CHAPTER XXIII
MYSTERY
The conference lasted for some time longer, but we omit what followed asnot being necessary to a clear understanding of our story. At last theyseparated, Senor Don Inocencio remaining to the last, as usual. Beforethe canon and Dona Perfecta had had time to exchange a word, an elderlywoman, Dona Perfecta's confidential servant and her right hand, enteredthe dining-room, and her mistress, seeing that she looked disturbed andanxious, was at once filled with disquietude, suspecting that somethingwrong was going on in the house.
"I can't find the senorita anywhere," said the servant, in answer to hermistress' questions.
"Good Heavens--Rosario! Where is my daughter?"
"Virgin of Succor protect us!" cried the Penitentiary, taking up his hatand preparing to hurry out with Dona Perfecta.
"Search for her well. But was she not with you in her room?"
"Yes, senora," answered the old woman, trembling, "but the devil temptedme, and I fell asleep."
"A curse upon your sleep! What is this? Rosario, Rosario! Librada!"
They went upstairs and came down again, they went up a second timeand came down again; carrying a light and looking carefully in all therooms. At last the voice of the Penitentiary was heard saying joyfullyfrom the stairs:
"Here she is, here she is! She has been found."
A moment later mother and daughter were standing face to face in thehall.
"Where were you?" asked Dona Perfecta, in a severe voice, scrutinizingher daughter's face closely.
"In the garden," answered the girl, more dead than alive.
"In the garden at this hour? Rosario!"
"I was warm, I went to the window, my handkerchief dropped out, and Icame down stairs for it!"
"Why didn't you ask Librada to get it for you? Librada! Where is thatgirl? Has she fallen asleep too?"
Librada at last made her appearance. Her pale face revealed theconsternation and the apprehension of the delinquent.
"What is this? Where were you?" asked her mistress, with terrible anger.
"Why, senora, I came down stairs to get the clothes out of the frontroom--and I fell asleep."
"Every one here seems to have fallen asleep to-night. Some of you, Ifancy, will not sleep in my house to-morrow night. Rosario, you may go."
Comprehending that it was necessary to act with promptness and energy,Dona Perfecta and the canon began their investigations without delay.Questions, threats, entreaties, promises, were skilfully employed todiscover the truth regarding what had happened. Not even the shadowof guilt was found to attach to the old servant; but Librada confessedfrankly between tears and sighs all her delinquencies, which we will sumup as follows:
Shortly after his arrival in the house Senor Pinzon had begun to castloving glances at Senorita Rosario. He had given money to Librada,according to what the latter said, to carry messages and love-letters toher. The young lady had not seemed angry, but, on the contrary, pleased,and several days had passed in this manner. Finally, the servantdeclared that Rosario and Senor Pinzon had agreed to meet and talk witheach other on this night at the window of the room of the latter, whichopened on the garden. They had confided their design to the maid, whopromised to favor it, in consideration of a sum which was at once givenher. It had been agreed that Senor Pinzon was to leave the house at hisusual hour and return to it secretly at nine o'clock, go to his room,and leave it and the house again, clandestinely also, a little later,to return, without concealment, at his usual late hour. In this way nosuspicion would fall upon him. Librada had waited for Pinzon, who hadentered the house closely enveloped in his cloak, without speaking aword. He had gone to his room at the same moment in which the younglady descended to the garden. During the interview, at which she was notpresent, Librada had remained on guard in the hall to warn Pinzon, ifany danger should threaten; and at the end of an hour the latter hadleft the house enveloped in his cloak, as before, and without speakinga word. When the confession was ended Don Inocencio said to the wretchedgirl:
"Are you sure that the person who came into and went out of the housewas Senor Pinzon?"
The culprit answered nothing, but her features expressed the utmostperplexity.
Her mistress turned green with anger.
"Did you see his face?"
"But who else could it be but he?" answered the maid. "I am certain thatit was he. He went straight to his room--he knew the way to it perfectlywell."
"It is strange," said the canon. "Living in the house there was noneed for him to use such mystery. He might have pretended illness andremained in the house. Does it not seem so to you, senora?"
"Librada," exclaimed the latter, in a paroxysm of anger, "I vow that youshall go to prison."
And clasping her hands, she dug the nails of the one into the other withsuch force as almost to draw blood.
"Senor Don Inocencio," she exclaimed, "let us die--there is no remedybut to die."
Then she burst into a fit of inconsolable weeping.
"Courage, senora," said the priest, in a moved voice. "Courage--now itis necessary to be very brave. This requires calmness and a great dealof courage.
"Mine is immense," said Senora de Polentinos, in the midst of her sobs.
"Mine is very small," said the canon; "but we shall see, we shall see."
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