El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 5
Chapter Title: A Cochero’s Christmas Eve
Setting: Christmas Eve, San Diego
Characters:
- Basilio
- Cochero / Sinong
- Capitan Basilio
- Sinang
- Alferez of Guardia Civil
- Simoun
- Padre Cura
- Capitan Tiago (mentioned)
- Cabesang Tales (mentioned)
Chapter Summary:
Basilio is late because his cochero was detained and beaten by the guardia civil for forgetting his cedula (identification). They wait in traffic as the procession occurs, seeing the first image: Methuselah (the European version of Noel), who is a saint.
It is followed by the 3 kings. The cochero talks about the time when there were no guardia civils. The King Melchor statue is black and wearing a crown, which reminds the cochero of the King of the Indios.
The cochero asks Basilio if the right foot of the king is free. Basilio is confused. The cochero explains the legend of the king imprisoned in the cave of San Mateo who will one day free them from oppression. Every hundred years he breaks one of his chains. He has freed his hands and left foot. He is called King Bernardo (because the cochero confused his name with that of Bernardo Caprio). The cochero says that when the king is free he will save them from the guardia civiles.
After the three kings come, there are two lines of young boys, then St. Joseph. The statue of St. Joseph looks sad between two statues of guardias civiles. The cochero decides not to pray to him. After that are little girls carrying paper rabbits lighted by candles.
This reminds the cochero that he had his horses blessed for 10 pesos but they still died. They had stopped following orders and a layperson told him not to punish them because they were blessed.
The procession closes with the Virgin (who is shown as pregnant), on her journey to Jerusalem. It is mentioned that the priest did not come to the parade because he had to convince people at mass to pay 30 pesos for Christmas morning mass instead of 20 pesos. He got mad at them and called them subversives.
Basilio and the cochero don’t notice that the rig’s light has gone out. Basilio is looking at the decorated houses, noticing that there are less decorations each year because of rising taxes, poor economy and guardia civil abuses. They are in front of the guardia civil headquarters and a guard catches the rig without lights. The cochero tries to argue that the procession lasted too long. Basilio gets down and goes to Capitan Basilio’s house, which is the only one that seems to be noisy.
He sees Sinang who looks fatter (since her marriage). He sees Capitan Basilio chatting with Padre Cura, the alferez of the guardia civil, and Simoun.
They are planning to go to Tiana to look at Simoun’s jewels. The alferez says he wants a waist chain. Capitan Basilio wants to be liked by the military so he offers to pay for the alferez’s waist chain (as a Christmas gift). Padre Cura asks for a pair of lady’s earrings and Capitan Basilio accepts because he wants to also be on the good side of the church.
Basilio is angry at Simoun, because according to rumors, he buys back jewels at half price from the people they were given to as gifts.
Basilio goes to Capitan Tiago’s house and talks to the caretaker, who respects Basilio because of his calmness while performing surgery. Basilio asks about Sagpang. The caretaker tells him about the kidnapping of Cabesang Tales.
After hearing the story, Basilio doesn’t feel like eating anymore.
Trivia:
- ‘Cochero‘ means rig driver
- Methuselah is described as an old man with a long beard, and is always depicted as the most cheerful and happiest of men.
- The procession features the following from first to last:
- Methuselah
- The three kings
- Two lines of young boys
- Joseph between two statues of guardia civiles
- Girls carrying paper rabbits lit by candles
- Pregnant virgin Mary
- For the first time in the book, this chapter contains a line that directly addresses the reader:
“Sinang, as short as when our readers first met her”
Quotes:
Basilio: Everyone makes business in this country except us!
