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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 object or result； had aged her prematurely； and although she was still young she did not seem so。 It might be said of her that with her habits and manner of life she had wrought a sort of rind； a stony； insensible covering within which she shut herself； like the snail within his portable house。 Dona Perfecta rarely came out of her shell。
Her irreproachable habits； and that outward amiability which we have observed in her from the moment of her appearance in our story； were the causes of the great prestige which she enjoyed in Orbajosa。 She kept up relations； besides； with some excellent ladies in Madrid； and it was through their means that she obtained the dismissal of her nephew。 At the moment which we have now arrived in our story； we find her seated at her desk； which is the sole confidant of her plans and the depository of her numerical accounts with the peasants； and of her moral accounts with God and with society。 There she wrote the letters which her brother received every three months； there she composed the notes that incited the judge and the notary to embroil Pepe Rey in lawsuits； there she prepared the plot through which the latter lost the confidence of the Government； there she held long conferences with Don Inocencio。 To become acquainted with the scene of others of her actions whose effects we have observed； it would be necessary to follow her to the episcopal palace and to the houses of various of her friends。
We do not know what Dona Perfecta would have been； loving。 Hating； she had the fiery vehemence of an angel of hatred and discord among men。 Such is the effect produced on a character naturally hard； and without inborn goodness； by religious exaltation； when this； instead of drawing its nourishment from conscience and from truth revealed in principles as simple as they are beautiful； seeks its sap in narrow formulas dictated solely by ecclesiastical interests。 In order that religious fanaticism should be inoffensive； the heart in which it exists must be very pure。 It is true that even