CHAPTER XXIV
EPISODE IN ESPADAÑA'S LIFE.
The festival was over. The citizens found, just as every year, that
their treasury was poorer, that they had worked, perspired, and stayed
up nights without enjoying themselves, without acquiring new friends,
and in a word, had paid dearly for the noise and their headaches. But
it did not matter. The next year they would do the same thing, and
the same for the coming century, just as had always been the custom
to the present time.
Enough sadness reigned in Captain Tiago's house. All the windows were
closed; the people scarcely made a noise, and no one dared to speak
except in the kitchen. Maria Clara, the soul of the house, lay sick
in her bed.
"What do you think, Isabel? Shall I make a donation to the cross of
Tunasan or to the cross of Matahong?" asked the solicitous father
in a low voice. "The cross of Tunasan grows, but that of Matahong
sweats. Which do you think is the most miraculous?"
Isabel thought for a moment, moved her head and murmured: "To grow--to
grow is more miraculous than to sweat. We all sweat, but we do not
all grow."
"That is true, yes, Isabel, but bear in mind that for wood to sweat
when it is made into the leg of a chair is no small miracle. Well,
the best thing to do is to give alms to both crosses, so that neither
will feel resentful, and Maria Clara will recover more quickly. Are
the rooms in good order? You know that a new señor comes with the
doctors, a relative of Father Dámaso by marriage. It is necessary
that nothing be lacking."
The two cousins, Sinang and Victoria, were at the other end of the
dining-room. They had come to keep company with the sick Maria. Andeng
was helping them clean up a tea service in order to serve tea.
"Do you know Doctor Espadaña?" asked Maria Clara's foster sister,
directing her question to Victoria.
"No!" replied the latter. "The only thing that I know about him is
that he charges very dearly, according to Captain Tiago."
"Then he ought to be very good," said Andeng. "The one who performed
the operation on the stomach of Doña Marta charged a big price,
but he was very wise."
"You goose!" exclaimed Sinang. "Not all who charge high prices are
wise. Look at Doctor Guevara. He did not know how to aid a woman in
childbirth, but after cutting off the child's head, he collected one
hundred pesos from the widower. What he did know was how to charge."
"What do you know about it?" her cousin asked, giving her a jab with
