e a splendid one--could
be seen in the distance, like ash-colored shadows, soldiers hurrying
about in confusion.

"There goes another corpse!" said some one from one of the windows.

"One? I see two."

"And so do I. But do you know what it was?" asked a man with a
crafty face.

"Certainly. The cuaderilleros."

"No, Senor. An uprising at the cuartel."

"What uprising? The curate against the alferez?"

"No, nothing of the sort," said he who had asked the question. "The
Chinese have risen in revolt."

And he closed his window again.

"The Chinese!" repeated all, with the greatest astonishment.

In a quarter of an hour other versions of the affair were in
circulation. Ibarra, with his servants, it was said, had tried to
steal Maria Clara, and Captain Tiago, aided by the Guardia Civil had
defended her.

By this time the number of the dead was no longer fourteen, but
thirty. Captain Tiago, it was said, was wounded and was going right
off to Manila with his family.

The arrival of two cuaderilleros, carrying a human form in a
wheelbarrow, and followed by a Civil Guard, produced a great
sensation. It was supposed that they came from the convent. From the
form of the feet which were hanging down, they tried to guess who it
could be. By half-past seven, when other Civil Guards arrived from
neighboring towns, the current version of the affair was already
clear and detailed.

"I have just come from the tribunal, where I have seen Don Filipo
and Don Crisostomo prisoners," said a man to Sister Pute. "I talked
with one of the cuaderilleros on guard. Well, Bruno, the son of the
man who was whipped to death, made a declaration last night. As you
know, Captain Tiago is going to marry his daughter to a Spaniard. Don
Crisostomo, offended, wanted to take revenge and tried to kill all
the Spaniards, even the curate. Last night they attacked the convent
and the cuartel. Happily, by mercy of God, the curate was in Captain
Tiago's house. They say that many escaped. The Civil Guards burned
Don Crisostomo's house, and if they had not taken him prisoner,
they would have burned him, too."

"They burned the house?"

"All the servants were arrested. Why, you can still see the smoke
from here!" said the narrator, approaching the window. "Those who
come from there relate very sad things."

All looked toward the place indicated. A light column of smoke was
still ascending to the heavens. All made comments more or less pious,
more