An Eagle Flight Part 26

"Your Excellency's servant is ill," added the humble Brother Salvi. "We come, after saluting Your Excellency and inquiring for his health, to speak in the name of Your Excellency's respectful servant, who has had the misfortune----"

"Oh!" interrupted the captain-general, with a nervous smile, while he twirled a chair on one leg. "If all the servants of my Excellency were like the Father Damaso, I should prefer to serve my Excellency myself!"

Their reverences did not seem to know what to reply.

"Won't your reverences sit down?" added the governor in more conventional tone.

Captain Tiago, in evening dress and walking on tiptoe, came in, leading by the hand Maria Clara, hesitating, timid. Overcoming her agitation, she made her salute, at once ceremonial and graceful.

"This signorita is your daughter!" exclaimed the surprised governor. "Happy the fathers whose daughters are like you, signorita. They have told me about you, and I wish to thank you in the name of His Majesty the King, who loves the peace and tranquillity of his subjects, and in my own name, in that of a father who has daughters. If there is anything you would wish, signorita----"

"Senor!" protested Maria, trembling.

"The Senor Don Juan Crisostomo Ibarra awaits Your Excellency's orders,"

announced the ringing voice of the aide-de-camp.

"Permit me, signorita, to see you again before I leave the pueblo. I have yet things to say to you. Senor acalde, Your Highness will accompany me on the walk I wish to take after the private conference I shall have with the Senor Ibarra."

"Your Excellency," said Father Salvi humbly, "will permit us to inform him that the Senor Ibarra is excommunicated----"

The general broke in.

"I am happy," he said, "in being troubled about nothing but the state of Father Damaso. I sincerely desire his complete recovery, for, at his age, a voyage to Spain in search of health would be somewhat disagreeable. But all depends upon him. Meanwhile, G.o.d preserve the health of your reverences!"

All retired.

"In his own case also everything depends upon him," murmured Brother Salvi as he went out.

"We shall see who makes the earliest voyage to Spain!" added another Franciscan.

"I shall go immediately," said Father Sibyla, in vexation.

"We, too," grumbled the Augustins.

Both parties bore it ill that for the fault of a Franciscan His Excellency should have received them so coldly.

In the ante-chamber they encountered Ibarra, who a few hours before had been their host. There was no exchange of greetings, but there were eloquent looks. The alcalde, on the contrary, gave Ibarra his hand. On the threshold Crisostomo met Maria coming out. Looks spoke again, but very differently this time.

Though this encounter with the monks had seemed to him of bad augury, Ibarra presented himself in the utmost calm. He bowed profoundly. The captain-general came forward.

"It gives me the greatest satisfaction, Senor Ibarra, to take you by the hand. I hope for your entire confidence." And he examined the young man with evident satisfaction.

"Senor, so much kindness----"

"Your surprise shows that you did not expect a friendly reception; that was to doubt my fairness."

"A friendly reception, senor, for an insignificant subject of His Majesty, like myself, is not fairness, but favor."

"Well, well!" said the general, sitting down and motioning Crisostomo to a seat. "Let us have a moment of open hearts. I am much gratified by what you are doing, and have proposed you to the Government of His Majesty for a decoration in recompense for your project of the school. Had you invited me, I should have found it a pleasure to be here for the ceremony. Perhaps I should have been able to save you an annoyance. But as to what happened between you and Father Damaso, have neither fear nor regrets. Not a hair of your head shall be harmed so long as I govern the islands; and in regard to the excommunication, I will talk with the archbishop. We must conform ourselves to our circ.u.mstances. We cannot laugh at it here, as we might in Europe. But be more prudent in the future. You have weighted yourself with the religious orders, who, from their office and their wealth, must be respected. I protect you, because I like a good son. By heaven, I don't know what I should have done in your place!"

Then, quickly changing the subject, he said:

"They tell me you have just returned from Europe. You were in Madrid?"

"Yes, senor, several months."

"How happens it that you return without bringing me a letter of recommendation?"

"Senor," replied Ibarra, bowing, "because, having heard there of the character of Your Excellency, I thought a letter of recommendation would not only be unnecessary, but might even offend you; the Filipinos are all recommended to you."

A smile curled the lips of the old soldier, who replied slowly, as though meditating and weighing his words:

"I cannot help being flattered that you think so. And yet, young man, you should know what a weight rests on our shoulders. Here we old soldiers have to be all--king, ministers of state, of war, of justice, of everything; and yet, in every event, we have to consult the far-off mother country, which often must approve or reject our propositions with blind justice. If in Spain itself, with the advantage of everything near and familiar, all is imperfect and defective, the wonder is that all here is not revolution. It is not lack of good will in the governors, but we must use the eyes and arms of strangers, of whom, for the most part, we can know nothing, and who, instead of serving their country, may be serving only their own interests. The monks are a powerful aid, but they are not sufficient. You inspire great interest in me, and I would not have the imperfection of our governmental system tell in anyway against you. I cannot watch over any one; every one cannot come to me. Tell me, can I be useful to you in any way? Have you any request to make?"

Ibarra reflected.

"Senor," he replied, "my great desire is for the happiness of my country, and I would that happiness might be due to the efforts of our mother country and of my fellow-citizens united to her and united among themselves by the eternal bonds of common views and interests. What I would ask, the Government alone can give, and that after many continuous years of labor and of well-conceived reforms."

The general gave him a long look, which Ibarra bore naturally, without timidity, without boldness.

"You are the first man with whom I've spoken in this country," cried His Excellency, stretching out his hand.

"Your Excellency has seen only those who while away their lives in cities; he has not visited the falsely maligned cabins of our villages. There Your Excellency would be able to see veritable men, if to be a man a n.o.ble heart and simple manners are enough."

The captain-general rose and walked up and down the room.

"Senor Ibarra," he said, stopping before Crisostomo, "your education and manner of thinking are not for this country. Sell what you own and come with me when I go back to Europe; the climate will be better for you."

"I shall remember all my life this kindness of Your Excellency,"

replied Ibarra, moved; "but I must live in the country where my parents lived----"

"Where they died, you would say more justly. Believe me, I, perhaps, know your country better than you do yourself. Ah, but I forget! You are to marry an adorable girl, and I'm keeping you from her all this time! Go--go to her! And that you may have more freedom, send the father to me," he added, smiling. "Don't forget, though, that I want your company for the promenade."

Ibarra saluted, and went out.

The general called his aide-de-camp.

"I am pleased," said he, giving him a light tap on the shoulder; "I have seen to-day for the first time how one may be a good Spaniard without ceasing to be a good Filipino. What a pity that this Ibarra some day or other----but call the alcalde."

The judge at once presented himself.

"Senor alcalde," said the general, "to avoid a repet.i.tion of scenes like those of which you were a spectator to-day--scenes, I deplore, because they reflect upon the Government and upon all Spaniards--I recommend the Senor Ibarra to your utmost care and consideration."

The alcalde perceived the reprimand and lowered his eyes.

Captain Tiago presented himself, stiff and unnatural.

"Don Santiago," the general said affectionately, "a moment ago I congratulated you upon having a daughter like the Senorita de los Santos. Now I make you my compliments upon your future son-in-law. The most virtuous of daughters is worthy of the first citizen of the Philippines. May I know the day of the wedding?"