The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

CHAPTER LII 238
A thin fine rain, which threatened to last, began to fall, so it occurred to him to take refuge under the gateway.
Naturally, he ran against the other.
"Ah! Who are you?" asked the latest arrival in a rough tone.
"Who are you?" returned the other calmly, after which there followed a moment's pause as each tried to
recognize the other's voice and to make out his features.
"What are you waiting here for?" asked he of the rough voice.
"For the clock to strike eight so that I can play cards with the dead. I want to win something tonight,"
answered the other in a natural tone. "And you, what have you come for?"
"For--for the same purpose."
"Abá! I'm glad of that, I'll not be alone. I've brought cards. At the first stroke of the bell I'll make the lay, at
the second I'll deal. The cards that move are the cards of the dead and we'll have to cut for them. Have you
brought cards?"
"No."
"Then how--"
"It's simple enough--just as you're going to deal for them, so I expect them to play for me."
"But what if the dead don't play?"
"What can we do? Gambling hasn't yet been made compulsory among the dead."
A short silence ensued.
"Are you armed? How are you going to fight with the dead?"
"With my fists," answered the larger of the two.
"Oh, the devil! Now I remember--the dead won't bet when there's more than one living person, and there are
two of us."
"Is that right? Well, I don't want to leave."
"Nor I. I'm short of money," answered the smaller. "But let's do this: let's play for it, the one who loses to
leave."
"All right," agreed the other, rather ungraciously. "Then let's get inside. Have you any matches?" They went
in to seek in the semi-obscurity for a suitable place and soon found a niche in which they could sit. The
shorter took some cards from his salakot, while the other struck a match, in the light from which they stared at
each other, but, from the expressions on their faces, apparently without recognition. Nevertheless, we can
recognize in the taller and deep-voiced one Elias and in the shorter one, from the scar on his cheek, Lucas.
"Cut!" called Lucas, still staring at the other. He pushed aside some bones that were in the niche and dealt an
ace and a jack.