"FORTUNATA AND JACINTA" "CHAPTER 4" " Why are you in a hurry?" " I'm not." " Where are you going?" " Home." "You could come to mine." "Feliciana is making rice." "Some other time." "Well, I'll tell her you scorned her rice." "Tell her I'll come by anytime, even if there's no rice." "I wanted to introduce you to a friend who has come to live with her." "I'll meet her one day." "All right." "Beautiful carnations!" "Come on through." " How is aunt?" " Haven't you seen her?" "No, I came last night and leave for La Mancha today." "I only had time to send for you." "Sit down." " How are your studies?" " Fine." "Concentrate on your books." "Pharmacy is profitable." "Samaniego will let you run his when you finish." "I knew." "Medicines are expensive, but what they contain is cheap." "That's why it's a good degree." "Thank you." "You won't have to roam around like I do." "Don't worry." "If I'd got a degree, I'd be someone." "Of course." "Are you well?" "Yes, although I get headaches from time to time." " And have you seen Nicolás?" " The last time was a few months ago." " What are you doing now?" " Me?" "Nothing you could understand." "Here, this should help." "Go on, take it." " Give me a cloth." " What for?" "A dry one." "Someone threw water in the street and it fell on me." "It's true." "Look at the state of you." "Come with me." " Is my aunt in?" " Yes, in the living room." " Is she alone?" " Yes, yes." "Aren't you going to say hello?" "Good morning." "Come and sit down." "Don't just stand there." "I'll be right in, aunt." "Just a minute." " I'm going to kill you." " Come near and you'll see." "No one knows more than she does about linen." "It was my husband's business in France." "I learned it there." "But I've been looking for work all year in Madrid to no avail." "Here, no one knows what a department store is." "If they employ anyone, it's always an ignorant idler." "That's why we need money, to set up a large store." "We spoke to Moreno Isla who owns property on Pontejos Street... and we found empty premises." "It's no use, he's dead to the world." "Again?" "That boy..." "Did you put the cat in his bed?" " He didn't move." " Give me the mortar." "Give it to me." "Come on, get up!" "You have to go to class!" "Come on, up!" "Get up!" "Come here." "Get up." "Come on, you have to go to class." "I'll smother you, see if you fight for breath." "Get up, you have to go to class, for God's sake." " Good morning." " Good morning." " Have they finished yet?" " Not yet." "Thank you." "Gentlemen, the exam has finished." "Please hand in your exercises." " Aunt, don't interfere this time." " Why?" " I answered all the questions." " Let me, silly." "A bit of help can do no harm." " What do you tell them?" " About your circumstances." " My circumstances?" " You're an orphan, you get headaches." "That you work hard and are not wealthy." "Someone has to tell them." " Is she honorable?" " Is any woman honorable?" " Then she isn't?" " No, she's as spiky as they come." "She arrived with an arms dealer." "They were living it up..." "But he ran off and she had to pawn everything." "Feliciana found her in poverty and brought her home." "She goes out at night, but seems nice." "She's got charm, you'll see." " Hello, we're here." " I'm just cooking." "I'll be right there." "This is my friend, Rubín." "This is Fortunata." " Shall I help you?" " No." "Shall we play a hand while we wait?" " Play what?" " Whatever you want." " Pontoon." " No." " I don't feel like it." " All right." " What have you lost?" " My shawl." " Are you going out?" " Yes, what time is it?" "Seven and a half minutes to nine." "Maxi came to meet you." "Don't worry, I have to go out too." " Were you looking for this?" " You were right on top of it." " Hear that?" "Your friend is leaving." " Let him, we're company enough." " Wrap up warm." " It's very cool this evening." "Take your latchkey." "The night watchman is usually in the pub." " See you." " Good-bye." " I'm leaving too." " All right." "Good-bye, Rubín." "Good-bye." "Let go." "Let go of me!" " What's up?" " Our guest is running off." " What a hypocrite." " Brute, you're not funny." " Why don't you study?" " Why don't you get lost?" "Don't be rude, you're not even good at it." "No, all right." "You go." "Go on." "Good-bye." "Maxi!" "Maxi!" "Fortunata has gone to market, she won't be long." " Did you hear?" " Yes, I heard you, thank you." "Fortunata!" "Wait, wait." "Did you call me?" "Don't go." "I won't." "If you want to love me, I'll love you more than my life." "I'm kind-hearted, I'm good." "For now, I'll resign myself to being friends." "I have never known a woman before." "So what?" "I'll come tomorrow at half past eight." "Will you promise not to go out, or to wait and go out with me?" "I'll come." "What do you want?" "Yes, very pretty." "Get out of here." "Ugly, ugly." "Get out or I'll give you such a kick..." " What do you want?" " I came for the lamp." "Papitos!" " Aunt, she's larking about." " You're ugly." "It's your fault." "You play with her and laugh at her jokes." "Then she doesn't respect you." "She's spoiled." "Will you be late again tonight?" "The nights are cold." " You're in no fit state to go out." " I'm fine." "Never better." "Are you going out this evening?" "I may go to Paca Morejón's house." "Why?" "I'll accompany you." "I've notes to collect from Narciso." "I'll drop you at La Habana St." "What are you doing, idler?" "You've no idea." "Look what you've done, you're useless." "Do you think I can't see you, idler?" "Useless, you're useless!" "I'll sort you out when I get back, idler." "I'll give you what for, you'll see." "I'm off." "Did she hurt you?" "Give me the pestle, I've a nail in my boot that's crippling me." " That's enough, girl." " I'll tell her what you're doing." " What am I doing?" " Hiding in your bedroom." "I've seen you through the keyhole." "Writing letters to your girlfriend." "I don't think you are well." "For God's sake, be careful." "Let's not have the same happen as last year." "Four colds in a row, and you almost missed the term." "You must be careful in this rain." " You should take tar-water." " No." "Don't pull a face, you must look after yourself." "Just in case, I'll bring you some Tolu balsam tomorrow." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Shall we go?" " Whose is it?" " Mine." "This is so you can redeem the clothes you need." "We'll get your luxury clothes, hat and jewelery later." "And we'll renew the loan so you don't lose them." "You'll spend what you have." "You'll live simply and without tricks." "There's an empty flat upstairs." "Rent it tomorrow." "Find some cheap furniture and decorate it as you wish." " Why are you doing this?" " To..." "To be with you." "The meat was bad, I took it back." "That's why I didn't lock up." "I've seen it all." " I brought my clothes." " I've seen." " I'll make lunch." "Will you stay?" " Yes." "Will you ever love me a little?" " It's not a matter of will." " I know you will." "I know it." "You're a good person." "Will you let me teach you to write?" "Do you really not know what north and south are?" "Nor the days in each month?" "Nor the seasons?" "Nor what Europe or England are?" "Do you know who Columbus was?" " I can guess." " What do you guess?" "That he was a general like Prim and O'Donnell." "Why do I need to know?" "No one can teach me." "I will." "Come on." "Now, tell me about yourself." " Me?" " Do you mind?" " No, but what should I tell you?" " Everything." "Whatever you want." "My father had a market stall." "And my mother, like my aunt, sold eggs and chickens." "At the time they called me Pitusa, because I was weak and sickly." "At twelve, I suddenly shot up and grew up." "But they never saw me, they died before I changed." "I lived and worked with my aunt." "I met a man." "Carry on." " I should stop." " Why?" "I'll hurt you." "It doesn't matter." "All right." "I met a man." "I was going to have his child when he left me." "I was lost, I had no one to turn to." "I accepted help from a man, an ironmonger." "We went together from town to town." "My son was born and a year later, got sick." "His father came to see him die." "He paid for the funeral and left us." "With the money he gave us, my partner drunk and drunk." "Wine and liquor finished him off." " When I was left alone..." " Quiet." " What's his name?" " Who?" "The first man, that monster." "Juan." "Did you love him?" "I still do, so much that if he were in danger..." "I would save him, even if I were lost." "And if he came here now and said..." ""Come with me, Fortunata", would you go?" "That depends." "I might, I might not." "Do you know what sin and guilt are?" "Yes, I do." "If you repent, you're saved." "When you love someone, you're not guilty and it's not a sin." "Do you know about God, the Virgin and Jesus?" "I suppose they're good, but I don't really know them." "Have I hurt you a lot?" "Until tonight, I've been stupid." "I had no goals in my life." "That is stupid." "Not having a mission." "Fortunata, you have opened a new world for me." ""That General..." "Pavía... should accept... accept... a new military command... is very natural... as because the Field Marshal in Madrid... is his brother-in-law..." "Mr. Hidalgo"." "Don't grimace." "Don't hold it so tight." "Move your head away from the paper a little." "It doesn't require so much effort." " What's wrong?" " Nothing, nothing." " What's wrong?" " Don't be scared." "I get headaches." "Sometimes it's unbearable, but it goes away." " Don't be scared." " Shall I go to the chemist's?" "Can I help you?" "Alright, alright." "Calm down, calm down." "Calm down." " Maxi?" " I'm here." "I need to talk to you, at length." " Do you have a migraine?" " The beginnings of one." "Come on, come with me." "I have bad news for you." "Well, not really bad." "But not good either." "Your aunt Melitona Llorente has passed away." "The priest at Molina de Aragón wrote to me." " She died like a saint." " I didn't know her." "It doesn't matter." "You and your brothers were her only family." "She left 30000 quarters for masses." "I remember when father was alive, she sent us cakes and syrup." " You'll inherit a good amount." " How much?" "According to my calculations, 100 or 125 thousand." "But in villages, one never knows how much anyone really has." "Juan Pablo will go to Molina to hear the will..." " and pick up what's yours." " He must go now." "Yes, I'll write to him today." "Calm down." "You're always either walking apathy or a powder keg." "That's now, because before you wouldn't move... without asking the other for permission." " You're becoming very impetuous." " How old was she?" " Who?" " The aunt who died." "Don't change the subject, or tell me tales." "I hope all this studying is turning you into a well of knowledge." "I'm sure you spend your days and half your nights conspiring... because frankly, women don't worry me." "Even if you liked them, you've no chance." "The kitchen's burning, ma'am!" "Just a minute." "What have you done, wretch?" "What's going on?" "You'll burn my house down!" "What a mess!" "What have you done?" "What have you done?" "Tell me." "You didn't tell me the chicken was in the oven." "Fool!" "I'll throw you out one day." "I swear I will." " How long have you been there?" " A while." " I'm wet." " Come on." "I have to go to class, but I've something to tell you." "What?" "Fortunata..." "I'm going to marry you." "I thought about it when I met you... but I decided not to say until we knew each other." "Either I marry you, or I'll die." "That's the dilemma." "What does dilemma mean?" "Just that, I marry you, or I'll die." "You have to be mine, before God and all men." "Don't you want to be honorable?" "Wanting to be so, and with my name, you can be." "I've decided you shall be a decent person... and you will be, if you want." "You have to think it over, not for me, but for you." "I've thought it over." "I never even dreamed it." "Your family will oppose it." "I don't care." "I have to go now." "Think about it." "Living day and night with that weakling." "But I must take into account what it is to be married and honorable." "If I dared, what could go wrong?" "What harm can she do me?" "Is she going to eat me alive?" "She can't deny me the right to marry whoever I chose, she can't." " Is she in?" " No, she's not back yet." "Ugly... stupid, tell-tale, idiot." " Do you want your lesson?" " I don't need it." "Skinny weakling." "I don't want a lesson." "Don't be a savage." "Learn to read, so that tomorrow you can be a complete woman." "If you are learned you'll be seen as part of the family." "I don't care about the family." "We won't abandon you." "Do you know what?" "You should know that when I get married..." "I'll take you with me and you'll be my wife's maid." "You, married?" "You big idiot." "Married." "The lady says you can't get married." "She was telling Mrs. Silvia the other night." "I'll give you..." "You're the rudest beast I've ever seen." "Stop your nonsense or you'll never amount to anything." "Leave me alone!" "What are you laughing at?" "Because I said I'd get married?" "Well, I'm getting married because I want to." "You're naive." "You don't know the world, or what true passion is." "You see... love is the greatest law, it governs the world." "If I find a woman I like, who is half or all my life... why wouldn't I marry her?" "Let them tell me." "Let them give me a reason, half a reason." "The only one they give is that she was this or that." "I answer that they're wrong." "If she had a stormy past, it was due to poverty and need, not vice." "Men, gentlemen... the race of Cain, corrupt and wretched." "It's their fault." "And you should know, I will not give up, I can't." "I follow my conscience and will not accept nonsensical arguments... like those you are using." "I shall marry because I control my life, my conscience dictates it..." "I am an adult and it is God's will." "If you approve, we will open our..." "Come on." "What weather." "Aunt..." "Go on, to bed, everyone." " What did you want?" " The beef and giblets, Don Paco." "There you are, at your service." " Thank you." " Good-bye." "I won't ever have to talk to the riffraff, that's what I get." "But a husband who is weaker than his wife is no husband." "He is so good, but I'll couldn't love him, not in a thousand years." "That's ingratitude, but I can't help it." " Rice with giblets." " I like that." " I know." " You're a gem." "But one day, we'll have servants... and the day will come when we need a nanny." "What does he want a nanny for?" "Your behavior will decide your luck." "And, as you'll be good, because your soul is full of goodness... you know what's right." "The past is past." "And whatever anyone says doesn't matter." "Think about what you're doing, don't compromise your..." "When I wanted to tell you, you didn't let me finish." "I didn't just have one man, nor three, nor half a dozen..." "They'll call you Fortunata's husband instead of by your real name." "I'm grateful to you, but as I'm fond of you, I don't want to see you..." "I don't want them to mock you because of me." "Be good, honest and loyal, that's all that matters." "The rest is my affair, leave it to me." "My brother Juan Pablo... went to collect my inheritance from Molina." "He says he doesn't know how much we'll get, but it will be a lot." "That's good." "I'm happy for you, and only for you." "The more material security you have, the easier it is to keep your honor." "Half of all dishonors are nothing more than poverty." "Believe that God has come to us... and if we don't behave, we deserve to be dragged down." " How is it going?" " Fine, I'm finishing." "I wasn't referring to that." "To what, then?" "To things with Fortunata." "I want to marry her." " What?" " I'm going to marry her." " When?" " I don't know, when I can." "But don't tell anyone yet." "Don't worry, no one will hear it from me, I promise." "Listen..." "Maxi is going to marry Fortunata." "I tell you because you're trustworthy but don't tell anyone." "Don't be silly." " I'll be as quiet as the tomb." " Yes." "He's going to marry Fortunata." " Has my nephew arrived?" " No, not yet." "And you, swine, bighead, scarecrow... is that how you spend your time?" "Aren't you ashamed?" "Instead of sewing, you spend all day combing your mane." "You're vain, shameless." "I'll take you to have your head shaved like an egg." "Now it's time for sniffles and tears, right?" "After poisoning my blood with indecent haircuts." "Get in the kitchen." " What's going on?" " If I were you, I'd leave home." "Why?" " If you stay, expect trouble." " But, why?" "I don't know, but it's something big." "Don't worry." "Very good, Don Maximiliano." "Very good, sit down, this will take a while." "Very good, Mr. Don Maximiliano." "I kill myself to bring up my blessed nephew... helping him through illness with care and indulgence..." "I give him a career, taking the bread from my own mouth... doing what not all mothers do for their sons, so that..." "No, don't say anything, I know enough." "I know all about the illustrious lady you want to marry." "Well, a great lady has sunk her claws into you." "And you expect us to permit such dishonor to the family." "Say it's just a childish prank and we'll say no more." "Is it just a crush?" "No, madam." "Are you sure?" "You have a fine idea of the world and women, you innocent." "I have to treat you like those backward children who don't develop." "I have to remind you that five years ago..." "I still used to fasten your trousers every morning." "And you were scared to sleep alone." "Sit down, don't make me nervous." "You need to know, to hear... to hear the things I wanted to say." "Why didn't you say them?" "Well, a delicate boy like you involved with depraved women." "It won't be long until you lose everything." "If you get ill, don't expect me to look after you." "I'm good at that." "Am I good at that?" "Ungrateful rogue!" "Is this the way you repay me?" "By marrying a prostitute?" "It's not like that, aunt." "It's not that." "She's not a prostitute." "You've been deceived." "It's you who deceived me." "And you deceived me well." "You've been misinformed about the person that..." "I was going to say, "Aunt, I love someone and my conscience..."" "Shut up!" "Don't make me angry." "When you say you love that woman..." "I want to strangle you, for being stupid more than bad." " How is the family?" " Perfectly well, and yours?" "No news, thank God." "Come on, Mrs. Lupe, today's a good day." "I'm in suspense, Don Francisco." "I didn't expect it either." "Last night I went to tell him that on Monday we'd seize his property... and he appeared this morning." "I thought he was going to ask for more time." "Then, he said, "I've come to pay you."" "I was dumbfounded." "He gave me 8000 quarters, took his promissory note and left." "Like I said, Joaquinito Pez is a decent person." "He suffers hardship, like anyone likes the good life." "I bet he's a gambler." "Here are your 6000." "I've taken my part." "I hear he's up to his neck in debt." "Which wretch will he have scrounged off?" "What do we care?" "We won't lend him any more." "He did got a nephew of mine a job when we gave him extra time." "He's not a bad person." "As for the Marquis of Casa Bojío... we'll even have to seize his family tree." "Go ahead." "The boy from the clothes shop..." "José María Vallejo... has me chasing him like a bloodhound every month." "He has no consideration." "They must be treated like that." " What did you do?" " He wouldn't pay his interest." "So I took half a dozen capes with me." "I don't do it out of materialism, but so he remembers his installments." "These are not good times, Mrs. Lupe." "They're not good times." "And, on that note, I'll go." " So soon?" " I haven't heard mass yet." "I was on my way when Joaquinito gave me his big surprise." "And it was a good one." " May you go with God." " May He be with you." "No, don't be angry." "It's for your own good." "I'm not angry." "I am calm because my conscience..." "I told you before." "You're not going out today." "Tomorrow, you'll start taking cod liver oil." "All this is just weak-mindedness." "So now you know." "Take off your boots, you're a prisoner." "Papitos, watch what Maxi does while I'm out." "See if he writes any letters." "Aunt..." "I can't obey you." "I'm a grown man." "I'm 25 years old." "I respect you, now respect me." "Papitos, Papitos!" "Did you hear his insolence?" "He's not himself, he's not himself." "They've changed him turned him inside out." "I'll tell the police to arrest him." "Half-wit!" "Hypocrite!" "Come with me." "Come along, come with me." "Come with me." "Here." "Go and buy noodles and sugar." "I can't go out." "I'm going to faint." "Go by the chemist's... and bring me 10 cents worth of bloodroot." "I'm going to faint or something." "I'm going to faint or something." "I'm going to faint." "Aunt, I love her so much... that neither my family, nor the whole world can take me from her." "I loved her as soon as I saw her... and I can't stop loving her, without stopping living." "It is silly to oppose it, because I will leap all obstacles... if I come up against a wall, I'll go through it." "Have you seen how the riders in the circus... break through paper when they jump with their horses?" "Well, that's how I'll break a wall if you put one between us." "I've suffered disappointment in my life... but never anything like this." "Don't you think you should've said "Aunt, it's like this"?" "Of course I should, but I was afraid to." "Listen to me now." "I met her three months ago." "The poor thing had been very unfortunate." "Yes, I've been told she's lived a lot." "You're so gullible." "Take no notice." "Is it not noble to lead an erring soul onto the right road?" "Have you become a shepherd?" "But Aunt, she's an angel." "An angel with horns." "Enjoy yourself." " Believe me, when you meet her..." " Me?" "Meet her?" "Isn't wanting to be honorable the same as being so?" "You're mad." "I love you very much, Aunt." "I owe you my life." "Although you try to fight with me, I won't let you." "You are not the nephew I brought up." "Overnight, you have learned words... and phrases that leave me dumbfounded." "You have become a real poet." "I've always thought poets were liars and fools." "You have deceived me." "Go, I don't love you anymore." "I am not your Aunt Lupe anymore." "I won't throw you out out of pity..."