s a lie, a slander. A man such as he, with
a son whose success and love were more than all the world to him;
a man who believed in God, who fulfilled his duty to society, who
was honorable and just--such a man does not commit suicide. That is
what I say! I am not telling you all that I think about this matter,
and Your Reverence should be very thankful that I restrain myself."

Turning his back on the Franciscan, he continued: "As I was saying,
this priest, when he returned to the town, after maltreating his
coadjutor, ordered that the man's body be taken up and thrown out of
the cemetery, to be buried I know not where. The town of San Diego
was too cowardly to protest, though, in fact, very few people knew
much about the matter. The dead man had no relatives in the town and
his only son was in Europe. His Excellency, however, learned about
the affair, and being at heart upright and just, he ordered that the
priest be punished. As a result, Father Damaso was transferred to
another but better town. That is all there was to it. Now you can
make all the distinctions you like."

So saying, he left the group.

"I am very sorry to have touched upon so delicate a subject," said
Father Sibyla, "but, after all, if the change from one town to another
was to your advantage----"

"How could it be to my advantage? How about all the things that I
lost?" interrupted Father Damaso, fairly boiling over with rage.

"Good evening, gentlemen! Good evening, Father!" said Captain Santiago,
who at that instant entered the room, leading a youth by the hand. On
saluting his guests in this manner, he kissed the hands of the priests,
who, by the way, forgot to give him their blessing. The Dominican took
off his gold-rimmed spectacles in order to examine the new arrival
at better advantage, while Father Damaso, turning pale at the sight,
stared at the youth with eyes wide open.

"I have the honor of presenting to you Don Crisostomo Ibarra, the
son of my deceased friend," said Captain Tiago. "The young man has
just arrived from Europe, and I have been to meet him." At the mere
mention of the name, exclamations were heard in all parts of the
room. The lieutenant, forgetting himself entirely, did not stop to
salute his host, but at once approached the young man and surveyed
him from head to foot. The youth exchanged the usual greetings with
those who had gathered around him. He showed no striking peculiarity,
except in his sombre dress, which