FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105  
106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   >>   >|  
t he is culpable. I will give bail for him and ask that he be given liberty for some days at least." "Well, well! But such a misfortune must not be repeated!" All kinds of comments were circulating among the people. The theory that it was a miracle was already accepted. Father Salvi, however, seemed to rejoice very little over the miracle, which the people attributed to a saint of his order and of his parish. There were some who claimed to have seen, as the crane was falling, a figure dressed in black like the Franciscans, go down in the ditch. It was without doubt San Diego himself. It was supposed, too, that Ibarra had heard mass and that the yellow man had not. It was all as clear as the light of the sun. Ibarra went home to change his clothes. "Hm! Bad beginning," said Old Tasio as he left the place. Ibarra had just finished dressing when a servant announced that a countryman was asking for him. Supposing that it was one of his laborers, the young man ordered that they show him into his study, which also served as a library and a chemical laboratory. But, to his great surprise, he met the muscular figure of the mysterious Elias. "You recently saved my life," said he in Tagalog, at once comprehending Ibarra's movement. "I have paid you only half of the debt, and you are not indebted to me; rather the contrary. I have come to ask a favor of you...." "Speak out!" replied the young man, in the same language and somewhat surprised at the gravity of the peasant. For some seconds, Elias looked fixedly into Ibarra's eyes and then replied: "If human justice should ever wish to clear up this mystery, I beg of you not to speak to any one about the warning that I gave you in the church." "Don't be troubled about that," replied the young man with a certain note of displeasure in his voice. "I know that they are hunting you, but I am no informer." "Oh, it is not for my sake, it is not for me!" exclaimed Elias, not without some pride. "It is for your sake. I have nothing to fear from men." Ibarra's surprise increased. The tone in which the countryman was speaking was new to him and did not seem to be in accord either with his state or his fortune. "What do you mean?" asked Ibarra, interrogating the mysterious man with his look. "I do not speak in enigmas; I try to express myself clearly. For your greater security, it is necessary that your enemies think you unsuspecting and off your guard." Ibar
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105  
106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Ibarra

 

replied

 

countryman

 

mysterious

 
miracle
 
surprise
 

people

 

figure

 

justice

 

mystery


contrary
 

indebted

 
movement
 
seconds
 

looked

 
fixedly
 

peasant

 

gravity

 
language
 
surprised

interrogating

 

fortune

 
accord
 

enigmas

 
security
 
greater
 

enemies

 
express
 
unsuspecting
 

displeasure


hunting
 
church
 

troubled

 

informer

 

increased

 

speaking

 

exclaimed

 

warning

 

ordered

 

attributed


parish
 

rejoice

 

claimed

 
Franciscans
 
falling
 

dressed

 

Father

 

liberty

 

culpable

 
misfortune