CHAPTER XXXIV
THE DISCOVERY.
The bell announces the hour of evening prayer. On hearing thereligious sound, all stop, leave their work and uncover their heads;the laborer, coming from the fields on the carabao's back, suspendsthe song to which the animal keeps step, and prays; the women in themiddle of the street make the sign of the cross, and move their lipswith affectation so that no one may doubt their devotion: the manstops fondling his game-cock and recites the Angelus so that he mayhave good luck; in the houses, they pray in a loud voice ... everysound which is not a part of the Ave Maria is dissipated, silenced.
However, the curate, without his hat, hastily crosses the street,scandalizing many old women. And still more scandalous, he directshis steps towards the alferez's house. The devout women think thatit is time for them to stop the movement of their lips and to kissthe curate's hand, but Father Salvi takes no notice of them. To-dayhe finds no pleasure in placing his bony hand under a Christian'snose. Some important business must be occupying him that he shouldso forget his own interests and those of the Church!
He goes up the stairs and knocks impatiently at the alferez's door. Thelatter appears, his eyebrows knit and followed by his better half,who smiles malignantly.
"Ah, Father Curate! I was just going to see you. Your he-goat...."
"I have a most important matter...."
"I can't allow your goat to go on breaking down my fence.... I'llshoot him if he gets in there again."
"That is if you are alive to-morrow," said the curate, breathless,and directing himself toward the sala.
"What! do you think that that seven-months-old puppy will kill me? I'llkick him to pieces."
Father Salvi stepped back and looked instinctively at the feet ofthe alferez.
"Whom are you talking about?" asked he, trembling.
"Of whom could I be talking but that big blockhead who proposes tochallenge me to a duel with revolvers at one hundred paces?"
"Ah!" sighed the curate, and added: "I have come to speak about amost urgent matter which seriously concerns the life of all of us."
"Seriously!" repeated the alferez, turning pale in turn. "Does thisyoung fellow shoot well...?"
"I am not speaking about him."
"Then?"
The friar pointed to the door which the alferez shut in his customarymanner, by a kick. The alferez usually found his hands superfluous. Animprecation and a groan from without were heard.
"You brute. You have cut open my head!" cried his wife.
"Now unbosom yourself," said he to the curate in a quiet manner. Thelatter looked at him for some time. Afterward he asked, in that nasaland monotonous priest's voice:
"Did you see how I came running?"
"Umph! I thought something was the matter with you."
"When I leave my duties in this manner there are grave motives."
"And what is it?" asked the other, stamping his foot on the floor.
"Calm yourself!"
"Then, why did you come in such a hurry?"
The curate approached him and asked in a mysterious way:
"Don't--you--know--anything--new?"
The alferez shrugged his shoulders.
"You confess that you know absolutely nothing?"
"What! do you mean to tell me about Elias, whom your sacristan mayorhid last night?" he asked.
"No, no! I don't speak of such matters now," replied the curate,in a bad humor. "I am talking about a great danger."
"Then d----n it! Let it out."
"Now then," said the friar slowly and with a certain disdain, "youwill see again how important we priests are. The lowest layman isworth a regiment, so that a curate...."
And then lowering his voice in a very mysterious manner:
"I have discovered a great conspiracy."
The alferez started and looked at the friar astonished.
"A terrible and well-laid conspiracy, which is to break out thisvery night."
"This very night!" exclaimed the alferez, moving at first towardFather Salvi, and then running after his revolver and saber,which were hanging on the wall: "Whom shall I arrest? Whom shall Iarrest?" he cried.
"Be calm. It is not yet time, thanks to my great haste. At eighto'clock."
"I'll shoot them all!"
"Listen! This afternoon a woman, whose name I must not mention (itis a secret of the confessional) came to me and disclosed it all. Ateight o'clock they will take the cuartel by surprise, sack the convent,seize the Government's steamboat and assassinate all the Spaniards."
The alferez was stupified.
"The woman has not told more than that," added the curate.
"Has not told you more? Then I'll arrest her!"
"No; I cannot consent to it. The tribunal of penitence is the throneof God of forgiveness."
"Neither God nor forgiveness count in this matter. I'll arrest her."
"You are losing your head. What you ought to do is to prepareyourself. Arm your soldiers quietly and put them in ambush. Send mefour Guards for the convent and notify the people on the Governmentsteamboat."
"The boat is not here. I'll send to other sections for aid."
"They would notice that and would not go on with their plans. No,don't do that. What is important is that we catch them alive and makethem talk; I say, you will make them disclose the conspiracy. I, in thecapacity of a priest, ought not to mix myself in these matters. Now'syour chance! Here you can win crosses and stars. I ask only that youmake it evident that I am the one who warned you."
"It will be made evident, Father, it will be made evident! And perhapsa mitre will fall to you!" replied the radiant alferez.
"Be sure and send me four un-uniformed Civil Guards, eh? Bediscreet! To-night at eight o'clock, it will rain stars and crosses."
While this was going on, a man came running down the road which ledto Ibarra's house, and quickly went up the stairs.
"Is the Senor at home?" asked Elias of the servant.
"He is in his laboratory at work."
Ibarra, in order to pass the time while he impatiently waited for thehour when he could make explanations to Maria Clara, had gone to workin his cabinet.
"Ah, is it you, Elias?" he exclaimed. "I was thinking aboutyou. Yesterday, I forgot to ask you for the name of that Spaniard inwhose house your grandfather lived."
"Don't bother yourself, Senor, about me...."
"Look!" continued Ibarra, without noting the agitation of the youngman, and putting a piece of bamboo to a flame. "I have made a greatdiscovery. This bamboo is incombustible...."
"Don't talk about bamboo now, Senor. Talk about collecting your papersand fleeing in a minute."
Ibarra looked at him surprised, and, on seeing the seriousness inElias's countenance, he dropped the object which he had in his hands.
"Burn everything that can possibly implicate you in any way and putyourself in a more secure place within an hour."
"And what for?" he asked at last.
"Put all that you have of value in a secure place...."
"And what for?"
"Burn all papers written by you or to you. The most innocent can beinterpreted in a bad sense."
"But what for?"
"What for? Because I have just discovered a conspiracy which will beattributed to you in order to ruin you."
"A conspiracy? And who has planned it?"
"I have been unable to learn the author of it. Only a moment ago Iwas talking with one of the unfortunate men who have been paid forit. I could not dissuade him."
"And didn't that fellow say who paid him?"
"Yes. Asking me to keep the secret, he told me that it was you."
"My God!" exclaimed Ibarra. He stood stupefied.
"Senor, don't hesitate, don't doubt, don't lose time, for undoubtedlythe conspiracy will break out this very night."
Ibarra, with staring eyes, and hands holding his head, seemed not tohear him.
"The blow cannot be thwarted," continued Elias. "I h
ave arrived toolate. I do not know their leaders ... save yourself, Senor, saveyourself for the sake of your country."
"Where shall I flee? They are expecting me this evening," exclaimedIbarra, thinking of Maria Clara.
"To any other town, to Manila, to the house of some official; onlyflee somewhere so that they will not say that you are directingthe movement."
"And if I myself denounce the conspiracy?"
"You denounce it?" exclaimed Elias, looking at him, and steppingback. "You would pass for a traitor and a coward in the eyes ofthe conspirators, and for a pusillanimous person in the eyes ofothers. They would say that you had played a trick to win some praise,they would say...."
"But what can be done?"
"Already I have told you. Destroy all the papers you have which relateto you; flee and await developments."
"And Maria Clara?" exclaimed the young man. "No; death first!"
Elias wrung his hands and said:
"Well, then, at least avoid the blow. Prepare yourself against theiraccusations."
Ibarra looked around him in a stupefied manner.
"Then, help me! There in those bags I have my family letters. Sortout those from my father, which are, perhaps, the ones that wouldincriminate me. Read the signatures."
Ibarra, stunned and overwhelmed, opened and closed drawers, collectedpapers, hastily read letters, tore up some, kept others, took downbooks and thumbed through some of them. Elias did the same, if indeedwith less confusion, with equal zeal. But he stopped, with eyes wideopen, turned over a paper which he had in his hand and asked in atrembling voice:
"Did your family know Don Pedro Eibarramendia?"
"Certainly!" replied Ibarra, opening a drawer and taking out a pileof papers. "He was my great-grandfather."
"Your great grandfather? Don Pedro Eibarramendia?" he again asked,with livid features and a changed appearance.
"Yes," replied Ibarra, distracted. "We cut short the name, for itwas too long."
"He was a Basque?" said Elias approaching him.
"Yes; but what's the matter?" he asked, surprised.
Elias closed his fist, shook it in Ibarra's face and looked athim. Crisostomo stepped back as soon as he read the expression onthat face.
"Do you know who Don Pedro Eibarramendia was?" he asked betweenhis teeth. "Don Pedro Eibarramendia was that wretch who accused mygrandfather and caused all our misery.... I was looking for one ofhis name. God has given you into my hands.... Account to me for ourmisfortunes."
Ibarra looked at him terrified. Elias shook him by the arm and,in a bitter voice, filled with hate, said:
"Look at me well; see if I have suffered, and you, you live, you love,you have fortune, home, consideration. You live ... you live!"
And, beside himself, he ran toward a small collection of arms, buthe had scarcely grasped two swords when he let them fall, and, likea madman, looked at Ibarra, who remained immovable.
"What am I to do?" he said and fled from the house.