The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

CHAPTER XXXVI 172
CHAPTER XXXVI
The First Cloud
In Capitan Tiago's house reigned no less disorder than in the people's imagination. Maria Clara did nothing
but weep and would not listen to the consoling words of her aunt and of Andeng, her foster-sister. Her father
had forbidden her to speak to Ibarra until the priests should absolve him from the excommunication. Capitan
Tiago himself, in the midst of his preparations for receiving the Captain-General properly, had been
summoned to the convento.
"Don't cry, daughter," said Aunt Isabel, as she polished the bright plates of the mirrors with a piece of
chamois. "They'll withdraw the excommunication, they'll write now to the Pope, and we'll make a big
poor-offering. Padre Damaso only fainted, he's not dead."
"Don't cry," whispered Andeng. "I'll manage it so that you may talk with him. What are confessionals for if
not that we may sin? Everything is forgiven by telling it to the curate."
At length Capitan Tiago returned. They sought in his face the answer to many questions, and it announced
discouragement. The poor fellow was perspiring; he rubbed his hand across his forehead, but was unable to
say a single word.
"What has happened, Santiago?" asked Aunt Isabel anxiously.
He answered by sighing and wiping away a tear.
"For God's sake, speak! What has happened?"
"Just what I feared," he broke out at last, half in tears. "All is lost! Padre Damaso has ordered me to break the
engagement, otherwise he will damn me in this life and in the next. All of them told me the same, even Padre
Sibyla. I must close the doors of my house against him, and I owe him over fifty thousand pesos! I told the
padres this, but they refused to take any notice of it. 'Which do you prefer to lose,' they asked me, 'fifty
thousand pesos or your life and your soul?' Ay, St. Anthony, if I had only known, if I had only known! Don't
cry, daughter," he went on, turning to the sobbing girl. "You're not like your mother, who never cried except
just before you were born. Padre Damaso told me that a relative of his has just arrived from Spain and you are
to marry him."
Maria Clara covered her ears, while Aunt Isabel screamed, "Santiago, are you crazy? To talk to her of another
sweetheart now! Do you think that your daughter changes sweethearts as she does her camisa?"
"That's just the way I felt, Isabel. Don Crisostomo is rich, while the Spaniards marry only for love of money.
But what do you want me to do? They've threatened me with another excommunication. They say that not
only my soul but also my body is in great danger--my body, do you hear, my body!"
"But you're only making your daughter more disconsolate! Isn't the Archbishop your friend? Why don't you
write to him?"
"The Archbishop is also a friar, the Archbishop does only what the friars tell him to do. But, Maria, don't cry.
The Captain-General is coming, he'll want to see you, and your eyes are all red. Ay, I was thinking to spend a
happy evening! Without this misfortune I should be the happiest of men--every one would envy me! Be calm,
my child, I'm more unfortunate than you and I'm not crying. You can have another and better husband, while
I--I've lost fifty thousand pesos! Ay, Virgin of Antipolo, if tonight I may only have luck!"