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The Reign of Greed

A Complete English Version of _El Filibusterismo_ from the Spanish of

Jos Rizal ! Charles "erb!shire

TRA#S$AT%R&S '#TR%"(CT'%#El Filibusterismo) the se*ond of Jos Rizal&s no+els of ,hilippine

life) is a stor! of the last da!s of the Spanish rgime in the

,hilippines- (nder the name of _The Reign of Greed_ it is for the

first time translated into English- .ritten some four or fi+e !ears

after _#oli /e Tangere_) the boo0 represents Rizal&s more mature

1udgment on politi*al and so*ial *onditions in the islands) and in

its gra+er and less hopeful tone refle*ts the disappointments and

dis*ouragements 2hi*h he had en*ountered in his efforts to lead the

2a! to reform- Rizal&s dedi*ation to the first edition is of spe*ial

interest) as the 2riting of it 2as one of the grounds of a**usation

against him 2hen he 2as *ondemned to death in 3456- 't reads7

8To the memor! of the priests) "on /ariano Gomez 94: !ears

old;) "on Jos urgos 9

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A brief re*apitulation of the stor! in _#oli /e Tangere_ 9The So*ial

Can*er; is essential to an understanding of su*h plot as there is

in the present 2or0) 2hi*h the author *alled a 8*ontinuation8 of the

first stor!-

Juan Crisostomo 'barra is a !oung Filipino) 2ho) after stud!ing

for se+en !ears in Europe) returns to his nati+e land to find that

his father) a 2ealth! lando2ner) has died in prison as the result

of a Duarrel 2ith the parish *urate) a Fran*is*an friar named ,adre

"amaso- 'barra is engaged to a beautiful and a**omplished girl) /aria

Clara) the supposed daughter and onl! *hild of the ri*h "on Santiago

de los Santos) *ommonl! 0no2n as 8Capitan Tiago)8 a t!pi*al Filipino

*a*iDue) the predominant *hara*ter fostered b! the friar rgime-

'barra resol+es to forego all Duarrels and to 2or0 for the betterment

of his people- To sho2 his good intentions) he see0s to establish)

at his o2n e?pense) a publi* s*hool in his nati+e to2n- e meets 2ith

ostensible support from all) espe*iall! ,adre "amaso&s su**essor)

a !oung and gloom! Fran*is*an named ,adre Sal+i) for 2hom /aria Clara

*onfesses to an instin*ti+e dread-

At the la!ing of the *ornerstone for the ne2 s*hoolhouse a

suspi*ious a**ident) apparentl! aimed at 'barra&s life) o**urs) but

the festi+ities pro*eed until the dinner) 2here 'barra is grossl! and2antonl! insulted o+er the memor! of his father b! Fra! "amaso- The

!oung man loses *ontrol of himself and is about to 0ill the friar)

2ho is sa+ed b! the inter+ention of /aria Clara-

'barra is e?*ommuni*ated) and Capitan Tiago) through his fear of the

friars) is for*ed to brea0 the engagement and agree to the marriage of

/aria Clara 2ith a !oung and inoffensi+e Spaniard pro+ided b! ,adre

"amaso- %bedient to her reputed father&s *ommand and influen*ed

b! her m!sterious dread of ,adre Sal+i) /aria Clara *onsents to

this arrangement) but be*omes seriousl! ill) onl! to be sa+ed b!

medi*ines sent se*retl! b! 'barra and *landestinel! administered b!

a girl friend-

'barra su**eeds in ha+ing the e?*ommuni*ation remo+ed) but before he

*an e?plain matters an uprising against the Ci+il Guard is se*retl!

brought about through agents of ,adre Sal+i) and the leadership is

as*ribed to 'barra to ruin him- e is 2arned b! a m!sterious friend)

an outla2 *alled Elias) 2hose life he had a**identall! sa+edB but

desiring first to see /aria Clara) he refuses to ma0e his es*ape)and 2hen the outbrea0 o**urs he is arrested as the instigator of it

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and thro2n into prison in /anila-

%n the e+ening 2hen Capitan Tiago gi+es a ball in his /anila house to

*elebrate his supposed daughter&s engagement) 'barra ma0es his es*ape

from prison and su**eeds in seeing /aria Clara alone- e begins toreproa*h her be*ause it is a letter 2ritten to her before he 2ent to

Europe 2hi*h forms the basis of the *harge against him) but she *lears

herself of trea*her! to him- The letter had been se*ured from her b!

false representations and in e?*hange for t2o others 2ritten b! her

mother 1ust before her birth) 2hi*h pro+e that ,adre "amaso is her

real father- These letters had been a**identall! dis*o+ered in the

*on+ento b! ,adre Sal+i) 2ho made use of them to intimidate the girl

and get possession of 'barra&s letter) from 2hi*h he forged others

to in*riminate the !oung man- She tells him that she 2ill marr! the

!oung Spaniard) sa*rifi*ing herself thus to sa+e her mother&s name

and Capitan Tiago&s honor and to pre+ent a publi* s*andal) but that

she 2ill al2a!s remain true to him-

'barra&s es*ape had been effe*ted b! Elias) 2ho *on+e!s him in a

ban0a up the ,asig to the $a0e) 2here the! are so *losel! beset b!

the Ci+il Guard that Elias leaps into the 2ater and dra2s the pursuers

a2a! from the boat) in 2hi*h 'barra lies *on*ealed-

%n Christmas E+e) at the tomb of the 'barras in a gloom! 2ood)Elias appears) 2ounded and d!ing) to find there a bo! named asilio

beside the *orpse of his mother) a poor 2oman 2ho had been dri+en

to insanit! b! her husband&s negle*t and abuses on the part of the

Ci+il Guard) her !ounger son ha+ing disappeared some time before in

the *on+ento) 2here he 2as a sa*ristan- asilio) 2ho is ignorant of

Elias&s identit!) helps him to build a funeral p!re) on 2hi*h his

*orpse and the mad2oman&s are to be burned-

(pon learning of the reported death of 'barra in the *hase on the $a0e)

/aria Clara be*omes dis*onsolate and begs her supposed godfather)

Fra! "amaso) to put her in a nunner!- (n*ons*ious of her 0no2ledge of

their true relationship) the friar brea0s do2n and *onfesses that all

the trouble he has stirred up 2ith the 'barras has been to pre+ent her

from marr!ing a nati+e) 2hi*h 2ould *ondemn her and her *hildren to

the oppressed and ensla+ed *lass- e finall! !ields to her entreaties

and she enters the nunner! of St- Clara) to 2hi*h ,adre Sal+i is soon

assigned in a ministerial *apa*it!-

% masters) lords) and rulers in all lands)

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's this the handi2or0 !ou gi+e to God)

This monstrous thing distorted and soulDuen*hed

o2 2ill !ou e+er straighten up this shapeB

Tou*h it again 2ith immortalit!B

Gi+e ba*0 the up2ard loo0ing and the lightB Rebuild in it the musi* and the dreamB

/a0e right the immemorial infamies)

,erfidious 2rongs) immedi*able 2oes

% masters) lords) and rulers in all lands)

o2 2ill the future re*0on 2ith this man

o2 ans2er his brute Duestion in that hour

.hen 2hirl2inds of rebellion sha0e the 2orld

o2 2ill it be 2ith 0ingdoms and 2ith 0ings

.ith those 2ho shaped him to the thing he is

.hen this dumb terror shall repl! to God)

After the silen*e of the *enturies

Ed2in /ar0ham

CA,TER ' %# TE (,,ER "ECH

Si* itur ad astra-

%ne morning in "e*ember the steamer _Tabo_ 2as laboriousl! as*endingthe tortuous *ourse of the ,asig) *arr!ing a large *ro2d of passengers

to2ard the pro+in*e of $a $aguna- She 2as a hea+il! built steamer)

almost round) li0e the _tabI_ from 2hi*h she deri+ed her name)

Duite dirt! in spite of her pretensions to 2hiteness) ma1esti* and

gra+e from her leisurel! motion- Altogether) she 2as held in great

affe*tion in that region) perhaps from her Tagalog name) or from the

fa*t that she bore the *hara*teristi* impress of things in the *ountr!)

representing something li0e a triumph o+er progress) a steamer that 2as

not a steamer at all) an organism) stolid) imperfe*t !et unimpea*hable)

2hi*h) 2hen it 2ished to pose as being ran0l! progressi+e) proudl!

*ontented itself 2ith putting on a fresh *oat of paint- 'ndeed) the

happ! steamer 2as genuinel! Filipino 'f a person 2ere onl! reasonabl!

*onsiderate) she might e+en ha+e been ta0en for the Ship of State)

*onstru*ted) as she had been) under the inspe*tion of _Re+erendos_

and _'lustrsimos_----

athed in the sunlight of a morning that made the 2aters of the ri+er

spar0le and the breezes rustle in the bending bamboo on its ban0s)

there she goes 2ith her 2hite silhouette thro2ing out great *loudsof smo0ethe Ship of State) so the 1o0e runs) also has the +i*e of

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smo0ing The 2histle shrie0s at e+er! moment) hoarse and *ommanding

li0e a t!rant 2ho 2ould rule b! shouting) so that no one on board

*an hear his o2n thoughts- She mena*es e+er!thing she meets7 no2 she

loo0s as though she 2ould grind to bits the _salamba2_) inse*ure

fishing apparatus 2hi*h in their mo+ements resemble s0eletons ofgiants saluting an antedilu+ian tortoiseB no2 she speeds straight

to2ard the *lumps of bamboo or against the amphibian stru*tures)

_0arihan_) or 2a!side lun*hstands) 2hi*h) amid _gumamelas_ and other

flo2ers) loo0 li0e inde*isi+e bathers 2ho 2ith their feet alread! in

the 2ater *annot bring themsel+es to ma0e the final plungeB at times)

follo2ing a sort of *hannel mar0ed out in the ri+er b! treetrun0s)

she mo+es along 2ith a satisfied air) e?*ept 2hen a sudden sho*0

disturbs the passengers and thro2s them off their balan*e) all the

result of a *ollision 2ith a sandbar 2hi*h no one dreamed 2as there-

/oreo+er) if the *omparison 2ith the Ship of State is not !et *omplete)

note the arrangement of the passengers- %n the lo2er de*0 appear bro2n

fa*es and bla*0 heads) t!pes of 'ndians) K3L Chinese) and mestizos)

2edged in bet2een bales of mer*handise and bo?es) 2hile there on the

upper de*0) beneath an a2ning that prote*ts them from the sun) are

seated in *omfortable *hairs a fe2 passengers dressed in the fashion of

Europeans) friars) and go+ernment *ler0s) ea*h 2ith his _puro_ *igar)

and gazing at the lands*ape apparentl! 2ithout heeding the efforts

of the *aptain and the sailors to o+er*ome the obsta*les in the ri+er-

The *aptain 2as a man of 0indl! aspe*t) 2ell along in !ears) an old

sailor 2ho in his !outh had plunged into far +aster seas) but 2ho no2

in his age had to e?er*ise mu*h greater attention) *are) and +igilan*e

to a+oid dangers of a tri+ial *hara*ter- And the! 2ere the same for

ea*h da!7 the same sandbars) the same hul0 of un2ield! steamer 2edged

into the same *ur+es) li0e a *orpulent dame in a 1ammed throng- So)

at ea*h moment) the good man had to stop) to ba*0 up) to go for2ard at

half speed) sendingno2 to port) no2 to starboardthe fi+e sailors

eDuipped 2ith long bamboo poles to gi+e for*e to the turn the rudder

had suggested- e 2as li0e a +eteran 2ho) after leading men through

hazardous *ampaigns) had in his age be*ome the tutor of a *apri*ious)

disobedient) and laz! bo!-

"oMa Vi*torina) the onl! lad! seated in the European group) *ould sa!

2hether the _Tabo_ 2as not laz!) disobedient) and *apri*ious"oMa

Vi*torina) 2ho) ner+ous as e+er) 2as hurling in+e*ti+es against the

*as*os) ban0as) rafts of *o*onuts) the 'ndians paddling about) and

e+en the 2asher2omen and bathers) 2ho fretted her 2ith their mirth and*hatter- Nes) the _Tabo_ 2ould mo+e along +er! 2ell if there 2ere no

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'ndians in the ri+er) no 'ndians in the *ountr!) !es) if there 2ere

not a single 'ndian in the 2orldregardless of the fa*t that the

helmsmen 2ere 'ndians) the sailors 'ndians) 'ndians the engineers)

'ndians ninet!nine per *ent) of the passengers) and she herself also

an 'ndian if the rouge 2ere s*rat*hed off and her pretentious go2nremo+ed- That morning "oMa Vi*torina 2as more irritated than usual

be*ause the members of the group too0 +er! little noti*e of her)

reason for 2hi*h 2as not la*0ingB for 1ust *onsiderthere *ould be

found three friars) *on+in*ed that the 2orld 2ould mo+e ba*02ards the

+er! da! the! should ta0e a single step to the rightB an indefatigable

"on Custodio 2ho 2as sleeping pea*efull!) satisfied 2ith his pro1e*tsB

a prolifi* 2riter li0e en>a!b 9anagram of 'baMez;) 2ho belie+ed that

the people of /anila thought be*ause he) en>a!b) 2as a thin0erB

a *anon li0e ,adre 'rene) 2ho added luster to the *lerg! 2ith his

rubi*und fa*e) *arefull! sha+en) from 2hi*h to2ered a beautiful Je2ish

nose) and his sil0en *asso*0 of neat *ut and small buttonsB and a

2ealth! 1e2eler li0e Simoun) 2ho 2as reputed to be the ad+iser and

inspirer of all the a*ts of his E?*ellen*!) the CaptainGeneral1ust

*onsider the presen*e there of these pillars _sine Duibus non_ of the

*ountr!) seated there in agreeable dis*ourse) sho2ing little s!mpath!

for a renegade Filipina 2ho d!ed her hair red #o2 2asn&t this enough

to e?haust the patien*e of a female Joba sobriDuet "oMa Vi*torina

al2a!s applied to herself 2hen put out 2ith an! one

The illhumor of the seMora in*reased e+er! time the *aptain shouted

8,ort)8 8Starboard8 to the sailors) 2ho then hastil! seized their

poles and thrust them against the ban0s) thus 2ith the strength of

their legs and shoulders pre+enting the steamer from sho+ing its hull

ashore at that parti*ular point- Seen under these *ir*umstan*es the

Ship of State might be said to ha+e been *on+erted from a tortoise

into a *rab e+er! time an! danger threatened-

8ut) *aptain) 2h! don&t !our stupid steersmen go in that

dire*tion8 as0ed the lad! 2ith great indignation-

8e*ause it&s +er! shallo2 in the other) seMora)8 ans2ered the *aptain)

deliberatel!) slo2l! 2in0ing one e!e) a little habit 2hi*h he had

*ulti+ated as if to sa! to his 2ords on their 2a! out) 8Slo2l!)

slo2l!8

8alf speed otheration) half speed8 protested "oMa Vi*torina

disdainfull!- 8.h! not full8

8e*ause 2e should then be tra+eling o+er those ri*efields) seMora)8

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replied the imperturbable *aptain) pursing his lips to indi*ate the

*ulti+ated fields and indulging in t2o *ir*umspe*t 2in0s-

This "oMa Vi*torina 2as 2ell 0no2n in the *ountr! for her *apri*es and

e?tra+agan*es- She 2as often seen in so*iet!) 2here she 2as tolerated2hene+er she appeared in the *ompan! of her nie*e) ,aulita Gomez)

a +er! beautiful and 2ealth! orphan) to 2hom she 2as a 0ind of

guardian- At a rather ad+an*ed age she had married a poor 2ret*h

named "on Tibur*io de EspadaMa) and at the time 2e no2 see her)

*arried upon herself fifteen !ears of 2edded life) false frizzes) and a

halfEuropean *ostumefor her 2hole ambition had been to Europeanize

herself) 2ith the result that from the illomened da! of her 2edding

she had graduall!) than0s to her *riminal attempts) su**eeded in

so transforming herself that at the present time Ouatrefages and

Vir*ho2 together *ould not ha+e told 2here to *lassif! her among the

0no2n ra*es-

er husband) 2ho had borne all her impositions 2ith the resignation of

a fa0ir through so man! !ears of married life) at last on one lu*0less

da! had had his bad halfhour and administered to her a superb 2ha*0

2ith his *rut*h- The surprise of /adam Job at su*h an in*onsisten*!

of *hara*ter made her insensible to the immediate effe*ts) and onl!

after she had re*o+ered from her astonishment and her husband had

fled did she ta0e noti*e of the pain) then remaining in bed forse+eral da!s) to the great delight of ,aulita) 2ho 2as +er! fond

of 1o0ing and laughing at her aunt- As for her husband) horrified

at the impiet! of 2hat appeared to him to be a terrifi* parri*ide)

he too0 to flight) pursued b! the matrimonial furies 9t2o *urs and a

parrot;) 2ith all the speed his lameness permitted) *limbed into the

first *arriage he en*ountered) 1umped into the first ban0a he sa2 on

the ri+er) and) a ,hilippine (l!sses) began to 2ander from to2n to

to2n) from pro+in*e to pro+in*e) from island to island) pursued and

perse*uted b! his bespe*ta*led Cal!pso) 2ho bored e+er! one that had

the misfortune to tra+el in her *ompan!- She had re*ei+ed a report of

his being in the pro+in*e of $a $aguna) *on*ealed in one of the to2ns)

so thither she 2as bound to sedu*e him ba*0 2ith her d!ed frizzes-

er fello2 tra+elers had ta0en measures of defense b! 0eeping up

among themsel+es a li+el! *on+ersation on an! topi* 2hatsoe+er- At

that moment the 2indings and turnings of the ri+er led them to tal0

about straightening the *hannel and) as a matter of *ourse) about the

port 2or0s- en>a!b) the 1ournalist 2ith the *ountenan*e of a friar)

2as disputing 2ith a !oung friar 2ho in turn had the *ountenan*e of anartiller!man- oth 2ere shouting) gesti*ulating) 2a+ing their arms)

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spreading out their hands) stamping their feet) tal0ing of le+els)

fish*orrals) the San /ateo Ri+er) K@L of *as*os) of 'ndians) and so

on) to the great satisfa*tion of their listeners and the undisguised

disgust of an elderl! Fran*is*an) remar0abl! thin and 2ithered)

and a handsome "omini*an about 2hose lips flitted *onstantl! as*ornful smile-

The thin Fran*is*an) understanding the "omini*an&s smile) de*ided

to inter+ene and stop the argument- e 2as undoubtedl! respe*ted)

for 2ith a 2a+e of his hand he *ut short the spee*h of both at the

moment 2hen the friarartiller!man 2as tal0ing about e?perien*e and

the 1ournalistfriar about s*ientists-

8S*ientists) en>a!bdo !ou 0no2 2hat the! are8 as0ed the Fran*is*an

in a hollo2 +oi*e) s*ar*el! stirring in his seat and ma0ing onl! a

faint gesture 2ith his s0inn! hand- 8ere !ou ha+e in the pro+in*e

a bridge) *onstru*ted b! a brother of ours) 2hi*h 2as not *ompleted

be*ause the s*ientists) rel!ing on their theories) *ondemned it as

2ea0 and s*ar*el! safe!et loo0) it is the bridge that has 2ithstood

all the floods and earthDua0es8 Ka!b remained silent) half smiling) either out of respe*t or

be*ause he reall! did not 0no2 2hat to repl!) and !et his 2as the onl!

thin0ing head in the ,hilippines ,adre 'rene nodded his appro+al as

he rubbed his long nose-

,adre Sal+i) the thin and 2ithered *leri*) appeared to be satisfied

2ith su*h submissi+eness and 2ent on in the midst of the silen*e7

8ut this does not mean that !ou ma! not be as near right as ,adre

Camorra8 9the friarartiller!man;- 8The trouble is in the la0e8

8The fa*t is there isn&t a single de*ent la0e in this *ountr!)8

interrupted "oMa Vi*torina) highl! indignant) and getting read! for

a return to the assault upon the *itadel-

The besieged gazed at one another in terror) but 2ith the promptitude

of a general) the 1e2eler Simoun rushed in to the res*ue- 8The remed!is +er! simple)8 he said in a strange a**ent) a mi?ture of English

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and South Ameri*an- 8And ' reall! don&t understand 2h! it hasn&t

o**urred to somebod!-8

All turned to gi+e him *areful attention) e+en the "omini*an- The

1e2eler 2as a tall) meager) ner+ous man) +er! dar0) dressed in theEnglish fashion and 2earing a pith helmet- Remar0able about him 2as

his long 2hite hair *ontrasted 2ith a sparse bla*0 beard) indi*ating a

mestizo origin- To a+oid the glare of the sun he 2ore *onstantl! a pair

of enormous blue goggles) 2hi*h *ompletel! hid his e!es and a portion

of his *hee0s) thus gi+ing him the aspe*t of a blind or 2ea0sighted

person- e 2as standing 2ith his legs apart as if to maintain his

balan*e) 2ith his hands thrust into the po*0ets of his *oat-

8The remed! is +er! simple)8 he repeated) 8and 2ouldn&t *ost a *uarto-8

The attention no2 redoubled) for it 2as 2hispered in /anila that this

man *ontrolled the CaptainGeneral) and all sa2 the remed! in pro*ess

of e?e*ution- E+en "on Custodio himself turned to listen-

8"ig a *anal straight from the sour*e to the mouth of the ri+er)

passing through /anilaB that is) ma0e a ne2 ri+er*hannel and fill

up the old ,asig- That 2ould sa+e land) shorten *ommuni*ation) and

pre+ent the formation of sandbars-8

The pro1e*t left all his hearers astounded) a**ustomed as the! 2ere

to palliati+e measures-

8't&s a Nan0ee plan8 obser+ed en>a!b) to ingratiate himself 2ith

Simoun) 2ho had spent a long time in #orth Ameri*a-

All *onsidered the plan 2onderful and so indi*ated b! the mo+ements

of their heads- %nl! "on Custodio) the liberal "on Custodio) o2ing to

his independent position and his high offi*es) thought it his dut!

to atta*0 a pro1e*t that did not emanate from himselfthat 2as a

usurpation e *oughed) stro0ed the ends of his musta*he) and 2ith

a +oi*e as important as though he 2ere at a formal session of the

A!untamiento) said) 8E?*use me) SeMor Simoun) m! respe*ted friend)

if ' should sa! that ' am not of !our opinion- 't 2ould *ost a great

deal of mone! and might perhaps destro! some to2ns-8

8Then destro! them8 re1oined Simoun *oldl!-

8And the mone! to pa! the laborers8

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8"on&t pa! them (se the prisoners and *on+i*ts8

8ut there aren&t enough) SeMor Simoun8

8Then) if there aren&t enough) let all the +illagers) the old men)the !ouths) the bo!s) 2or0- 'nstead of the fifteen da!s of obligator!

ser+i*e) let them 2or0 three) four) fi+e months for the State) 2ith the

additional obligation that ea*h one pro+ide his o2n food and tools-8

The startled "on Custodio turned his head to see if there 2as an!

'ndian 2ithin earshot) but fortunatel! those nearb! 2ere rusti*s)

and the t2o helmsmen seemed to be +er! mu*h o**upied 2ith the 2indings

of the ri+er-

8ut) SeMor Simoun8

8"on&t fool !ourself) "on Custodio)8 *ontinued Simoun dr!l!) 8onl! in

this 2a! are great enterprises *arried out 2ith small means- Thus

2ere *onstru*ted the ,!ramids) $a0e /oeris) and the Colosseum

in Rome- Entire pro+in*es *ame in from the desert) bringing their

tubers to feed on- %ld men) !ouths) and bo!s labored in transporting

stones) he2ing them) and *arr!ing them on their shoulders under

the dire*tion of the offi*ial lash) and after2ards) the sur+i+ors

returned to their homes or perished in the sands of the desert- Then*ame other pro+in*es) then others) su**eeding one another in the 2or0

during !ears- Thus the tas0 2as finished) and no2 2e admire them)

2e tra+el) 2e go to Eg!pt and to ome) 2e e?tol the ,haraohs and the

Antonines- "on&t fool !ourselfthe dead remain dead) and might onl!

is *onsidered right b! posterit!-8

8ut) SeMor Simoun) su*h measures might pro+o0e uprisings)8 ob1e*ted

"on Custodio) rather uneas! o+er the turn the affair had ta0en-

8(prisings) ha) ha "id the Eg!ptian people e+er rebel) ' 2onder "id

the Je2ish prisoners rebel against the pious Titus /an) ' thought

!ou 2ere better informed in histor!8

Clearl! Simoun 2as either +er! presumptuous or disregarded

*on+entionalities To sa! to "on Custodio&s fa*e that he did not 0no2

histor! 't 2as enough to ma0e an! one lose his temper So it seemed)

for "on Custodio forgot himself and retorted) 8ut the fa*t is that

!ou&re not among Eg!ptians or Je2s8

8And these people ha+e rebelled more than on*e)8 added the "omini*an)

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some2hat timidl!- 8'n the times 2hen the! 2ere for*ed to transport

hea+! timbers for the *onstru*tion of ships) if it hadn&t been for

the *leri*s8

8Those times are far a2a!)8 ans2ered Simoun) 2ith a laugh e+en drierthan usual- 8These islands 2ill ne+er again rebel) no matter ho2 mu*h

2or0 and ta?es the! ha+e- a+en&t !ou lauded to me) ,adre Sal+i)8

he added) turning to the Fran*is*an) 8the house and hospital at $os

aMos) 2here his E?*ellen*! is at present8

,adre Sal+i ga+e a nod and loo0ed up) e+ading the Duestion-

8.ell) didn&t !ou tell me that both buildings 2ere *onstru*ted

b! for*ing the people to 2or0 on them under the 2hip of a

la!brother ,erhaps that 2onderful bridge 2as built in the same

2a!- #o2 tell me) did these people rebel8

8The fa*t isthe! ha+e rebelled before)8 replied the "omini*an)

8and _ab a*tu ad posse +alet illatio_8

8#o) no) nothing of the 0ind)8 *ontinued Simoun) starting do2n a

hat*h2a! to the *abin- 8.hat&s said) is said And !ou) ,adre Sib!la)

don&t tal0 either $atin or nonsense- .hat are !ou friars good for if

the people *an rebel8

Ta0ing no noti*e of the replies and protests) Simoun des*ended the

small *ompanion2a! that led belo2) repeating disdainfull!) 8osh)

bosh8

,adre Sib!la turned paleB this 2as the first time that he) Vi*eRe*tor

of the (ni+ersit!) had e+er been *redited 2ith nonsense- "on Custodio

turned greenB at no meeting in 2hi*h he had e+er found himself had

he en*ountered su*h an ad+ersar!-

8An Ameri*an mulatto8 he fumed-

8A ritish 'ndian)8 obser+ed en>a!b in a lo2 tone-

8An Ameri*an) ' tell !ou) and shouldn&t ' 0no28 retorted "on Custodio

in illhumor- 8is E?*ellen*! has told me so- e&s a 1e2eler 2hom

the latter 0ne2 in a+ana) and) as ' suspe*t) the one 2ho got him

ad+an*ement b! lending him mone!- So to repa! him he has had him *ome

here to let him ha+e a *han*e and in*rease his fortune b! sellingdiamondsimitations) 2ho 0no2s And he so ungrateful) that) after

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getting mone! from the 'ndians) he 2isheshuh8 The senten*e 2as

*on*luded b! a signifi*ant 2a+e of the hand-

#o one dared to 1oin in this diatribe- "on Custodio *ould dis*redit

himself 2ith his E?*ellen*!) if he 2ished) but neither en>a!b)nor ,adre 'rene) nor ,adre Sal+i) nor the offended ,adre Sib!la had

an! *onfiden*e in the dis*retion of the others-

8The fa*t is that this man) being an Ameri*an) thin0s no doubt

that 2e are dealing 2ith the reds0ins- To tal0 of these matters on

a steamer Compel) for*e the people And he&s the +er! person 2ho

ad+ised the e?pedition to the Carolines and the *ampaign in /indanao)

2hi*h is going to bring us to disgra*eful ruin- e&s the one 2ho

has offered to superintend the building of the *ruiser) and ' sa!)

2hat does a 1e2eler) no matter ho2 ri*h and learned he ma! be) 0no2

about na+al *onstru*tion8

All this 2as spo0en b! "on Custodio in a guttural tone to his neighbor

en>a!b) 2hile he gesti*ulated) shrugged his shoulders) and from time

to time 2ith his loo0s *onsulted the others) 2ho 2ere nodding their

heads ambiguousl!- The Canon 'rene indulged in a rather eDui+o*al

smile) 2hi*h he half hid 2ith his hand as he rubbed his nose-

8' tell !ou) en>a!b)8 *ontinued "on Custodio) slapping the 1ournaliston the arm) 8all the trouble *omes from not *onsulting the oldtimers

here- A pro1e*t in fine 2ords) and espe*iall! 2ith a big appropriation)

2ith an appropriation in round numbers) dazzles) meets 2ith a**eptan*e

at on*e) for this8 ere) in further e?planation) he rubbed the tip

of his thumb against his middle and forefinger- KPL

8There&s something in that) there&s something in that)8 en>a!b

thought it his dut! to remar0) sin*e in his *apa*it! of 1ournalist

he had to be informed about e+er!thing-

8#o2 loo0 here) before the port 2or0s ' presented a pro1e*t) original)

simple) useful) e*onomi*al) and pra*ti*able) for *learing a2a! the bar

in the la0e) and it hasn&t been a**epted be*ause there 2asn&t an! of

that in it-8 e repeated the mo+ement of his fingers) shrugged his

shoulders) and gazed at the others as though to sa!) 8a+e !ou e+er

heard of su*h a misfortune8

8/a! 2e 0no2 2hat it 2as8 as0ed se+eral) dra2ing nearer and gi+ing

him their attention- The pro1e*ts of "on Custodio 2ere as reno2nedas Dua*0s& spe*ifi*s-

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"on Custodio 2as on the point of refusing to e?plain it from

resentment at not ha+ing found an! supporters in his diatribe against

Simoun- 8.hen there&s no danger) !ou 2ant me to tal0) eh And 2hen

there is) !ou 0eep Duiet8 he 2as going to sa!) but that 2ould *ausethe loss of a good opportunit!) and his pro1e*t) no2 that it *ould

not be *arried out) might at least be 0no2n and admired-

After blo2ing out t2o or three puffs of smo0e) *oughing) and spitting

through a s*upper) he slapped en>a!b on the thigh and as0ed)

8Nou&+e seen du*0s8

8' rather thin0 so2e&+e hunted them on the la0e)8 ans2ered the

surprised 1ournalist-

8#o) '&m not tal0ing about 2ild du*0s) '&m tal0ing of the domesti*

ones) of those that are raised in ,ateros and ,asig- "o !ou 0no2 2hat

the! feed on8

en>a!b) the onl! thin0ing head) did not 0no2he 2as not engaged

in that business-

8%n snails) man) on snails8 e?*laimed ,adre Camorra- 8%ne doesn&t

ha+e to be an 'ndian to 0no2 thatB it&s suffi*ient to ha+e e!es8

8E?a*tl! so) on snails8 repeated "on Custodio) flourishing his

forefinger- 8And do !ou 0no2 2here the! get them8

Again the thin0ing head did not 0no2-

8.ell) if !ou had been in the *ountr! as man! !ears as ' ha+e) !ou

2ould 0no2 that the! fish them out of the bar itself) 2here the!

abound) mi?ed 2ith the sand-8

8Then !our pro1e*t8

8.ell) '&m *oming to that- /! idea 2as to *ompel all the to2ns round

about) near the bar) to raise du*0s) and !ou&ll see ho2 the!) all

b! themsel+es) 2ill deepen the *hannel b! fishing for the snailsno

more and no less) no more and no less8

ere "on Custodio e?tended his arms and gazed triumphantl! at the

stupefa*tion of his hearersto none of them had o**urred su*h anoriginal idea-

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8.ill !ou allo2 me to 2rite an arti*le about that8 as0ed en>a!b- 8'n

this *ountr! there is so little thin0ing done8

8ut) "on Custodio)8 e?*laimed "oMa Vi*torina 2ith smir0s and grima*es)8if e+er!bod! ta0es to raising du*0s the _balot_ K:L eggs 2ill be*ome

abundant- (gh) ho2 nast! Rather) let the bar *lose up entirel!8