Chapter 17: - Page 4 of 4

The Quiapo Fair

(English version of “El Filibusterismo”)

That’s right!

It’s the very image of him!

But where is Simoun? Simoun should buy it.

But the jeweler had disappeared, unnoticed by any one.

Puñales! exclaimed Padre Camorra, how stingy the American is! He’s afraid we would make him pay the admission for all of us into Mr. Leeds’ show.  

No! rejoined Ben-Zayb, what he’s afraid of is that he’ll compromise himself.  He may have foreseen the joke in store for his friend Mr. Leeds and has got out of the way.

Thus, without purchasing the least trifle, they continued on their way to see the famous sphinx.  Ben-Zayb offered to manage the affair, for the American would not rebuff a journalist who could take revenge in an unfavorable article.  You’ll see that it’s all a question of mirrors, he said, because, you see— Again he plunged into a long demonstration, and as he had no mirrors at hand to discredit his theory he tangled himself up in all kinds of blunders and wound up by not knowing himself what he was saying.  In short, you’ll see how it’s all a question of optics.  

Learn this Filipino word:

bisig