Part 28 (1/2)
”You can forget them because you are young, and because you have not lost your son, have not lost your last hope! But, I a.s.sure you, I will not harm an innocent person. Do you see that wound? I allowed myself to receive that in order not to kill a poor cuaderillero who was fulfilling his duty.”
”But see!” said Elias, after a moment's silence. ”See what frightful destruction you will bring upon our unfortunate country. If you seek revenge by your own hand your enemies will retaliate, not against you, not against those who are armed, but against the people, who are always accused, and then how many more injustices!”
”Let the people learn to defend themselves. Let each learn to defend himself.”
”You know that that is impossible. Senor, I have known you in other times when you were happy, then you gave me wise advice. Will you permit me...?”
The old man crossed his arms and seemed to meditate upon what he was going to say.
”Senor,” continued Elias, measuring his words well, ”I have had the fortune to be of service to a young man, rich, of good heart, n.o.ble, and a lover of his country's welfare. They say that this young man has friends in Madrid. I do not know it, but I can positively a.s.sure you that he is a friend of the Governor General. What do you say if we make him the bearer of the people's complaints, if we can interest him in the cause of the unhappy?”
The old man shook his head.
”Do you say that he is a rich man? The rich think of nothing but to increase their riches. Pride and pomp blind them, and, since they are generally well off, especially if they have powerful friends, none of them ever troubles himself about the unfortunates. I know it all, for I was once rich myself.”
”But the man of whom I am speaking does not seem to be like the others. He is a son who would not allow the memory of his father to be dishonored. He is a young man who thinks about the future--thinks of a good future for his sons, for he may in a short time have a family of his own.”
”Then he is a man who is going to be happy. Our cause is not a cause for happy men.”
”But it is a cause for men of good hearts.”
”That may be,” replied the old man sitting down. ”Suppose that he consented to carry our complaints to the Governor General. Suppose that he finds in the court those who will argue for us. Do you think we will get justice?”
”Let us try it before resorting to b.l.o.o.d.y measures,” replied Elias. ”It must seem strange to you that I, another unfortunate, young, robust--that I should propose to you old and weak--peaceful measures. But it is because I have seen so many miseries caused by us similar to those caused by tyrants. The unarmed is the one who suffers.”
”And if we do not accomplish anything?”
”Something will be accomplished, believe me! Not all who govern are unjust. And if we do not accomplish anything, if our voice is not listened to, if the man turns a deaf ear to the grief of his fellow men, then we will put ourselves under your orders.”
The old man, full of enthusiasm, embraced the young man.
”I accept your proposition, Elias. I know that you will keep your word. You come to me and I will help you take vengeance for your father. You will help me to take vengeance for my sons--my sons who were like you!”
”In the meantime, Senor, avoid all violent measures.”
”You can expound the complaints of the people. You certainly know them. When will we know the answer?”
”Within four days send a man to meet me on the beach at San Diego and I will tell him what the person in whom I have hope says. If he accepts, we will get justice, and if he does not accept, I will be the first to fall in the fight which we will begin.”
”Elias will not die. Elias will be chief, when Captain Pablo falls, satisfied in his revenge,” said the old man.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE c.o.c.k FIGHT.
In order to keep the Sabbath holy in the Philippines the people generally go to the c.o.c.k fight, just as in Spain they go to the bull fight. c.o.c.k fighting, a pa.s.sion introduced into the country and exploited for a century, is one of the vices of the people, more deeply rooted than the opium vice among the Chinese. The poor go there to risk what little they have, desirous of making money without working; the rich go there to amuse themselves, using the money which they have left over from their feasts and thanksgiving ma.s.ses. The c.o.c.k is educated with great care, with more care, perhaps, than the son who is to succeed his father in the c.o.c.k-pit. The Government permits it and almost recommends it, for it decrees that the fight shall only be held in the public plazas and on holidays from after high ma.s.s till dark--eight hours.