"Do you also believe in the miracle version of the affair?" he said, smiling--"this miracle of which the people speak?"

"If I believed in miracles, I would not believe in G.o.d. I would believe in a deified man. In fact, I would believe that man had created G.o.d after his image and likeness," he replied solemnly. "But I believe in Him. More than once I have felt His hand. When all was falling headlong, threatening destruction for everything which was in the place, I Held the criminal. I put myself by his side. He was struck and I am safe and sound."

"You? So that you...?"

"Yes! I held him when he wanted to escape, once he had begun his fatal work. I saw his crime. I say: 'Let G.o.d be the only judge among men. Let Him be the only one who has the right to take away life. Let man never think of subst.i.tuting himself for him!'"

"And, still you this time...."

"No!" interrupted Elias, foreseeing the objection that he was going to raise. "It is not the same thing. When a man as judge condemns another to death or destroys his future forever, he does it with impunity and makes use of the force of other men to carry out his sentence. Yet, after all, the sentence may be wrong and unjust. But I, in exposing the criminal to the same danger which he had prepared for others, ran the same risks. I did not kill him. I allowed the hand of G.o.d to kill him."

"Do you not believe in chance?"

"To believe in chance is like believing in miracles. Both theories suppose that G.o.d does not know the future. What is a casualty? A happening which absolutely n.o.body knows beforehand. What is a miracle? A contradiction, a contortion of the laws of nature. Lack of foresight and contradiction in the All Knowing, who directs the machinery of the world, are two great imperfections."

"Who are you?" Ibarra asked again, with a certain dread. "Have you studied?"

"I have had to believe in G.o.d a great deal because I have lost my faith in men," replied the pilot, evading the question.

Ibarra thought that he understood this man; young and proscribed, he disregarded human justice; denied the right of man to judge his equals, he protested against power and superiority of certain cla.s.ses of men over others.

"But you must admit the necessity of human justice, however imperfect it may be," he replied. "G.o.d, although he has ministers on the earth, cannot, that is to say, cannot clearly give his judgment upon the millions of contentions which are stirred up by our pa.s.sions. It is necessary, it is just, that a man should sometimes judge his fellows."

"For good, yes; for bad, no. To correct and improve, yes; but not to destroy, for if he fails in his judgment, there is no power that can remedy the evil that has been done. But," he added, changing his tone, "this discussion is beyond and above me, and I am keeping you from those who are now awaiting you. But do not forget what I have just said: You have enemies. Take care of yourself for the good of your country!"

CHAPTER XVII

THE BANQUET.

There, under the shade of the decorated pavilion, the great men of the province were banqueting. The Alcalde occupied one end of the table; Ibarra, the other. On the young man's right sat Maria Clara, and on his left, the Notary. Captain Tiago, the alferez, the gobernadorcillo, the friars, the employees, and the few senoritas who were present were seated, not according to rank but according to their own fancy.

The banquet was very animated, but, before it was half over, a messenger with a telegram came in search of Captain Tiago. The Captain asked permission to read the message, and naturally all begged of him to do so.

The worthy Captain at first knit his eyebrows; and then raised them. His face became pale, and then brightened up. Doubling up the sheet of paper hurriedly, he arose.

"Gentlemen," said he, confused, "His Excellency, the Governor General, is coming this afternoon to honor my house."

And then he started on a run, taking with him the telegram and the napkin, but not his hat. All sorts of questions and exclamations were shouted after him. The announcement of the coming of the tulisanes could not have had a greater effect. "But listen! When does he come? Tell us about it! His Excellency!" But Captain Tiago was already far away.

"His Excellency is coming and will be a guest at Captain Tiago's house!" exclaimed some one, without considering that the Captain's daughter and future son-in-law were present.

"The choice could not have been a better one," replied another.

The friars looked at each other. Their expressions seemed to say: "The Governor General is committing another of his errors, offending us in this way. He ought to be the guest of the convent." But despite the fact that they thought this, they all kept silent and no one of them expressed his opinion.

"Even yesterday he was speaking to me about it," said the Alcalde, "but, at that time, His Excellency was not decided."

"Do you know, Your Excellency, Senor Alcalde, how long the Governor General intends to remain here?" asked the alferez, a little uneasy.

"No, not positively. His Excellency likes surprises."

"Here come some other telegrams!"

The messages were for the Alcalde, the alferez, and the gobernadorcillo, and announced the same thing to each of them. The friars noticed that none came addressed to the curate.

"His Excellency will arrive at four o'clock this afternoon, gentlemen,"

said the Alcalde solemnly. "We can finish at our leisure."

Leonidas, in the pa.s.s of Thermopylae, could not have said with better grace "To-night we will dine with Pluto."

"I notice the absence of our great preacher," said one of the government employees timidly. The speaker had an inoffensive look and before this had not opened his mouth, except to eat, during the entire morning.

All who knew the life of Crisostomo's father twitched their eyes significantly and seemed to say by their movements: "Go on! It's a bad beginning that you have made!" But others, more benevolently disposed, replied: "He must be somewhat fatigued."

"What? Somewhat fatigued!" exclaimed the alferez. "Why, he must be exhausted. What did you think of the sermon this morning?"

"Superb, gigantic!" said the Notary.

"To be able to speak like Father Damaso, a man needs lungs," observed Father Manuel Martin.

The Augustine did not concede more than lung power.

"And such easiness of expression," added Father Salvi.

"Do you know that Senor Ibarra has the best cook in the province,"

remarked the Alcalde, cutting off the conversation.

"So they say," replied one of the Government employees, "but his fair neighbor does not wish to do honor to his table, for she scarcely takes a mouthful."

Maria Clara blushed.

"I thank you, Senor.... You occupy yourself too much about me ... but ..." she said timidly.

"But your presence honors him sufficiently," concluded the gallant Alcalde. Then turning to Father Salvi: "Father Curate, I notice that you have been silent and pensive all day long."

"It is my nature," muttered the Franciscan. "I would rather listen than talk."

"Your Reverence seeks always to gain and never to lose," replied the alferez, in a joking manner.

But Father Salvi did not take it as a joke. His eyes flashed a moment and he replied: "You know very well, Senor Alferez, that, during these days, I am not the one who gains most!"

The alferez overlooked the fling with a false laugh and pretended not to hear it.