CHAPTER VI
THINGS PHILIPPINE.
Father Damaso drove up in front of Captain Tiago's house and theFranciscan stepped to the ground just as Aunt Isabel and Maria Clarawere getting into their silver-trimmed carriage. They saluted FatherDamaso, and he, in his preoccupation, gently patted Maria Clara onthe cheek.
"Where are you going?" the friar asked.
"To the convent to get my things," replied the younger.
"Ah, ha! Ah, ha! We'll see who is the stronger. We'll see!" he mutteredand turned away, leaving the two women in wonder as to what it allmeant. The friar stepped along lightly, and reaching the stairs,went up.
"He must be studying his sermon," said Isabel. "Get in, Maria; weshall be late."
Whether Father Damaso was studying his sermon or not we cannot say. Atany rate, he was absorbed in some important matter, for he even forgotto extend his hand to Captain Tiago upon entering, greatly to theembarrassment of the Captain, who had to feign kissing it.
"Santiago, we have some very important matters to talk over; let usgo to your office."
The Captain, somewhat disturbed, was unable to reply, but he obeyedand followed the big priest into his office. Father Damaso shut thedoor behind them.
While they are conferring in secret, let us find out what hasbecome of Brother Sibyla. The wise Dominican was not to be found athis parochial residence, for early, immediately after mass, he hadgone to the Dominican convent, situated near the gate called Isabelthe Second or Magallanes, according to which family is in power inMadrid. Paying no attention to the delicious odor of chocolate orto the rattling of money boxes and coins in the treasurer's office,and scarcely answering the deferential salute of the treasurer, FatherSibyla went upstairs, crossed several corridors and rapped on a door.
"Come in!" answered a voice.
"May God give back health to Your Reverence!" was the greeting ofthe young Dominican as he entered.
A very feeble old priest was seated in a large arm-chair. Hiscomplexion was as yellow as the saints which Revera paints; his eyeswere sunk deep in their orbits, and his heavy eyebrows, which werenearly always knit in a frown, added to the brilliant glare of hisdeath-foreboding eyes.
"I have come to talk to you about the charge with which you haveentrusted me," said Father Sibyla.
"Ah, yes. And what about it?"
"Pshaw!" answered the young man with disgust, seating himself andturning his face away with disdain. "They have been telling us alot of lies. Young Ibarra is a prudent boy. He does not seem to bea fool. I think he is a pretty good sort of a chap."
"Do you think so?"
"Hostilities began last night."
"So soon? And how did it come about?"
Father Sibyla related briefly what had taken place between FatherDamaso and Crisostomo Ibarra.
"Furthermore," he added, in conclusion, "the young man is going tomarry that daughter of Captain Tiago, who was educated in the collegeof our sisters. He is rich and would not want to make any enemieswho might cause the loss of his happiness and his fortune."
The sick man bowed his head as a sign of assent. "Yes, that is myopinion. With such a wife and such a father-in-law we can hold himbody and soul. And if not, it will be all the better for us if hedeclares himself our enemy."
Father Sibyla looked at the old man with surprise.
"That is to say, for the good of our whole corporation," he added,breathing with difficulty. "I prefer open attacks to the foolishpraise and adulations of friends, for, the truth is, flattery isalways paid for."
"Does Your Reverence think so?"
The old man looked at him sadly. "Always bear this in mind," heanswered, panting with fatigue, "that our power will endure as longas it is believed in. If they attack us, the Government says, 'Theyattack them, because they see in them an obstacle to their liberty,therefore let us preserve them.'"
"And if the Government gives them a hearing? Sometimes theGovernment----"
"The Government will do no such thing."
"Nevertheless, if some bold and reckless man, impelled by covetousness,should dare to think that he wanted our possessions----"
"Then, woe to him!"
For a moment both remained silent.
"Furthermore," continued the sick man, "it will do us good to havethem attack us and wake us up. It would show us our weaknesses andstrengthen us. The exaggerated praises which we get deceive us,and put us asleep. We are becoming ridiculous and on the day that webecome ridiculous we shall fall as we fell in Europe. Money will nolonger flow into our churches, no one will longer buy our scapulariesor girdles, and when we cease to be rich we shall no longer possessthe great influence which we wield at present."
"Pshaw! We shall always have our property, our plantations----"
"We shall lose them all as we lost them in Europe. And the worstof it is that we are working for our own ruin. For instance, thisimmeasurable ambition to raise the incomes from our lands each year,this eagerness to increase the rents, which I have always opposedin vain, this eagerness will be our ruin. The natives already findthemselves forced to buy land in other localities if they want landsas good as ours. I fear that we are degenerating. 'Whom the gods woulddestroy they first make mad.' For this reason we should not be too hardon the people, for they are already grumbling under our exactions. Youhave considered well. Let us leave this thing to others, and keep upthe prestige which we have and let us endeavor to appear before Godwith clean hands. May the God of pity have mercy on our weaknesses!"
"So you believe that the tax or tribute----"
"Let us talk no more of money!" interrupted the sick man withdisgust. "You were saying that the lieutenant and Father Damasolast night----"
"Yes, Father," answered the young priest smiling. "But this morning Isaw the lieutenant again and he told me that he was sorry for what hadoccurred at the dinner. He said he thought that he had been affected bytoo much wine and that the same was true of Father Damaso. 'And yourboast to tell the Governor?' I asked jokingly. 'Father,' he answered,'I know when to make my word good so long as it does not stain myhonor. That is just the reason why I wear only two stars.'"
After talking over several minor matters, Father Sibyla took his leave.
As a matter of fact the lieutenant had not gone to the GovernorGeneral's palace in Melacanan with any report in regard to theoccurrence of the preceding evening. However, the Governor Generalhad learned of it through another source, and discussing the matterwith one of his aides, he said:
"A woman and a priest can give no offense. I intend to live peaceablywhile I remain in this country and I do not wish to have any troublewith men who wear skirts. And, furthermore, I have found out thatthe Father Provincial has evaded my orders in this matter. I askedfor the removal of that friar as a punishment. What was done? Theyremoved him, but they gave him another and much better town. 'Tricksof the friars,' as they say in Spain."
But when His Excellency found himself alone he ceased tosmile. "Ah!" he sighed, "if the people were not so stupid they wouldput a limit to their reverences. But every people deserves its fate,and we are no different in this respect from the rest of the world."
Meanwhile Captain Tiago had concluded his conference with FatherDamaso, or rather Father Damaso had concluded it.
"I have already warned you!" said the Franciscan on taking hisleave. "You could have avoided all of this had you consulted withme before, and, if you had not lied to me, when I asked you aboutit. See to it that you do not do any more such foolish things, andhave faith in your godfather."
Captain Tiago took two or three steps towards the sala, meditatingand sighing. All at once, as if some good idea had struck him, heran to the oratory and put out the candles and the lamps which hadbeen lighted for Ibarra's protection.
"There is still time enough," he murmured, "for he has a long roadto travel."