Chapter 35: - Page 5 of 6
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(English version of “Noli Me Tangere”)
My son won’t be a doctor but a carter, nothing more! Now there won’t be any school!
Who says there won’t be any school?
asked a rough and robust countryman with wide cheeks and a narrow head.
I do! The white padres have called Don Crisostomo plibastiero. [2] Now there won’t be any school.
All stood looking questioningly at each other; that was a new term to them.
And is that a bad name?
the rough countryman made bold to ask.
The worst thing that one Christian can say to another!
Worse than tarantado and sarayate? [3]
If it were only that! I’ve been called those names several times and they didn’t even give me a bellyache.
Well, it can’t be worse than ‘indio,’ as the alferez says.
The man who was to have a carter for a son became gloomier, while the other scratched his head in thought.
Then it must be like the betelapora[4] that the alferez’s old woman says. Worse than that is to spit on the Host.
[2] For filibustero.
[3] Tarantado is a Spanish vulgarism meaning blunderhead, bungler
. Saragate (or zaragate) is a Mexican provincialism meaning disturber
, mischief-maker.
—TR.
[4] Vete á la porra is a vulgarism almost the same in meaning and use as the English slang, Tell it to the policeman
, porra being the Spanish term for the policeman’s billy.
—TR.