desperation," declared the young man, visibly disturbed. "This is
not the act of the minister; this and other contrarieties that I am
experiencing are the result of a revengeful plot, of a secret and
well-laid plan of some implacable enemy, and this enemy is here in
Orbajosa, this plot has been hatched in Orbajosa, doubt it not, dear
aunt."

"You are out of your mind," replied Dona Perfecta, with a look of
compassion. "You have enemies in Orbajosa, you say? Some one wishes to
revenge himself upon you? Come, Pepillo, you have lost your senses.
The reading of those books in which they say that we have for ancestors
monkeys or parrots has turned your brain."

She smiled sweetly as she uttered the last words, and taking a tone of
familiar and affectionate admonition, she added:

"My dear boy, the people of Orbajosa may be rude and boorish rustics,
without learning, or polish, or fine manners; but in loyalty and good
faith we yield to no one--to no one, I say, no one."

"Don't suppose," said the young man, "that I accuse any one in this
house. But that my implacable and cruel enemy is in this city, I am
persuaded."

"I wish you would show me that stage villain," responded Dona Perfecta,
smiling again. "I suppose you will not accuse Uncle Licurgo, nor any
of the others who have brought suits against you; for the poor people
believe they are only defending their rights. And between ourselves,
they are not altogether wanting in reason in this case. Besides, Uncle
Licurgo likes you greatly. He has told me so himself. From the moment he
saw you, you took his fancy, and the poor old man has conceived such an
affection for you--"

"Oh, yes--a profound affection!" murmured Pepe.

"Don't be foolish," continued his aunt, putting her hand on his shoulder
and looking at him closely. "Don't imagine absurdities; convince
yourself that your enemy, if you have one, is in Madrid, in that centre
of corruption, of envy and rivalry, not in this peaceful and tranquil
corner, where all is good-will and concord. Some one, no doubt, who is
envious of your merit----There is one thing I wish to say now--and that
is, that if you desire to go there to learn the cause of this affront
and ask an explanation of it from the Government, you must not neglect
doing so on our account."

Pepe Rey fixed his eyes on his aunt's countenance, as if he wished to
penetrate with his glance the inmost depths of her soul.

"I say that if you wish to go, do so,