Part 35 (2/2)
Ibarra thanked him and approached Sinang.
”Where have you been all day?” she asked, with a childish laugh. ”We have been asking each other, 'Where could this soul redeemed from purgatory have gone?' Each one of us gave a different answer.”
”And will you not tell what you said?”
”No, that is a secret; but I will surely tell you in private. Now tell us where you have been so that we can see who has been able to guess it.”
”No, that also is a secret; but I will tell you alone, if the senores will permit.”
”Certainly, certainly!” said Father Salvi.
Sinang took Crisostomo to one end of the hall. She was very happy with the idea of knowing a secret.
”Tell me, my little friend,” said Ibarra, ”Is Maria angry with me?”
”I do not know, but she says that it is better that you should forget her and then begins to cry. Captain Tiago wants her to marry that gentleman; Father Damaso also wishes it; but she says neither yes nor no. This morning when we were asking for you, I said: 'What if he has gone to make love to some one else?' She replied to me: 'Would to G.o.d that he had!' and then began to cry.”
Ibarra was serious.
”Tell Maria that I want to speak with her alone.”
”Alone?” asked Sinang, knitting her eyebrows and looking at him.
”Entirely alone, no. But so that we may not be seen by that other senor.”
”It is difficult, but don't worry. I will tell her.”
”And when will I know the answer?”
”To-morrow come to the house early. Maria never wants to be alone. We keep her company. Victoria sleeps by her side one night, and I the next. To-morrow night it is my turn. But listen: What is the secret? You are going without telling me the princ.i.p.al thing.”
”That is true. I was in the town of Los Banos. I went up there to do some business in cocoanut trees, since I am thinking of building a factory. Your father will be my partner.”
”Nothing more than that? Give us the secret!” exclaimed Sinang in a loud voice and in the tone of a defrauded usurer. ”I thought----”
”Take care. I don't want you to tell it.”
”I have no desire to!” replied Sinang, sticking up her nose. ”If it were something more important, I would tell it to my friends. But to buy cocoanuts! cocoanuts! Who is interested in cocoanuts?”
And she went away in haste to find her girl friends.
A few moments afterward, Ibarra seeing that the conversation was lagging, took leave of the gathering. Captain Tiago's expression was between sweet and sour; Linares was silent and observing; and the curate, feigning to be joyful, was telling stories. None of the girls had returned.
CHAPTER x.x.xIII
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