The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

CHAPTER XLII 199
"Believe me, señora, you are the only strong-spirited person in this tiresome country."
She had smiled, without knowing what strong-spirited meant, but that night she asked her husband. "My
dear," he answered, "the s-strongest s-spirit that I know of is ammonia. My f-friend must have s-spoken
f-figuratively."
After that she would say on every possible occasion, "I'm the only ammonia in this tiresome country, speaking
figuratively. So Señor N. de N., a Peninsular gentleman of quality, told me."
Whatever she said had to be done, for she had succeeded in dominating her husband completely. He on his
part did not put up any great resistance and so was converted into a kind of lap-dog of hers. If she was
displeased with him she would not let him go out, and when she was really angry she tore out his false teeth,
thus leaving him a horrible sight for several days.
It soon occurred to her that her husband ought to be a doctor of medicine and surgery, and she so informed
him.
"My dear, do you w-want me to be arrested?" he asked fearfully.
"Don't be a fool! Leave me to arrange it," she answered. "You're not going to treat any one, but I want people
to call you Doctor and me Doctora, see?"
So on the following day Rodoreda [120] received an order to engrave on a slab of black marble: DR. DE
ESPADAÑA, SPECIALIST IN ALL KINDS OF DISEASES. All the servants had to address them by their
new titles, and as a result she increased the number of frizzes, the layers of rice-powder, the ribbons and laces,
and gazed with more disdain than ever on her poor and unfortunate countrywomen whose husbands belonged
to a lower grade of society than hers did. Day by day she felt more dignified and exalted and, by continuing in
this way, at the end of a year she would have believed herself to be of divine origin.
These sublime thoughts, however, did not keep her from becoming older and more ridiculous every day.
Every time Capitan Tiago saw her and recalled having made love to her in vain he forthwith sent a peso to the
church for a mass of thanksgiving. Still, he greatly respected her husband on account of his title of specialist
in all kinds of diseases and listened attentively to the few phrases that he was able to stutter out. For this
reason and because this doctor was more exclusive than others, Capitan Tiago had selected him to treat his
daughter.
In regard to young Linares, that is another matter. When arranging for the trip to Spain, Doña Victorina had
thought of having a Peninsular administrator, as she did not trust the Filipinos. Her husband bethought himself
of a nephew of his in Madrid who was studying law and who was considered the brightest of the family. So
they wrote to him, paying his passage in advance, and when the dream disappeared he was already on his way.
Such were the three persons who had just arrived. While they were partaking of a late breakfast, Padre Salvi
came in. The Espadañas were already acquainted with him, and they introduced the blushing young Linares
with all his titles.
As was natural, they talked of Maria Clara, who was resting and sleeping. They talked of their journey, and
Doña Victorina exhibited all her verbosity in criticising the customs of the provincials,--their nipa houses,
their bamboo bridges; without forgetting to mention to the curate her intimacy with this and that high official
and other persons of "quality" who were very fond of her.
"If you had come two days ago, Doña Victorina," put in Capitan Tiago during a slight pause, "you would have
met his Excellency, the Captain-General. He sat right there."