wn as Plaza Cervantes, being the financial
center of Manila.--Tr.

[56] "The manager of this restaurant warns the public to leave
absolutely nothing on any table or chair."--Tr.

[57] "We do not believe in the verisimilitude of this dialogue,
fabricated by the author in order to refute the arguments of the
friars, whose pride was so great that it would not permit any
Isagani to tell them these truths face to face. The _invention_ of
Padre Fernandez as a Dominican professor is a stroke of generosity
on Rizal's part, in conceding that there could have existed _any_
friar capable of talking frankly with an _Indian_."--_W. E. Retana,
in note to this chapter in the edition published by him at Barcelona
in 1908_. Retana ought to know of what he is writing, for he was in
the employ of the friars for several years and later in Spain wrote
extensively for the journal supported by them to defend their position
in the Philippines. He has also been charged with having strongly urged
Rizal's execution in 1896. Since 1898, however, he has doubled about,
or, perhaps more aptly, performed a journalistic somersault--having
written a diffuse biography and other works dealing with Rizal. He
is strong in unassorted facts, but his comments, when not inane and
wearisome, approach a maudlin wail over "spilt milk," so the above
is given at its face value only.--Tr.

[58] Quite suggestive of, and perhaps inspired by, the author's own
experience.--Tr.

[59] The Walled City, the original Manila, is still known to the
Spaniards and older natives exclusively as such, the other districts
being referred to by their distinctive names.--Tr.

[60] Nearly all the dialogue in this chapter is in the mongrel
Spanish-Tagalog "market language," which cannot be reproduced in
English.--Tr.

[61] Doubtless a reference to the author's first work, _Noli Me
Tangere_, which was tabooed by the authorities.--Tr.

[62] Such inanities as these are still a feature of Manila
journalism.--Tr.

[63] "Whether there would be a _talisain_ cock, armed with a sharp
gaff, whether the blessed Peter's fighting-cock would be a _bulik_--"

_Talisain_ and _bulik_ are distinguishing terms in the vernacular for
fighting-cocks, _tari_ and _sasabungin_ the Tagalog terms for "gaff"
and "game-cock," respectively.

The Tagalog terminology of the cockpit and monkish Latin certainly
make a fearful and wonderful mixture--nor did the author have to
resort to his imagination to get