EL FILIBUSTERISMO

XXX. JULI

CHAPTER XXX

JULI

The death of Capitan Tiago and Basilio's imprisonment were soon

reported in the province, and to the honor of the simple inhabitants

of San Diego, let it be recorded that the latter was the incident more

regretted and almost the only one discussed. As was to be expected,

the report took on different forms, sad and startling details were

given, what could not be understood was explained, the gaps being

filled by conjectures, which soon passed for accomplished facts,

and the phantoms thus created terrified their own creators.

In the town of Tiani it was reported that at least, at the very

least, the young man was going to be deported and would very

probably be murdered on the journey. The timorous and pessimistic

were not satisfied with this but even talked about executions and

courts-martial--January was a fatal month; in January the Cavite affair

had occurred, and _they_ [65] even though curates, had been garroted,

so a poor Basilio without protectors or friends--

"I told him so!" sighed the Justice of the Peace, as if he had at

some time given advice to Basilio. "I told him so."

"It was to be expected," commented Sister Penchang. "He would go

into the church and when he saw that the holy water was somewhat

dirty he wouldn't cross himself with it. He talked about germs and

disease, _abá_, it's the chastisement of God! He deserved it, and he

got it! As though the holy water could transmit diseases! Quite the

contrary, _abá!_"

She then related how she had cured herself of indigestion by moistening

her stomach with holy water, at the same time reciting the _Sanctus

Deus_, and she recommended the remedy to those present when they should

suffer from dysentery, or an epidemic occurred, only that then they

must pray in Spanish:

Santo Diós,

Santo fuerte,

Santo inmortal,

¡Libranos, Señor, de la peste

Y de todo mal! [66]

"It's an infallible remedy, but you must apply the holy water to the

part affected," she concluded.

But there were many persons who did not believe in these things,

nor did they attribute Basilio's imprisonment to the chastisement of

God. Nor did they take any stock in insurrections and pasquinades,

knowing the prudent and ultra-pacific character of the boy, but

preferred to ascribe it to revenge on the part of the friars, because

of his having rescued from servitude Juli, the daughter of a tulisan