“What does that matter just so the lightning doesn’t strike us?”
“Bah, don’t worry! The nuns surely have a lightningrod to protect them.”
“Yes,” observed the private, “but of what use is it when the night is so dark?”
As he said this he looked upward to stare into the darkness. At that moment a prolonged streak of lightning flashed, followed by a terrific roar.
“Nakú! Susmariosep! ” exclaimed the private, crossing himself and catching hold of his companion. “Let’s get away from here.”
“What’s happened?”
“Come, come away from here,” he repeated with his teeth rattling from fear.
“What have you seen?”
“A specter!” he murmured, trembling with fright.
“A specter?”
“On the roof there. It must be the nun who practises magic during the night.”
The distinguido thrust his head out to look, just as a flash of lightning furrowed the heavens with a vein of fire and sent a horrible crash earthwards. “Jesús! ” he exclaimed, also crossing himself.
In the brilliant glare of the celestial light he had seen a white figure standing almost on the ridge of the roof with arms and face raised toward the sky as if praying to it. The heavens responded with lightning and thunderbolts!
As the sound of the thunder rolled away a sad plaint was heard.
“That’s not the wind, it’s the specter,” murmured the private, as if in response to the pressure of his companion’s hand.
“Ay! Ay!” came through the air, rising above the noise of the rain, nor could the whistling wind drown that sweet and mournful voice charged with affliction.
Again the lightning flashed with dazzling intensity.
“No, it’s not a specter!” exclaimed the distinguido.
“I’ve seen her before. She’s beautiful, like the Virgin! Let’s get away from here and report it.”
The private did not wait for him to repeat the invitation, and both disappeared.
Who was moaning in the middle of the night in spite of the wind and rain and storm? Who was the timid maiden, the bride of Christ, who defied the unchained elements and chose such a fearful night under the open sky to breathe forth from
so perilous a height her complaints to God? Had the Lord abandoned his altar in the nunnery so that He no longer heard her supplications? Did its arches perhaps prevent the longings of the soul from rising up to the throne of the Most Merciful?
The tempest raged furiously nearly the whole night, nor did a single star shine through the darkness. The despairing plaints continued to mingle with the soughing of the wind, but they found Nature and man alike deaf; God had hidden himself and heard not.
On the following day, after the dark clouds had cleared away and the sun shone again brightly in the limpid sky, there stopped at the door of the nunnery of St. Clara a carriage, from which alighted a man who made himself known as a representative of the authorities. He asked to be allowed to speak immediately with the abbess and to see all the nuns.
It is said that one of these, who appeared in a gown all wet and torn, with tears and tales of horror begged the man’s protection against the outrages of hypocrisy. It is also said that she was very beautiful and had the most lovely and expressive eyes that were ever seen.
The representative of the authorities did not accede to her request, but, after talking with the abbess, left her there in spite of her tears and pleadings. The youthful nun saw the door close behind him as a condemned person might look upon the portals of Heaven closing against him, if ever Heaven should come to be as cruel and unfeeling as men are. The abbess said that she was a madwoman.
The man may not have known that there is in Manila a home for the demented; or perhaps he looked upon the nunnery itself as an insane asylum, although it is claimed that he was quite ignorant, especially in a matter of deciding whether a person is of sound mind.
It is also reported that General J——— thought otherwise, when the matter reached his ears. He wished to protect the madwoman and asked for her. But this time no beautiful and unprotected maiden appeared, nor would the abbess permit a visit to the cloister, forbidding it in the name of Religion and the Holy Statutes.
Nothing more was said of the affair, nor of the ill-starred Maria Clara.
1 Public Opium-Smoking Room.
2 January 2, 1883.— Author’s note.
Glossary
abá: A Tagalog exclamation of wonder, surprise, etc., often used to introduce or emphasize a contradictory statement.
abaka: “Manila hemp,” the fiber of a plant of the banana family.
achara: Pickles made from the tender shoots of bamboo, green papayas, etc.
alcalde: Governor of a province or district with both executive and judicial authority.
alferez: Junior officer of the Civil Guard, ranking next below a lieutenant.
alibambang: A leguminous plant whose acid leaves are used in cooking.
alpay: A variety of nephelium, similar but inferior to the Chinese lichi.
among: Term used by the natives in addressing a priest, especially a friar: from the Spanish amo, master.
