to be here so long as he creates no disturbance."

"But is it not creating a disturbance to scandalize all good
Christians?"

"Father," replied Don Filipo, "my slight authority does not permit me
to interfere in religious matters. Let those who fear Senor Ibarra's
contact avoid him: he forces himself upon no one; the senor alcalde
and the captain-general have been in his company all the afternoon;
it hardly becomes me to give them a lesson."

"If you do not put him out of the place, we shall go."

"I should be very sorry, but I have no authority to remove him."

The curate repented of his threat, but there was now no remedy. He
motioned to his companions, who rose reluctantly, and all went out,
not without hostile glances toward Ibarra.

The whisperings and murmurs began again. Several people came up to
Crisostomo and said:

"We are with you; pay no attention to them!"

"To whom?" he asked in astonishment.

"Those who have gone out because you are here; they say you are
excommunicated."

Ibarra, surprised, not knowing what to say, looked about him. Maria's
face was hidden.

"Is it possible? Are we yet in the middle ages?" he began. But he
checked himself and said to the girls:

"I must excuse myself; I will be back to go home with you."

"Oh, stay!" said Sinang. "Yeyeng is going to dance!"

"I cannot, little friend."

While Yeyeng was coming forward, two soldiers of the guard approached
Don Filipo and demanded that the representation be stopped.

"And why?" he asked in surprise.

"Because the alferez and his wife have been fighting; they want
to sleep."

"Tell the alferez we have the permission of the alcalde of the
province, and nobody in the pueblo can overrule that, not even the
gobernadorcillo."

"But we have our orders to stop the performance."

Don Filipo shrugged his shoulders and turned his back. The Comedy
Company of Tondo was about to give a play, and the audience was
settling for its enjoyment.

The Filipino is passionately fond of the theatre; he listens in
silence, never hisses, and applauds with measure. Does not the
spectacle please him? He chews his buyo and goes out quietly, not
to trouble those who may like it. He expects in his plays a combat
every fifteen seconds, and all the rest of the time repartee between
comic personages, or terrifying metamorphoses. The comedy chosen for
this fete was "Prince Villardo, or the Nails Drawn from the Cellar
of Infamy," comedy with sorce