The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
CHAPTER XXXIV 162 CHAPTER XXXIV The Dinner There in the decorated kiosk the great men of the province were dining. The alcalde occupied one end of the table and Ibarra the other. At the young man's right sat Maria Clara and at his left the escribano. Capitan Tiago, the alferez, the gobernadorcillo, the friars, the employees, and the few young ladies who had remained sat, not according to rank, but according to their inclinations. The meal was quite animated and happy. When the dinner was half over, a messenger came in search of Capitan Tiago with a telegram, to open which he naturally requested the permission of the others, who very naturally begged him to do so. The worthy capitan at first knitted his eyebrows, then raised them; his face became pale, then lighted up as he hastily folded the paper and arose. "Gentlemen," he announced in confusion, "his Excellency the Captain-General is coming this evening to honor my house." Thereupon he set off at a run, hatless, taking with him the message and his napkin. He was followed by exclamations and questions, for a cry of "Tulisanes!" would not have produced greater effect. "But, listen!" "When is he coming?" "Tell us about it!" "His Excellency!" But Capitan Tiago was already far away. "His Excellency is coming and will stay at Capitan Tiago's!" exclaimed some without taking into consideration the fact that his daughter and future son-in-law were present. "The choice couldn't be better," answered the latter. The friars gazed at one another with looks that seemed to say: "The Captain-General is playing another one of his tricks, he is slighting us, for he ought to stay at the convento," but since this was the thought of all they remained silent, none of them giving expression to it. "I was told of this yesterday," said the alcalde, "but at that time his Excellency had not yet fully decided." "Do you know, Señor Alcalde, how long the Captain-General thinks of staying here?" asked the alferez uneasily. "With certainty, no. His Excellency likes to give surprises." "Here come some more messages." These were for the alcalde, the alferez, and the gobernadorcillo, and contained the same announcement. The friars noted well that none came directed to the curate. "His Excellency will arrive at four this afternoon, gentlemen!" announced the alcalde solemnly. "So we can finish our meal in peace." Leonidas at Thermopylae could not have said more cheerfully, "Tonight we shall sup with Pluto!" The conversation again resumed its ordinary course. "I note the absence of our great preacher," timidly remarked an employee of inoffensive aspect who had not opened his mouth up to the time of eating, and who spoke now for the first time in the whole morning. All who knew the history of Crisostomo's father made a movement and winked, as if to say, "Get out! Fools rush in--" But some one more charitably disposed answered, "He must be rather tired."
CHAPTER XXXIV 163 "Rather?" exclaimed the alferez. "He must be exhausted, and as they say here, all fagged out. What a sermon it was!" "A splendid sermon--wonderful!" said the escribano. "Magnificent--profound!" added the correspondent. "To be able to talk so much, it's necessary to have the lungs that he has," observed Padre Manuel Martin. The Augustinian did not concede him anything more than lungs. "And his fertility of expression!" added Padre Salvi. "Do you know that Señor Ibarra has the best cook in the province?" remarked the alcalde, to cut short such talk. "You may well say that, but his beautiful neighbor doesn't wish to honor the table, for she is scarcely eating a bite," observed one of the employees. Maria Clara blushed. "I thank the gentleman, he troubles himself too much on my account," she stammered timidly, "but--" "But you honor it enough merely by being present," concluded the gallant alcalde as he turned to Padre Salvi. "Padre," he said in a loud voice, "I've observed that during the whole day your Reverence has been silent and thoughtful." "The alcalde is a great observer," remarked Fray Sibyla in a meaning tone. "It's a habit of mine," stammered the Franciscan. "It pleases me more to listen than to talk." "Your Reverence always takes care to win and not to lose," said the alferez in a jesting tone. Padre Salvi, however, did not take this as a joke, for his gaze brightened a moment as he replied, "The alferez knows very well these days that I'm not the one who is winning or losing most." The alferez turned the hit aside with a forced laugh, pretending not to take it to himself. "But, gentlemen, I don't understand how it is possible to talk of winnings and losses," interposed the alcalde. "What will these amiable and discreet young ladies who honor us with their company think of us? For me the young women are like the Æolian harps in the middle of the night--it is necessary to listen with close attention in order that their ineffable harmonies may elevate the soul to the celestial spheres of the infinite and the ideal!" "Your Honor is becoming poetical!" exclaimed the escribano gleefully, and both emptied their wine-glasses. "I can't help it," said the alcalde as he wiped his lips. "Opportunity, while it doesn't always make the thief, makes the poet. In my youth I composed verses which were really not bad." "So your Excellency has been unfaithful to the Muses to follow Themis," emphatically declared our mythical or mythological correspondent. "Pshaw, what would you have? To run through the entire social scale was always my dream. Yesterday I was
- Page 111 and 112: CHAPTER XXIII 111 Maria Clara had m
- Page 113 and 114: CHAPTER XXIII 113 "It must be full,
- Page 115 and 116: CHAPTER XXIII 115 "If I had not com
- Page 117 and 118: CHAPTER XXIV 117 "I don't believe i
- Page 119 and 120: CHAPTER XXIV 119 "An unfortunate wo
- Page 121 and 122: CHAPTER XXIV 121 "Who got the best
- Page 123 and 124: CHAPTER XXIV 123 After a time the s
- Page 125 and 126: CHAPTER XXV 125 "If it were not for
- Page 127 and 128: CHAPTER XXV 127 some pretext deny y
- Page 129 and 130: CHAPTER XXV 129 was blowing, and be
- Page 131 and 132: CHAPTER XXVI 131 In the streets are
- Page 133 and 134: CHAPTER XXVI 133 which were wrapped
- Page 135 and 136: CHAPTER XXVII 135 The houses were b
- Page 137 and 138: CHAPTER XXVII 137 Maria Clara gazed
- Page 139 and 140: CHAPTER XXVIII 139 gobernadorcillo,
- Page 141 and 142: CHAPTER XXVIII 141 "Good-by, Choy.
- Page 143 and 144: CHAPTER XXIX 143 Padre Salvi, would
- Page 145 and 146: CHAPTER XXX 145 CHAPTER XXX In the
- Page 147 and 148: CHAPTER XXX 147 of those regions.
- Page 149 and 150: CHAPTER XXXI 149 "Most honorable si
- Page 151 and 152: CHAPTER XXXI 151 "Not yet, O lost o
- Page 153 and 154: CHAPTER XXXII 153 CHAPTER XXXII The
- Page 155 and 156: CHAPTER XXXII 155 of all ages, in c
- Page 157 and 158: CHAPTER XXXII 157 "You're not kille
- Page 159 and 160: CHAPTER XXXIII 159 CHAPTER XXXIII F
- Page 161: CHAPTER XXXIII 161 "Yes, to do good
- Page 165 and 166: CHAPTER XXXIV 165 "Of nothing more,
- Page 167 and 168: CHAPTER XXXIV 167 the gleaming knif
- Page 169 and 170: CHAPTER XXXV 169 young man's skin.
- Page 171 and 172: CHAPTER XXXV 171 folk thought of th
- Page 173 and 174: CHAPTER XXXVI 173 Salvos, the sound
- Page 175 and 176: CHAPTER XXXVII 175 "Oh!" interrupte
- Page 177 and 178: CHAPTER XXXVII 177 "Sir," replied I
- Page 179 and 180: CHAPTER XXXVIII 179 CHAPTER XXXVIII
- Page 181 and 182: CHAPTER XXXVIII 181 "It's the alcal
- Page 183 and 184: CHAPTER XXXIX 183 Sisa, as we saw,
- Page 185 and 186: CHAPTER XXXIX 185 seeking applause
- Page 187 and 188: CHAPTER XXXIX 187 "Yes, now you can
- Page 189 and 190: CHAPTER XL 189 of warlike shows and
- Page 191 and 192: CHAPTER XL 191 Ibarra had returned
- Page 193 and 194: CHAPTER XLI 193 CHAPTER XLI Two Vis
- Page 195 and 196: CHAPTER XLII 195 CHAPTER XLII The E
- Page 197 and 198: CHAPTER XLII 197 wants were pressin
- Page 199 and 200: CHAPTER XLII 199 "Believe me, seño
- Page 201 and 202: CHAPTER XLIII 201 CHAPTER XLIII Pla
- Page 203 and 204: CHAPTER XLIV 203 CHAPTER XLIV An Ex
- Page 205 and 206: CHAPTER XLIV 205 Maria Clara did no
- Page 207 and 208: CHAPTER XLV 207 CHAPTER XLV The Hun
- Page 209 and 210: CHAPTER XLV 209 "I respect your sor
- Page 211 and 212: CHAPTER XLVI 211 CHAPTER XLVI The C
CHAPTER XXXIV 163<br />
"Rather?" exclaimed the alferez. "He must be exhausted, and as they say here, all fagged out. What a sermon<br />
it was!"<br />
"A splendid sermon--wonderful!" said the escribano.<br />
"Magnificent--profound!" added the correspondent.<br />
"To be able to talk so much, it's necessary to have the lungs that he has," observed Padre Manuel Martin. <strong>The</strong><br />
Augustinian did not concede him anything more than lungs.<br />
"And his fertility of expression!" added Padre Salvi.<br />
"Do you know that Señor Ibarra has the best cook in the province?" remarked the alcalde, to cut short such<br />
talk.<br />
"You may well say that, but his beautiful neighbor doesn't wish to honor the table, for she is scarcely eating a<br />
bite," observed one of the employees.<br />
Maria Clara blushed. "I thank the gentleman, he troubles himself too much on my account," she stammered<br />
timidly, "but--"<br />
"But you honor it enough merely <strong>by</strong> being present," concluded the gallant alcalde as he turned to Padre Salvi.<br />
"Padre," he said in a loud voice, "I've observed that during the whole day your Reverence has been silent and<br />
thoughtful."<br />
"<strong>The</strong> alcalde is a great observer," remarked Fray Si<strong>by</strong>la in a meaning tone.<br />
"It's a habit of mine," stammered the Franciscan. "It pleases me more to listen than to talk."<br />
"Your Reverence always takes care to win and not to lose," said the alferez in a jesting tone.<br />
Padre Salvi, however, did not take this as a joke, for his gaze brightened a moment as he replied, "<strong>The</strong> alferez<br />
knows very well these days that I'm not the one who is winning or losing most."<br />
<strong>The</strong> alferez turned the hit aside with a forced laugh, pretending not to take it to himself.<br />
"But, gentlemen, I don't understand how it is possible to talk of winnings and losses," interposed the alcalde.<br />
"What will these amiable and discreet young ladies who honor us with their company think of us? For me the<br />
young women are like the Æolian harps in the middle of the night--it is necessary to listen with close attention<br />
in order that their ineffable harmonies may elevate the soul to the celestial spheres of the infinite and the<br />
ideal!"<br />
"Your Honor is becoming poetical!" exclaimed the escribano gleefully, and both emptied their wine-glasses.<br />
"I can't help it," said the alcalde as he wiped his lips. "Opportunity, while it doesn't always make the thief,<br />
makes the poet. In my youth I composed verses which were really not bad."<br />
"So your Excellency has been unfaithful to the Muses to follow <strong>The</strong>mis," emphatically declared our mythical<br />
or mythological correspondent.<br />
"Pshaw, what would you have? To run through the entire social scale was always my dream. Yesterday I was