CHAPTER IV
CAPTAIN TIAGO.
Captain Tiago was short in stature, but both his body and his
face were well filled out. His complexion was clear and he did not
appear to be more than thirty or thirty-five years old, although
he was really more than that. In these times his face always wore a
pleasant expression. His head was small, round and covered with hair
as black as ebony, long in front and very short behind. This head,
according to reports, contained a great many things. His eyes were
small but not terrifying, and always without expression. In short,
the Captain might have passed for a good-looking little man, if his
mouth had not been disfigured by the use of tobacco and the betel
nut, the juices of which trickled out of the corners of his lips and
destroyed the symmetry of his features. However, despite these habits,
both his own teeth and the two that the dentist had made for him,
at twelve pesos each, were well preserved.
Tiago was considered one of the richest property owners in Binondo,
and he also owned large plantations in the provinces of Pampanga and
Laguna de Bay, especially in the town of San Diego. The rent of all
these lands increased every year. San Diego was his favorite town
on account of its excellent bathing place, its famous cockpit and
the pleasant memories associated with the neighborhood. He spent at
least two months in this town every year. Captain Tiago also had
a great deal of property in Santo Cristo, in Analoague Street and
in Rosario Street. In partnership with a Chinaman he carried on a
profitable business in opium. It is understood that he had contracts
with the Government for feeding the prisoners in Bilibid and that
he supplied fodder to many of the principal houses in Manila. He was
in good standing with the authorities, able, clever, and even daring
in his speculations in the necessities of others. Hence it was that
at this time the Captain was as happy as a narrow-minded man could
be in such a country. He was rich, and was at peace with God, the
Government and man.
That Tiago was at peace with God was indisputable. In fact, there was
no reason whatever for his not being so, since he was well situated as
far as worldly matters go and had never loaned God any money. He never
addressed God in his prayers, not even when he was in dire straits. He
was rich, and his money, he thought, could pray for him. For masses
and prayers, God had created powerful and lofty priests; for special
religious functions and rosaries, God, in His infinite goodness, for
the benefit of the rich, had created poor people-poor people who for
a peso would make half a dozen prayers, and would read all the Holy
Books, even to the Hebrew Bible, if the pay were large enough. If
at any time he found himself in hard straits and needed heavenly
aid and was out of red Chinese candles, he applied to the saints,
making them great promises in order to win their favor and convince
them of his good intentions.
Captain Tiago was therefore beloved by the priests, respected by the
sacristans, fondled by the Chinese candle-makers and fire-cracker
merchants, and thoroughly happy in the religion of the world. Some
even attributed to him great influence in the ecclesiastical court.
That the Captain was at peace with the Government must not be doubted
simply because such a thing seems impossible. Incapable of conceiving a
new idea and content with the modus vivendi, he was always willing to
obey the latest official recruit in any of the Government offices and
even ready to give him at all times of the year such presents as hams,
capons, turkeys, and Chinese fruit. He was the first to applaud any
tax imposed by the Government, especially when he scented behind it
a chance of securing the contract for its collection. He always kept
orchestras on hand to serenade Government officials of all grades
from governor to the lowest Government agent, on their birthdays,
saint's days, or when any occasion, such as the death of any of
their relatives, or a birth in the family connection should afford
a pretext. He even went so far as to dedicate laudatory verses to
his royal patrons on these occasions, thus honoring the "suave and
loving governor" or the "valiant and mighty alcalde."
The Captain was a petty governor or gobernadorcillo of a rich colony
of mestizos, in spite of the protests of many who considered him
unfit for the position. He held the office for two years, but during
this time he wore out ten frock coats, about the same number of high
hats, and lost more than a half dozen of gobernadorcillo canes. His
high hat and frock coat were always in evidence in the city hall, at
the Government palace in Melacanan [1] and at the army headquarters,
and they always appeared, too, in the cock-pit, in the market, in all
processions, and in the Chinese shops. Dressed in this official costume
with the tasseled cane, Captain Tiago was to be found everywhere,
arranging, ordering, and putting in disorder, everything with which
he had anything to do-and all with wonderful activity and with still
more wonderful gravity.
Sacrilegious people called him a fool; poor people called him a
hypocrite, a cruel man who gained a livelihood by making others
miserable; while his inferiors looked upon him as a despot and a
tyrant. And the women? Ah, the women! Slanderous rumors circulated in
the wretched nipa houses, and it was claimed that often lamentations
and sobs, mingled with the cries of a child, could be heard. More
than one young girl was pointed out by the malicious finger of the
neighbors, with the remark: "See what a different expression she wears,
and how plainly she shows evidences of her shame." But such things as
these never robbed the Captain of any sleep; no young girl disturbed
his rest.
Such was the Captain at that time. His past history was as follows: He
was the only son of a very wealthy but avaricious sugar manufacturer
of Malabon, who was unwilling to spend a cent in his education. For
this reason young Santiago became the servant of a good Dominican, a
very virtuous man, who tried to teach him all the valuable knowledge
which he possessed. About the time when he was to have the happiness
of studying logic, the death of his protector, followed by that of his
father, put an end to his studies and from that time on he devoted
himself to business. He married a beautiful girl from Santa Cruz,
who increased his fortune and gave him a social position.
Dona Pia Alba was not content with buying sugar, coffee and indigo;
she wished to sow and reap, so the young husband bought lands in
San Diego. It was in this town that he made the acquaintance and
friendship of Father Damaso and of Don Rafael Ibarra, the richest
capitalist of the town.
The lack of an heir for the first six years of his married life gave
him a great opportunity to accumulate wealth, which perhaps was a
censurable ambition. Although Dona Pia was handsome, robust and well
formed, she made her pilgrimages in vain. By advice of the devotees of
San Diego, she visited the Virgin of Cayasay in Taal; she gave alms,
and she danced in the procession before the Virgin of Turumba in Pakil
under the May sun, but it was all in vain. Finally, on the advice
of Father Damaso, she went to Obando, and there danced at the fiesta
of San Pascual Bailon and asked for a son. It is well known that in
Obando there is a trinity-Our Lady of Salambau, Santa Clara and San
Pascual-which grants sons or daughters as required. Thanks to this
wise triumvirate, Dona Pia became a mother, but like the fisherman
in Macbeth, who ceased to sing after he found a rich treasure,
Dona Pia lost her gayety, became very sad and was never seen to
smile again. Every one, even to Captain Tiago, declared that it was
a pure caprice. A puerperal fever put an end to her grief, leaving
a beautiful daughter motherless. Father Damaso baptized the child,
and, as San Pascual had not given the son which had been asked for,
the name of Maria Clara was given to it in honor of the Virgin of
Salambau and of Santa Clara. The little girl grew up under the care
of her aunt Isabel,-that good old lady with the manners of a friar
whom we met before. The little girl lived the greater part of the
time in San Diego on account of the healthful climate, and while
there Father Damaso paid her much attention.
Maria Clara did not have the small eyes of her father. Like her mother,
her eyes were large, black and shaded by long lashes, brilliant and
smiling when she was playing, but sad, deep and pensive at other
times. When a child her wavy hair was almost blond. Her nose was
well formed, neither too large nor too flat. Her mouth was small and
beautifully shaped like that of her mother, and her cheeks were set
with dimples. Her skin was like silk and as white as snow, but her
fond parent found traces of the paternity of Captain Tiago in her
small and well shaped ears.
Aunt Isabel attributed the child's semi-European features to
impressions made upon Dona Pia. She remembered having seen the mother a
short time before the child was born, weeping before the image of San
Antonio. Then, too, a cousin of Captain Tiago had the same features,
the only difference being in the choice of the saints, by which the
phenomenon was explained. With her it was either the Virgin or San
Miguel. A cousin of Captain Tiago, a famous philosopher, who knew
Amat [2] by heart, explained it all by attributing it to the effect
of the planets.
Maria Clara, the idol of all, grew up surrounded by love and
smiles. She won the favor of even the friars when she was dressed in
white for some religious procession, her long, wavy hair interwoven
with flowers, two silver or golden wings attached to the shoulders
of her dress, and holding two white doves, tied with blue ribbons,
in her hand. When she grew up, she was so full of childish mischief
that Captain Tiago did nothing but bless the saints of Obando and
advise everybody to buy handsome statues of that trinity.
In tropical countries a girl becomes a woman at the age of thirteen
or fourteen years, like the plant which buds at night and blooms
the following morning. During this period of transition, so full of
mystery and romance, on the advice of the parish priest, Maria Clara
entered the religious retreat of Santa Catalina in order to receive
from the nuns a strictly religious education. She left Father Damaso
in tears, and likewise the only friend of her childhood, Crisostomo
Ibarra. Shortly after the entrance to the convent, Ibarra went to
Europe. For seven long years, the girl lived under the vigilance of
the Mother Superior in the iron-grated building, shut off from any
communication with the outer world.
Don Rafael and Captain Tiago, in the meantime, while Ibarra was
in Europe and Maria Clara in the convent, noticing the trend of
affairs, and at the same time having in mind their own interests,
decided that the children should be married. It is needless to say
that this agreement, which was arrived at some years after Ibarra
had left for Europe, was celebrated with equal joy by two hearts,
on opposite sides of the world and amid very different surroundings.