took place at Los Baños. It seems that they disputed for at least
a week, he supporting and defending our case against all of them,
against Padre Sibyla, Padre Fernandez, Padre Salvi, the General,
the jeweler Simoun--"

"The jeweler Simoun!" interrupted one of his listeners. "What has that
Jew to do with the affairs of our country? We enrich him by buying--"

"Keep quiet!" admonished another impatiently, anxious to learn how
Padre Irene had been able to overcome such formidable opponents.

"There were even high officials who were opposed to our project,
the Head Secretary, the Civil Governor, Quiroga the Chinaman--"

"Quiroga the Chinaman! The pimp of the--"

"Shut up!"

"At last," resumed Makaraig, "they were going to pigeonhole the
petition and let it sleep for months and months, when Padre Irene
remembered the Superior Commission of Primary Instruction and proposed,
since the matter concerned the teaching of the Castilian tongue,
that the petition be referred to that body for a report upon it."

"But that Commission hasn't been in operation for a long time,"
observed Pecson.

"That's exactly what they replied to Padre Irene, and he answered
that this was a good opportunity to revive it, and availing himself
of the presence of Don Custodio, one of its members, he proposed on