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"Why, sir, your friend, Senor Don Filipo Martinez, is just precisely the same gentleman who became the purchaser of the boy Jim. We intend to pay him a visit to-morrow, for the purpose of trying to repurchase the boy.
"Give this woman something to eat," ordered Ibarra. "The night is dark and the boys disappear," murmured the wandering woman, but at sight of the alferez, who spoke to her, she became frightened and ran away among the trees. "Who is she?" he asked. "An unfortunate woman who has become insane from fear and sorrow," answered Don Filipo. "For four days now she has been so."
"Yours is not a little good fortune, to get off free in these times!" said Capitan Basilio to Don Filipo. "They've burned your books, yes, but others have lost more." A woman approached the grating and gazed into the interior. Her eyes glittered, her features were emaciated, her hair loose and dishevelled. The moonlight gave her a weird aspect. "Sisal" exclaimed Don Filipo in surprise.
Ah, yes, the old Sage, Tasio, also died and was buried in the Chinese cemetery." "Poor old man!" sighed Don Filipo. "What became of his books?" "They were burned by the pious, who thought thus to please God. I was unable to save anything, not even Cicero's works. The gobernadorcillo did nothing to prevent it." Both became silent.
Ishmael pressed his hand in silent sympathy, and then to divert his thoughts from a subject fraught with so much emotion he said: "It occurs to me, judge, to say that Mr. Brudenell will probably be able very much to facilitate our negotiations with his friend, Don Filipo."
A murmur of pleasure ran through the hall, as nearly every one agreed with the youth. Some few muttered, "Innovations! Innovations! When we were young " "Let's adopt it for the time being and humiliate that fellow," said others, indicating Don Filipo. When silence was restored all were agreed. There was lacking only the approval of the gobernadorcillo.
But let us leave the suffering souls and listen to the conversation between Don Filipo and old Tasio in the lonely home of the latter. The Sage, or Lunatic, was sick, having been for days unable to leave his bed, prostrated by a malady that was rapidly growing worse. "Really, I don't know whether to congratulate you or not that your resignation has been accepted.
"Tell the alferez that we have permission from the alcalde and that against such permission no one in the town has any authority, not even the gobernadorcillo himself, and he is my only superior." "Well, the show must stop!" repeated the soldiers. Don Filipo turned his back and they went away. In order not to disturb the merriment he told no one about the incident.
"Besides, Filipo is the most interesting person on the ship. I have just devoted a chapter to him in my book, and if you think I'm going to spoil my book because Mr. Boyd gets hurt, or the potatoes aren't done, you're much mistaken." Owen obediently knelt and unlocked the clumsy handcuffs. "You are free, Filipo," said Pauline with the air of a proud princess releasing a serf.
Last of all, I ran up against a very dear friend of mine, whose acquaintance I made at the court of Queen Isabella when I was at Madrid, some years ago. And Don Filipo insisted on my returning home with him to the Suburb Regla, where he has a beautiful house standing in the midst of equally beautiful grounds. Well, I dined there; and I got away as soon after dinner as I decently could."
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