EL FILIBUSTERISMO

X. WEALTH AND WANT

CHAPTER X

WEALTH AND WANT

On the following day, to the great surprise of the village, the jeweler

Simoun, followed by two servants, each carrying a canvas-covered chest,

requested the hospitality of Cabesang Tales, who even in the midst

of his wretchedness did not forget the good Filipino customs--rather,

he was troubled to think that he had no way of properly entertaining

the stranger. But Simoun brought everything with him, servants and

provisions, and merely wished to spend the day and night in the house

because it was the largest in the village and was situated between

San Diego and Tiani, towns where he hoped to find many customers.

Simoun secured information about the condition of the roads and asked

Cabesang Tales if his revolver was a sufficient protection against

the tulisanes.

"They have rifles that shoot a long way," was the rather absent-minded

reply.

"This revolver does no less," remarked Simoun, firing at an areca-palm

some two hundred paces away.

Cabesang Tales noticed that some nuts fell, but remained silent

and thoughtful.

Gradually the families, drawn by the fame of the jeweler's wares,

began to collect. They wished one another merry Christmas, they

talked of masses, saints, poor crops, but still were there to spend

their savings for jewels and trinkets brought from Europe. It was

known that the jeweler was the friend of the Captain-General, so it

wasn't lost labor to get on good terms with him, and thus be prepared

for contingencies.

Capitan Basilio came with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law, prepared

to spend at least three thousand pesos. Sister Penchang was there to

buy a diamond ring she had promised to the Virgin of Antipolo. She

had left Juli at home memorizing a booklet the curate had sold her for

four cuartos, with forty days of indulgence granted by the Archbishop

to every one who read it or listened to it read.

"_Jesús!_" said the pious woman to Capitana Tika, "that poor girl has

grown up like a mushroom planted by the _tikbalang._ I've made her read

the book at the top of her voice at least fifty times and she doesn't

remember a single word of it. She has a head like a sieve--full when

it's in the water. All of us hearing her, even the dogs and cats,

have won at least twenty years of indulgence."

Simoun arranged his two chests on the table, one being somewhat larger

than the other. "You don't want plated jewelry or imitation gems. This

lady," turning to Sinang, "wants real diamonds."