181
[The following comments are an expanded and somewhat amended version of remarks delivered during the discussion of the paper on Nazarín presented by Peter B. Goldman to the Galdós Seminar, at the MLA Convention in Chicago, 27 December 1973.]
182
Ciriaco Morón Arroyo, «Nazarín y Halma: sentido y unidad», AG, II (1967), 76. Professor Morón Arroyo comes close, indeed, in his perceptive discussion, to recognizing the problems involved in the interpretation of Nazarín and their implications. Thus, he acknowledges the possibility of interpreting Nazarín's behavior in terms of exhibitionism and pride; he appeals to point of view, to the narrator's glosses, to explain away alguna frase menos feliz.
183
Alexander A. Parker, «Nazarín, or the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Galdós», AG, II (1967), 91.
184
Michael Nimetz, Humor in Galdós (New Haven, 1968), p. 120.
185
False, because of the inherent implausibility of attributing authorship either to the sceptical reporter, who has already judged Nazarín to be a rogue, or to the probably illiterate tía Chanfaina, or to the old gypsy. See Benito Pérez Galdós, Nazarín, Obras Completas (Madrid: Aguilar, 1967), V, 1691. Subsequent references to Nazarín (and to Halma where appropriate) will be taken from this edition and will, where possible, be given in the text.
186
Diminutives (for example, el dichoso cleriguito, el pobre curita, el padrito), although less frequently employed, serve the same purpose in the novel.
187
Note that the author draws the reader's attention to this usage on the first occasion on which it is employed: «don Nazario (pues no siempre hemos de llamarle Nazarín, familiarmente)...» (p. 1694).
188
His offer to seek food elsewhere is phrased in such a way as to sting Estefanía into providing for him: «Pero si no quiere dármelo, a otra parte iré donde me lo den, que no hay tan pocas almas caritativas como usted cree» (p. 1683).
189
Note also that Estefanía, as well as Nazarín, protects Ándara in her hiding place.
190
«[...] sin acordarse de su destruido albergue, ni de Ándara, ni de Estefanía, ni de cosa alguna que con tal gente y casa se relacionara...» (p. 1703).