Chapter 4 The Box and the Ghost - A Spanish Tale

Translated by Xiao Min On a sunny morning in the year x, Don Blas Boutos y Mosquera led twelve knights to the village of Ecorot, about ten miles away from the city of Grenad.When the villagers saw them coming on horseback, they hurried home and closed the door tightly.The women stared in horror at the formidable police chief of Grenard City through the slits of the windows.He was ruthless, and God, in order to punish him, completely exposed his murderous soul on his face.He was six feet tall, black-skinned, and terribly thin.Although only a police chief, the bishop and the governor also trembled in front of him.

In the eyes of posterity, the heroic war against Napoleon doubled the reputation of the Spaniards in the nineteenth century, surpassing all other European peoples and only second to the French.Don Blas was one of the most famous guerrilla leaders in that epic war.He had sworn that his troops would not kill the French during the day, and that he himself would not sleep in his bed at night. After the restoration of King Ferdinand, there were accusations that Don Blas had been a Capuchin monk in his youth and had since become a monk.So he was escorted to Ceuta, where he was forced to row a boat.He lived there for eight years, through hardships.Later, for unknown reasons, he made a comeback and was reused again.Now, he is known for his silence.In the past, before he caught a prisoner of war and hanged him, he would always ridicule him.Those witticisms spread like wildfire among troops across Spain, earning him a reputation for being witty.

Don Blas rode slowly through the streets of the village of Ecorot.His sharp eyes swept over the houses on both sides.When I walked into a church, the bell of the mass just rang.He flew off his horse, came to the altar and knelt down.Four of his men followed in and knelt around him.Looking at him, they saw that his pious expression was gone, and he only fixed his dark and terrifying eyes on a young man who was praying devoutly a few steps away.The popularity is elegant. "What's the matter?" thought Don Blas, "he looks like he belongs to the top of society, but I don't know him! He hasn't been seen since I've been in Grenard! He must be What are you hiding from?"

Don Blas leaned over to a policeman and gave an order to arrest the young man as soon as he left the church.While saying the last few closing prayers, he hurried out and sat down in the lobby of the inn in the village of Aekrot.Not long after, the young man was brought.He looked horrified. "Give me your name." "Don Fernando de la Guevara." As they got closer, Don Blas found that Don Fernando was extremely handsome, and he was even more unhappy.The young man was blond and gentle despite his circumstances.Don Blas looked at the young man, thinking about what to do. "What did you do in Parliament?" he asked at last.

"I went to secondary school in Sevier City in 2009. I was 20 years old then, because I'm 12 years old now." ① refers to - year.Under the pressure of the people, King Ferdinand of Spain was forced to implement constitutional government. But in 2010 he dissolved the parliament and imposed a dictatorship. "What do you do for a living?" The rudeness of this statement obviously irritated the young man, but he restrained himself and said: "My father is the brigadier under Don Carlos IV (God, let us always remember this merciful king) .He left me a small piece of land, not far from this village, with an annual income of 12,000 riyals. I led three hired laborers to cultivate it together."

"They must be loyal to you. The core of the guerrillas." Don Blas sneered. "Lock it up and send it to a single cell!" He left after giving the order, and handed over the prisoner to his subordinates. After a while, Don Blas began to eat lunch. "Six months in prison," he thought, "see if he is still fresh and handsome, and whether he is still handsome. Let's see if he is still happy." A policeman stood guard at the door of the restaurant.He suddenly raised his carbine, and it turned out that an old man was following the waiter who was carrying the plate, trying to enter the restaurant.The policeman held the gun across the old man's chest and refused to allow him to pass.Don Blas went to the door, saw a girl standing behind the old man, and immediately forgot about Don Fernando.

"It's too cruel. I won't have time to eat." He said to the old man, "Come in and tell me what you want." Don Blas stared at the girl intently.In her brow and in her eyes he saw the pure dignity of the radiance of the Madonna painted by the Italian School.Don Blas did not listen to the old man and forgot to eat.It took him a long time to get his mind back.For the third or fourth time the Don had to explain why Don Fernando de la Gueva should be released.Don Fernando had long been betrothed to his daughter Inés, who was present, and was due to be married next Sunday.Hearing these words, the gloomy police chief's eyes lit up. The light was so strange that Ines even his father shuddered.

"We have always feared God. We are old Christians," the father continued. "My family is very old, but I am now in trouble. Don Fernando is a perfect match for my daughter. France I did not hold any office when man ruled; neither have I held it nor have I ever held it." Dom Blas remained grimly silent. "I belong to the oldest nobles of the Kingdom of Grenard," added the old man. "Before the Revolution," he sighed, "if any monk dared to ignore me, I would cut off both his ears. " The old man said with tears in his eyes.Ines looked very shy. She took out a string of rosary beads from her bosom, and held the cross on the rosary with her beautiful hands convulsively.Don Blas stared at these hands for a while, and then looked at the figure of Inès, who seemed a little fatter, but well-proportioned.

"Her face could be a little more delicate," he thought, "but I have never seen her angelic grace." "Your name is Donjam Aleki?" he asked the old man. "Exactly." Tang Jiamu straightened his back and replied. "Seventy?" "Only sixty-nine." "It's you," said Don Blas, smiling. "I've been looking for you for a long time. Our king gave you an annuity with interest of four thousand reals. I kept it for you for two years and put it in My home in the city. Tomorrow at noon I will give you the money, and I will show you that my father was once a wealthy farmer in Castile, and an old Christian like you. I will also let you Look, I have never been a monk. Then you will know that you were wrong when you scolded me just now."

The old aristocrat dared not fail to attend the appointment.He is a widower, and there is only one daughter, Ines, in his family.Before entering the town, he sent her to the curate of the village, and arranged everything as if he were going to be gone forever.He found Don Blas very well dressed, in a frock coat with a large sash at the side.Tong Jiamu also found that he became polite, like an old soldier doing a good deed, smiling all the time. Don Cham didn't want to accept the eight thousand riyals that Don Blas gave him, but he didn't dare to refuse.Nor did he dare refuse to have lunch with the chief of police.After dinner, the formidable police chief showed his notarial papers, his baptismal certificate, and even a document proving that he had never been a monk.He was able to come back from the hard labor field all because of that certificate.

Tang Jiamu was uneasy, always afraid that the other party would be uneasy and kind. "I am forty-three years old," said Don Blas afterwards, "and I have a very respectable position, which earns fifty thousand reals a year. Besides, I have a deposit in the Bank of Naples, which earns a thousand ounces a year." Si. I beg you to marry me your daughter." When Tang Jiamu heard this, his face immediately turned pale.For a while, neither of them spoke.At last Don Blas said: "I will not hide it from you. Don Fernando de la Gueva is involved in a troublesome case. The Superintendent of Police wants to arrest him. He may be hanged, at least. I have to do the hard labor of rowing. I was there for eight years, and it was not a good life. (He leans into the ear of the old man) In two or three weeks, I may get orders from the superintendent, ①Spanish gold coins. Deport him from Acrot Detention Center to Grenard Prison.Orders will be executed late at night.I respect your friendship with him, and if he escapes in the dark, I'll pretend I didn't see it.For example, if he fled to Majorca for a year or two, no one would ever mention him again. " The old noble didn't answer.Distraught, he finally returned to the village.The money he took disgusted him. "Is this the price for the blood of my friend Don Fernando?" he wondered. When he reached the curate's house, he threw himself into Ines' arms. "Daughter!" he cried, "the monk wants to marry you." Ines burst into tears, but soon stopped.She asked to consult the priest.The priest is listening to the confession in the church.He was old, and a clergyman, easily emotionless, indifferent to everything, but he could not hold back his tears at this incident.The result of consulting is that she should make up her mind to marry Don Blas, or run away overnight.Ines and her father could escape to Gibraltar and catch a boat to England. "How do you live there?" asked Ines. "You can sell your house and garden." "But who would buy it?" the girl said, crying. "I have some savings," said the priest, "about five thousand reals. I will give you the money, girl. I am happy to do so, if you feel that marrying Don Blas will not save your soul." Half a month later, all the police in Grenad City wore uniforms and surrounded the outside of St. Dominique's Church.The light inside the church is dim, and even at noon, you have to be careful to be led in by someone.On that day, no one dared to enter except the invited guests. In a side hall, hundreds of large candles are lit.Like a fire dragon, the candlelight snaked through the darkness of the church.In the distance, a man can be seen kneeling on the steps of the altar.He is a head taller than everyone around him.He lowered his head reverently, with his thin arms folded across his chest.He stood up before long.Showing a dress full of medals.He held out his hand to a girl.The girl's steps are light and delicate, which contrasts strangely with her serious face.When the bride stepped out of the church and boarded the carriage, the onlookers at the door were deeply moved when they saw the tears in her eyes, the solemn expression on her face, and the angelic tenderness that she suppressed her sorrow. . It must be admitted that, after marriage, Don Blas was no longer so cruel as before.Fewer executions were carried out.Execution of prisoners is no longer shot in the back, but just strangled. He also often allowed prisoners to kiss their loved ones goodbye before executing them. One day, he said to his madly in love wife, "I'm so jealous of Shancha." Shancha grew up on the same mother's milk as Ines.They are good friends.Before Ines got married, she lived in Tangam's house and was Ines' maid in name.Now, in this capacity, she followed Ines to her home in Grenade. "Inès, every time I go out," said Don Blas, "you stay and chat with Shancha. She is sweet and sweet, and can entertain you. And I, only an old soldier, with that grim job .I know myself too. I'm not very popular. Shancha always has a smiling face. Compared with her, you must think I'm ten years older. Here, here is the key to the cash drawer. How much would you give her Give her as much as you want, and you can give her all the money in the cabinet. Just let her go, get out of here, and let me never see her again." In the evening, when Don Blas came back from the bureau, Shancha was the first thing he saw.She was working as usual.Don Blas, irritated, hurried towards her.Shancha raised her eyes and looked at her fixedly.In her Spaniard eyes there was a mixture of timidity, courage, and hatred.After a while, Don Blas put on a smile. "Dear Shancha," he said, "did Ines tell you that I was going to give you ten thousand riyals?" "I only take things from the mistress," she replied, still looking directly at him. Don Blas went into his wife's room. "How many prisoners are in Gulou Prison?" she asked. "Thirty-two are locked in single cells, and about 260 are locked in the upper floors." "You let them go, and I let my only girlfriend go," said Ines. "What you order is beyond my power," replied Don Blas. He didn't say another word all night.But Ines, working as a maid under the lamp, noticed that his face turned red and then turned pale again.She put down her sewing and began counting her prayers on the beads.The next day, they remained silent.At night, a fire broke out in Gulou Prison, killing two prisoners.The rest of the prisoners escaped despite the tight guard of the chief of police and his subordinates. Inès said nothing to Don Blas.Don Blas hadn't said a word to her either. On the next day, Don Blas returned home and did not see Shancha again, so he threw himself into Ines' arms. One and a half years after the ancient building caught fire, a travel-worn man came to Zhuya Village and got off his horse in front of the simplest inn.This village is in the mountainous area to the south of Grenade City, about ten miles away from the city, just opposite to the village of Ekrot in the north of the city. On the sun-baked plains of Andalusia, the countryside of Grenade is an oasis of sand and sea, and it is the most beautiful place in Spain.But was this traveler simply driven by curiosity?Judging by his attire, he may have been a Catalan.In fact, his passport was indeed issued by Mallorca, and his visa was issued in Barcelona.He disembarked there.The proprietor of this humble inn was poor.The Catalan passenger watched him attentively as he handed him his passport.The name on the passport was Don Pablo Rotier. "Well, sir," said the boss, "I'll let you know if the Grenard police come to check." The traveler said that he came to visit this scenic spot.He went out an hour before the sun rose, and did not return until the hottest time of noon.At that time, others were either eating or taking a nap. In fact, he is Don Fernando.He spent several hours on a hill overgrown with small cork oaks, overlooking the former Inquisition building in Grenade.At this time, Don Blas and Ines lived there.This high-rise building is like a giant among the houses in the city.He stared at its blackened walls, and when he left Mallorca he had decided not to enter Grenade.However, one day he finally couldn't hold back his inner impulse, so he came to the alley opposite the building, walked into a craftsman's shop, found an excuse and started chatting.The craftsman showed him the window of Ines' room.These windows open on the upper third storey. Taking advantage of the time when people were taking a nap, Don Fernando walked back to Juya.His heart was consumed by jealous rage.He wished he could stab Ines to death with a knife and commit suicide. "Glums! Pustules!" He cursed over and over again in a rage, "If she thought it was her duty to love that man, she might love him!" On the corner of a street, he met Shancha. "Ah, friend," he said, raising his voice, but pretending that he was not addressing her, "my name is Don Pablo Rothier, and I live at the Hotel Angel in Juia. Tomorrow, when the bells for vespers are struck, you will Can you come to the cathedral?" "I will definitely come." Shancha said without looking at him. The next night, when Don Fernando saw Shancha, he walked towards the hotel without saying a word.Shancha followed him into the hotel without being seen.Don Fernando closed the door, and with tears in his eyes, he asked eagerly, "How are you doing?" "I don't serve her anymore," Shancha replied. "She fired me a year and a half ago for no reason and without explanation. To be honest, I thought she loved Don Blas." "She loves that guy!" exclaimed Don Fernando, holding back his tears. "I didn't expect that." "When she sent me away," said Shancha, "I knelt at her feet and begged her to tell me why she disliked me. She replied coldly, 'This is what my husband will do.' Without another word. You go I knew she was devout and religious, and now her life is a continuous prayer.” To curry favor with those in power, Don Blas was allowed to give half of the Inquisition building where he lived to the St. Clair nuns.The nuns have moved in and have just finished setting up their chapel.It was there that Ines spent her days.As soon as Don Blas left the house, she went to the church and knelt before the altar of "Forever in love." "She loves that guy!" Don Fernando repeated. "The first day I lost her favor," Shancha said, "Ines was still talking to me..." "Is she happy?" Don Fernando asked, interrupting her. "Not happy, but emotionally stable and peaceful. She is not at all like the one you used to know. She is not willful or wild, just like what the priest said about her." "Bitch!" Don Fernando yelled, pacing up and down the room with long strides. "You see, that's how she keeps her vows! That's how she loves me! Not even a little sorrow! And I..." "Just as I told you, my lord," Shancha said, "the first day I lost her favor, Ines was as friendly and gracious as she used to be in Eckroth, chatting with me. But on the second day The next day, she didn't explain anything to me except for 'my husband wants to do this', and only gave me a document, which she signed, promising to give me an annuity of 800 riyals." "Give me this document!" said Don Fernando. He kissed and kissed where Ines signed. "Did she mention me?" "Never mentioned it," Shancha replied, "never mentioned it, even Tang Jiamu felt sorry for it, and once scolded her in front of my face for forgetting such a lovely neighbor. She was pale and said nothing.As soon as she had seen her father out, she ran into the chapel and shut herself in. " "I have nothing to say but that I am blind," exclaimed Don Fernando, "how I hate her! Let's not talk about her... For me, entering Grenade is a I'm happy, I'm a thousand times more happy to see you... What are you doing now?" "I do business in the small village of Abrashin. Not far away, about five miles from the city, I have a lot of beautiful British goods." She said in a low voice, "the smugglers from Apujares brought me Come here. I have a lot of valuable goods in my warehouse, worth more than ten thousand riyals. I am very happy." "I see," said Don Fernando, "you have a lover among those good men. I'm afraid I'll never see you again.Here, take this watch as a souvenir. " Shancha was about to go out, but he kept her again.Q: "How about going to meet her?" "Even if she jumps off the building, she will run away from you. Be careful." Shancha turned around and took a few steps back, and said, "There are eight or nine spies who often patrol around the house, and they will disguise you as you like. You caught it." Don Fernando, ashamed of his momentary weakness, said nothing more.He made up his mind: he would go back to Mallorca tomorrow. A week later, he happened to pass by the village of Abarashin.The bandits had just captured O'Donnell, commander of the army, and held him in the mud for an hour.Don Fernando saw Shancha.She looked nervous and hurried away. "I don't have time to talk," she said to him. "Come to my house." Shancha's shop is closed.She hastily packed her English stuff into a large black oak trunk. "We may be attacked tonight," she said to Don Fernando, "the bandit leader has a grudge against a smuggler who is my friend. The first one to be looted was probably my shop.I had just come from the city, and Ines, after all, was kind enough to allow me to leave my most valuable goods with her, so that Don Blas would not see the box full of contraband.In case he saw the bad luck, Ines could find an excuse to prevaricate him. " She hastily tied the tulle and shawl.Don Fernando watched her busy. Suddenly, he went to the box, took out tulle and shawl, and got in himself. "Are you crazy?" Shancha said in surprise. "Here, here's fifty ounces. I want to see her. If I come out before the Grenard Inquisition Building, let God beat me to death." No matter how anxious Shancha was and how nice she said, Don Fernando just wouldn't listen. While she was still talking, her cousin Zang Ga came in.He was a porter, and he was going to drive a mule to help his cousin carry the box into the city.When Don Fernando heard him come in, he quickly closed the lid of the box and shut himself inside.Shancha is afraid of accidents.Had to lock the box.Because it is more careless to leave the lock open. So, one morning in June, around eleven o'clock, Don Fernando was brought into the city of Grenade in his box.He was almost smothered in it.Finally arrived at the Inquisition building.During the time Zang Ga went upstairs, Don Fernando wished he could be placed on the third floor, or even in Ines' room. He heard the door being shut.After there was no other movement, he tried to use the dagger to pull out the lock.He succeeded.Sure enough, it was in Ines' bedroom.He was overjoyed.He saw the woman's dress, and he recognized a crucifix with an image of Jesus hanging beside the bed.It used to hang in that little room of hers in Acrot.Once, they had a big quarrel, and at the end she took him into her room and swore to the cross that she would love him forever and never change her heart. The weather is hot.The light in the room was dim, for the shutters were drawn and the great Indian silk curtains were drawn.There are pleats under the curtain.There was silence in the room save for the hiss of a small fountain.The fountain was set in one corner, and the jet of water rose several feet before falling into a shell-shaped pool of black marble. Don Fernando had shown his courage no less than twenty times in his life, but this time he trembled with fright at the slight sound of water from the little fountain.In Majorca, when he thought about how to get into Ines' room, he often imagined the extreme happiness in her room, but when he actually entered this room, he felt wrong.At that time, he suffered from misfortune, was exiled in a foreign country, separated from his relatives, and lived a long and monotonous life of depression. As a result, his temperament changed greatly, and his passionate love almost reached a state of madness. He knew Ines, he knew how chaste and shy he was.Therefore, the only thing he was worried about at this time was that he was afraid of making her unhappy.As for the unique warm personality of the southerners, if I don't want readers to understand, I am ashamed to describe it in this way.Shortly after the monastery clock struck two o'clock in the afternoon, in the silence, Don Fernando heard light footsteps on the marble staircase, and he almost fainted.The sound of footsteps approached from far away, and soon reached the door.He recognized the sound of Ines walking.She is a woman who abides by women's morals.Afraid of making her angry at the beginning, he hurried into the box again. It was unbearably hot.It was very dark in the room.Ines lay on the bed.Soon, from the sound of her regular breathing, Don Fernando heard that she had fallen asleep.Only then did he dare to go to the bed and see Ines who had been thinking about him for years.Although she was alone at this time, in the dreamland, and completely ignorant, it still made him feel a little timid.When he found out that he hadn't seen her for two years, a new kind of awe-inspiring majesty had been added to her face, and his timidity was even greater. However, the joy of seeing her again slowly penetrated into his heart.The summer dress she was wearing was already wrinkled, which was an interesting contrast to her almost stern solemn expression. He knew very well that when Ines woke up and saw him, her first reaction was to run away.He went to lock the door and took the key. The moment to decide his fate finally arrived.Ines moved slightly, and was about to wake up.With an idea, he quickly walked to the cross and knelt down.Ines opened her sleepy eyes, thinking that Don Fernando had just died in the distance, and that the one kneeling before the cross was his phantom. She jumped down and stood by the bed, clasping her hands together. "Poor wretch!" Her voice was very low, trembling slightly. Don Fernando remained on his knees, turning only slightly to look at Inés.But he felt flustered and couldn't help moving his body, which startled Ines immediately.Knowing the truth, Ines immediately ran to the door, but the door was locked. "How dare you!" she cried. "Get out, Don Fernando." She fled to the farthest corner and hid by the little fountain. "Don't come here. Don't come here," she said nervously. "Get out!" There was a steadfast gleam in her eyes. "No, if you don't listen to me, I won't go out. For two years, I can't forget you. No matter day or night, your figure always appears in front of my eyes. Didn't you swear to each other in front of this cross, saying that you will always belong to me ?" "Get out!" she yelled angrily. "If you don't go, I'll call someone. You and I will be killed." She ran towards a bell.Don Fernando took a few steps ahead and hugged her in his arms.Don Fernando trembled all over.Ines could clearly feel that the power she had generated from her anger dissipated in an instant. Don Fernando restrained himself and was not dominated by passion and sensuality.He does his part perfectly. He trembled all over, more than Ines.Because he acted like an enemy to her just now.But he found that she was not angry, angry. "So, do you want my immortal soul to be destroyed?" Ines said to him, "But at least one thing you have to believe is that I love you, and you are the only person I have ever loved. After I get married , lead a hateful life. But I miss you all the time. It is an unforgivable sin. I try to forget you, but in vain. My Fernando, don't be disgusted by my impiety." said I don't know if you believe it or not.Over there, beside my bed, the cross you see, it only reminds me of the oath I swore to you in Acrotic, the image of the Savior who will judge us, but I often ignore it.O Don Fernando, we are doomed to hell, unforgivably to hell! She exclaimed excitedly, "we won't live long in this world anyway, at least let us live happily in these few days." " These words immediately dispelled Don Fernando's worries.He began to feel happy. "What? Did you forgive me? Do you still love me?..." A few hours passed in the blink of an eye.it's getting dark.Don Fernando told Inés that the idea had come to him when he saw the box this morning.Suddenly there was a sound of footsteps outside the door.Suddenly rousing them from their intoxication, it was Don Blas who had come to invite his wife for a walk. "Just say it's too hot and you don't feel well," Don Fernando said to Inés. "I'm going to hide in the box. This is your door key. You turn the key backwards and pretend you can't open the door. Open the door after hearing that the box is locked." Everything went well, and Don Blas thought it was the heat that made Inès unwell. "Poor friend!" he cried, apologizing to her for waking her up. He picked her up, put her on the bed, and was about to caress her when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the box. "What's that?" he asked, frowning. His police chief instincts seemed to revive in an instant. Ines told Shancha's worries and the ins and outs of the box.Don Blas said five or six times while listening: "It's in my house!" Then he said gravely, "Give me the key." "I don't want to take the key," Ines said, "because it might be taken by one of your servants. I don't take the key, as if Shancha is happy." "Well!" said Don Blas roughly, "the box in which I keep my pistol has tools to open any lock." He went to the bedside, opened a case full of weapons, took out a pack of English-made shackles, and went back to the case.Inès opened one of the shutters and leaned over the sill, intending to jump down as soon as Don Blas spotted Don Fernando.But Don Fernando, who had a deep hatred for Don Blas, regained his composure at this critical moment.He held the point of the dagger against the unsmooth lock bolt.Thus Don Blas bent the English hooks and did not open the lock. "Strange thing," Don Blas stood up, "these hooks never fail. My dear, our walk will be postponed.There is no other way, and I shall not be happy walking by your side when I think that this trunk may be full of criminal papers.And who can guarantee that the bishop, my enemy, won't search my house in my absence, by means of a defrauded order from the king?I'll go to the bureau immediately to find a craftsman, he will definitely have a better way than me. " He went out.Ines moves away from the window to close the door.Don Fernando begged her to run away with her, but in vain. "You have no idea how alert that dreadful fellow Don Blas is," she told him, "and in a few minutes he can get in touch with the police dozens of miles away. To tell the truth, I should like to run away with you, to England!But think about it, this building has been carefully inspected every day, even the most inconspicuous corners are not missed, can I still escape?But I'm going to hide you.If you love me, be careful, because you are going to die, and I will not live. " Someone knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation.Don Fernando, dagger in hand, ducked behind the door.Fortunately, it was Shancha who came.They would tell her the situation quietly. "However, Madame, you never thought that after hiding Don Fernando, Don Blas would find the box empty. Time is so tight, let's see what to put in it? But I was in a hurry, so I put a good one in." The news is forgotten. Now the whole city is a sensation, and Don Blas is too busy. Just now, in the cafe in the Grand Place, a royalist volunteer wounded someone, and Don Pedro Ramos, a member of the Council, was insulted. , stabbed him to death with a knife. I saw Don Blas leading the police at the Puerta del Sol and took action. You first hide Don Fernando. I will go find Zang Ga and ask him to carry the boxes. Don Fernando Nando will hide in then. I just don't know if there will be enough time. Come on, move the box to another room first, so as to find an excuse to prevaricate Don Blas, and not let him take it in the first place. Knife you. Well, let's say I moved the box. I opened it and took the stuff. But let's not imagine it, if he comes back before me, none of us will survive." Shancha's exhortation did not disturb the two lovers.They moved the box into a dark passage, and each narrated their lives for the past two years. "You will find your friend irreproachable," said Inès to Don Fernando. "I will leave everything to you. I have a feeling that we will not live long. You cannot imagine Don Blas How reckless is human life. If he finds out that I meet you, he will kill me... what will I get in the underworld?" She thought for a moment, and said, "It's eternal punishment!" Then she threw herself, threw her arms around Don Fernando's neck, and cried out: "I am the happiest woman. If you can find a way for us to meet again, send Sancha to let me know. Inés will be yours." slave." Zang Ga didn't come until night.He removed the box where Don Fernando was hidden.Police are also patrolling the city looking for escaped Liberal MPs.Several times, Zang Ga was stopped by them for questioning, but when they heard that the box belonged to the Don Blas family, they let him pass. The last time Zang Ga was stopped was on a secluded side street.On the other side of the side street, separated by a low elbow-length wall, recessed twelve to fifteen feet, is the cemetery. Zang Ga leaned the box against the wall to rest while answering police questioning. When we were in the house just now, because Don Blas would come back and bump into him, Zang Ga hurriedly picked up the suitcase and left without paying attention to the upside down of the suitcase, so that Don Fernando stayed inside with his head down, feeling extremely uncomfortable. up.He was eager to reach his destination as soon as possible. At this moment, he noticed that the box had suddenly stopped moving, and he couldn't bear it any longer.At this moment the street was silent.He estimated that it was at least nine o'clock in the evening, so he pondered, "It only takes a few dollars to make Zang Ga keep a secret." So he said to the porter, "Turn the box upside down. I can't stand it." It was so late and we were next to the cemetery, the porter was already feeling flustered, when he suddenly heard a voice talking so close to his ear, he was even more terrified, thinking he had encountered a ghost, he ran away and left the box behind. On the low wall, Don Fernando's pain continued unabated.He didn't hear Zang Ga's answer, so he understood that the porter dropped the box and ran away.He decided to open the box no matter what the danger.As soon as he moved in it, the box crashed into the cemetery. He was knocked unconscious, and it took a long time to wake up.He saw the stars twinkling above him.It turned out that the lock was knocked open, and he was thrown on the mound of a new grave.他想起伊奈丝可能会有危险，便恢复了力气。 他伤得很重，鲜血汩汩直流。但他努力站起来，不久就走了起来。他吃力地爬上公墓围墙，走到珊姹家里。珊姹看见他浑身是血，以为他被堂勃拉斯发现了。 当她知道事情的经过以后，笑着说：“说实在的，你这一下真给我们惹了麻烦。” 他们都认为，应该不惜一切代价，趁着黑夜把那只箱子弄回来。 “要是明天堂勃拉斯的密探发现这该死的箱子，”珊姹说，“伊奈丝和我就没命了。” “那上面大概沾上了鲜血。”堂费南多说。 他们唯一能雇用的人，就是臧嘎。 正说到他，他就来敲门了。珊姹让他进来。对他说道：“我知道你要来跟我说什么。你丢下了我的箱子，它掉到公墓里去了，里面有我的全部走私货！我受了多大的损失！现在你瞧吧，今晚或明早，堂勃拉斯就会传你去的。” 一听此话，臧嘎大惊失色，叫道：“啊！我完了！” “你要是回答他，你把箱子从宗教裁判所大楼搬到我家里来了，你就不会有事了。” 臧嘎把表姐的走私货丢了，十分生气；刚才让鬼吓了，现在让堂勃拉斯吓了，于是他心乱如麻，连最简单的事也理解不了。珊姹只有长时间地一遍又一遍地告诉他，应该怎样回答警察局长才不会连累别人。 在臧嘎敲门的当口，堂费南多躲了起来，这时他突然走了出来，对喊嘎说：“喏，这是给你的十个杜卡托。但是，你要是不老老实实地照珊姹教你的去说，这把匕首就会要你的命。” “你是谁，先生？”臧嘎问。 “一个不幸的自由党人，正在被保皇党追捕。” 臧嘎听了，呆若木鸡。当他看见堂勃拉斯手下的两个警察走进来时。更是吓得魂飞魄散。一个警察抓住他，当即带他去见长官。另一个警察则只是来通知珊姹：有人请她去宗教裁判所大楼。相比之下，她的事情似乎没有那么严重。 珊姹搬出一坛特等陈酿请他品尝，又跟他逗趣，想套他的话，让堂费南多了解一些情况。 堂费南多躲在一边，把他们的话听得清清楚楚。 警察说臧嘎遇了鬼，吓得逃进一家小酒店，一脸煞白像个死人。他在酒店里讲了他的遭遇。有一个被派出去捉拿杀死保皇党大兵的自由党或“议会派”的密探正好在这家酒店。 他立即跑去把此事报告了堂勃拉斯。 “但局长并不笨，”警察说，“立刻断定臧嘎听见的是那个'议会派'的声音。他就藏在公墓里。局长派我去找那个箱子。 我们发现箱子是开着的，上面有血迹。堂勃拉斯显得大为吃惊，便派我到这里来。Let's go. " “伊奈丝和我没有命了。”珊姹一边跟着警察往宗教裁判所大楼走，一边寻思，“堂勃拉斯大概认为出了那个箱子，已经知道有一个外人到过他的家。” 夜色如墨。有一瞬间，珊姹想一逃了事，但转念一想，又自语道：“行不得，把伊奈丝抛下不管，未免太卑鄙。她太单纯，这时一定慌了神，不知怎么应付。” 到了宗教裁判所的大楼，她见自己被带往三楼伊奈丝的卧室，不觉一惊。这绝不是好事。 房间里灯火通明。伊奈丝坐在一张桌子旁边。堂勃拉斯站在她身边，两眼射出凶光。那只倒霉的箱子放在他们面前，开着，上面血迹斑斑。堂勃拉斯正在审问臧嘎。她一进来，臧嘎立刻被带出去了。 “他出卖我们了吗？”珊姹在心中自问，“我教他回答的那些话，他听懂了没有？伊奈丝的性命捏在他手里。” 她望了望伊奈丝，想让她放心。但她从伊奈丝的眼睛里，看到的只有沉着坚定的神气，不觉十分惊奇。 “她原来是那样胆怯，这样大的勇气是从哪里来的呢？” 堂勃拉斯开始问话。珊姹回答，没说几句，她就发现这个平时自制力颇强的人好似发了疯。很快就听到他自言自语道：“事情一清二楚了。” 伊奈丝大概和珊姹一样，也听见了这句话。只听她若无其事一般地说道：“点这么多蜡烛，屋里热得像火炉。” 一边朝窗口走去。 珊姹几个钟头之前就知道她的打算，明白她这个举动的含义，立即假装歇斯底里发作：“那些家伙要杀我，”她大叫大嚷，“因为我救了堂佩德洛·拉摩斯。” 她死死抓着伊奈丝的手腕不放。 在歇斯底里发作的状态里，她东一句西一句地说，臧嘎把她的箱子抬到她家以后，有一个家伙血糊糊的，手持匕首闯进她屋。 “我刚才杀了一个保皇党。”他说，“那家伙的同伙在追捕我。你要是不帮我的忙，我会给杀死，就在你面前。” “啊！瞧我的手上的血啊！”珊姹像疯了似的叫了起来，“他们要杀我。” “说下去！”堂勃拉斯喝道。 “他对我说：'耶罗尼米特会修道院的院长是我舅舅，到了他的修道院，我就有救了。'我吓得浑身发抖。他看见箱子开着，我正在从里往外拿我的英国料子，便猛地弯下身子，把里面没来得及拿出的货扔出来，然后跨进去，叫道：'快锁上！ 叫人把箱子搬到修道院去，一秒钟也别担搁。'他扔给我一把杜卡托，喏，就在这儿。我感到害怕，我亵渎了宗教，这就是代价……” “别瞎扯了！”堂勃拉斯吼起来。 “我怕，我要不服从，他就会杀我。”珊姹说，“他左手一直握着匕首。那可怜士兵的血还在往下滴，我承认，我因为怕，就打发人把臧嘎叫来了。臧嘎背起箱子，往修道院走。我……” “别说了，再瞎扯一句，就杀了你。”堂勃拉斯说，他差不多猜出珊姹是在拖时间。 堂勃拉斯一打手势，就有人去带臧嘎。珊姹发现平时十分冷静的堂勃拉斯已经气得发狂。他两年来一直认为妻子是忠贞的，现在他生出疑窦。看上去他好像热得恹恹无力，可是一看见臧嘎被带进来，他就扑过去，疯子似的抓住他的胳膊。 珊姹暗忖：“关键时刻到了，这个人将决定我和伊奈丝的命运。他平日对我倒是忠心耿耿的，但今晚他被鬼和堂费南多的匕首吓破了胆，谁知道他会说些什么呢？” 堂勃拉斯狠命摇撼着臧嘎。臧嘎惊恐不安地望着他，没有说话。 “天老爷啊，”珊姹心想，“他们会强迫他宣誓说真话的。 他那样虔诚信教，是不愿说谎的。 " 幸好堂勃拉斯不是在法庭上，忘了让证人宣誓。到后来，巨大的危险，珊姹惊惧的目光，以及过分的恐惧终于使臧嘎清醒。他决定开口了。或者是有意，或者是他确实心慌意乱，他讲得颠三倒四，语无伦次。他说珊姹叫他把从局长大人府邸搬回的箱子又搬出去。他发现箱子比原来重多了。路过公墓时，他很累，便把箱子搁在矮墙上。忽然他听见耳边传来呻吟声，吓得撒腿就跑。 堂勃拉斯向臧嘎提了许多问题，但他自己似乎也精疲力尽了。夜已很深。于是他暂停审问，留到次日上午再继续进行。臧嘎暂时还没露出破绽。珊姹要求伊奈丝让她住在她以前过夜的小房间。它就挨着伊奈丝的卧房。堂勃拉斯没有注意她的简短对话。待大家都歇了以后，伊奈丝便走过去找珊姹。她在为堂费南多担心。 “堂费南多倒没有危险。但是夫人，你我命在旦夕。堂勃拉斯已经起疑。明天上午，他会恐吓臧嘎，把听他忏悔的神父找来。那神父很有影响力，会让臧嘎说出来的。我编的故事只能临时应付一下。” “那你就逃走，亲爱的珊姹。”伊奈丝说，口气和平时一样温和，似乎根本不为几个钟头后等待她的命运担心。让我一个人去死，有堂费南多的形象陪着我，我会死得十分幸福。 分别两年后再度相见，这种幸福用生命作代价也不算太高。我命令你立即离开我。你到大院子里，躲在门边。我希望你能逃出去。我只有一个要求，把这个钻石十字架交给堂费南多，告诉他，我在死前感激他想到从马约卡岛回来。 " 次日，天还蒙蒙亮，早祷的钟声就敲响了。伊奈丝叫醒丈夫，告诉他自己要到大楼里的圣克莱尔会修道院去听头一场弥撒。堂勃拉斯未置可否，只派了四个手下跟着她走。 到了教堂里，伊奈丝来到修女们进出的栅门边站住。没过多久，被派来看守她的四个手下看见栅门开了，伊奈丝走进了修道院的内院。她宣称她秘密许了愿，要出家当修女，从此再不出修道院一步。修道院长把这件事报告了主教。当堂勃拉斯暴跳如雷地来索要妻子时，主教和颜悦色地回答他说：“如果她是你合法的妻子，那么毫无疑问，她无权献身给天主，可是她认为她的婚姻是无效的。” 伊奈丝与丈夫打开了官司。几天以后，有人发现她死在床上，身上被捅了好几刀。接着，堂勃拉斯揭露了一起阴谋，伊奈斯的兄弟①和堂费南多被绑赴格勒纳德广场斩首示众。 （李熊译）①疑原文有误，应为父亲才说得过去。