CHAPTER LI
Exchanges
The bashful Linares was anxious and ill at ease. He had just receivedfrom Dona Victorina a letter which ran thus:
DEER COZIN within 3 days i expec to here from you if the alferes has killed you or you him i dont want anuther day to pass befour that broot has his punishment if that tim passes an you havent challenjed him ill tel don santiago you was never segretary nor joked with canobas nor went on a spree with the general don arseno martinez ill tel clarita its all a humbug an ill not give you a sent more if you challenje him i promis all you want so lets see you challenje him i warn you there must be no excuses nor delays yore cozin who loves you
VICTORINA DE LOS REYES DE DE ESPADANA
sampaloc monday 7 in the evening
The affair was serious. He was well enough acquainted with thecharacter of Dona Victorina to know what she was capable of. To talkto her of reason was to talk of honesty and courtesy to a revenuecarbineer when he proposes to find contraband where there is none,to plead with her would be useless, to deceive her worse--there wasno way out of the difficulty but to send the challenge.
"But how? Suppose he receives me with violence?" he soliloquized,as he paced to and fro. "Suppose I find him with his senora? Who willbe willing to be my second? The curate? Capitan Tiago? Damn the hourin which I listened to her advice! The old toady! To oblige me toget myself tangled up, to tell lies, to make a blustering fool ofmyself! What will the young lady say about me? Now I'm sorry thatI've been secretary to all the ministers!"
While the good Linares was in the midst of his soliloquy, Padre Salvicame in. The Franciscan was even thinner and paler than usual, but hiseyes gleamed with a strange light and his lips wore a peculiar smile.
"Senor Linares, all alone?" was his greeting as he made his way tothe sala, through the half-opened door of which floated the notesfrom a piano. Linares tried to smile.
"Where is Don Santiago?" continued the curate.
Capitan Tiago at that moment appeared, kissed the curate's hand, andrelieved him of his hat and cane, smiling all the while like one ofthe blessed.
"Come, come!" exclaimed the curate, entering the sala, followed byLinares and Capitan Tiago, "I have good news for you all. I've justreceived letters from Manila which confirm the one Senor Ibarrabrought me yesterday. So, Don Santiago, the objection is removed."
Maria Clara, who was seated at the piano between her two friends,partly rose, but her strength failed her, and she fell backagain. Linares turned pale and looked at Capitan Tiago, who droppedhis eyes.
"That young man seems to me to be very agreeable," continued thecurate. "At first I misjudged him--he's a little quick-tempered--buthe knows so well how to atone for his faults afterwards that onecan't hold anything against him. If it were not for Padre Damaso--"
Here the curate shot a quick glance at Maria Clara, who was listeningwithout taking her eyes off the sheet of music, in spite of the slypinches of Sinang, who was thus expressing her joy--had she beenalone she would have danced.
"Padre Damaso?" queried Linares.
"Yes, Padre Damaso has said," the curate went on, without takinghis gaze from Maria Clara, "that as--being her sponsor in baptism,he can't permit--but, after all, I believe that if Senor Ibarra begshis pardon, which I don't doubt he'll do, everything will be settled."
Maria Clara rose, made some excuse, and retired to her chamber,accompanied by Victoria.
"But if Padre Damaso doesn't pardon him?" asked Capitan Tiago in alow voice.
"Then Maria Clara will decide. Padre Damaso is herfather--spiritually. But I think they'll reach an understanding."
At that moment footsteps were heard and Ibarra appeared, followedby Aunt Isabel. His appearance produced varied impressions. To hisaffable greeting Capitan Tiago did not know whether to laugh or tocry. He acknowledged the presence of Linares with a profound bow. FraySalvi arose and extended his hand so cordially that the youth couldnot restrain a look of astonishment.
"Don't be surprised," said Fray Salvi, "for I was just now praisingyou."
Ibarra thanked him and went up to Sinang, who began with her childishgarrulity, "Where have you been all day? We were all asking, wherecan that soul redeemed from purgatory have gone? And we all said thesame thing."
"May I know what you said?"
"No, that's a secret, but I'll tell you soon alone. Now tell me whereyou've been, so we can see who guessed right."
"No, that's also a secret, but I'll tell you alone, if these gentlemenwill excuse us."
"Certainly, certainly, by all means!" exclaimed Padre Salvi.
Rejoicing over the prospect of learning a secret, Sinang led Crisostomoto one end of the sala.
"Tell me, little friend," he asked, "is Maria angry with me?"
"I don't know, but she says that it's better for you to forget her,then she begins to cry. Capitan Tiago wants her to marry that man. Sodoes Padre Damaso, but she doesn't say either yes or no. This morningwhen we were talking about you and I said, 'Suppose he has gone tomake love to some other girl?' she answered, 'Would that he had!' andbegan to cry."
Ibarra became grave. "Tell Maria that I want to talk with her alone."
"Alone?" asked Sinang, wrinkling her eyebrows and staring at him.
"Entirely alone, no, but not with that fellow present."
"It's rather difficult, but don't worry, I'll tell her."
"When shall I have an answer?"
"Tomorrow come to my house early. Maria doesn't want to be left aloneat all, so we stay with her. Victoria sleeps with her one night andI the other, and tonight it's my turn. But listen, your secret? Areyou going away without telling me?"
"That's right! I was in the town of Los Banos. I'm going to developsome coconut-groves and I'm thinking of putting up an oil-mill. Yourfather will be my partner."
"Nothing more than that? What a secret!" exclaimed Sinang aloud,in the tone of a cheated usurer. "I thought--"
"Be careful! I don't want you to make it known!"
"Nor do I want to do it," replied Sinang, turning up her nose. "Ifit were something more important, I would tell my friends. But tobuy coconuts! Coconuts! Who's interested in coconuts?" And withextraordinary haste she ran to join her friends.
A few minutes later Ibarra, seeing that the interest of the partycould only languish, took his leave. Capitan Tiago wore a bitter-sweetlook, Linares was silent and watchful, while the curate with assumedcheerfulness talked of indifferent matters. None of the girls hadreappeared.