the people of the town have made their preparation for the festival in honor of the patron saint, san diego, and are gossiping about it, and about the arrival of maria clara, accompanied by her aunt isabel. they rejoiced over it, because they liked her, and admired her beauty very much. they also rejoiced in the change it had made in the priest, father salvi. “he is often absent-minded during the holy services,” they said. “he scarcely speaks with us, and he plainly grows more thin and taciturn.” his cook saw this constantly and complained of the little honor that he did his dishes. but what most excited the wonder of the people were the two lights which one could see shining in the convent during the night, while father salvi was visiting at the house of maria clara! the old dames crossed themselves and kept on gossiping.
juan crisostomo ibarra had telegraphed from the capital of the province his compliments to aunt isabel and her niece, but he had not explained his absence. many thought that he had been arrested for assaulting father salvi on the afternoon of “all saint’s day.” but the comments increased still more when, on the afternoon of the third day, they saw ibarra get out of a carriage in front of the little house of his betrothed, and courteously salute the priest, who was also making his way thither.
if we go to maria clara’s house, we will find it like a little nest among orange and ilang-ilang trees, surrounded by flowers and vines which creep up on bamboo sticks and wires, diffusing their delicious perfume. the rich fragrance of the ilang-ilang reaches even to the window which looks out on the lake. here sit the two young lovers. ibarra was saying to maria clara:
“to-morrow, before the first ray of morning, your desire shall be fulfilled. to-night, i shall arrange all so that nothing will be lacking.” [58]
“then i will write to my friends, so that they may come along. arrange it so that the priest cannot come.”
“and why?”
“because he seems to be watching me. his deep and sombre eyes pain me. when he fixes them upon me, they frighten me. he speaks to me of extraordinary things, so incomprehensible, so strange. he asked me once if i had not dreamed about my mother’s letters. i believe he is half crazy. my friend sinang, and andeng, my foster sister, say that he is a little out of his head, for he neither eats nor bathes, and he lives entirely in the darkness. don’t have him come!”
“we cannot but invite him,” replied ibarra. “the customs of the country require it. he is the priest of your house and, besides, he has conducted himself nobly toward me. when the alcalde consulted him on the business of which i have spoken to you, he had nothing but praises for me and did not pretend to offer the slightest obstacle. but i see that you are serious. i shall take care that he does not accompany us in the boat.”
light steps were heard. they were those of the priest, who was approaching with a forced smile on his lips. they began to talk of different subjects, about the weather, the town and the festival. maria clara devised an excuse and went out.
“and while we are speaking about festivals,” said ibarra, “allow me to invite you to the one which we are going to celebrate to-morrow. it is going to be a country picnic, which we and our friends are planning.”
“and where will it be held?”
“the girls want to hold it near the brook in the woods, near the balit? tree. so we will have to get up early to reach the place before the sun gets hot.”
the priest reflected, and a moment later replied: “the invitation is very tempting, and i accept it in order to prove that i hold no grudge against you for what has happened in the past. but i will have to be a little late, as i must fulfill my religious duties first. how happy to be like you, entirely free and independent!”
a few minutes later, ibarra took his leave in order to arrange for the picnic on the following day. it was already quite dark when he left the house.
