by José Rizal
CHAPTER XXXVII
His Excellency
"I Want to talk with that young man," said his Excellency to anaide. "He has aroused all my interest."
"They have already gone to look for him, General. But here is a youngman from Manila who insists on being introduced. We told him thatyour Excellency had no time for interviews, that you had not cometo give audiences, but to see the town and the procession, and heanswered that your Excellency always has time to dispense justice--"
His Excellency turned to the alcalde in wonder. "If I am not mistaken,"said the latter with a slight bow, "he is the young man who thismorning had a quarrel with Padre Damaso over the sermon."
"Still another? Has this friar set himself to stir up the wholeprovince or does he think that he governs here? Show the young manin." His Excellency paced nervously from one end of the sala tothe other.
In the hall were gathered various Spaniards mingled with soldiersand officials of San Diego and neighboring towns, standing in groupsconversing or disputing. There were also to be seen all the friars,with the exception of Padre Damaso, and they wanted to go in to paytheir respects to his Excellency.
"His Excellency the Captain-General begs your Reverences to wait amoment," said the aide. "Come in, young man!" The Manilan who hadconfounded Greek with Tagalog entered the room pale and trembling.
All were filled with surprise; surely his Excellency must be greatlyirritated to dare to make the friars wait! Padre Sibyla remarked,"I haven't anything to say to him, I'm wasting my time here."
"I say the same," added an Augustinian. "Shall we go?"
"Wouldn't it be better that we find out how he stands?" asked PadreSalvi. "We should avoid a scandal, and should be able to remind himof his duties toward--religion."
"Your Reverences may enter, if you so desire," said the aide ashe ushered out the youth who did not understand Greek and whosecountenance was now beaming with satisfaction.
Fray Sibyla entered first, Padre Salvi, Padre Martin, and the otherpriests following. They all made respectful bows with the exceptionof Padre Sibyla, who even in bending preserved a certain air ofsuperiority. Padre Salvi on the other hand almost doubled himselfover the girdle.
"Which of your Reverences is Padre Damaso?" asked the Captain-Generalwithout any preliminary greeting, neither asking them to be seated norinquiring about their health nor addressing them with the flatteringspeeches to which such important personages are accustomed.
"Padre Damaso is not here among us, sir," replied Fray Sibyla in thesame dry tone as that used by his Excellency.
"Your Excellency's servant is in bed sick," added Padre Salvihumbly. "After having the pleasure of welcoming you and of informingourselves concerning your Excellency's health, as is the duty of allgood subjects of the King and of every person of culture, we havecome in the name of the respected servant of your Excellency who hashad the misfortune--"
"Oh!" interrupted the Captain-General, twirling a chair about on oneleg and smiling nervously, "if all the servants of my Excellency werelike his Reverence, Padre Damaso, I should prefer myself to servemy Excellency!"
The reverend gentlemen, who were standing up physically, did somentally at this interruption.
"Won't your Reverences be seated?" he added after a brief pause,moderating his tone a little.
Capitan Tiago here appeared in full dress, walking on tiptoe andleading by the hand Maria Clara, who entered timidly and withhesitation. Still she bowed gracefully and ceremoniously.
"Is this young lady your daughter?" asked the Captain-General insurprise.
"And your Excellency's, General," answered Capitan Tiagoseriously. [103]
The alcalde and the aides opened their eyes wide, but his Excellencylost none of his gravity as he took the girl's hand and said affably,"Happy are the fathers who have daughters like you, senorita! I haveheard you spoken of with respect and admiration and have wanted tosee you and thank you for your beautiful action of this afternoon. Iam informed of _everything_ and when I make my report to his Majesty'sgovernment I shall not forget your noble conduct. Meanwhile, permit meto thank you in the name of his Majesty, the King, whom I representhere and who loves _peace and tranquillity_ in his loyal subjects,and for myself, a father who has daughters of your age, and to proposea reward for you."
"Sir--" answered the trembling Maria Clara.
His Excellency guessed what she wanted to say, and so continued:"It is well, senorita, that you are at peace with your conscience andcontent with the good opinion of your fellow-countrymen, with thefaith which is its own best reward and beyond which we should notaspire. But you must not deprive me of an opportunity to show thatif Justice knows how to punish she also knows how to reward and thatshe is not always _blind!_" The italicized words were all spoken ina loud and significant tone.
"Senor Don Juan Crisostomo Ibarra awaits the orders of yourExcellency!" announced the aide in a loud voice.
Maria Clara shuddered.
"Ah!" exclaimed the Captain-General. "Allow me, senorita, to expressmy desire to see you again before leaving the town, as I still havesome very important things to say to you. Senor Alcalde, you willaccompany me during the walk which I wish to take after the conferencethat I will hold alone with Senor Ibarra."
"Your Excellency will permit us to inform you," began Padre Salvihumbly, "that Senor Ibarra is excommunicated."
His Excellency cut short this speech, saying, "I am happy that I haveonly to regret the condition of Padre Damaso, for whom I _sincerely_desire a _complete_ recovery, since at his age _a voyage to Spain_on account of his health may not be very agreeable. But that dependson him! Meanwhile, may God preserve the health of your Reverences!"
"And so much depends on him," murmured Padre Salvi as theyretired. "We'll see who makes that voyage soonest!" remarked anotherFranciscan.
"I shall leave at once," declared the indignant Padre Sibyla.
"And we shall go back to our province," said the Augustinians. Neitherthe Dominican nor the Augustinians could endure the thought that theyhad been so coldly received on a Franciscan's account.
In the hall they met Ibarra, their amphitryon of a few hours before,but no greetings were exchanged, only looks that said many things. Butwhen the friars had withdrawn the alcalde greeted him familiarly,although the entrance of the aide looking for the young man leftno time for conversation. In the doorway he met Maria Clara; theirlooks also said many things but quite different from what the friars'eyes had expressed.
Ibarra was dressed in deep mourning, but presented himself serenelyand made a profound bow, even though the visit of the friars had notappeared to him to be a good augury. The Captain-General advancedtoward him several steps.
"I take pleasure, Senor Ibarra, in shaking your hand. Permit me toreceive you in all confidence." His Excellency examined the youthwith marked satisfaction.
"Sir, such kindness--"
"Your surprise offends me, signifying as it does that you had notexpected to be well received. That is casting a doubt on my senseof justice!"
"A cordial reception, sir, for an insignificant subject of his Majestylike myself is not justice but a favor."
"Good, good," exclaimed his Excellency, seating himself and wavingIbarra to a chair. "Let us enjoy a brief period of frankness. I amvery well satisfied with your conduct and have already recommendedyou to his Majesty for a decoration on account of your philanthropicidea of erecting a schoolhouse. If you had let me know, I would haveattended the ceremony with pleasure, and perhaps might have preventeda disagreeable incident."
"It seemed to me such a small matter," answered the youth, "that Idid not think it worth while troubling your Excellency with it in themidst of your numerous cares. Besides, my duty was to apply first tothe chief authority of my province."
His Excellency nodded with a satisfied air and went on in an even morefamiliar tone: "In regard to the trouble you're had with Padre Damaso,don't hold any fear or rancor, for they won't touch a hair of your headwhile I gover
n the islands. As for the excommunication, I'll speakto the Archbishop, since it is necessary for us to adjust ourselvesto circumstances. Here we can't laugh at such things in public as wecan in the Peninsula and in enlightened Europe. Nevertheless, be moreprudent in the future. You have placed yourself in opposition to thereligious orders, who must be respected on account of their influenceand their wealth. But I will protect you, for I like good sons,I like to see them honor the memory of their fathers. I loved mine,and, as God lives, I don't know what I would have done in your place!"
Then, changing the subject of conversation quickly, he asked, "I'mtold that you have just returned from Europe; were you in Madrid?"
"Yes, sir, several months."
"Perhaps you heard my family spoken of?"
"Your Excellency had just left when I had the honor of being introducedto your family."
"How is it, then, that you came without bringing any recommendationsto me?"
"Sir," replied Ibarra with a bow, "because I did not come direct fromSpain and because I have heard your Excellency so well spoken of thatI thought a letter of recommendation might not only be valueless buteven offensive; all Filipinos are recommended to you."
A smile played about the old soldier's lips and he replied slowly, asthough measuring and weighing his words, "You flatter me by thinkingso, and--so it ought to be. Nevertheless, young man, you must knowwhat burdens weigh upon our shoulders here in the Philippines. Herewe, old soldiers, have to do and to be everything: King, Minister ofState, of War, of Justice, of Finance, of Agriculture, and of allthe rest. The worst part of it too is that in every matter we haveto consult the distant mother country, which accepts or rejects ourproposals according to circumstances there--and at times blindly. As weSpaniards say, 'He who attempts many things succeeds in none.' Besides,we generally come here knowing little about the country and leaveit when we begin to get acquainted with it. With you I can be frank,for it would be useless to try to be otherwise. Even in Spain, whereeach department has its own minister, born and reared in the locality,where there are a press and a public opinion, where the oppositionfrankly opens the eyes of the government and keeps it informed,everything moves along imperfectly and defectively; thus it is amiracle that here things are not completely topsyturvy in the lackof these safeguards, and having to live and work under the shadowof a most powerful opposition. Good intentions are not lacking tous, the governing powers, but we find ourselves obliged to availourselves of the eyes and arms of others whom ordinarily we do notknow and who perhaps, instead of serving their country, serve onlytheir own private interests. This is not our fault but the faultof circumstances--the friars aid us not a little in getting along,but they are not sufficient. You have aroused my interest and it ismy desire that the imperfections of our present system of governmentbe of no hindrance to you. I cannot look after everybody nor caneverybody come to me. Can I be of service to you in any way? Haveyou no request to make?"
Ibarra reflected a moment before he answered. "Sir, my dearest wishis the happiness of my country, a happiness which I desire to seeowed to the mother country and to the efforts of my fellow-citizens,the two united by the eternal bonds of common aspirations and commoninterests. What I would request can only be given by the governmentafter years of unceasing toil and after the introduction of definitereforms."
His Excellency gazed at him for a few seconds with a searching look,which Ibarra sustained with naturalness. "You are the first man thatI've talked to in this country!" he finally exclaimed, extendinghis hand.
"Your Excellency has seen only those who drag themselves about in thecity; you have not visited the slandered huts of our towns or yourExcellency would have been able to see real men, if to be a man itis sufficient to have a generous heart and simple customs."
The Captain-General rose and began to walk back and forth in theroom. "Senor Ibarra," he exclaimed, pausing suddenly, and the young manalso rose, "perhaps within a month I shall leave. Your education andyour mode of thinking are not for this country. Sell what you have,pack your trunk, and come with me to Europe; the climate there willbe more agreeable to you."
"I shall always while I live preserve the memory of your Excellency'skindness," replied Ibarra with emotion, "but I must remain in thiscountry where my fathers have lived."
"Where they have died you might say with more exactness! Believeme, perhaps I know your country better than you yourself do. Ah,now I remember," he exclaimed with a change of tone, "you are goingto marry an adorable young woman and I'm detaining you here! Go, goto her, and that you may have greater freedom send her father to me,"this with a smile. "Don't forget, though, that I want you to accompanyme in my walk."
Ibarra bowed and withdrew. His Excellency then called to hisaide. "I'm satisfied," he said, slapping the latter lightly on theshoulder. "Today I've seen for the first time how it is possible forone to be a good Spaniard without ceasing to be a good Filipino andto love his country. Today I showed their Reverences that we are notall puppets of theirs. This young man gave me the opportunity and Ishall soon have settled all my accounts with the friars. It's a pitythat some day or other this young man--But call the alcalde."
The alcalde presented himself immediately. As he entered, theCaptain-General said to him, "Senor Alcalde, in order to avoid anyrepetition of _scenes_ such as you _witnessed_ this afternoon, scenesthat I regret, as they _hurt the prestige_ of the government and ofall good Spaniards, allow me to recommend to your _especial_ careSenor Ibarra, so that you may afford him means for carrying out hispatriotic intentions and also that in the future you prevent his beingmolested by persons of any class whatsoever, under any pretext at all."
The alcalde understood the reprimand and bowed to conceal hisconfusion.
"Have the same order communicated to the alferez who commands in thedistrict here. Also, investigate whether that gentleman has affairsof his own that are not sanctioned by the regulations. I've heardmore than one complaint in regard to that."
Capitan Tiago presented himself stiff and formal. "Don Santiago," saidhis Excellency in an affable tone, "a little while ago I felicitatedyou on the happiness of having a daughter such as the Senorita de losSantos; now let me congratulate you on your future son-in-law. Themost virtuous of daughters is certainly worthy of the best citizen ofthe Philippines. Is it permitted to know when the wedding will occur?"
"Sir!" stammered Capitan Tiago, wiping the perspiration from hisforehead.
"Come now, I see that there is nothing definitely arranged. If personsare lacking to stand up with them, I shall take the greatest pleasurein being one of them. That's for the purpose of ridding myself of thefeeling of disgust which the many weddings I've heretofore taken partin have given me," he added, turning to the alcalde.
"Yes, sir," answered Capitan Tiago with a smile that would moveto pity.
Ibarra almost ran in search of Maria Clara--he had so many thingsto tell her. Hearing merry voices in one of the rooms, he knockedlightly on the door.
"Who's there?" asked the voice of Maria Clara.
"I!"
The voices became hushed and the door--did not open.
"It's I, may I come in?" called the young man, his heart beatingviolently.
The silence continued. Then light footsteps approached the door and themerry voice of Sinang murmured through the keyhole, "Crisostomo, we'regoing to the theater tonight. Write what you have to say to Maria."
The footsteps retreated again as rapidly as they approached.
"What does this mean?" murmured Ibarra thoughtfully as he retiredslowly from the door.
