CHAPTER XXXV
THE CATASTROPHE.
There in the dining-room Captain Tiago, Linares, and Aunt Isabel wereeating supper. In the sala the rattling of plate and tableware washeard. Maria Clara had said that she did not care to eat and had seatedherself at the piano. By her side was jolly Sinang, who murmured littlesecrets in Maria's ear, while Father Salvi uneasily paced the sala.
It was not because the convalescent had no appetite that she wasnot eating. It was because she was awaiting the arrival of a certainperson and had taken advantage of the moment in which her Argus couldnot be present, the hour when Linares ate.
"You will see how that ghost will stay till eight o'clock," murmuredSinang, pointing to the curate. "At eight o'clock he ought tocome. This priest is as much in love as Linares."
Maria Clara looked at her friend, frightened. The latter, withoutnoticing her expression, continued her terrible gossip:
"Ah! Now I know why he doesn't go, in spite of all my hints. Hedoesn't want to burn the lamps in the convent. Don't you see? Eversince you fell ill, he has had the two lights which he used to burn,put out. But look at his eyes and his face!"
Just at that moment the clock in the house struck eight. The curatetrembled and went and sat down in a corner of the room.
"He is coming," said Sinang, pinching Maria Clara. "Do you hear?"
The bell in the church tolled eight and all arose to pray. FatherSalvi, with a weak and trembling voice, led, but, as each one hadhis own thoughts, nobody paid any attention to him.
The prayer had scarcely ended, when Ibarra presented himself. The youngman was wearing mourning, not only in his dress, but in his face. Infact, it was so evident that Maria Clara, on seeing him, arose andtook a step toward him as if to ask what ailed him, but at the sameinstant a discharge of musketry was heard. Ibarra stopped, his eyesrolled and he was unable to speak. The curate hid himself behind apillar. More shooting and more noise was heard in the direction of theconvent, followed by cries and the sound of people running. CaptainTiago, Aunt Isabel and Linares entered the room, hurriedly crying"tulisan! tulisan!" Andeng followed them, brandishing a spit and rantoward her foster sister.
Aunt Isabel fell on her knees and prayed the Kyrie eleison. CaptainTiago, pale and trembling, carried a chicken's liver on his fork, and,in tears, offered it to the Virgin of Antipolo. Linares had his mouthfull and was armed with a spoon. Sinang and Maria Clara embraced eachother. The only person who did not move was Ibarra. He stood as ifpetrified, his face indescribably pale.
The cries and blows continued, the windows were shut with a bang,a whistle was heard, and occasionally a shot.
"Christe eleison! Santiago, fasten the windows," groaned Aunt Isabel.
"Fifty great bombs and a thanksgiving mass," replied CaptainTiago. "Ora pro nobis!"
After a time, things quieted down and there was a terrible silence. Thevoice of the alferez was distinguished, as he came running in, andcrying: "Father curate! Father Salvi! Come!"
"Misere! The alferez is asking for confession!" cried Aunt Isabel.
"Is he wounded?" asked Linares at last. "Ah!"
"Come, Father Salvi! There is nothing to fear now," continued thealferez, shouting.
Father Salvi, pale, and decided at last, came out of his hiding-placeand went downstairs.
"The tulisanes have killed the alferez!" said Aunt Isabel.
"Maria Clara, Sinang, go to your room! Fasten the door! Kyrie eleison!"
Ibarra also went toward the stairs, in spite of Aunt Isabel, who wassaying: "Don't go out! You haven't confessed yet. Don't go out!"
The good old woman had been a great friend of Ibarra's mother.
But Ibarra left the house. It seemed to him that all about him wasrevolving through the air, that even the ground was gone from under hisfeet. His ears buzzed. His legs moved heavily and irregularly. Wavesof blood, light and darkness, succeeded one another on the retina ofhis eye.
Despite the fact that the moon was shining brightly in the heavens, theyoung man stumbled on every stone in the solitary and deserted street.
Near the cuartel he saw some soldiers with their bayonets fixed,talking excitedly. He passed by unseen.
In the tribunal, blows, cries, wails, and curses were heard. Thealferez's voice drowned all the others.
"Put him in the stocks! Put handcuffs on that fellow! Two shots forwhoever moves! Sergeant, you will mount your guard! Let no one pass,not even God! Corporal, let no one sleep!"
Ibarra hastened his steps toward his house. His servants were uneasilyawaiting him.
"Saddle the best horse and go to bed!" said he to them.
He entered his laboratory and hurriedly began to get his travellingbag ready. He opened an iron box, took out all the money which hefound there and put it in a bag. He gathered his jewels together,took down a picture of Maria Clara which was hanging upon the wall,and, arming himself with a dirk and two revolvers, he turned to thecupboard where he had some tools.
At that instant, three blows, loud and strong, sounded on the door.
"Who's there?" asked Ibarra, in a doleful voice.
"Open in the name of the King! Open the door at once, or we willknock it down!" replied an imperious Spanish voice.
Ibarra looked toward the window. His eyes flashed and he cocked hisrevolver. But changing his mind, he left the arms and went to openthe door at the same moment that the servants came up.
Three Guards seized him instantly.
"You are made a prisoner in the name of the King!" said the sergeant.
"What for?"
"They will tell you later. We are prohibited from saying a word."
The young man reflected a moment and not wishing, perhaps, the soldiersto discover his preparations for flight, he took his hat and said:
"I am at your disposal. I suppose it will be only for a short time."
"If you promise not to escape, we will not handcuff you. The alferezgrants this favor, but if you flee----"
Ibarra followed, leaving the servants in consternation.
In the meantime, what had become of Elias?
On leaving Crisostomo's house, like a madman, he ran about withoutknowing where. He crossed fields, and in violent agitation arrived at aforest. He was fleeing from people, and from light. The moon troubledhim and he entered the mysterious shade of the forest. Sometimesstopping, sometimes following unbroken paths, leaning upon century-oldtrunks, entangled in the briars, he looked toward the town, whichlay at his feet bathed in the light of the moon, stretching itselfout on the plain, lying on the shore of the lake. Birds, disturbedin their sleep, flew away. Owls screeched and flew from one limb toanother. But Elias neither heard nor saw them. He thought he was beingfollowed by the infuriated shades of his ancestors. He saw the horriblebasket hanging from every branch with the blood-covered head of Balat,just as his father had described it to him. He thought he saw the deadbody of his grandmother lying at the foot of every tree. He seemedto see the skeleton of his dishonored grandfather in the darkness,and the skeleton, the old woman, and the head all cried out to him,"Coward! Coward!"
He left the mountain and fled down toward the sea. He ran along thebeach in agitation. But there in the distance, amid the waves, wherethe light of the moon seemed to raise a fog, he thought he saw a shaderaise itself, the shade of his sister, with her breast covered withblood, her hair hanging loose in the air.
Elias fell upon his knees on the sand.
"And you, too!" he cried stretching out his arms.
Then, with his eyes fixed on the fog, he arose slowly and, advancingtoward it, went into the water as if to follow somebody. He waded onover the gentle slope of the beach which forms the bar. He was alreadyfar from the shore and the water was up to his belt. He went on andon, as if fascinated by a seducing spirit. The water was now up to hisbreast. Suddenly, the discharge of musketry awoke him from his dream,the vision disappeared, and the young man returned to reality. Hestopped, reflected, and noticed that he was in the water. T
he lakewas smooth and he could still see the lights in the fishermen's huts.
He returned to the shore and made his way toward the town. Whatfor? He himself did not know.
The town seemed uninhabited. The houses were all closed. Even theanimals, the dogs which are accustomed to bark at night, had hidthemselves through fear. The silvery light of the moon increased thesadness and solitude.
Afraid of meeting the Civil Guards, he went through the orchards andgardens. In one of the gardens he thought he saw two human forms,but he continued his way. Jumping over fences and walls, he arrivedafter great labor at the other side of the town, and directed hissteps toward Ibarra's house. The servants were in the door, lamentingand commenting on the arrest of their master.
Aware of what had passed, Elias went away, but returned to the house,leaped over the wall, crawled through a window and went into thecabinet or laboratory, where the candle which Ibarra had left wasstill burning.
Elias saw the papers and the books. He found the arms and the littlesacks which contained the money and the jewelry. All that had passedran through his imagination again, and, seeing all the papers whichmight incriminate Ibarra, he thought of collecting them, throwingthem through the window and burying them.
He glanced toward the garden and, by the light of the moon, he sawtwo Civil Guards coming with an adjutant. Their bayonets and helmetswere glistening in the light.
Then he decided. He piled up the clothes and papers in the middleof the cabinet, emptied the oil in a lamp upon the pile and set fireto it. He quickly buckled the arms around him. He saw the picture ofMaria Clara, hesitated--put it in one of the little sacks, and jumpedout of the window with them all.
It was already time, for the two Civil Guards were forcing theirentrance.
"Let us go up to get your master's papers," said the adjutant.
"Have you permission? If not, you shall not go up!" said an oldservant.
But the soldiers pushed the servants aside with the butts of theirguns and went upstairs. A thick smoke was already filling the wholehouse, and gigantic tongues of flame were coming out from the sala,licking the doors and windows.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!" they all cried.
Each hurried to save what he could, but the fire had filled the smalllaboratory, breaking out furiously among the inflammable materials. TheCivil Guards had to turn back. The fire, roaring and sweeping allbefore it, closed the passage to them. In vain they brought waterfrom the well. All were shouting, and crying for help, but they wereisolated. The fire reached the other rooms and in thick columns ofsmoke ascended to the heavens. Some peasants came from a distance,but they arrived only in time to see the frightful spectacle, theend of that old building, so long respected by the elements.