The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home
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The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

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17.11.2012 Views

CHAPTER LV 252 smoke rolled through the house and long tongues of flame shot out from the study, enveloping the doors and windows. "Fire! Fire!" was the cry, as each rushed to save what he could. But the blaze had reached the little laboratory and caught the inflammable materials there, so the guards had to retire. The flames roared about, licking up everything in their way and cutting off the passages. Vainly was water brought from the well and cries for help raised, for the house was set apart from the rest. The fire swept through all the rooms and sent toward the sky thick spirals of smoke. Soon the whole structure was at the mercy of the flames, fanned now by the wind, which in the heat grew stronger. Some few rustics came up, but only to gaze on this great bonfire, the end of that old building which had been so long respected by the elements.

CHAPTER LVI 253 CHAPTER LVI Rumors and Beliefs Day dawned at last for the terrified town. The streets near the barracks and the town hail were still deserted and solitary, the houses showed no signs of life. Nevertheless, the wooden panel of a window was pushed back noisily and a child's head was stretched out and turned from side to side, gazing about in all directions. At once, however, a smack indicated the contact of tanned hide with the soft human article, so the child made a wry face, closed its eyes, and disappeared. The window slammed shut. But an example had been set. That opening and shutting of the window had no doubt been heard on all sides, for soon another window opened slowly and there appeared cautiously the head of a wrinkled and toothless old woman: it was the same Sister Puté who had raised such a disturbance while Padre Damaso was preaching. Children and old women are the representatives of curiosity in this world: the former from a wish to know things and the latter from a desire to recollect them. Apparently there was no one to apply a slipper to Sister Puté, for she remained gazing out into the distance with wrinkled eyebrows. Then she rinsed out her mouth, spat noisily, and crossed herself. In the house opposite, another window was now timidly opened to reveal Sister Rufa, she who did not wish to cheat or be cheated. They stared at each other for a moment, smiled, made some signs, and again crossed themselves. "Jesús, it seemed like a thanksgiving mass, regular fireworks!" commented Sister Rufa. "Since the town was sacked by Balat, I've never seen another night equal to it," responded Sister Puté. "What a lot of shots! They say that it was old Pablo's band." "Tulisanes? That can't be! They say that it was the cuadrilleros against the civil-guards. That's why Don Filipo has been arrested." "Sanctus Deus! They say that at least fourteen were killed." Other windows were now opened and more faces appeared to exchange greetings and make comments. In the clear light, which promised a bright day, soldiers could be seen in the distance, coming and going confusedly like gray silhouettes. "There goes one more corpse!" was the exclamation from a window. "One? I see two." "And I--but really, can it be you don't know what it was?" asked a sly-featured individual. "Oh, the cuadrilleros!" "No, sir, it was a mutiny in the barracks!" "What kind of mutiny? The curate against the alferez?" "No, it was nothing of the kind," answered the man who had asked the first question. "It was the Chinamen who have rebelled." With this he shut his window.

CHAPTER LV 252<br />

smoke rolled through the house and long tongues of flame shot out from the study, enveloping the doors and<br />

windows.<br />

"Fire! Fire!" was the cry, as each rushed to save what he could. But the blaze had reached the little laboratory<br />

and caught the inflammable materials there, so the guards had to retire. <strong>The</strong> flames roared about, licking up<br />

everything in their way and cutting off the passages. Vainly was water brought from the well and cries for<br />

help raised, for the house was set apart from the rest. <strong>The</strong> fire swept through all the rooms and sent toward the<br />

sky thick spirals of smoke. Soon the whole structure was at the mercy of the flames, fanned now <strong>by</strong> the wind,<br />

which in the heat grew stronger. Some few rustics came up, but only to gaze on this great bonfire, the end of<br />

that old building which had been so long respected <strong>by</strong> the elements.

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