El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 35
Chapter Title: The Fiesta
Setting: April evening, Capitan Tiago’s house
Characters:
- Juanito Pelaez
- Paulita Gomez
- Dona Victorina
- Ben Zayb
- Don Timoteo Pelaez
- Capitan General
- Capitan General’s Wife
- Padre Irene
- Padre Salvi
- Simoun
- Basilio
- Isagani
- Don Custodio
- High Official (mentioned)
Plot:
Simoun delivers the lamp to the wedding reception while Basilio bumps into Isagani.
Chapter Summary:
The chapter begins with the quote:
Danzar sobre un volcano
(To dance on a volcano)
The guests who aren’t as wealthy are the first to arrive (employees, merchants, business executives) and the mood is serious. After a while they start to loosen up, though some people pretend to not enjoy themselves in order to seem more elite.
The married couple (Juanito Pelaez and Paulita Gomez) arrives with Dona Victorina. Ben Zayb calls them Cupid and Psyche, and compares them to gods presenting themselves in Olympus.
Don Timoteo Pelaez is getting tired waiting for Capitan General, while Padre Irene and Padre Salvi are already there. Someone insults the art prints, saying they ruin the walls but Don Timoteo Pelaez says they are expensive. In his anger, he promises to collect the IOUs that the person owes him. Soon, Capitan General finally arrives with his wife.
Capitan General feels sad as this is his last “triumph” after three years of ruling. He tries to look forward to going back to Europe because he is bringing back a lot of money. But he remembers that he has enemies in the Court, like the high official. Other generals like him became bankrupt instead. Capitan General wonders if he should have stayed longer like Simoun suggested, but realizes that people are not afraid to stare at him now and do not hide their dislike of him. One party guest tells another woman that the skirt of the general’s wife was made of the palace curtains.
Meanwhile, Basilio is outside the house watching people enter. He feels bad when he sees happy people and young girls, thinking they are going to die. He wants to save them, but when he sees Padre Irene and Padre Salvi arrive he feels angry. He tells himself that he shouldn’t care because he tried to be a good person but he suffered anyway.
Basilio sees Simoun arrive with the lamp. He watches Simoun stop, unsure, before going up the stairs. Basilio imagines death and fires around him and tells himself to calm down because Capitan General has not arrived yet. He starts shaking. Capitan General soon arrives and Basilio watches Simoun greet him. Everyone is talking about the lamp.
Basilio thinks of the innocent people and wants to save them. He tries to enter the house but is stopped because of his poor attire. Basilio sees Simoun come out, and knows Simoun already lit the lamp. Simoun gets in a carriage and tells the cochero to go to Escolta. Basilio tries to run away, pushing through the crowd of people.
Basilio sees Isagani. He tells Isagani to come with him and that they have to get away from the house. Isagani is watching Paulita Gomez through the window. Isagani asks why, and that tomorrow Paulita Gomez will no longer be herself. Basilio asks if Isagani wants to die and Isagani just shrugs. Basilio explains that the lamp in the azotea is actually a bomb.
Isagani does not want to leave, saying he wants to see Paulita Gomez one last time. Basilio decides to let Isagani be and leaves. Isagani realizes that Basilio looked scared, so he starts to believe Basilio’s words. He realizes that Paulita Gomez will die so he goes into the house.
In the dining room, a parchment is being passed around. It has words written in red ink:
Mene Thecel Phares
Juan Chrisostomo Ibarra
(“Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting”)
The line was said to have been written on the wall at Belshazzar’s feast, foretelling Babylon’s destruction.
Capitan General asks who Ibarra is. Don Custodio says it is a bad joke because Ibarra was a subversive (filibusterillo) who died more than ten years ago. Padre Irene sees Padre Salvi looking scared. He asks if Padre Salvi recognizes the signature of his friend. Padre Salvi is sweating. Padre Salvi says it is written Ibarra’s handwriting. Everyone looks nervous.
Capitan General says to continue eating but he is also shaking. Don Custodio asks if the words mean they will be murdered tonight. They wonder if they are going to be poisoned. The light starts to dim.
Capitan General asks Padre Irene to turn up the wick. Someone runs in and takes the lamp and runs to the azotea. He throws the lump into the river. The dining room goes black. The figure jumps into the river.
Trivia:
- Ben Zayb compares Paulita Gomez and Juanito Pelaez to Cupid and Psyche of Greek mythology. Capitan General is also called “Zeus”, while Padre Irene and Padre Salvi are called “greater gods”.
- Don Timoteo Pelaez uses figures of Roman mythology instead and compares Capitan General to “Jupiter”. Capitan General’s wife is compared to “Juno”.
Quotes:
Basilio: What does it matter to me, let the righteous suffer with the sinners.
Basilio: I have tried to forget and forgive; I suffered every imposition and only asked that I be left in peace. I bothered no one… What have they done to me? Let their mangled bodies fly through the air! We have suffered enough!
Isagani: Why should I go away? Tomorrow [Paulita Gomez] will no longer be herself!
Basilio: (to Isagani) Do you see that clear white light like an electric lamp, coming from the azotea? It is the lamp of death! A lamp loaded with dynamite, in a mined dining-room… It will explode and not a single rat will escape alive. Come!
Basilio: Let destiny have its way!
