"Just look you," continued the Franciscan without allowing the Alcalde to speak. "See how one of our lay brothers, the most stupid one we have, has built a good hospital, handsome and cheap. It is well built and he did not pay more than eight cuartos a day to those whom he employed even those who came from other towns. That fellow knows how to treat them. He does not do like many fools and mesticillos [13] who spoil them by paying them three or four reales." "Does Your Reverence say that he only paid eight cuartos? Impossible!" said the Alcalde, trying to change the course of the conversation. "Yes, Señor; and those who brag of being good Spaniards ought to imitate him. You can see very well now, since the Suez Canal was opened, corruption has come here. Before, when we had to double the Cape, there were not so many worthless people coming out here, nor did Filipinos go abroad to be corrupted and spoiled." "But, Father Dámaso!" "You know very well what the native is. As quickly as he learns anything, he goes and becomes a doctor. All these ignoramuses who go to Europe...." "But listen, Your Reverence ..." interrupted the Alcalde, becoming uneasy at such harsh words. "They are all going to end as they merit," he continued. "The hand of God is upon them and one must be blind not to see it. Even in this life, the fathers of such vipers receive their punishment.... They die in prison, eh?" But he did not finish his remarks. Ibarra, his face flushing, had been following him with his eyes. On hearing the allusion to his father, he rose and, with a single bound, brought down his strong hand on the head of the priest. Stunned with the blow, the friar fell on his back. Full of astonishment and terror, no one dared to intervene. "Keep back!" cried the young man, with a menacing voice, and brandishing a sharp knife in his hand. In the meantime, he held the friar down with his foot on his neck. The latter was recovering consciousness. "Let no one approach who does not want to die!" Ibarra was beside himself. His body trembled, and his threatening eyes almost burst from their sockets. Friar Dámaso struggled and raised himself, but the young man, seizing him by the collar, shook him till he fell on his knees and collapsed. "Señor Ibarra! Señor Ibarra!" cried some. But nobody, not even the alferez, dared to approach the glistening blade, considering the strength of the young man and the state of his mind. All were paralyzed. "All of you people here have said nothing! Now the matter concerns me! I have avoided him. God now brings him to me. Let God judge!" The young man was breathing hard. With iron hand he held the Franciscan down, and the latter struggled in vain to break loose. "My heart beats tranquilly. My hand is sure."