الفصل الفصل 59 · Chapter LIX

Patriotism and Private Interests

Secretly the telegraph transmitted the report to Manila, and thirty-six

hours later the newspapers commented on it with great mystery and not

a few dark hints--augmented, corrected, or mutilated by the censor. In

the meantime, private reports, emanating from the convents, were the

first to gain secret currency from mouth to mouth, to the great terror

of those who heard them. The fact, distorted in a thousand ways,

was believed with greater or less ease according to whether it was

flattering or worked contrary to the passions and ways of thinking

of each hearer.

Without public tranquillity seeming disturbed, at least outwardly,

yet the peace of mind of each home was whirled about like the water in

a pond: while the surface appears smooth and clear, in the depths the

silent fishes swarm, dive about, and chase one another. For one part

of the population crosses, decorations, epaulets, offices, prestige,

power, importance, dignities began to whirl about like butterflies

in a golden atmosphere. For the other part a dark cloud arose on the

horizon, projecting from its gray depths, like black silhouettes,

bars, chains, and even the fateful gibbet. In the air there seemed to

be heard investigations, condemnations, and the cries from the torture

chamber; Marianas [145] and Bagumbayan presented themselves wrapped

in a torn and bloody veil, fishers and fished confused. Fate pictured

the event to the imaginations of the Manilans like certain Chinese

fans--one side painted black, the other gilded with bright-colored

birds and flowers.

In the convents the greatest excitement prevailed. Carriages

were harnessed, the Provincials exchanged visits and held secret

conferences; they presented themselves in the palaces to offer their

aid to _the government in its perilous crisis_. Again there was talk

of comets and omens.

"_A Te Deum! A Te Deum!_" cried a friar in one convent. "This time

let no one be absent from the chorus! It's no small mercy from God

to make it clear just now, especially in these hopeless times, how

much we are worth!"

"The little general _Mal-Aguero_ [146] can gnaw his lips over this

lesson," responded another.

"What would have become of him if not for the religious corporations?"

"And to celebrate the fiesta better, serve notice on the cook and

the refectioner. _Gaudeamus_ for three days!"

"Amen!" "Viva Salvi!" "Amen!"

In another convent they talked differently.

"You see, now, that fellow is a pupil of the Jesuits. The filibusters

come from the Ateneo."

"And the anti-friars."

"I told you so. The Jesuits are ruining the country, they're corrupting

the youth, but they are tolerated because they trace a few scrawls

on a piece of paper when there is an earthquake."

"And God knows how they are made!"

"Yes, but don't contradict them. When everything is shaking and moving

about, who draws diagrams? Nothing, Padre Secchi--" [147]

And they smiled with sovereign disdain.

"But what about the weather forecasts and the typhoons?" asked another

ironically. "Aren't they divine?"

"Any fisherman foretells them!"

"When he who governs is a fool--tell me how your head is and I'll

tell you how your foot is! But you'll see if the friends favor one

another. The newspapers very nearly ask a miter for Padre Salvi."

"He's going to get it! He'll lick it right up!"

"Do you think so?"

"Why not! Nowadays they grant one for anything whatsoever. I know

of a fellow who got one for less. He wrote a cheap little work

demonstrating that the Indians are not capable of being anything but

mechanics. Pshaw, old-fogyisms!"

"That's right! So much favoritism injures Religion!" exclaimed

another. "If the miters only had eyes and could see what heads they

were upon--"

"If the miters were natural objects," added another in a nasal tone,

"_Natura abhorrer vacuum_."

"That's why they grab for them, their emptiness attracts!" responded

another.

These and many more things were said in the convents, but we will

spare our reader other comments of a political, metaphysical, or

piquant nature and conduct him to a private house. As we have few

acquaintances in Manila, let us enter the home of Capitan Tinong,

the polite individual whom we saw so profusely inviting Ibarra to

honor him with a visit.

In the rich and spacious sala of his Tondo house, Capitan Tinong was

seated in a wide armchair, rubbing his hands in a gesture of despair

over his face and the nape of his neck, while his wife, Capitana

Tinchang, was weeping and preaching to him. From the corner their

two daughters listened silently and stupidly, yet greatly affected.

"Ay, Virgin of Antipolo!" cried the woman. "Ay, Virgin of the Rosary

and of the Girdle! [148] Ay, ay! Our Lady of Novaliches!"

"Mother!" responded the elder of the daughters.

"I told you so!" continued the wife in an accusing tone. "I told you

so! Ay, Virgin of Carmen, [149] ay!"

"But you didn't tell me anything," Capitan Tinong dared to answer

tearfully. "On the contrary, you told me that I was doing well to

frequent Capitan Tiago's house and cultivate friendship with him,

because he's rich--and you told me--"

"What! What did I tell you? I didn't tell you that, I didn't tell

you anything! Ay, if you had only listened to me!"

"Now you're throwing the blame on _me_," he replied bitterly, slapping

the arm of his chair. "Didn't you tell me that I had done well to

invite him to dine with us, because he was wealthy? Didn't you say

that we ought to have friends only among the wealthy? _Abá!_"

"It's true that I told you so, because--because there wasn't anything

else for me to do. You did nothing but sing his praises: _Don Ibarra_

here, _Don Ibarra_ there, _Don Ibarra_ everywhere. _Abaá!_ But I

didn't advise you to hunt him up and talk to him at that reception! You

can't deny that!"

"Did I know that he was to be there, perhaps?"

"But you ought to have known it!"

"How so, if I didn't even know him?"

"But you ought to have known him!"

"But, Tinchang, it was the first time that I ever saw him, that I

ever heard him spoken of!"

"Well then, you ought to have known him before and heard him spoken

of. That's what you're a man for and wear trousers and read _El Diario

de Manila_," [150] answered his unterrified spouse, casting on him

a terrible look.

To this Capitan Tinong did not know what to reply. Capitana Tinchang,

however, was not satisfied with this victory, but wished to silence him

completely. So she approached him with clenched fists. "Is this what

I've worked for, year after year, toiling and saving, that you by your

stupidity may throw away the fruits of my labor?" she scolded. "Now

they'll come to deport you, they'll take away all our property, just

as they did from the wife of--Oh, if I were a man, if I were a man!"

Seeing that her husband bowed his head, she again fell to sobbing,

but still repeating, "Ay, if I were a man, if I were a man!"

"Well, if you were a man," the provoked husband at length asked,

"what would you do?"

"What would I do? Well--well--well, this very minute I'd go to the

Captain-General and offer to fight against the rebels, this very

minute!"

"But haven't you seen what the _Diario_ says? Read it: 'The vile

and infamous treason has been suppressed with energy, strength, and

vigor, and soon the rebellious enemies of the Fatherland and their

accomplices will feel all the weight and severity of the law.' Don't

you see it? There isn't any more rebellion."

"That doesn't matter! You ought to offer yourself as they did in '72;

[151] they saved themselves."

"Yes, that's what was done by Padre Burg--"

But he was unable to finish this name, for his wife ran to him and

slapped her hand over his mouth. "Shut up! Are you saying that name

so that they may garrote you tomorrow on Bagumbayan? Don't you know

that to pronounce it is enough to get yourself condemned without

trial? Keep quiet!"

However Capitan Tinong may have felt about obeying her, he could

hardly have done otherwise, for she had his mouth covered with both

her hands, pressing his little head against the back of the chair,

so that the poor fellow might have been smothered to death had not

a new personage appeared on the scene. This was their cousin, Don

Primitivo, who had memorized the "Amat," a man of some forty years,

plump, big-paunched, and elegantly dressed.

"_Quid video?_" he exclaimed as he entered. "What's

happening? _Quare?_" [152]

"Ay, cousin!" cried the woman, running toward him in tears, "I've

sent for you because I don't know what's going to become of us. What

do you advise? Speak, you've studied Latin and know how to argue."

"But first, _quid quaeritis? Nihil est in intellectu quod prius non

fuerit in sensu; nihil volitum quin praecognitum_." [153]

He sat down gravely and, just as if the Latin phrases had possessed

a soothing virtue, the couple ceased weeping and drew nearer to him

to hang upon the advice from his lips, as at one time the Greeks did

before the words of salvation from the oracle that was to free them

from the Persian invaders.

"Why do you weep? _Ubinam gentium sumus?_" [154]

"You've already heard of the uprising?"

"_Alzamentum Ibarrae ab alferesio Guardiae Civilis destructum? Et

nunc?_ [155] What! Does Don Crisostomo owe you anything?"

"No, but you know, Tinong invited him to dinner and spoke to him

on the Bridge of Spain--in broad daylight! They'll say that he's a

friend of his!"

"A friend of his!" exclaimed the startled Latinist, rising. "_Amice,

amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas_. Birds of a feather flock

together. _Malum est negotium et est timendum rerum istarum

horrendissimum resultatum!_ [156] Ahem!"

Capitan Tinong turned deathly pale at hearing so many words in _um_;

such a sound presaged ill. His wife clasped her hands supplicatingly

and said:

"Cousin, don't talk to us in Latin now. You know that we're not

philosophers like you. Let's talk in Spanish or Tagalog. Give us

some advice."

"It's a pity that you don't understand Latin, cousin. Truths in

Latin are lies in Tagalog; for example, _contra principia negantem

fustibus est arguendum_ [157] in Latin is a truth like Noah's ark,

but I put it into practise once and I was the one who got whipped. So,

it's a pity that you don't know Latin. In Latin everything would be

straightened out."

"We, too, know many _oremus, parcenobis_, and _Agnus Dei Catolis_,

[158] but now we shouldn't understand one another. Provide Tinong

with an argument so that they won't hang him!"

"You're done wrong, very wrong, cousin, in cultivating friendship

with that young man," replied the Latinist.

"The righteous suffer for the sinners. I was almost going to advise you

to make your will. _Vae illis! Ubi est fumus ibi est ignis! Similis

simili audet; atqui Ibarra ahorcatur, ergo ahorcaberis--_" [159]

With this he shook his head from side to side disgustedly.

"Saturnino, what's the matter?" cried Capitana Tinchang in dismay. "Ay,

he's dead! A doctor! Tinong, Tinongoy!"

The two daughters ran to her, and all three fell to weeping. "It's

nothing more than a swoon, cousin! I would have been more pleased

that--that--but unfortunately it's only a swoon. _Non timeo mortem

in catre sed super espaldonem Bagumbayanis_. [160] Get some water!"

"Don't die!" sobbed the wife. "Don't die, for they'll come and arrest

you! Ay, if you die and the soldiers come, ay, ay!"

The learned cousin rubbed the victim's face with water until he

recovered consciousness. "Come, don't cry. _Inveni remedium_: I've

found a remedy. Let's carry him to bed. Come, take courage! Here I am

with you--and all the wisdom of the ancients. Call a doctor, and you,

cousin, go right away to the Captain-General and take him a present--a

gold ring, a chain. _Dadivae quebrantant peñas_. [161] Say that it's

a Christmas gift. Close the windows, the doors, and if any one asks

for my cousin, say that he is seriously ill. Meanwhile, I'll burn all

his letters, papers, and books, so that they can't find anything,

just as Don Crisostomo did. _Scripti testes sunt! Quod medicamenta

non sanant, ferrum sanat, quod ferrum non sanat, ignis sanat._" [162]

"Yes, do so, cousin, burn everything!" said Capitana Tinchang. "Here

are the keys, here are the letters from Capitan Tiago. Burn them! Don't

leave a single European newspaper, for they're very dangerous. Here

are the copies of _The Times_ that I've kept for wrapping up soap

and old clothes. Here are the books."

"Go to the Captain-General, cousin," said Don Primitivo, "and leave

us alone. _In extremis extrema_. [163] Give me the authority of a

Roman dictator, and you'll see how soon I'll save the coun--I mean,

my cousin."

He began to give orders and more orders, to upset bookcases, to tear

up papers, books, and letters. Soon a big fire was burning in the

kitchen. Old shotguns were smashed with axes, rusty revolvers were

thrown away. The maidservant who wanted to keep the barrel of one

for a blowpipe received a reprimand:

"_Conservare etiam sperasti, perfida?_ [164] Into the fire!" So

he continued his auto da fé. Seeing an old volume in vellum,

he read the title, _Revolutions of the Celestial Globes_,

by Copernicus. Whew! "_Ite, maledicti, in ignem kalanis!_"

[165] he exclaimed, hurling it into the flames. "Revolutions and

Copernicus! Crimes on crimes! If I hadn't come in time! _Liberty in

the Philippines!_ Ta, ta, ta! What books! Into the fire!"

Harmless books, written by simple authors, were burned; not even the

most innocent work escaped. Cousin Primitivo was right: the righteous

suffer for the sinners.

Four or five hours later, at a pretentious reception in the Walled

City, current events were being commented upon. There were present

a lot of old women and maidens of marriageable age, the wives and

daughters of government employees, dressed in loose gowns, fanning

themselves and yawning. Among the men, who, like the women, showed

in their faces their education and origin, was an elderly gentleman,

small and one-armed, whom the others treated with great respect. He

himself maintained a disdainful silence.

"To tell the truth, formerly I couldn't endure the friars and the

civil-guards, they're so rude," said a corpulent dame, "but now that

I see their usefulness and their services, I would almost marry any

one of them gladly. I'm a patriot."

"That's what I say!" added a thin lady. "What a pity that we haven't

our former governor. He would leave the country as clean as a platter."

"And the whole race of filibusters would be exterminated!"

"Don't they say that there are still a lot of islands to be

populated? Why don't they deport all these crazy Indians to them? If

I were the Captain-General--"

"Señoras," interrupted the one-armed individual, "the Captain-General

knows his duty. As I've heard, he's very much irritated, for he had

heaped favors on that Ibarra."

"Heaped favors on him!" echoed the thin lady, fanning herself

furiously. "Look how ungrateful these Indians are! Is it possible to

treat them as if they were human beings? _Jesús!_"

"Do you know what I've heard?" asked a military official.

"What's that?"

"Let's hear it!"

"What do they say?"

"Reputable persons," replied the officer in the midst of a profound

silence, "state that this agitation for building a schoolhouse was

a pure fairy tale."

"_Jesús!_ Just see that!" the señoras exclaimed, already believing

in the trick.

"The school was a pretext. What he wanted to build was a fort from

which he could safely defend himself when we should come to attack

him."

"What infamy! Only an Indian is capable of such cowardly thoughts,"

exclaimed the fat lady. "If I were the Captain-General they would

soon seem they would soon see--"

"That's what I say!" exclaimed the thin lady, turning to the one-armed

man. "Arrest all the little lawyers, priestlings, merchants, and

without trial banish or deport them! Tear out the evil by the roots!"

"But it's said that this filibuster is the descendant of Spaniards,"

observed the one-armed man, without looking at any one in particular.

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the fat lady, unterrified. "It's always the

creoles! No Indian knows anything about revolution! Rear crows,

rear crows!" [166]

"Do you know what I've heard?" asked a creole lady, to change the topic

of conversation. "The wife of Capitan Tinong, you remember her, the

woman in whose house we danced and dined during the fiesta of Tondo--"

"The one who has two daughters? What about her?"

"Well, that woman just this afternoon presented the Captain-General

with a ring worth a thousand pesos!"

The one-armed man turned around. "Is that so? Why?" he asked with

shining eyes.

"She said that it was a Christmas gift--"

"But Christmas doesn't come for a month yet!"

"Perhaps she's afraid the storm is blowing her way," observed the

fat lady.

"And is getting under cover," added the thin señora.

"When no return is asked, it's a confession of guilt."

"This must be carefully looked into," declared the one-armed man

thoughtfully. "I fear that there's a cat in the bag."

"A cat in the bag, yes! That's just what I was going to say," echoed

the thin lady.

"And so was I," said the other, taking the words out of her mouth,

"the wife of Capitan Tinong is so stingy--she hasn't yet sent us

any present and that after we've been in her house. So, when such

a grasping and covetous woman lets go of a little present worth a

thousand pesos--"

"But, is it a fact?" inquired the one-armed man.

"Certainly! Most certainly! My cousin's sweetheart, his Excellency's

adjutant, told her so. And I'm of the opinion that it's the very same

ring that the older daughter wore on the day of the fiesta. She's

always covered with diamonds."

"A walking show-case!"

"A way of attracting attention, like any other! Instead of buying a

fashion plate or paying a dressmaker--"

Giving some pretext, the one-armed man left the gathering. Two hours

later, when the world slept, various residents of Tondo received an

invitation through some soldiers. The authorities could not consent

to having certain persons of position and property sleep in such

poorly guarded and badly ventilated houses--in Fort Santiago and

other government buildings their sleep would be calmer and more

refreshing. Among these favored persons was included the unfortunate

Capitan Tinong.