CHAPTER IV.
THE INTERVAL
After avenging her lover's death, Marie returned again to Manilawhere she remained at home until the Filipino uprising against theAmerican troops in the spring of 1899. During this interval of ninemonths, she daily frequented the places of rendezvous of the Americantroops stationed in and around Manila. She also went to the officers'homes in the city where their wives and children were stopping. Shedid their washing, and cared for the children. Her congeniality madeher a favorite. Some of the American ladies offered to bring her backto America with them for a house-hold servant.
From them she learned to speak the English language nearly as fluentlyas Spanish. The American soldiers were kind and polite to her. Shemade considerable money by doing washing for them. It was noticeablethat she was gradually improving the old bamboo home in Manila. In afew months she had come into possession of more money than she thoughtthere was in the entire world. Most of it was American gold--largelyin five dollar denominations. (This is what the United States used inpaying the soldiers.) These she took to the Spanish bank in Manilaand exchanged them for Mexican silver, which, until the UnitedStates began to issue special coins for the Philippine islands,was the standard medium of exchange in the archipelago.
Marie began to dress better. Her penia cloth gave way to Chinese silks;her wooden hair combs to expensive ones inlaid with gold, bought atthe Spanish bazar down town. Many little comforts were bought for herhome. Still the washings kept growing larger. She and her mother couldbe seen back of their shack, in the shade, pounding American soldiers'white uniforms on large boulders from early morning till night.
Aguinaldo, who had previously sold out his country and gone toSingapore, after commissioning Dimiguez, upon hearing that warwas about to begin between the United States and Spain, made hisway northward to Hongkong. After the battle of Manila Bay, Deweydespatched the revenue cutter, "McCulloch," to Hongkong to cablehome the news of his splendid victory. On her return to Manila,she permitted Aguinaldo to come along.
After a brief conversation with Admiral Dewey on board the "Olympia,"he went ashore at Cavite, his boyhood home, began to organize theFilipinos into a powerful army, captured 1500 Spanish soldiers whowere holding out-lying posts, and hemmed in the city of Manila.
On August 13, following, Dewey and General Merritt, by a union oftheir forces, captured the city of Manila which offered but slightresistance. Aguinaldo's native troops rushed forward with the Americansin the charge that was made by the land forces and they insisted onlooting the city. General Merritt refused this and ordered them towithdraw beyond the city limits. This they did after considerablewrangling. Then the Americans established out-posts on every road andpathway leading to and from the city, completely around the town;and they were given instructions by the commanding officer not toallow any Filipino troops to enter the city.
Aguinaldo discarded his uniform one evening, completelydisguised himself as a Filipino fruit-vender, and made his wayinto Manila. Naturally, he slipped around to the home of his oldfriends, the Sampalits. He sat in a semi-darkened room, with all thehinged-windows to the shack tightly closed and stroked Marie's softblack hair with his left hand. As he engaged her and her mother inconversation in subdued tones, he little thought that in so short atime Marie would be associated with him in a series of bloody tragediesthat would revolutionize the government of the islands forever.
"Marie," said he, "I'm going to force the Americans to acknowledgethe independence of the Philippine islands, or I shall not permitthe rest of their army to land. Dewey tells me he has sent home forreinforcements. There is no use for us to let these troops land, ifAmerica instead of Spain is going to govern the islands. What we wantis absolute independence with myself as president of the new FilipinoRepublic. If the Americans won't concede this to us, let's fight!"
"That's what I say!" declared Marie. "Let's drive the foreign devilsoff the islands or slay them all. Here's father dead and--Dimiguez,too"--Marie's voice trembled--"I tell you it's too much. Let's killevery one of them!"
"Yes; but say Marie, we must keep quiet about all this," cautionedAguinaldo. "I'll tell you what I have in mind. We'll wait about fourweeks and by that time if Dewey hasn't received definite instructionsfrom Washington, and if he won't give me any satisfaction, I'm goingto go to Malolos, proclaim myself Dictator of the Philippines, appointa cabinet and a congress from among some of the bright young Filipinoshere in Manila who have been educated abroad, draw up a Revolutionaryform of government, and begin to administer the affairs of theseislands just as I please.
"We'll keep our present army in the field, and if the Americans doland we'll shut them up in Manila, so that they will have nothing attheir command but the city to regulate. This won't amount to much ascompared with the rest of the islands which I will dominate."
"Are you sure the Americans won't land a powerful army, cut throughyour lines around Manila and drive you out of Malolos, or capture youand your officials at that place? It seems to me I would go fartherinland--say to San Isidro," said Marie.
Aguinaldo thought a moment, then replied: "That's true, in a sense,Marie; but I have got to be on or near the railroad where I can haveeasy and rapid access to Manila. Malolos is not far from here andit is situated on the railroad. It has some very large buildings inwhich our legislative sessions could be held. I think it the placefor the undertaking.
"To be on the safe side, I believe I will have our troops erect aseries of fortifications between here and there along the railroadtrack, so that if the Americans do attempt to advance by that routeI can easily stop them."
"I think that would be a good scheme," said Marie. "Malolos is abouttwelve miles from Manila Bay; besides, the bay is shallow in thenorth end, so that heavy boats could not go up there. This will makeit impossible for Dewey to shell the place with his fleet. We've gotto watch out for that--no matter what we do. My! but those Americanships can shoot! Did you hear about me shooting at 'em with thatcannon on Corregidor island when they entered the bay? I mighty neargot one of their vessels."
"No," said Aguinaldo, "I have not heard very much about the firingoff Corregidor, but as I came from Hongkong the other day on the"McCulloch" I noticed that the Spanish fortifications on the islandhad all been dismantled."
"Why! they killed a man right at my feet, the very first shot," saidMarie; "and then one of their boats drew nearer and fired severaltimes more and they killed every Spaniard in the relief guard whichwas near by,--seven of them in all."
"And I was terribly worried about Marie," interrupted her mother whohad listened to the conversation with deepest interest. "She had beengone for a week, and I hadn't heard a word from her."
"Oh! well, I don't pity the Spaniards any for what the Americans didto them," interjected Aguinaldo, with some emphasis.
"Be careful," said old lady Sampalit, putting her finger on her lips,"don't speak too loud."
Aguinaldo continued in a lower voice: "They killed your husband. Theyshot Rizal. They strangled Dimigeuz. They tortured to death severalhundred of our young fellows in the dungeons. They have left ridgesof dead wherever their armies have moved among us. I tell you theydeserved all they got."
Mrs. Sampalit and Marie had grown heavy hearted. Aguinaldo looked athis watch. It was after ten P. M.
"I wonder," said Aguinaldo, hesitatingly, "how I shall be able toget back to our lines tonight."
"Don't go!" said Marie, in an emphatic whisper, "stay over night!"
"Yes, do!" entreated the old lady, "I'm nervous."
"It might be best; it would surely be the safest thing to do," saidAguinaldo, in a meditating manner.
"We sleep on bamboo beds," said Marie. "There stands mine. You may useit tonight, and I will sleep on the floor. I don't mind. Mother andI frequently lie down on the floor near the window, when the nightsare sultry."
The next morning Aguinaldo arose very early, made his way to theedge of the city and stealthily stole out threw the Americans' lines,never
again to return to Manila until General Funston brought him back,two years later, a captive.
He made his way to Malolos, a few weeks after this conversation,declared himself "Dictator of the Philippines," appointed a Filipinocongress, set up a government of his own and began to run the generalaffairs in the interior of Luzon.