Accident victims -- Fiction; Bridges -- Accidents -- Peru -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Peru -- Fiction
It is on this visit to the theatre that further matter hangs. She
decided to go to the Comedia where the Perichole was playing Doña
Leonor in Moreto's _Trampa Adelante_; perhaps some material could be
derived from the visit for her daughter's next letter. She took with her
Pepita, a little girl about whom later we shall learn much. Doña María
had borrowed her from the orphanage connected with the Convent of Santa
María Rosa de las Rosas to be her companion. The Marquesa sat in her
box gazing with flagging attention at the brilliant stage. Between the
acts it was the Perichole's custom to lay aside the courtly rôle and
appear before the curtain to sing a few topical songs. The malicious
actress had seen the Marquesa arrive and presently began improvising
couplets alluding to her appearance, her avarice, her drunkenness, and
even to her daughter's flight from her. The attention of the house was
subtly directed to the old woman and a rising murmur of contempt
accompanied the laughter of the audience. But the Marquesa, deeply moved
by the first two acts of the comedy, scarcely saw the singer and sat
staring before her, thinking about Spain. Camila Perichole became bolder
and the air was electric with the hatred and glee of the crowd. At last
Pepita plucked the Marquesa's sleeve and whispered to her that they
should go. As they left the box the house arose and burst into a roar of
triumph; the Perichole flung herself into a frenzied dance, for she saw
the manager at the back of the hall and knew that her salary had been
increased. But the Marquesa remained unaware of what had taken place; in
fact she was quite pleased, for during the visit she had contrived a few
felicitous phrases, phrases (who knows) that might bring a smile to her
daughter's face and might make her murmur: "Really, my mother is
charming."
In due time the report reached the Viceroy's ears that one of his
aristocrats had been openly baited in the theatre. He summoned the
Perichole to the Palace and ordered her to call upon the Marquesa and to
apologize. The trip was to be made barefoot and in a black dress. Camila
argued and fought, but all she gained was a pair of shoes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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