Noli Me Tangere Chapter 27 - In the Twilight | English Translation Audiobook

Summary

In Chapter 27 of *The Social Cancer* (Noli Me Tangere), significant preparations are underway at Capitan Tiago's house for a grand event. Capitan Tiago seeks to impress with his wealth, as his daughter Maria Clara, along with her future husband Ibarra, attracts attention. Ibarra is praised in the media, while Maria Clara enjoys her newfound freedom and beauty after leaving the convent. During their walk through the town, they encounter scenes of revelry and encounter a leper, leading to an emotional act of charity from Maria Clara. The chapter highlights societal contrasts and emotional depth.

Takeaways

• 💍 Capitan Tiago hosts a lavish event, partly to showcase his daughter Maria Clara and her fiancé, Ibarra.
• 📰 Ibarra is highly praised in a Manila newspaper as a cultivated young man and philanthropist, earning widespread admiration.
• 🏫 Capitan Tiago suggests naming the new school after Saint Francis, highlighting his religious devotion.
• 🎶 Maria Clara, once reserved from her time in a convent, now joyfully reconnects with childhood friends and embraces her new life.
• 🎉 Fiesta celebrations are in full swing, with music, food, and crowds, but Maria Clara remains sensitive to those suffering.
• 💎 Maria Clara gifts her precious locket to a leper, an act of compassion that deeply affects her and the crowd.
• 😭 A sense of sadness follows Maria Clara as she observes the misfortune of others, such as the leper and the madwoman, Sisa.
• 👮 A soldier arrests Sisa, a madwoman searching for her lost sons, adding to Maria Clara’s growing melancholy.
• 💔 Despite the festive atmosphere, Maria Clara feels increasingly disheartened by the suffering of others.
• 💭 The chapter ends on a contemplative note as Maria Clara reflects on the burdens others carry, contrasting with her own privilege.

Q & A

What preparations were made at Capitan Tiago's house for the event?

Capitan Tiago made elaborate preparations, including bringing European wines, foodstuffs, mirrors, paintings, and Maria Clara's piano to show off his wealth and status.

Why did Capitan Tiago want to outshine others at the event?

Capitan Tiago was motivated by his love for ostentation and his pride as a Manilan, which led him to want to humiliate the provincials with his splendor. Additionally, his daughter Maria Clara and her future husband Ibarra were attracting attention, adding pressure to surpass others.

What was the significance of the locket Capitan Tiago gave to Maria Clara?

The locket was a special gift, set with diamonds and emeralds, containing a sliver from Saint Peter's boat, which was significant because it held religious value related to Jesus' life.

Why was there tension between Ibarra and Padre Damaso?

Ibarra seemed to avoid Padre Damaso, indicating some tension or unresolved issues between them, despite Capitan Tiago's efforts to have them reconcile during the dinner.

How is Maria Clara portrayed after leaving the convent?

Maria Clara is portrayed as radiant and joyful, her beauty and friendliness captivating everyone. She had regained her frank confidence and cheerful nature after being confined in the nunnery, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

What was the atmosphere like in the streets during the fiesta?

The streets were filled with lighted torches, music, and a mix of people—Chinese, Spaniards, and Filipinos—dressed in both European and native styles. The lively crowd included servants, students, and others, while carriages moved with difficulty through the busy streets.

What gesture did Maria Clara make toward the leper, and what was its significance?

Maria Clara, moved by compassion for the leper, dropped her jeweled locket into his basket. The leper's act of kissing the locket and showing deep gratitude highlighted Maria Clara's kindness and empathy.

Who was Cesar, and what was her connection to the leper?

Cesar was a poor, mentally ill woman who approached the leper, asking him to pray with her. The crowd feared she would contract his disease, but her interaction underscored the tragedy and isolation both characters faced.

How did the crowd and authorities react to the leper and Cesar's interaction?

The crowd was horrified but unwilling to intervene. Later, a soldier dragged Cesar away, showing how society marginalized and mistreated both the leper and the mentally ill.

What was the emotional impact of the night on Maria Clara?

Maria Clara felt deeply saddened by the sight of the leper and Cesar, as well as by her fiancé Ibarra declining to stay with her. This contrast between the festive atmosphere and the suffering she witnessed affected her mood, leaving her contemplative and disheartened.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Preparations for the Fiesta at Capitan Tiago's House

Capitan Tiago is preparing for a grand fiesta, aiming to showcase his wealth and social status, especially with his daughter Maria Clara and her fiancé Ibarra, who is drawing public attention. Newspapers praise Ibarra, calling him a cultured young man and philanthropist. Capitan Tiago, eager to impress, arrives with gifts for Maria Clara and discusses Ibarra's educational project, suggesting it be named after Saint Francis. The scene closes with Maria Clara and her friends preparing to walk, with Capitan Tiago expressing the hope that Ibarra will bond with Padre Damaso over dinner.

05:01

🎶 Evening Walk Through the Festive Streets

As night falls, the streets come alive with lights, music, and bustling crowds. Maria Clara, Ibarra, and their companions are invited into a lively gathering at Capitan Basilio’s house. Inside, Ibarra is warmly greeted, and Maria Clara's beauty draws admiration from everyone. After some socializing, Capitan Basilio, who supports Ibarra’s school project, offers him a business proposal, but Ibarra politely declines. The group leaves the house, with Maria Clara inquiring about a mysterious young man following them.

10:01

💔 The Leper and the Compassion of Maria Clara

The group encounters a tragic figure—a leper, shunned by society and living in isolation. Maria Clara, moved by his plight, gives him a precious locket her father gifted her, as a sign of compassion. Her friends question her action, but Maria Clara explains that she had nothing else to offer. The leper is overwhelmed by her kindness, symbolically kneeling to express his gratitude. The scene also introduces a madwoman, who frightens the leper, but their interaction shocks the onlookers.

15:03

😢 Reflection on Suffering and Loss of Joy

Maria Clara's mood darkens as they observe the madwoman being dragged away by a soldier, symbolizing the harsh treatment of society’s outcasts. Ibarra admits his failure to help the woman, despite his best intentions. The mood shifts from the initial joy of the fiesta to a somber reflection on the unhappiness and suffering around them. Maria Clara, deeply affected, returns home disheartened, thinking about the unhappiness that lurks behind the festive atmosphere. The chapter closes with her fiancé declining to join her, deepening her sense of melancholy.

Keywords

💡Capitan Tiago

Capitan Tiago is a prominent character who represents the wealthy, status-conscious class in colonial Philippines. His desire to impress others with his wealth and splendor is shown through his grand preparations, reflecting the theme of social hierarchies and the role of wealth in gaining influence. His pride is evident when he wishes to name the school after Saint Francis to gain religious favor.

💡Maria Clara

Maria Clara is Capitan Tiago’s daughter and the fiancée of Ibarra. She symbolizes innocence, beauty, and the idealized woman of that time. Her transformation from a convent-raised girl to a more socially confident woman highlights the tension between tradition and modernity. She is deeply empathetic, as seen when she gives her valuable locket to a leper.

💡Ibarra

Ibarra is the protagonist who represents the progressive, reformist ideas of the youth in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization. He is praised in the newspapers as a philanthropist and an educated man. His internal conflict is visible when he struggles to reconcile his social duties with his personal relationships, especially with Maria Clara and the friars.

💡Padre Damaso

Padre Damaso is a Spanish friar who wields significant influence in the community. He represents the oppressive colonial church's control over the Filipinos. His contentious relationship with Ibarra and the other townsfolk reflects the tension between the clergy and the emerging nationalist sentiments in the society.

💡The Leper

The leper in the script is a symbolic figure representing the marginalized and oppressed members of society. Despite being shunned due to his illness, he shows deep gratitude when Maria Clara offers him her locket. His treatment by the townsfolk reflects societal fears and prejudices against the destitute and the diseased.

💡Fiesta

The fiesta, or feast, is a traditional celebration that brings the townspeople together, regardless of social class. It serves as a backdrop for much of the chapter’s action, symbolizing the public display of wealth, power, and social interactions in the town. It also shows the clash of different classes and beliefs within the community.

💡School of Saint Francis

The 'School of Saint Francis' is an idea Capitan Tiago proposes, wanting to name the school after the saint to ensure religious approval. This reflects the importance of religion in the colonial Philippines and how figures like Capitan Tiago use religious affiliations to gain social and political influence.

💡The Crazy Woman (Sisa)

Sisa, the crazy woman, symbolizes the emotional and psychological toll of colonial oppression. Her madness is tied to the loss of her two sons, showing how personal tragedies are exacerbated by the corrupt and harsh colonial system. Her interaction with the leper demonstrates the shared suffering of the marginalized.

💡Padre Salvi

Padre Salvi is another friar in the story, who contrasts with the boisterous Padre Damaso by being more reserved and calculating. His reluctance to light the lamps for fear of wasting kerosene reflects his frugality and control over church resources, symbolizing the clergy's grip on the town’s wealth and its careful manipulation of power.

💡Locket

The locket given by Maria Clara to the leper is a symbol of compassion and selflessness. The fact that it contains a sliver from Saint Peter’s boat enhances its religious significance, representing Maria Clara’s deep sense of charity and her desire to help those in need, even if the gesture is misunderstood by others.

Highlights

Capitan Tiago's preparations reflect his desire to impress the provincials and his pride as a wealthy Manilan.

Capitan Tiago presents his daughter, Maria Clara, with a diamond and emerald locket, symbolizing both wealth and religious devotion.

A serious newspaper in Manila praised Ibarra as a 'cultivated young gentleman, rich capitalist, and philanthropist,' emphasizing his positive reputation.

Capitan Tiago is eager to name the new school after Saint Francis, believing that religious patronage is essential for its success.

Maria Clara is described as regaining her youthful confidence and beauty, free from the restrictions of the nunnery.

The streets of the town are filled with music, lights, and crowds as the fiesta celebrations begin.

A festive atmosphere fills the air, with people from various walks of life, including Chinese, Spaniards, and Filipinos, mingling and celebrating.

Maria Clara's locket, gifted by her father, is given to a poor leper in a profound moment of empathy and generosity.

Maria Clara's act of kindness moves the leper, who kisses the locket and shows deep gratitude.

The crowd witnesses a tense moment as the madwoman, Sisa, interacts with the leper, offering a haunting glimpse into her broken mind and grief over her lost sons.

Sisa's tragic story continues to unfold, with her referencing her lost sons, Basilio and Crispin, as she sings about her past happiness.

Ibarra expresses regret for not doing more to help Sisa, though he plans to involve the local curate in finding her sons.

Sisa is arrested by a soldier after her outburst, showcasing the harsh treatment of those deemed 'mad' in the community.

The theme of inequality and social injustice is underscored by Maria Clara's realization that not everyone enjoys the privileges she does.

The chapter ends with Maria Clara feeling disheartened by the realities of life, losing her festive mood and reflecting on the unhappiness of others.

Transcripts

chapter 27 of the social cancer

a complete english version of noli

metangare from the spanish of jose

sal by charles derbyshire this librivox

recording is in the public domain

recording by awayi in december 2011

chapter 27 in the twilight

in capitan thiago's house also great

preparations had been made

we know its owner whose love of

ostentation

and whose pride as a manilan imposed the

necessity of humiliating the provincials

with his splendor

another reason too made it his duty to

eclipse all others

he had his daughter maria clara with him

and there was present his future

son-in-law who was attracting universal

attention

in fact one of the most serious

newspapers in manila had devoted to

ibarra

an article on its front page entitled

imitate him heaping him with praise and

giving him some advice

it had called him the cultivated young

gentleman

and rich capitalist two lines further on

the distinguished philanthropist in the

following paragraph

the disciple of minerva who had gone to

the mother country to pay his respects

to the true home of the arts and

sciences

and a little further on the filipino

spaniard

capitan thiago burned with generous zeal

to imitate him

and wondered whether he ought not to

erect the conventor at his own expense

some days before they had arrived at the

house where maria clara

and aunt isabel were staying a profusion

of cases of european wines and

foodstuffs

colossal mirrors paintings and maria

clara's piano

captain thiago had arrived on the day

before the fiesta

and as his daughter kissed his hand had

presented her with a beautiful locket

set with diamonds and emeralds

containing a sliver from saint peter's

boat

in which our savior sat during the

fishing

his first interview with his future

son-in-law could not have been more

cordial

naturally they talked about the school

and capitan thiago wanted it named

school of saint francis believe me

he said saint francis is a good patron

if you call it school of primary

instruction

you will gain nothing who is primary

instruction anyhow

some friends of maria clara came and

asked her to go for a walk

but come back quickly said kapitanthiago

to his daughter when she asked his

permission

for you know that padre damaso who has

just arrived

will dine with us then

turning to ibarra who had become

thoughtful he said

you dine with us also you will be all

alone in your house

i would with the greatest pleasure but i

have to be at home in case visitors come

stand at the youth as he avoided the

gays of maria clara

bring your friends along replied capitan

thiago heartily

in my house there's always plenty to eat

also i want you and padre damas all to

get on good

terms there'll be time enough for that

answered ibarra with a forced smile as

he prepared to accompany the girls

they went downstairs maria clara in the

center between victoria and edai

aunt isabel following the people made

way for them respectfully

maria clara was startling in her beauty

her pillar was all gone

and if her eyes were still pensive her

mouth on the contrary seemed to know

only smiles

with maiden friendliness the happy young

woman greeted the acquaintances of her

childhood

now the admirers of her promising youth

in less than a fortnight she had

succeeded in recovering that frank

confidence that childish pretty which

seemed to have been

numbed between the narrow walls of the

nunnery

it might be said that on leaving the

cocoon the butterfly recognized all the

flowers

for it seemed to be enough for her to

spread her wings for a moment

and warm herself in the sun's rays to

lose all the stiffness of the chrysalis

this new life manifested itself in her

whole nature

everything she found good and beautiful

and she showed her love with that maiden

modesty

which having never been conscious of any

but pure thoughts

knows not the meaning of false blushes

while she would cover her face when she

was teased

still her eyes smiled and a light thrill

would course through her whole being

the houses were beginning to show lights

and in the streets where the music was

moving about

there were lighted torches of bamboo and

wood

made an imitation of those in the church

from the streets the people in the

houses might be seen through the windows

in an atmosphere of music and flowers

moving about to the sounds of piano harp

or orchestra

swarming in the streets where chinese

spaniards filipinos

some dressed in european style some in

the costumes of the country

crowding elbowing and pushing one

another

walked servants carrying meat and

chickens

students in white men and women all

exposing themselves to be knocked down

by the carriages

which in spite of the driver's cries

made their way with difficulty

in front of capitan basilio's house some

young women

called to our acquaintances and invited

them to enter

the merry voice of cenang as she ran

down the stairs put an

end to all excuses come up a moment

so i may go with you she said i'm bored

staying here among so many strangers who

talk only of

game and cards

they were ushered into a large room

filled with people

some of whom came forward to greet

ibarra for his name was now well known

all gazed in ecstasy at the beauty of

maria clara

and some old women murmured as they

chewed their bouyo

she looks like the virgin

there they had to have chocolate as

capitan basilio had become a warm

friend and defender of ibarra since the

day of the picnic

he had learned from the half of the

telegram given to his daughter sinang

that ibarra had known beforehand about

the court's decision in the letter's

favor

so not wishing to be outdone in

generosity

he had tried to set aside the decision

of the chess match

but when ibarra would not consent to

this he had proposed that the money

which would have been spent in court

fees

should be used to pay a teacher in the

new school

in consequence the orator employed all

his eloquence

to the end that other litigants should

give up their extravagant claims

saying to them believe me in a lawsuit

the winner is left without the camisa

but he had succeeded in convincing no

one even though he cited the romans

after drinking the chocolate our young

people had to listen to piano playing by

the town organist

when i listened to him in the church

exclaimed cenang

pointing to the organist i want to dance

and now that he's playing here

i feel like praying so i'm going out

with you

don't you want to join us tonight

whispered kapitan basilio into ibarra's

ear as they were leaving

so is going to set up a little bank

ibarra smiled and answered with an

equivocal shake of his head

who's that asked maria clara of victoria

indicating with a rapid glance a youth

who was following them

he's he's a cousin of mine she answered

with some agitation

and the other he's no cousin of mine

put in sinang merrily he's my uncle's

son

they passed in front of the parish

rectory which was not one of the least

animated buildings

cenang was unable to repress an

exclamation of surprise

on seeing the lamps burning those lamps

of antique pattern

which padre salvi had never allowed to

be lighted

in order not to waste kerosene

loud talk and resounding bursts of

laughter might be heard as the friars

moved slowly about

nodding their heads in unison with the

big cigars that adorned their lips

the laymen with them who from their

european garments appeared to be

officials and employees of the province

were endeavouring to imitate whatever

the good priests did

maria clara made out the rotund figure

of padre damaso

at the side of the trim silhouette of

padre sibila

motionless in his place stood a silent

and mysterious frey salvi

he said observed zinang for his thinking

about

how much so many visitors are going to

cost

but you'll see how he'll not pay it

himself but the sacristans will

his visitors always eat at other places

si nang scolded victoria

i haven't been able to endure him since

he tore up the wheel of fortune

i don't go to confession to him anymore

of all the houses one only was to be

noticed without lights

and with all the windows closed that of

the alvarez

maria clara expressed surprise at this

the witch the muse of the civil guard as

the old man says

exclaimed the irrepressible xenon what

has she to do with our merry makings

i imagine she's raging but just let the

cholera come and you see her give a

banquet

but sinang again her cousin scolded

i never was able to endure her and

especially since she disturbed our

picnic with her civil guards

if i were the archbishop i'd marry her

to padre salvi

then think what children look how she

tried to arrest the poor

pilot who threw himself into the water

simply to please

she was not allowed to finish for in the

corner of the plaza where a blind man

was singing to the accompaniment of a

guitar

a curious spectacle was presented it was

a man

miserably dressed wearing a broad

salacot of palm leaves

his clothing consisted of a ragged coat

and wide pantaloons

like those worn by the chinese torn in

many places

wretched sandals covered his feet his

countenance remained hidden in the

shadow of his white hat

but from this shadow they are flashed

intermittently to burning rays

placing a flat basket on the ground he

would withdraw a few paces

and utter strange incomprehensible

sounds

remaining the while standing entirely

alone as if he and the crowd were

mutually avoiding each other

then some women would approach the

basket and put into it fruit

fish or rice when no one any longer

approached

from the shadows would issue sadder but

less pitiful

sounds cries of gratitude perhaps

then he would take up the basket and

make his way to another place

to repeat the same performance

maria clara divined that there must be

some misfortune there

and full of interest she asked

concerning the strange creature

he's a leper eday told her

four years ago he contracted the disease

some say from taking care of his mother

others from lying in a damp prison he

lives in the fields near the chinese

cemetery

having intercourse with no one because

all flee from him for fear of contagion

if you might only see his home it's a

tumble down shack

through which the wind and rain pass

like a needle through cloth

he has been forbidden to touch anything

belonging to the people

one day when a child fell into a shallow

ditch as he was passing

he helped to get it out the child's

father complained to the gobernador theo

who ordered that the leper be flogged

through the streets

and that the return be burned afterwards

it was horrible

the letter fled with his flogger in

pursuit while the gobernador theo

cried catch him better be drowned than

get the disease you have

can it be true murmured maria clara then

without saying what she was about to do

went up to the rich's basket

and dropped into it the locket her

father had given her

what have you done her friends asked

i hadn't anything else she answered

trying to conceal her tears with a smile

what is he going to do with your locket

victoria asked her

one day they gave him some money but he

pushed it away with a stick

why should he want it when no one

accepts anything that comes from him

as if the locket could be eaten

maria clara gazed enviously at the women

who were selling foodstuffs

and shrugged her shoulders the leper

approached the basket

picked up the jeweled locket which

glittered in his hands

then fell upon his knees kissed it and

taking off his salacot

buried his forehead in the dust where

the maiden had stepped

maria clara hit her face between her fan

and raised her handkerchief to her eyes

meanwhile a poor woman had approached

the leper who seemed to be praying

her long hair was loose and unkempt and

in the light of the torches could be

recognized the extremely

emaciated features of the crazy caesar

feeling the touch of her hand the leper

jumped up with a cry

but to the horror of the onlookers

caesar caught him by the arm and said

let us pray let us pray

today is all souls day those lights are

the souls of men

let us pray for my sons separate them

separate them the mad woman will get the

disease

cried the crowd but no one dared to go

near them

do you see that light in the tower that

is my son basilio sliding down a rope

do you see that light in the convento

that is my son crispin

but i am not going to see them because

the curate is sick

and had many gold pieces and the gold

pieces are lost

pray let us pray for the soul of the

curate

i took him the finest fruits for my

garden was full of flowers

and i had two sons i had a garden

i used to take care of my flowers and i

had two sons

then releasing her hold of the leper she

ran away

singing i had a garden and flowers

i had two sons a garden and flowers

what have you been able to do for that

poor woman

maria clara asked ibarra nothing

lately she has been missing from the

totem and wasn't to be found

answered to youth rather confusedly

besides i have been very busy

but don't let it trouble you the curate

has promised to help me

but i advise that i proceed with great

tact and caution

for the civil guard seems to be mixed up

in it

the curate is greatly interested in her

case

didn't the alpharest say that he would

have search made for her sons

yes but at the time he was somewhat

drunk

scarcely had he said this when they saw

the crazy woman being led

or rather dragged along by a soldier

cesar was offering resistance

why are you arresting her what has she

done

asked ibarra why haven't you seen how

she's been raising a disturbance

was the reply of the guardian of the

public peace

the leper caught up his basket hurriedly

and ran away

maria clara wanted to go home as she had

lost

all her mirth and good humor

so there are people who are not happy

she murmured

arriving at her door she felt her

sadness increase

when her fiancee declined to go in

excusing himself on the plea of

necessity

maria clara went upstairs thinking what

a bore

are the fiesta days when strangers make

their visits

end of chapter 27

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