in the
presence of his family.

"I left in consternation," resumed Chichoy, "thinking about how, if a
mere spark, a cigarette had fallen, if a lamp had been overturned, at
the present moment we should have neither a General, nor an Archbishop,
nor any one, not even a government clerk! All who were at the fiesta
last night--annihilated!"

"_Virgen Santisima!_ This young man--"

"_'Susmariosep!_" exclaimed Capitana Loleng. "All our debtors were
there, _'Susmariosep!_ And we have a house near there! Who could it
have been?"

"Now you may know about it," added Chichoy in a whisper, "but you
must keep it a secret. This afternoon I met a friend, a clerk in an
office, and in talking about the affair, he gave me the clue to the
mystery--he had it from some government employees. Who do you suppose
put the sacks of powder there?"

Many shrugged their shoulders, while Capitan Toringoy merely looked
askance at Isagani.

"The friars?"

"Quiroga the Chinaman?"

"Some student?"

"Makaraig?"

Capitan Toringoy coughed and glanced at Isagani, while Chichoy shook
his head and smiled.

"The jeweler Simoun."

"Simoun!!"

The profound silence of amazement followed these words. Simoun, the
evil genius of the Captain-General, the rich trader to whose house
they had gone to buy unset gems, Simoun, who had received the Orenda
girls with great courtesy and had paid them fine compliments! For
the very reason that the story seemed absurd it was believed. "_Credo
quia absurdum,_" said St. Augustine.

"But wasn't Simoun at the fiesta last night?" asked Sensia.

"Yes," said Momoy. "But now I remember! He left the house just as we
were sitting down to the dinner. He went to get his wedding-gift."

"But wasn't he a friend of the General's? Wasn't he a partner of
Don Timoteo's?"

"Yes, he made himself a partner in order to strike the blow and kill
all the Spaniards."

"Aha!" cried Sensia. "Now I understand!"

"What?"

"You didn't want to believe Aunt Tentay. Simoun is the devil and he
has bought up the souls of all the Spaniards. Aunt Tentay said so!"

Capitana Loleng crossed herself and looked uneasily toward the jewels,
fearing to see them turn into live coals, while Capitan Toringoy took
off the ring which had come from Simoun.

"Simoun has disappeared without leaving any traces," added
Chichoy. "The Civil Guard is searching for him."

"Yes," observed Sensia, crossing herself, "searching for the devil."

Now many t