"Exiled! Nothing more than exiled! But it will be a perpetual exile!" exclaimed several at the same time. "If that young fellow," Lieutenant Guevara went on to say in a loud voice, "had been more cautious; if he had trusted certain people less with whom he had correspondence; and if the officers had not made a subtle interpretation of what was written--if it had not been for all of this, that young man would surely have gone free." This statement by the old lieutenant and the tone of his voice produced a great surprise in the room. Those who heard it did not know what to say. Father Salví looked in another direction, perhaps so as not to meet the dark look which the old man directed toward him. Maria Clara dropped her flowers and sat motionless. Father Sibyla, the one who knew how to keep silent, appeared to be the only one who knew how to ask questions. "Are you referring to the letters, Señor Guevara?" "I am telling what the defendant's attorney told me. He has taken up the case with zeal and interest. Aside from some ambiguous lines which this young man wrote to a young woman before departing for Europe, they have found no proof to sustain the accusation. In these few lines, the officers saw a plan and threat against the Government." "And what about the declaration made by the bandit before he died?" "That statement has proved of no account, since, according to the bandit himself, the conspirators never had communicated with the young man, but only with one, Lucas, who was Ibarra's enemy, as they have been able to prove, and who committed suicide, perhaps from remorse. It has been proved that the papers found in the possession of the dead man were forged, since the handwriting was like that of Ibarra seven years ago, but not like that of to-day--a fact which shows that it was copied from the letter used as evidence against him. Besides, his attorney says that if Ibarra had not admitted the genuineness of the letter, he would have been able to do much for him; but, at the sight of it, the young man turned pale, lost heart and acknowledged that he had written it." "Do you say," asked a Franciscan, "that the letter was directed to a young woman? How did it get into the hands of the officers?" The lieutenant did not reply. He looked for a moment at Friar Salví and then walked off, twisting nervously the end of his grey beard. In the meantime, others were commenting something like this: "There you see the hand of God!" said one. "Even the women hate him." "He had his house burned, thinking that he could thus save himself. But he did not reckon with his host--that is, with his querida, [23] with his babai," [23] added another, smiling. "That is God's work. Santiago protects Spain!" The old army officer stopped and approached Maria Clara. She was listening to the conversation, immovable in her seat. The flowers were at her feet.