Thirteen years have passed since the events of Noli Me Tangere. At the opening of El Filibusterismo, we are greeted by old faces and introduced to new ones, and one seemingly new one.
Chapter 1: On the Upper Deck
The steamer Tabo[1] makes its way up the Pasig river one December morning. On its upper deck is Dona Victorina, traveling in search of her husband Don Tiburcio, who has fled from her abuse. On deck too are Don Custodio, the writer Ben-Zayb and Padres Salvi, Sibyla, Irene and Camorra, and the steamer’s captain. Also present is the jeweler Simoun, conspicuous for his long white hair and large blue sunglasses. He is reputed to have advisory influence over the Captain-General.
The group fall into discussing the winding path of the river. Simoun suggests digging a new canal straight from the mouth of the river passing Manila, and closing old Pasig. To achieve this, he further suggests the destruction of towns, using prisoners as laborers to eliminate the cost, and increasing forced labor among men and boys. Don Custodio and Padre Sibyla bring up the possibility of uprisings, which Simoun sharply dismisses, as he leaves the group to head below deck.
Chapter 2: On the Lower Deck
Below deck, medical student Basilio and the young poet Isagani chat with Capitan Basilio. The younger Basilio first updates the capitan on the lack of improvement in Capitan Tiago’s health condition and supposed continued use of opium. Their conversation turns to the Spanish language academy the young men are planning to start. Capitan Basilio is doubtful of their success, but the young men calm his doubts by revealing they expect a permit soon, and that they have teachers and funds contributed by fellow students. Their venue will be the house of a student named Makaraig. Capitan Basilio accepts their explanation and heads off.
The young men move on to other topics including Paulita, Dona Victorina’s niece and Isagani’s love interest; Dona Victorina’s hiring of Isagani to look for Don Tiburcio, and the fact that Don Tiburcio is actually hiding in Isagani’s uncle’s house. Simoun joins them briefly, and Basilio introduces him to Isagani.
Also below deck on the rear is Isagani’s uncle, Padre Florentino, now retired and with a fortune left to him by his long departed mother in exchange for his agreeing to become a priest.
Chapter 3: Legends
Padre Florentino and Simoun join the group on the upper deck, and the captain launches into the topic of legends about the Pasig river. He talks about Malapad-na-bato,[2] believed to have been the home of spirits but later became a bandits’ nest.
Padre Florentino next tells the story of Doña Jeronima, a woman who had grown old waiting for her betrothed who had forgotten her and had gone on to become the Archbishop of Manila. To appease her, he prepared a cave for her where she lived and died. Hearing this, Simoun turns to Padre Salvi and pointedly remarks at how ungallant the Archbishop had been. He believes it would have been more fitting if the lady were shut up in a nunnery like Santa Clara.
An uncomfortable Padre Salvi changes the topic and relates a legend of his own about an unbelieving Chinaman who, when attacked by a cayman, invoked St. Nicholas, and the cayman turned to stone.
As the steamer enters the lake, Ben-Zayb asks the captain where a certain Ibarra had been killed. The captain gives a quick account of the pursuit on the lake thirteen years ago and indicates where Ibarra had been lost.
Chapter 4: Cabesang Tales
Herein is the story of Tandang Selo and his son Tales, old friends of Basilio.
Tales, experiencing some improvements in his family’s fortune, decides to clear a portion of the woods to cultivate. During their first harvest, a religious corporation claims the land as their own and charges Tales an annual fee. He pays dutifully, but begins to rebel when the fee becomes too high. He takes the religious order to court, arms himself and begins patrolling his land. Tales loses the case and ends up draining his resources. His only son, Tano, is conscripted, as he is unable to pay for a substitute.[3] Tano is later rumored to have either gone to the Carolines[4] or become a guardia civil.[5] To make matters worse, bandits kidnap Tales and demand a ransom.
To save her father, Juli sells her belongings except for a locket Basilio gave her, a locket Basilio received from a leper patient who in turn obtained if from Capitan Tiago’s daughter.[6] To complete the ransom amount, Juli borrows money from an old religious lady and agrees to work as a servant to pay for it.
Chapter 5: A Cochero’s Chirstmas Eve
Basilio’s arrival in San Diego is delayed as his cochero[7] had been detained and knocked about by the guardia civil for forgetting his cedula.[8] They are delayed a second time as they wait for the Christmas procession to pass. The cochero envies the time of the saints, thinking there were no civil guards then, else Methuselah[9], would not have lived to an old age, nor a black magi allowed to be with the others.
As they continue down the road, Basilio notes the fewer ornaments and sounds of merriment, and thinks this is because things had gone badly with agriculture, taxes had risen and civil guards had become more abusive.
The cochero is stopped a second time for an unlighted coach lamp, so Basilio proceeds on foot. Passing by Capitan Basilio’s house, he glimpses Simoun making deals with his jewelry with the capitan, the curate and the alferez. Basilio does not think well of Simoun, who he thinks is always going about something, and who, he has been told, sells his jewels for double the price he bought them for.
Basilio reaches his guardian Capitan Tiago’s house where the old man narrates an assortment of bad news including the kidnapping of Cabesang Tales.
Notes and References:
1. A dipper
2. Wide rock
3. Conscription was the compulsory enlistment of men for military service, but families with means could buy their menfolk’s way out by paying for substitutes to take their place.
4. Carolines are islands in the Pacific which were once under Spanish rule and governed from Manila.
5. Civil guard
6. Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere
7. Coachman
8. Now commonly known as a community tax certificate
9. Mentioned in the Bible as an old man who lived up to the age of 969. He was the grandfather of Noah. Genesis 5:21-29.
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