There is a critical conversation here between Tasio and Ibarra, which I feel imparts the core purpose of the Noli — exposing the sad state of affairs in the Philippines during Rizal’s time. It is likely however, that because this serious theme was repeatedly and heavily dwelt upon in school, I found myself more absorbed in the reading of Elias and Salome’s story instead.
Some may dismiss this deleted chapter as a piece of melodrama and unimportant to the book’s main themes. For students of literary writing however, I believe this chapter is an excellent example of how to convey the eloquent power of quiet encounters. In one short chapter, you imagine you know Elias and Salome more than you do the main pair, and feel the sting of their melancholy fate.
Chapter 21: The Story of a Mother
Sisa rushes home wondering about Crispin’s whereabouts and fearing Basilio’s arrest. She runs into two civil guards who inform her that Basilio had escaped them. They arrest her instead, thinking Sisa’s sons would eventually give themselves up with the stolen money. Sisa is overwhelmed with shame as people see her accompanied to town by civil guards. At the barracks, Sisa grows even more ashamed as she is mixed in with the soldiers, and their mistresses. The alferez arrives, dismisses the curate’s accusations and releases Sisa.
Sisa hurries home and walks in and out of her hut, and all around the surrounding area while repeatedly calling to her children. By morning, it becomes clear that the wandering Sisa has lost her mind.
Chapter 22: Lights and Shadows
The residents of San Diego continue to prepare for the fiesta. There is some chatter about the arrival of Maria Clara who is loved by all, and about Padre Salvi whom people notice has become thinner and inattentive.
Ibarra soon visits Maria Clara and she begs him not to invite the curate to the picnic planned for the following day. She reveals her discomfort over being watched and spoken to in odd ways by the curate. Ibarra reminds her that it is customary to invite the curate. On cue, Padre Salvi appears. Maria Clara slips away on some pretext, while Ibarra and the curate engage in small talk. Padre Salvi accepts Ibarra’s invitation to the picnic to prove he holds no ill will.
As Ibarra leaves, a man approaches and begs for pity. He tells Ibarra of the loss of his sons and the insanity of his wife. Ibarra invites him to tell his story.
Chapter 23: Fishing
Early in the morning, Maria Clara, Ibarra and their friends ride boats to Capitan Tiago’s fish corrals. The mood is lighthearted with a great deal of laughter and good-natured horseplay. Everyone is merry except for the reserved pilot[1] of Ibarra’s boat.
At the first fish corral, they prepare to cook sinigang,[2] but the fishing net comes up empty. They discover that this is because there is a crocodile at the bottom of the corral. The pilot takes a rope and leaps. After a struggle, the pilot surfaces, pulling at the partially tied crocodile. Unexpectedly, the crocodile lurches forward and drags the pilot back into the water with it. Ibarra dives after them with a knife. The two men reappear after an anxious moment with the dead crocodile.
Everyone is relieved and the merriment resumes. They catch fish at the second corral, then they make their way to the forest belonging to Ibarra where they eat their breakfast under the shade.
Chapter 24: In the Wood
The still ill-looking Padre Salvi discharges his duties early and makes his way to Ibarra’s picnic. Along the way, he hears Maria Clara and her friends’ voices and hides behind a tree to watch them bathe and to eavesdrop. Despite wanting to see more, he pries himself away to look for the rest of the group. He finds Ibarra joined by other important townspeople.
At lunch, Padre Salvi embarrasses the alferez by asking if his civil guards had found Elias, the man accused of both manhandling Padre Damaso and throwing the alferez into a mudhole. Their talk is interrupted by the approach of Sisa, who runs away after seeing the alferez. The conversation turns to Sisa’s story in which the alferez finds the chance to shame the curate in return, laughing in sarcasm at the disappearance of Sisa’s sons over the loss of the curate’s coins. Ibarra interrupts and declares his intention of helping Sisa and searching for her sons.
After the meal, Ibarra receives a telegram with the good news that his project for a town school had been approved. This bit of good news is followed by a disruptive one, as civil guards arrive looking for the wanted Elias, who turns out to be the pilot of Ibarra’s boat, but Elias had already disappeared unnoticed.
Chapter X / 25: Elias and Salome[3]
At the porch of a lakeshore hut sits Salome, sewing. She drops her work as soon as she hears Elias approaching, bearing firewood, bananas and a fish. She asks him about the picnic he had been to, to which Elias gives succinct responses.
At some point Elias stands to go, but notices Salome crying. She explains that, being now an orphan, she will have to leave her home to live with relatives, and the thought makes her sad. She confesses too that the most beautiful time of each day is the hour of his visit. Elias reminds her of his misfortunes which his future children may suffer, making it impossible for him to marry her. He tells her to forget him.
Salome resigns herself to their parting, but bids him live in her house so they may each remember each other as if they were together. Elias is in despair and tears himself away from Salome.
Chapter 25: In the House of the Sage
Ibarra visits Tasio to consult him about his plan for a town school. The old man tells him to consult with all the religious and lay people in authority. He tells Ibarra to pretend to take their stupid advice.
Ibarra disagrees, wanting to be forthright and believing in the good sense of people and government. Tasio counters by saying that the government is under the sway of the curate and that a displeased friar can easily upset Ibarra’s plans. Tasio believes too that even if Spain were to issue reforms to remedy how matters are run in the Philippines, they would be useless when people are ignorant and when there is no zealous authority to implement the reforms.
Ibarra asks if it was possible that if he were to bow to authority, the religious powers would only pretend to befriend him but secretly undermine him. Tasio answers that if that were to happen, Ibarra would at least have the comfort of having taken the first step, which may encourage others to later follow. Ibarra decides to take Tasio’s advice.
Notes and References:
1. Translated as helmsman by Lacson-Locsin, steersman by Guerrero and boatman by Augenbraum.
2. This is a soup dish of fish with vegetables in a sour broth. Common souring agents include tamarind and kamias. Variations include using pork, beef or shellfish instead of fish. Glenda Barreto et al., Kulinarya: A Guide to Philippine Cuisine, 2nd ed. (Mandaluyong: Anvil Publishing, Inc., 2013), 233.
3. Rizal excluded ‘Elias and Salome’ from the first printed version of the Noli. Recent translations now include it either as Chapter 25 or Chapter X in the appendix or as an unnumbered section in the appendix.
Zaide, whose book is often used as a college textbook says with certainty that the removal of the chapter was definitely for the sake of economy, as Rizal was low on funds at this time. Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero, 2nd ed. (Quezon: All-Nations Publishing Co., Inc., 2013), 101.
I do not know if there is a clear statement from Rizal for the above claim, however Donoso, in his Spanish notes to his critical edition published two years earlier, says Rizal did not give a definite statement regarding the removal of the chapter. It could have been due to financial constraints as hypothesized by historians, or it could also have been because the chapter was not a very important part of the book. Isaac Donoso Jimenez, Filipiniana Classica: Jose Rizal Noli Me Tangere Edicion Critica (Quezon City: Vibal Foundation, 2011), 778.
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