Placido Penitente is enraged by his experience at the university. He collapses in terror, calls for mercy and declares some woman still lives. Padre Salvi recognizes the similarities between the story of Imuthis and events of his past. Abydos falsely implicated Imuthis in a rebellion, which led to the death of Imuthis in a lake during an attempted escape. With the help of tyrannical Egyptian priests, Gaumata engineers the ruin of Imuthis through the young priest Abydos, who coveted the woman Imuthis loved. The head introduces himself as Imuthis, whose life was ruined after returning home from his studies abroad and discovering the secret of the governing impostor, Gaumata. Leeds commands the head to tell its story.
Leeds pronounces a word from the papyrus and the box reveals the head of a cadaver. Leeds produces a box containing some ashes and a piece of papyrus which he supposedly found during a visit to the pyramid of Khufu. Leeds’ room, Ben Zayb examines the table for mirrors, which he thinks is the trick behind the exhibit. Unlike the depictions of priests in Europe, who are shown participating in worldly activities or having fun, the priests’ figurines in the stall are elegant, saintly and serene. The group from Quiroga’s dinner stroll around the fair and stop by a stall of figurines, majority of which are figures of priests. Spotted at the fair is the exquisitely beautiful Paulita Gomez, accompanied by Isagani and Dona Victorina, who calls out to her favorite, Juanito Pelaez. Later, some of the guests, including Don Custodio, Ben Zayb, Juanito Pelaez, Simoun and Padres Salvi, Camorra and Irene decide to head off to the Quiapo Fair to see a head which an American, Mr. Simoun offers to reduce Quiroga’s debt if Quiroga agrees to temporarily keep some rifles for him. Quiroga too shares his difficulties with Simoun about a bribe he had attempted to pull off with Simoun’s jewellery that had resulted instead in a financial loss. Some merchants gather around Simoun complaining about the difficulties of doing business in the country in the hopes that Simoun will pass on their ideas for solutions to the Captain-General. The Chinese Quiroga, who hopes to open a consulate for his nation, hosts a dinner for important people from the church, government, military and business.
Photo by Rottonara Chapter 16: The Tribulations of a Chinese
0 kommentar(er)
