El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 26
Chapter Title: Pasquinades
Setting: Morning, Manila
Characters:
- Basilio
- Macaraig
- Professor of Pathology
- Sandoval
- Tadeo
- Juanito Pelaez
- Isagani
- Corporal
- Juli (mentioned)
- Capitan Tiago (mentioned)
Plot:
Basilio learns about the consequences of the students’ dinner.
Chapter Summary:
Basilio wakes up early in the morning to visit his patients in the hospital. After that, he plans to go to the University to ask about his degree. He also wants to talk to Macaraig about expenses since he used up his savings to ransom Juli.
Basilio does not notice students walking out of school, whispering to each other. He arrives at San Juan de Dios hospital and is asked about a conspiracy. Basilio he assumes they are talking about Simoun. Basilio is told by random students that there were students who were caught being involved in a conspiracy.
A professor of clinical medicine asks him if he was at the dinner. Basilio is confused and says no. The professor asks if he is a member of the Association of Students. Basilio says he pays his dues and the professor says Basilio should resign from the Association immediately. Basilio asks if Simoun is involved and the professor says Simoun was mysteriously wounded. The professor explains that subversive posters were found in the University. Another professor passes by and the first professor tells him that Capitan Tiago smells like a cadaver.
Basilio finds out that someone put posters on the doors of the University, and the posters were full of threats. It was reported that this was done by members of the Association. Basilio wonders if Simoun knew anything about this. He goes to the University and sees guardia veterana (veteran guards) leading the students on sidewalks. Basilio sees Sandoval, who ignores him. Tadeo looks happy and tells Basilio they are not going to have classes because everyone who is part of the Association is going to jail.
Basilio sees Juanito Pelaez and asks what happened. Juanito Pelaez is scared and says he knows nothing. He declares that Basilio is his witness and can help him prove that he was never involved with the Association. Juanito Pelaez runs away when he sees a guard approaching.
Basilio goes to ask the secretariat about his degree but it is closed. He sees friars, officers and lawyers gathering in the building. He sees Isagani giving a speech to students. Isagani says that they should not run away. Someone asks who wrote the posters and Isagani says it does not matter, they should either support or protest depending on the ideas of the poster.
Basilio goes to Macaraig’s house and sees two guardias de la Veterana. He says he wants to see Macaraig, but they tell him to wait for the corporal. The corporal comes down with Macaraig, both of them talking nicely.
The corporal says Basilio is under arrest as well and Macaraig laughs, and says he will tell Basilio about the dinner. They get into the carriage and Macaraig tells the driver to go to the Civil Government. Basilio asks about the payment and Macaraig says no problem, and that they will invite the corporal and assisting officer to their graduation festivities.
Trivia:
- “Pasquinades” is a term used for a person who does a criminal act. In this chapter, it refers to the students who put up subversive posters.
Quotes:
Tadeo: We will not have classes for at least a week, chico! Sublime! Magnificent!
Basilio: But what has happened?
Tadeo: They are going to throw us into jail, all those of the Association!
Basilio: And you are happy?
Tadeo: There are no classes, no classes!
Isagani: It seems preposterous, that an incident so insignificant should disperse us and that we should flee like sparrows because a scarecrow shakes itself! It is perhaps the first time that the youth will enter prison for the cause of liberty?
