“Mother, mother!” she moaned.
Aunt Isabel came to tear her away from her sorrow since she was being asked for by some friends and by the Captain-General, who wished to talk with her.
“Aunt, tell them that I’m ill,” begged the frightened girl. “They’re going to make me play on the piano and sing.”
“Your father has promised. Are you going to put your father in a bad light?”
María Clara rose, looked at her aunt, and threw back her shapely arms, murmuring, “Oh, if I only had—”
But without concluding the phrase she began to make herself ready for presentation.
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 time for interviews, that you had not come to give audiences, but to see the town and the procession, and he answered that your Excellency always has time to dispense justice—”
His Excellency turned to the alcalde in wonder. “If I am not mistaken,” said the latter with a slight bow, “he is the young man who this morning had a quarrel with Padre Dámaso over the sermon.”
“Still another? Has this friar set himself to stir up the whole province or does he think that he governs here? Show the young man in.” His Excellency paced nervously from one end of the sala to the other.
In the hall were gathered various Spaniards mingled with soldiers and officials of San Diego and neighboring towns, standing in groups conversing or disputing. There were also to be seen all the friars, with the exception of Padre Dámaso, and they wanted to go in to pay their respects to his Excellency.
“His Excellency the Captain-General begs your Reverences to wait a moment,” said the aide. “Come in, young man!” The Manilan who had confounded Greek with Tagalog entered the room pale and trembling.
All were filled with surprise; surely his Excellency must be greatly irritated to dare to make the friars wait! Padre Sibyla remarked, “I haven’t anything to say to him, I’m wasting my time here.”
“I say the same,” added an Augustinian. “Shall we go?”
“Wouldn’t it be better that we find out how he stands?” asked Padre Salví. “We should avoid a scandal, and should be able to remind him of his duties toward—religion.”
“Your Reverences may enter, if you so desire,” said the aide as he ushered out the youth who did not understand Greek and whose countenance was now beaming with satisfaction.
Fray Sibyla entered first, Padre Salví, Padre Martin, and the other priests following. They all made respectful bows with the exception of Padre Sibyla, who even in bending preserved a certain air of superiority. Padre Salví on the other hand almost doubled himself over the girdle.
“Which of your Reverences is Padre Dámaso?” asked the Captain-General without any preliminary greeting, neither asking them to be seated nor inquiring about their health nor addressing them with the flattering speeches to which such important personages are accustomed.
“Padre Dámaso is not here among us, sir,” replied Fray Sibyla in the same dry tone as that used by his Excellency.
“Your Excellency’s servant is in bed sick,” added Padre Salví humbly. “After having the pleasure of welcoming you and of informing ourselves concerning your Excellency’s health, as is the duty of all good subjects of the King and of every person of culture, we have come in the name of the respected servant of your Excellency who has had the misfortune—”
“Oh!” interrupted the Captain-General, twirling a chair about on one leg and smiling nervously, “if all the servants of my Excellency were like his Reverence, Padre Dámaso, I should prefer myself to serve my Excellency!”
The reverend gentlemen, who were standing up physically, did so mentally at this interruption.
“Won’t your Reverences be seated?” he added after a brief pause, moderating his tone a little.
Capitan Tiago here appeared in full dress, walking on tiptoe and leading by the hand María Clara, who entered timidly and with hesitation. Still she bowed gracefully and ceremoniously.
“Is this young lady your daughter?” asked the Captain-General in surprise.
“And your Excellency’s, General,” answered Capitan Tiago seriously.103
The alcalde and the aides opened their eyes wide, but his Excellency lost none of his gravity as he took the girl’s hand and said affably, “Happy are the fathers who have daughters like you, señorita! I have heard you spoken of with respect and admiration and have wanted to see you and thank you for your beautiful action of this afternoon. I am informed of everything and when I make my report to his Majesty’s government I shall not forget your noble conduct. Meanwhile, permit me to thank you in the name of his Majesty, the King, whom I represent here and who loves peace and tranquillity in his loyal subjects, and for myself, a father who has daughters of your age, and to propose a reward for you.”
“Sir—” answered the trembling María Clara.
His Excellency guessed what she wanted to say, and so continued: “It is well, señorita, that you are at peace with your conscience and content with the good opinion of your fellow-countrymen, with the faith which is its own best reward and beyond which we should not aspire. But you must not deprive me of an opportunity to show that if Justice knows how to punish she also knows how to reward
