with vehemence。 〃Don't mention the occurrence of the night before last to me。 What a horrible affair！ Maria Remedios； I understand now how anger can imperil the salvation of a soul。 I am burning with rageunhappy that I am； to see such things and not to be a man！ But to speak the truth in regard to the occurrence of the night before lastI still have my doubts。 Librada vows and declares that Pinzon was the man who came into the house。 My daughter denies every thing； my daughter has never told me a lie！ I persist in my suspicions。 I think that Pinzon is a hypocritical go…between； but nothing more。〃
〃We come back to the same thingthat the author of all the trouble is the blessed mathematician。 Ah！ my heart did not deceive me when I first saw him。 Well； then senora！ resign yourself to see something still more terrible； unless you make up your mind to call Caballuco and say to him； 'Caballuco； I hope that' 〃
〃The same thing again； what a simpleton you are！〃
〃Oh yes！ I know I am a great simpleton； but how can I help it if I am not any wiser？ I say what comes into my head； without any art。〃
〃What you think ofthat silly and vulgar idea of the beating and the frightis what would occur to any one。 You have not an ounce of brains； Remedios； to solve a serious question you can think of nothing better than a piece of folly like that。 I have thought of a means more worthy of noble…minded and well…bred persons。 A beating！ What stupidity！ Besides； I would not on any account have my nephew receive even so much as a scratch by an order of mine。 God will send him his punishment through some one of the wonderful ways which he knows how to choose。 All we have to do is to work in order that the designs of God may find no obstacle。 Maria Remedios； it is necessary in matters of this kind to go directly to the causes of things。 But you know nothing about causesyou can see only trifles。〃
〃That may be so；〃 said the priest's niece； with humility。 〃I wonder why God made me so foolish that I can understand nothing of those sublime ideas！〃
〃It is necessary to go to the bottomto the bottom； Remedios。 Don't you understand yet？〃
〃No。〃
〃My nephew is not my nephew； woman； he is blasphemy； sacrilege； atheism； demagogy。 Do you know what demagogy is？〃
〃Something relating to those people who burned Paris with petroleum； and those who pull down the churches and fire on the images。 So far I understand very well。〃
〃Well； my nephew is all that！ Ah！ if he were alone in Orbajosabut no； child。 My nephew； through a series of fatalities； which are trials； the transitory evils that God permits for our chastisement； is equivalent to an army； is equivalent to the authority of the government； equivalent to the alcalde； equivalent to the judge。 My nephew is not my nephew； he is the official nation； Remediosthat second nation composed of the scoundrels who govern in Madrid； and who have made themselves masters of its material strength； of that apparent nation for the real nation is the one that is silent； that pays and suffers； of that fictitious nation that signs decrees and pronounces discourses and makes a farce of government； and a farce of authority； and a farce of every thing。 That is what my nephew is to…day； you must accustom yourself to look under the surface of things。 My nephew is the government； the brigadier； the new alcalde； the new judgefor they all protect him； because of the unanimity of their ideas； because they are chips of the same block； birds of a feather。 Understand it well； we must defend ourselves against them all； for they are all one； and one is all； we must attack them all together； and not by beating a man as he turns a corner； but as our forefathers attacked the Moorsthe Moors； Remedios。 Understand this well； child； open your understanding and allow an idea that is not vulgar to enter itrise above yourself； think lofty thoughts； Remedios！〃
Don Inocencio's niece was struck dumb by so much loftiness of soul。 She opened her mouth to say something that should be in consonance with so sublime an idea； but she only breathed a sigh。
〃Like the Moors；〃 repeated Dona Perfecta。 〃It is a question of Moors and Christians。 And did you suppose that by giving a fright to my nephew all would be ended？ How foolish you are！ Don't you see that his friends support him？ Don't you see that you are at the mercy of that rabble？ Don't you see that any little lieutenant can set fire to my house； if he takes it into his head to do so？ But don't you know this？ Don't you comprehend that it is necessary to go to the bottom of things？ Don't you comprehend how vast； how tremendous is the power of my enemy； who is not a man； but a sect？ Don't you comprehend that my nephew； as he confronts me to…day； is not a calamity； but a plague？ Against this plague； dear Remedios； we shall have here a battalion sent by God that will annihilate the infernal militia from Madrid。 I tell you that this is going to be great and glorious。〃
〃If it were at last so！〃
〃But do you doubt it？ To…day we shall see terrible things here；〃 said Dona Perfecta； with great impatience。 〃To…day； to…day！ What o'clock is it？ Seven？ So late； and nothing has happened！〃
〃Perhaps my uncle has heard something； he is here now； I hear him coming upstairs。〃
〃Thank God！〃 said Dona Perfecta； rising to receive the Penitentiary。 〃He will have good news for us。〃
Don Inocencio entered hastily。 His altered countenance showed that his soul； consecrated to religion and to the study of the classics； was not as tranquil as usual。
〃Bad news！〃 he said； laying his hat on a chair and loosening the cords of his cloak。
Dona Perfecta turned pale。
〃They are arresting people；〃 added Don Inocencio； lowering his voice； as if there was a soldier hidden under every chair。 〃They suspect； no doubt； that the people here would not put up with their high…handed measures； and they have gone from house to house； arresting all who have a reputation for bravery。〃
Dona Perfecta threw herself into an easy chair and clutched its arms convulsively。
〃It remains to be seen whether they have allowed themselves to be arrested；〃 observed Remedios。
〃Many of them havea great many of them；〃 said Don Inocencio； with an approving look； addressing Dona Perfecta； 〃have had time to escape； and have gone with arms and horses to Villahorrenda。〃
〃And Ramos？〃
〃They told me in the cathedral that he is the one they are looking for most eagerly。 Oh； my God！ to arrest innocent people in that way； who have done nothing yet。 Well； I don't know how good Spaniards can have patience under such treatment。 Senora Dona Perfecta； when I was telling you about the arrests； I forgot to say that you ought to go home at once。〃
〃Yes； I will go at once。 Have those bandits searched my house？〃
〃It is possible。 Senora； we have fallen upon evil days；〃 said Don Inocencio； in solemn and feeling accents。 〃May God have pity upon us！〃
〃There are half a dozen well…armed men in my house；〃 responded the lady； greatly agitated。 〃What iniquity！ Would they be capable of wanting to carry them off too？〃
〃Assuredly Senor Pinzon will not have neglected to denounce them。 Senora； I repeat that we have fallen upon evil days。 But God will protect the innocent。〃
〃I am going now。 Don't fail to stop in at the house。〃
〃Senora； as soon as the lesson is overthough I imagine that with the excitement that there is in the town； all the boys will play truant to…day But in any case I will go to the house after class hours。 I don't wish you to go out alone； senora。 Those vagabond soldiers are strutting about the streets with such insolent airs。 Jacinto； Jacinto！〃
〃It is not necessary。 I will go alone。〃
〃Let Jacinto go with you；〃 said the young man's mother。 〃He must be up by this time。〃
They heard the hurried footsteps of the little doctor； who was coming down the stairs in the greatest haste。 He entered the room with flushed face and panting for breath。
〃What is the matter？〃 asked his uncle。
〃In the Troyas' house；〃 said the young man； 〃in the house of those those girls〃
〃Finish at once！〃
〃Caballuco is there！〃
〃Up there？ In the house of the Troyas？〃
〃Yes； senor。 He spoke to me from th