His first explanations Cabesang Andang regarded as some subterfuge, so she smiled and soothed her son, reminding him of their sacrifices and privations.

She spoke of Capitana Simona's son, who, having entered the seminary, now carried himself in the town like a bishop, and Capitana Simona already considered herself a Mother of God, clearly so, for her son was going to be another Christ.
"If the son becomes a priest," said she, "the mother won't have to pay us what she owes us.

Who will collect from her then ?" But on seeing that Placido was speaking seriously and reading in his eyes the storm that raged within him, she realized that what he was telling her was unfortunately the strict truth.

She remained silent for a while and then broke out into lamentations.
"Ay!" she exclaimed.

"I promised your father that I would care for you, educate you, and make a lawyer of you! I've deprived myself of everything so that you might go to school! Instead of joining the _panguingui_ where the stake is a half peso, I Ve gone only where it's a half real, enduring the bad smells and the dirty cards.