as, of envy and of slander, that he
resolved to leave it without further delay, without, however, abandoning
the project which had brought him to it. One morning, finding a
favorable occasion, he opened his mind to Dona Perfecta on this point.

"Nephew," responded that lady, with her accustomed gentleness, "don't be
rash. Why! you are like fire. Your father was just the same--what a man
he was! You are like a flash--I have already told you that I will be
very glad to call you my son. Even if you did not possess the good
qualities and the talents which distinguish you (in spite of some little
defects, for you have those, too); even if you were not as good as you
are; it is enough that this union has been proposed by your father, to
whom both my daughter and myself owe so much, for me to accept it. And
Rosarito will not oppose it since I wish it. What is wanting, then?
Nothing; there is nothing wanting but a little time. The marriage cannot
be concluded with the haste you desire and which might, perhaps,
give ground for interpretations discreditable to my dear daughter's
reputation. But as you think of nothing but machines, you want every
thing done by steam. Wait, man, wait; what hurry are you in? This hatred
that you have taken to our poor Orbajosa is nothing but a caprice. But
of course you can only live among counts and marquises and orators and
diplomats--all you want is to get married and separate me forever from
my daughter," she added, wiping away a tear. "Since that is the case,
inconsiderate boy, at least have the charity to delay for a little this
marriage, for which you are so eager. What impatience! What ardent
love! I did not suppose that a poor country girl like my daughter could
inspire so violent a passion."

The arguments of his aunt did not convince Pepe Rey, but he did not
wish to contradict her. A fresh cause of anxiety was soon added to those
which already embittered his existence. He had now been in Orbajosa
for two weeks, and during that time he had received no letter from his
father. This could not be attributed to carelessness on the part of the
officials of the post-office of Orbajosa, for the functionary who had
charge of that service being the friend and _protege_ of Dona Perfecta,
the latter every day recommended him to take the greatest care that the
letters addressed to her nephew did not go astray. The letter-carrier,
named Cristoval Ramos, and nicknamed Caballuco--a personage whose
acqua