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Tadeo resumed: "That is the musician H ; that one, the lawyer J , who delivered as his own a speech printed in all the books and was congratulated and admired for it; Doctor K , that man just getting out of a hansom, is a specialist in diseases of children, so he's called Herod; that's the banker L , who can talk only of his money and his hoards; the poet M , who is always dealing with the stars and the beyond.
"He's the official who has appointed his daughters, those three little girls, assistants in his department, so as to get their names on the pay-roll. He's a clever man, very clever! When he makes a mistake he blames it on somebody else, he buys things and pays for them out of the treasury. He's clever, very, very clever!" Tadeo was about to say more, but suddenly checked himself.
"If in his place we had invited Basilio," said Tadeo, "we should have been better entertained. We might have got him drunk and drawn some secrets from him." "What, does the prudent Basilio possess secrets?" "I should say so!" replied Tadeo. "Of the most important kind. There are some enigmas to which he alone has the key: the boy who disappeared, the nun "
That man with knitted brows?" "Yes, that's Don Custodio, the liberal, Don Custodio. His brows are knit because he's meditating over some important project. If the ideas he has in his head were carried out, this would be a different world! Ah, here comes Makaraig, your housemate." It was in fact Makaraig, with Pecson, Sandoval, and Isagani. Upon seeing them, Tadeo advanced and spoke to them.
So each morning, after vainly proposing that they play truant, he would go away alleging important business, an appointment, or illness, just at the very moment when his companions were going to their classes. But by some occult, thaumaturgic art Tadeo passed the examinations, was beloved by the professors, and had before him a promising future.
"In no way, as I have observed to you before, friend Isagani," declared Sandoval with violent gestures and a sonorous voice, so that the ladies near the box, the daughters of the rich man who was in debt to Tadeo, might hear him, "in no way does the French language possess the rich sonorousness or the varied and elegant cadence of the Castilian tongue.
"Which should be dedicated to the friars," suggested he of the Visayas. "For the lobsters' sake," added Sandoval. "Right, and call it friar pie!" The whole crowd took this up, repeating in concert, "Friar pie!" "I protest in the name of one of them," said Isagani. "And I, in the name of the lobsters," added Tadeo. "Respect, gentlemen, more respect!" again demanded Pecson with a full mouth.
So Tadeo, as this invalid youth was known, entered the church to follow the girl. Tadeo went to the University every day to ask if the classes would be held and each time seemed to be more and more astonished that they would. He had a fixed idea of a latent and eternal holiday, and expected it to come any day.
The novice was filled with admiration and respect for the young man. "He has the look of a fool, and he is one," continued Tadeo. "He was born in San Pedro Makati and has inflicted many privations upon himself.
It had been agreed that Sandoval, who possessed the most oratorical ability, should deliver the last toast as a summing up. Tadeo, lazy as ever, had prepared nothing, so he found himself in a quandary. While disposing of a long string of vermicelli, he meditated how to get out of the difficulty, until he recalled a speech learned in school and decided to plagiarize it, with adulterations.
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