Friars and Filipinos Part 11

"I thought that you were interested in the affair," continued Father Salvi, with a little jeering in his manner.

The alferez bit his lips and mumbled out a silly excuse.

The meal ended and, while tea and coffee were being served, the young and old distributed themselves about in various groups. Some picked up playing cards and others dice, but the young women, anxious to know the future, preferred to try their luck with the wheel of fortune.

"Come, Senor Ibarra," shouted Captain Basilio, who was a little bit jolly. "We have a law-suit that has been pending for fifteen years, and there isn't a judge in the Supreme Court in Manila who can decide it. Let us see if we can settle it on the chess board. What do you say?"

The game of chess began with much solemnity.

"If the game is a draw," said Ibarra, "it is understood that the suit is off."

About the middle of the game, Ibarra received a telegram which made his eyes glisten and his face grow pale. He put it in his pocket-book, not, however, without directing a glance at the group of young women who continued with much laughter to play the wheel of fortune.

"Check to the king!" said the young man.

Captain Basilio had no other resort than to hide him behind the queen.

"Check to the queen!" said Ibarra, threatening it with his rook, which was defended by a p.a.w.n.

Not being able to cover the queen, nor to retire it on account of the fact that the king was behind it, Captain Basilio asked permission to study the situation a little.

"Certainly, with much pleasure," replied Ibarra. "I will take advantage of the opportunity, for I have something to say to some of the members of that group over there."

And rising to his feet, he gave his opponent half an hour to study it out.

Iday held in her hands the strip of cardboard on which was written forty-eight questions, while Albino held the book which contained the answers.

"That's a lie! It's not so! It lies!" cried Sinang, half in tears.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Maria Clara.

"Just imagine it: I asked the question 'When will I have some sense?' I threw the dice and he, this all-night-watching priest (Albino, the ex-seminary student) reads from the book: 'When the frogs grow hairs.' What do you think of that?"

And Sinang made a face at the former religious student, who was still laughing heartily.

"Who told you to ask such a question?" said her cousin Victoria. "Any one who asks such a question deserves just such an answer."

"You ask a question!" said they all to Ibarra. "We have agreed that the one who receives the best answer shall receive a gift from the others. We have all asked our questions already."

"And who has received the best answer?"

"Maria Clara, Maria Clara!" replied Sinang. "We made her ask the question whether you loved her or not: 'Is your lover faithful and constant,' and the book replied----"

But Maria Clara colored up, and, putting her hands over Sinang's mouth, did not allow her to finish what she had to say.

"Then, let me try it," said Crisostomo, smiling.

He asked the question: "Will I succeed in my present undertaking?"

"You are going to get a bad answer," exclaimed Sinang.

Ibarra threw the dice, and noting the number, they looked for the page in the little book with the corresponding answer.

"Dreams are only dreams," read Albino.

Ibarra took out his pocket-book and opened it trembling.

"This time your book has lied," he said, full of joy. "Read this!"

"Plan for school house approved; other matter decided in your favor."

"What does that mean?" they all asked.

"Did you not tell me that the one who received the best answer was to get a present?" the young man asked, his voice trembling with emotion while he carefully divided the paper into two parts.

"Yes, yes!"

"Well, then! This is my gift," he said handing half of the telegram to Maria Clara. "I am going to have a school house for boys and girls erected in the town. This school house will be my gift."

"And this other piece: what does that mean?"

"I will give that to the one who has obtained the worst answer."

"Then that is for me!" exclaimed Sinang.

Ibarra gave her the piece of paper and quickly went off.

"And what does this mean?"

But the happy young man was already far away from the little group and he did not reply. He had gone to finish the game of chess.

After making the present to his betrothed, Ibarra was so happy that he began to play without stopping to think or even examining carefully the position of the chess. As a result, although Captain Basilio had defended himself only by the greatest effort, the young man made so many mistakes that the game resulted in a draw.

"We end the suit, we end the suit!" said Captain Basilio, happy over his success.

"Yes, we declare it off," repeated the young man, "whatever decision the judges may have been able to reach."

Each grasped the hand of the other and shook it with effusion.

In the meantime, while those present were celebrating the ending of the law-suit, of which both had long been tired, four Civil Guards and a sergeant suddenly arrived on the scene. They were all armed and had their bayonets fixed, a fact which naturally disturbed the merriment and brought fright into the circle of women.

"Let everybody be quiet!" cried the sergeant. "Whoever moves will be shot!"

In spite of this gruff boast, Ibarra rose to his feet and approached the sergeant.