CHAPTER XXXIII
Free Thought
Ibarra was just putting the finishing touches to a change ofclothing when a servant informed him that a countryman was askingfor him. Supposing it to be one of his laborers, he ordered that hebe brought into his office, or study, which was at the same time alibrary and a chemical laboratory. Greatly to his surprise he foundhimself face to face with the severe and mysterious figure of Elias.
"You saved my life," said the pilot in Tagalog, noticing Ibarra'sstart of surprise. "I have partly paid the debt and you have nothing tothank me for, but quite the opposite. I've come to ask a favor of you."
"Speak!" answered the youth in the same language, puzzled by thepilot's gravity.
Elias stared into Ibarra's eyes for some seconds before he replied,"When human courts try to clear up this mystery, I beg of you not tospeak to any one of the warning that I gave you in the church."
"Don't worry," answered the youth in a rather disgusted tone. "I knowthat you're wanted, but I'm no informer."
"Oh, it's not on my account, not on my account!" exclaimed Elias withsome vigor and haughtiness. "It's on your own account. I fear nothingfrom men."
Ibarra's surprise increased. The tone in which this rustics--formerlya pilot--spoke was new and did not seem to harmonize with either hiscondition or his fortune. "What do you mean?" he asked, interrogatingthat mysterious individual with his looks.
"I do not talk in enigmas but try to express myself clearly; for yourgreater security, it is better that your enemies think you unsuspectingand unprepared."
Ibarra recoiled. "My enemies? Have I enemies?"
"All of us have them, sir, from the smallest insect up to man, fromthe poorest and humblest to the richest and most powerful! Enmity isthe law of life!"
Ibarra gazed at him in silence for a while, then murmured, "You areneither a pilot nor a rustic!"
"You have enemies in high and low places," continued Elias, withoutheeding the young man's words. "You are planning a great undertaking,you have a past. Your father and your grandfather had enemies becausethey had passions, and in life it is not the criminal who provokesthe most hate but the honest man."
"Do you know who my enemies are?"
Elias meditated for a moment. "I knew one--him who is dead," hefinally answered. "Last night I learned that a plot against you wasbeing hatched, from some words exchanged with an unknown person wholost himself in the crowd. 'The fish will not eat him, as they did hisfather; you'll see tomorrow,' the unknown said. These words caught myattention not only by their meaning but also on account of the personwho uttered them, for he had some days before presented himself tothe foreman on the work with the express request that he be allowedto superintend the placing of the stone. He didn't ask for much paybut made a show of great knowledge. I hadn't sufficient reason forbelieving in his bad intentions, but something within told me that myconjectures were true and therefore I chose as the suitable occasionto warn you a moment when you could not ask me any questions. Therest you have seen for yourself."
For a long time after Elias had become silent Ibarra remainedthoughtful, not answering him or saying a word. "I'm sorry that thatman is dead!" he exclaimed at length. "From him something more mighthave been learned."
"If he had lived, he would have escaped from the trembling hand ofblind human justice. God has judged him, God has killed him, let Godbe the only Judge!"
Crisostomo gazed for a moment at the man, who, while he spoke thus,exposed his muscular arms covered with lumps and bruises. "Do youalso believe in the miracle?" he asked with a smile. "You know whata miracle the people are talking about."
"Were I to believe in miracles, I should not believe in God. Ishould believe in a deified man, I should believe that man had reallycreated a god in his own image and likeness," the mysterious pilotanswered solemnly. "But I believe in Him, I have felt His hand morethan once. When the whole apparatus was falling down and threateningdestruction to all who happened to be near it, I, I myself, caughtthe criminal, I placed myself at his side. He was struck and I amsafe and sound."
"You! So it was you--"
"Yes! I caught him when he tried to escape, once his deadly work hadbegun. I saw his crime, and I say this to you: let God be the solejudge among men, let Him be the only one to have the right over life,let no man ever think to take His place!"
"But you in this instance--"
"No!" interrupted Elias, guessing the objection. "It's not thesame. When a man condemns others to death or destroys theirfuture forever he does it with impunity and uses the strength ofothers to execute his judgments, which after all may be mistaken orerroneous. But I, in exposing the criminal to the same peril that hehad prepared for others, incurred the same risk as he did. I did notkill him, but let the hand of God smite him."
"Then you don't believe in accidents?"
"Believing in accidents is like believing in miracles; both presupposethat God does not know the future. What is an accident? An eventthat no one has at all foreseen. What is a miracle? A contradiction,an overturning of natural laws. Lack of foresight and contradictionin the Intelligence that rules the machinery of the world indicatetwo great defects."
"Who are you?" Ibarra again asked with some awe.
"Have you ever studied?"
"I have had to believe greatly in God, because I have lost faith inmen," answered the pilot, avoiding the question.
Ibarra thought he understood this hunted youth; he rejected humanjustice, he refused to recognize the right of man to judge hisfellows, he protested against force and the superiority of someclasses over others.
"But nevertheless you must admit the necessity of human justice,however imperfect it may be," he answered. "God, in spite of themany ministers He may have on earth, cannot, or rather does not,pronounce His judgments clearly to settle the million conflictsthat our passions excite. It is proper, it is necessary, it is just,that man sometimes judge his fellows."
"Yes, to do good, but not to do ill, to correct and to better, butnot to destroy, for if his judgments are wrong he hasn't the power toremedy the evil he has done. But," he added with a change of tone,"this discussion is beyond my powers and I'm detaining you, who arebeing waited for. Don't forget what I've just told you--you haveenemies. Take care of yourself for the good of our country." Sayingthis, he turned to go.
"When shall I see you again?" asked Ibarra.
"Whenever you wish and always when I can be of service to you. I amstill your debtor."