Inthesolitaryrefugebytheseashore,wheretheonlycompanyonecould havewerethewavesandsighingofthetreetops,PadreFlorentinowas alleviatingthemonotonybyplayingmelancholictunesonhisharmonium.He wasalwaysanaccomplishedmusician,ashewasimprovisingthenotes played,longandmournfullikeaprayer,givingfreereignwiththesadnessin hisheart.
Earlierthatmorning,hehadreceivedanotefromthelieutenantoftheCivil Guard,warninghimthatlaterthatnight,theCivilGuardwouldcometohis hometoarrestthehiddenSpaniard.Hisfriend,DonTiburcio,hadleftina hurry,fearingforhiswife’s,Victorina,persecutionofhimandalthoughhe triedtoconvincehimthatthehiddenSpaniardwasnothim,hewasnot convinced,andfledtohideinthehutofawoodcutter.
TherewasnodoubtinPadreFlorentino’smindthatthehidden Spaniardwasthejeweler,Simoun,whohadarrivedathisdoorstepwiththe jewel-chestinhisarms,bleedingandweary.
Althoughhedidnotfullyunderstandthejeweler’ssituation,thepriest tookhiminwithmuchhospitality.Theonlyconjuncturethathadhappenedto himwasthattheGeneral,whowasSimoun’sgoodfriendandprotector,was gone,andthatthevictimsofwrongandabusewerecallingupforvengeance. Butwhathecouldn’tfigureoutwasthecauseofhiswounds;weretheyof personalrevenge?Orweretheymerelycausedbyanaccident,asSimounhad said?PadreFlorentinowasunsurehimself,asthejewelerrefusedtohavehis injuriesbetreatedbyanyonebutDonTiburcio.
Thepriestceasedplaying,approachingthewindowtolookoutatthe sea.Hismindlingeredtoearlier,whenasad,ironicsmileappearedon Simoun’sfacewhenhehadreceivedthenewsofhisarrest.Themanhad beensorichandpowerful,andnowherehewas,moreunfortunatethan Eutropiusandseekingrefuge,notinthealtarsofachurchbutinthepoor homeofanative.Perhapslaterthatevening,hecouldtalktotheoldman,in
onelastattempttoreachouttohim.
Asthesunhadslowlybeguntodescendonthehorizon,thesolitaryretreat stoodsilentlyalongtheshore.Asthepriestwaslookingoutthewindow,a servantapproachedhim,informinghimthatSimounwishedtospeakwith him.Nodding,PadreFlorentinowentintothenextroom,wherethejeweler hadbeenstaying.ItwouldonlybeafewhoursbeforetheCivilGuardwould arriveandarrestSimoun,thepriestthought,sohedecidedtokeephim companyuntilthen.Thepriestwassurprisedtoseethatthejewelerhadnota tranquil,ironicexpression,butasolemnlookinhiseyes.
“Areyouwell,SeñorSimoun?”Thepriestaskedcarefully,goingtohisside.
“Thatisdebatable,Father,”repliedthejewelerfeebly,sittingupfrom thebed.“Iamtobearrestedtonight,andallIhavedonetofreethiscountry willfalltonaught.”
“Whatdoyoumean,SeñorSimoun?”PadreFlorentinoqueried, confusioncloudinghismind.Thesickmanlookedoutsidethewindow,the healthfulsea-breezefreelyadmittingitselfinside,beforeturningtothepriest, abrokenyetresoluteglintinhiseyes.“Ihaven’tbeenhonestwithyou, Father,norhaveIbeenwithanyoneelse.Thenightiscomingon,andthereis notimetobelost.Imustconfidemysecrettoyou,foratthissupreme momentIwishtolightentheburdenIhavecarriedwithmeforyears.”
PadreFlorentinowasbewilderedbythesuddenrequest,butsaidnone, ashemovedachairtotheheadofthebedandpreparedtolisten.Atthefirst wordsthatthejeweleruttered,theoldpriestgazedinhorror,forwhathehad toldhimwasthathisnamewasnotSimoun,butCrisostomoIbarra.
Takenbysurprise,thepriesttookamomentbeforerecomposing himself,coveringhisfacewithahandkerchieftocontinuelistening.Simoun recountedhissorrowfulhistory:how,thirteenyearsago,hereturnedfrom Spainwithhighhopesandsmilingillusions,comingbacktobeweddedto thewomanheloved.Howhehaddisposedtodogoodandforgiveallwho havewrongedhim,justsohecouldliveinpeace.Yetitwasnotso,ashe becameinvolvedintheconfusionofanuprising,plannedbyhisenemies, wherehelostname,fortune,futureandliberty,onlybeingsavedthrougha friend’sheroism.Headmittedhowhebefriendedandusedthecurrent General’sgreedtoinciteinjusticeandstirdiscontentamongstthe commonfolk,inhopesitwouldrallyarevolution.Simoun,thejeweler,tried totakerevenge,andfailedintheend.
Theconfessionwaslong,butnotoncedidthepriestmakeanysignof surprisenorinterruptionstothejeweler’sconfession.BythetimePadre Florentinoarosetobeginmeditating,nighthadfallenandthemoonlightwas shiningthroughthewindow,illuminatingtheotherwisedarkroom.Inthe
midstofthesilence,PadreFlorentinospoke,inasadyetconsolingtone, sayingthatGodwillforgiveSimoun,andthatHewillneverabandonthose whoputtheirtrustinGod.Withbittergrievance,thejewelerasked,“Then whyhasHedeniedmeHisaid?Ihavebeenmistaken,butwillGoddeny freedomtotheoppressed,yetsavecriminalswhohavedoneworsethanI?”
Withaseveretone,PadreFlorentinoresponded,“Becausethemeans youchosetoattainjusticearethoseHecannotsanction.Hateproduces nothingbutmonstersandcriminals,whereaslovealoneisabletorealize wonderfulworks,andvirtuealonecansave!Thejustmustsuffer,sothattheir ideasmaybeknownandspreadwide!Youmustsmitetherocktogetthe spark,forthereissomethingprovidentialinthepersecutionoftyrants,Señor Simoun!”
“SoIwaswrong,”saidthejeweler,ahintofregretinhisvoice,“and therefore,Iencouragedthegovernment’styranny.”
PadreFlorentinonoddedsolemnly,“Yes,myfriend.Butnotallhopeis lost,forourGodisajustGodwhochastisesourlackoffaith,ourvicesand thelittleesteeminwhichweholdourdignityandcivicvirtues.Hechastises us,bettersusandonlygrantsprosperitytohewhohasmeriteditthroughhis efforts.Idonotmeanthatourfreedomshouldbedecidedatasword’spoint, foraswordinmodernaffairsplayslittleroles,butwemustmakeourselves worthysothatwewouldbeabletosecureit,byexaltingtheintelligenceand dignityofanindividual.”
Withthat,thejewelerfellsilent,reflectingiftheactionshehaddone would’vehelpedthecountryorworsenitscurrentstate.Ifsufferingisthefate thatmustbefalluponhim,hethought,topavewaytothenewbeginningsthe countrycouldachieve,thenperhapsitshallbecomethepathhewouldlay down.
Thepriestsighedashegotupfromthechair,turninghisgazetothe window.Itwouldn’tbelonguntilthesoldierswouldknockonthefrontdoor, anditseemedthatSimounhadnowayout.“Father,”spokeupthejeweler,“I onlyaskonerequestofyou,asmyfinalwill.”Asthejewelermadehisway towardsthecabinet,hespokeinaresolvedtone,“Myactionshavecaused muchturmoiltomyfellowcountrymen,andbytakingrevengeagainstthose who’vewrongedme,Iencouragedthetyrannyofthegovernment.Father,all Ihaveeverwishedforistoseethiscountryattainitsfreedom,toseewomen andchildrennolongersufferunderthegovernment’scruelty.Andifmy arrestistoserveasthebeginningofamorepeacefulrevolution,thenIwill takeit.”
Simountookoutthesteelchest,thesameonehehadcarriedwithhim whenheshowedupattheretreat’sdoorstep.“Ientrustmyfortunetoyou,
Father,asIknowdeepinmyheartthatitwouldbeputtogooduse.”A befuddledlookcameoverPadreFlorentino,buthenodded,watchingas Simounsetdownthesteelchestonthedesk.Curiously,thejewelerpulledout whatlookedlikeasmallvial,placingitonthedesknexttothechest.“I supposeInolongerhaveuseforthis.”Hesaid,lookingupatthepriest. “IcanonlyhopethatnotallIhavedonewillfalltonaught,andevenifIdo notlivetoseetheday,maytheseislandsseethefirstdawnoffreedom.”
ItwasnotlongbeforetheCivicGuardeventuallyarrived,where Simounhimselfhaddecidedtoshowupatthedoor.Theguardswastedno timeinescortingthemanoutsideoftheretreat,readytohavehim imprisoned.PadreFlorentinocouldonlywatchasthesoldiersmarchedaway withSimoun,knowingthathewouldbethrowninprison,andintime, executed.Helookedbackatthesteel-chestwhichheldSimoun’sfortune,left sittingonthedesk.AlthoughheknewthatSimounwould’vewantedhimto inheritthewealth,toputittogooduse,thepriestknewthattherewouldonly beoneplacewheresuchfortunecanonlybeheld,wherenomancangettheir handsonsuchjewels.
Hiseyeslingeredforasecondtothevialnexttoit,pickingitupand examiningitinhishands.AlthoughSimounhadneverclarifiedwhatusehe hadforit,hissuspicionstoldhimthejeweleroriginallyhadamorehapless plan.Shakinghishead,heturnedhisattentiontothechest,takingitwithhim asheresolutelydescendedthestairsandouttheretreat,headingtowardsthe cliff.PadreFlorentinolookeddownattheseabelowhisfeet,theroaring wavescrashingagainstthejaggedrocksatthebottom.Alone,hewasonce again,onlyaccompaniedbytheforest’sunintelligiblemurmursandthe waves’ssonorousroars.
Withallhismight,theoldmanhurledthechestoffthecliff,throwingit intothesea.Itspolishedsurfacewasreflectedinthemoonlight,descending rapidlybeforeplungingintotheabyss.Hesawdropsofwaterflyastheabyss
belowhimswallowedupthetreasure,waitingforafewmomentsasthe wavesrolledonasmysteriously,asifamerepebblewasdroppedinthesea. “MayNatureguardyouamongthepearlsandcoralsinhereternalseas.For whenamanofholyandsublimepurposeseeksyou,GodwillinHiswisdom drawyoufromtheabyssofthewaves.Meanwhilethereyouwillnotwork woe,youwillnotdistortjusticenorwillyoufomentavarice!”Heexclaimed, solemnlyextendinghishandstotheedgeofthecliff. Atthecornerofhis eyes,thefaintlightoftorchesdisappearedintothewoods.“MayGodhave mercyonthosewho’vestrayedthismanfromhispath.”Hewhisperedunder hisbreath,prayingforthelifeofCrisostomoIbarra,sothathisdreamofa freecountrymaycatchwind,andspreadwordtohisfellowcountrymen.