Category: Noli Me Tangere

CHAPTER XXXVII – His Excellency “I Want to talk with that young man,” said his Excellency to an aide. “He has aroused all my interest.” “They have already gone to look for him, General. But here is a young man from Manila who insists on being introduced. We told him that your Excellency had no…

CHAPTER XXXVI – The First Cloud In Capitan Tiago’s house reigned no less disorder than in the people’s imagination. Maria Clara did nothing but weep and would not listen to the consoling words of her aunt and of Andeng, her foster-sister. Her father had forbidden her to speak to Ibarra until the priests should absolve…

CHAPTER XXXV – Comments News of the incident soon spread throughout the town. At first all were incredulous, but, having to yield to the fact, they broke out into exclamations of surprise. Each one, according to his moral lights, made his comments. “Padre Damaso is dead,” said some. “When they picked him up his face…

CHAPTER XXXIV – The Dinner There in the decorated kiosk the great men of the province were dining. The alcalde occupied one end of the table and Ibarra the other. At the young man’s right sat Maria Clara and at his left the escribano. Capitan Tiago, the alferez, the gobernadorcillo, the friars, the employees, and…

CHAPTER XXXIII – Free Thought Ibarra was just putting the finishing touches to a change of clothing when a servant informed him that a countryman was asking for him. Supposing it to be one of his laborers, he ordered that he be brought into his office, or study, which was at the same time a…

CHAPTER XXXII – The Derrick The yellowish individual had kept his word, for it was no simple derrick that he had erected above the open trench to let the heavy block of granite down into its place. It was not the simple tripod that Ñor Juan had wanted for suspending a pulley from its top,…

CHAPTER XXX – In the Church From end to end the huge barn that men dedicate as a home to the Creator of all existing things was filled with people. Pushing, crowding, and crushing one another, the few who were leaving and the many who were entering filled the air with exclamations of distress. Even…

CHAPTER XXIX – The Morning At the first flush of dawn bands of music awoke the tired people of the town with lively airs. Life and movement reawakened, the bells began to chime, and the explosions commenced. It was the last day of the fiesta, in fact the fiesta proper. Much was hoped for, even…

CHAPTER XXVIII – Correspondence Cada uno habla de la feria como le va en ella.[82] As nothing of importance to our characters happened during the first two days, we should gladly pass on to the third and last, were it not that perhaps some foreign reader may wish to know how the Filipinos celebrate their…