Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Posted by Develos

It is a fine December morning.  The steamship Tabo is sailing on the Pasig River to Laguna.  Passengers on the upper deck talk about the lake and the long journey. Some important characters in the novel are introduced:  Simoun the jeweler; Doña Victorina; the friars Salvi, Irene, Camorra, and Sibyla, Don Custodio, and Ben Zayb.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Posted by Develos

Basilio, Isagani, and Don Custodio are deep in discussion on the lower deck of the steamer Tabo.  The two students tell Don Custodio about the plan to put up a Spanish academy, and although the two boys are hopeful that the plan will be approved, Don Custodio is rather pessimistic.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Posted by Develos

The elite passengers of the steamer pass the time by telling stories and legends of places along the river.  Padre Florentino narrates the legend of Doña Jeronima in a rather colorful tone, and Padre Salvi tells the story of a Chinese man who was attacked by caymans but was saved because he called upon St. Nicholas to help him.  Moments later, Ben Zayb asks the captain to point to him the exact spot where a man named Ibarra was killed during his attempted escape.  Simoun becomes silent and retreats in deep thought as the captain locates the infamous region in the water.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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Cabesang Tales cultivates a piece of land with his father and his family.  Because of having to endure hard work and manual labor under the sun, Tales's wife and eldest daughter die.  At the time of harvest, some men representing a certain religious order lay claim to the land and demand from Tales an annual payment of rent.  Having no other choice, Tales accepts the agreement.  However, year after year the rent keeps going up in incredible increments and Tales decides he has had enough.  He brings the issue up in court, demanding that the religious order provide proof of their ownership of the land.  Tales loses the case.  Time passes and he is kidnapped by bandits demanding ransom for his neck.  

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Posted by Develos

On his way to San Diego, a coachman is maltreated by the civil guards.  He endures this abuse in silence.  They hit him with a rifle after he tells them he has forgotten to bring his cedula.  They beat him up again.  Basilio walks to San Diego and arrives at Captain Tiago's house.  He hears the news about Cabesang Tales's kidnapping.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Posted by Develos

Basilio visits the forest at Christmas Eve.  The wood, formerly owned by the Ibarras, was sold to Captain Tiago.  Basilio visits his mother's grave by the balete tree in the middle of the forest.  A stranger's (Elias's) grave lay beside it.  He recalls a memory of thirteen years before, when Ibarra had helped him cremate the two bodies.  With the help of Captain Tiago Basilio is now studying to be a doctor and plans to marry Juli, his sweetheart.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Posted by Develos

Basilio is about to leave the wood when he notices the shadow of a man approaching. Basilio announces his presence and is surprised to find out that the stranger is indeed Simoun the jeweler who, in reality, is Crisostomo Ibarra in disguise.  Simoun tries to convince Basilio to join him in his plans to avenge the cruel death of his mother (Sisa) and his younger brother (Crispin).  Basilio, however, is not completely in favor of this plan, and tells Ibarra that vengeance would not bring his family  back.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Posted by Develos

No miracles come. Juli cannot gather up enough cash, and so she goes on to become Hermana Penchang's servant girl.  It is Christmas Day. Selo, Juli's grandfather, wallows in misery at the thought of his poor young granddaughter being so cruelly punished by fate.  In  the middle of his depression, the old man becomes mute.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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Rumors about the misfortunes of Selo's family spread rapidly all over town.  People say the events are not their fault, and they could not have avoided such circumstances had they wished to.  They also comment, however, that if Cabesang Tales had only stayed home he would not have had himself abducted by bandits.  Hermana Penchang, on the other hand, has an entirely different opinion and says that the reason why God had allowed such turmoil to befall Selo's family is because they had not taught Juli the proper way of saying her prayers.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

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Simoun sells his jewelry at the house of Cabesang Tales.  Simoun shows off his revolver to the cabeza. The rich people of San Diego and Tiani gather there to see what precious gems the can purchase. The following day Simoun discovers that Tales has stolen his gun.  Shortly after, news spreads about the murder of three people:  the new tenant, his wife, and the friar administrator.  In the crime scene a piece of paper is found with the word "Tales" written in blood.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Posted by Develos

The governor general enjoys a brief respite in Los Baños together with his advisers and some friars.   After a long and rather intellectual game of cards, the governor opens a discussion regarding the plan of the youth to put up a Spanish academy and requests his advisers to express their opinions regarding the matter.  Because of the men's opposing views, no decision is made whether to approve it or not.  A few moments later the governor general orders the release of Selo in exchange for his son, Tales.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

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Placido Penitente walks glumly to school.  He meets Juanito Pelaez along the way, and talks with him for a while.  Juanito is the favorite of practically all the teachers, and his father is a Spanish mestizo. Placido talks to the young man about his brief vacation to Tiani with Padre Camorra, and then asks Juanito to help him catch up with the lessons he missed the days before.

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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Placide Penitente enters Physics class, in which Padre Millon is his professor.  The discussion drags on without the use of any laboratory equipment and other learning aids.  The university had bought a number of instruments, but these remain kept in glass shelves and are never used.  Placido had already been marked as absent, and when Padre Millon calls on him to answer a question, the priest gives him a very low mark.  Placido argues with Padre Millon over this injustice.  The unyielding friar continues throwing insults at the youth, and Placido Penitente walks out of the class.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

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Macaraeg tells his friends at the dormitory that the decision to issue the building permit for the Spanish academy has been given to a commission of which Don Custodio is the leader.  The students then come up with plans and schemes to get the Don on their side and influence him to decide on their favor.  They also plan to seek the help of Señor Pasta, A LAWYER, and Isagani volunteers to take charge of this task.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Posted by Develos

Isagani goes to Señor Pasta and tries to convince him to support their plans of a Spanish academy.  The lawyer, an intelligent man, is aware that the friars are not in favor of this project, and, not wishing to provoke the church, Pasta decides to side with them against it.  He then tells Isagani that the best thing the lad can do is to concentrate on his studies and stop dreaming of such greatly impossible endeavors.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

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Quiroga is a Chinese doing business in the Philippines. He holds a dinner at his house, and all the important people arrive - merchants and other businessmen, soldiers, and even those holding positions in the government. Simoun is there, too. He approaches Quiroga and asks the him if Simoun could use the Chinaman's warehouse momentarily to store several rifles, guns and other weapons.  Simoun offers to take out a portion of Quiroga's debt to the jeweler in exchange for this favor.

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Posted by Develos

The night is young and wonderful.  The fair is full of amusements and of excited audiences.  Twelve people from Quiroga's house head for the fair to watch Mr. Leeds's show.  Padre Camorra is delighted to see many beautiful ladies, and is even more pleased when they come across Paulita, who is at the fair with Isagani and Doña Victorina.

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

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Mr. Leeds warmly welcomes the group.  He allows them time to survey the room as well as the tools he will use to showcase the sphinx. An ALCOHOL lamp lights the tent, which is dark and gloomy.  Mr. Leeds begins by presenting to them a box with ashes that he claimed to have been taken from the Egyptian pyramids. He shouts a magic word, and the ashes form the image of the sphinx, whose name is Imuthis. Imuthis narrates to the group the sad story of his life, which is curiously parallel to the story of Crisostomo Ibarra.  After the tale is told, Imuthis begins accusing Padre Salvi of being a murderer and a hypocrite, and the young friar faints in his seat.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

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Placido Penitente walks out of his class.  He is no longer the silent, tolerant youth who wouldn't stand up for himself.  He meets Simoun and joins the jeweler in his trip around the city.  Simoun tells Placido of his plans to revolt against the Spanish government.  Eventually the youth finds out Simoun's ulterior motive for the rebellion - to rescue Maria Clara from the convent.

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

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Don Custodio ponders over his stand on the proposal made by the students in the university.  He mulls over it, weighing both sides.  He is torn over this decision because on one hand, he wants to please the friars but on the other, he also wants to help the students learn and study Spanish.  As obvious as it is, the friars and the students are on opposite ends of the line and their opinions cannot be reconciled.  In his desperation, Don Custodio consults a number of trusted people including Senor Pasta and Pepay the dancer.  They, however, are unable to give him any help.  After a considerably long period of contemplation, Don Custodio finally arrives at a decision.

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

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People all over Manila gather at the theater to watch Les Cloches de Corneville, a French performance. Only one person, of Spanish blood, seems to have no interest in going inside the theater. His name is Camarroncocido. He comes from a prominent Spanish family, however is dressed rather poorly like a peasant and keeps wandering in the streets.He occupies himself by putting up posters of upcoming shows in the theater. As he approaches the Teatro de Variadades, he spots suspicious-looking men and finds out that Simoun is ordering them to go through measures to put a stop to a civil unrest.

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

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A number of humorous incidents take place at the show. For one, Juanito Pelaez tries to impress Paulita by pretending to understand French. His act is discovered, however, after he fails to translate some French lines correctly. Padre Irene attends the show in disguise. He applauds one of the actresses, whom he particularly likes. Don Custodio is also at the theater, claiming as an excuse that he was there to judge whether or not the performance was to be considered indecent. While the show is going on, the students then find out about Don Custodio’s decision regarding the school of Spanish.

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

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Basilio is studying at Captain Tiago’s house. Simoun arrives and tries to convince the youth to join in the revolution that the jeweler is planning. However, all his efforts are in vain and Basilio refuses to take any part in it. Simoun then further explains that the revolution is a necessary step if he were to rescue Maria Clara from the nunnery. Basilio then tells him that the lady is dead. Simoun leaves Captain Tiago’s house deeply grieved and tormented.

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

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Isagani meets Paulita Gomez at the Luneta.  At that moment, the sun is setting behind the mountains of Maribeles.  In their conversation, Isagani shares his visions of progress and social and economic development for his country.  He talks to Paulita about his plans to expand the railways, to improve commercial trade, and to somehow achieve mutual cooperation between the Philippines and Spain.  To his dismay, however, Paulita tells him that his visions are nothing but unattainable dreams.

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

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The university students organize a feast at the Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto in honor of Don Custodio because of his decision regarding the Spanish academy.  They are fourteen in all, including Sandoval.  They paid for the entire place, so that it would be exclusively for them and no other customers could get in.  As Don Custodio had decided, the Spanish academy would have to be supervised by the Dominican order and they, the students, simply had to gather and collect financial contributions for the proposed school.

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

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Basilio reports to the hospital but is a little confused when he sees other students acting as if there were no classes that day.  One of the students informs him that there were found seditious and revolutionary posters at the walls of the university, and that these posters had implicated the student organization.  The government has also demanded the arrest of all the members of the student organization, as well as those who took part in the celebration at the panciteria.  Basilio goes to Macaraeg’s house to loan some money, however both of them are arrested by the authorities.

Chapte 27

Chapte 27

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Isagani is summoned by Padre Fernandez. The priest wants to talk to him about his involvement in the celebration held at the panciteria.  Their discussion, however, focuses on the ways by which the friars conduct education.  According to Isagani, the friars are intentionally delivering antiquated education to keep the Filipinos from aspiring for freedom and civil liberties. He argues further that those who yearn for such dreams are immediately labeled as filibusters, revolutionaries, and rebels.  In response to the youth’s claims, Padre Fernandez says that not all friars are backward and are against the idea of educating the natives and the people. Education, he says, can only be given to minds that are ready and deserving.

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

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Rumor and gossip fill the city streets and corners.  Practically everywhere, people are talking about the seditious posters in the walls of the university.  People say that the students who were arrested were shot and deported to far-off places; they also say that some luckier members of the student organization had conspired with thieves and bandits as well as with certain German vessels in a plot to overthrow the government.

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

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Capitan Tiago dies, and is given a decent burial.  Padre Irene is the executor of his will. His riches are divided among Santa Clara, the pope, the Archbishop, and other religious organizations. Twenty pesos is left for the matriculation of the students. Padre Irene suggests this so that it will appear that he is on the side of the students.  Capitan Tiago removes from his will the twenty-five pesos intended for Basilio for the youth’s inability to recognize his indebtedness to the old man, but Padre Irene decides to give it to him still, and says that it will come from the friar’s own pockets.

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

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Juli is deeply troubled by the news of Basilio’s capture and imprisonment. People convince her to approach Padre Camorra and ask him to intercede for the youth.  Juli is afraid to follow their advice and approach the friar because he is known to be frisky and quite fond of women.  However, when news reaches Juli that Basilio is about to be killed, the young lady is compelled to go and ask the friar’s help.

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

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A high official, who believes Basilio is innocent, attempts to convince the governor-general to release the youth.  His efforts, however, are in vain.  The governor-general responds, insisting that it is necessary for innocent people to suffer to restore order and to teach the people to submit to authority once and for all.  Because of this, the high official lets go of his office and returns to Spain.

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Posted by Develos

Juanito Pelaez, together with Pecson and Tadeo, is suspended from classes at the university because of the seditious posters.  Tadeo burns his books in anger, and Juanito gets involved in his father’s business to keep himself occupied.  Still in prison,  the poor Basilio learns about Juli’s death.  Meanwhile, Simoun tries to befriend Don Timoteo Pelaez, whose son Juanito is engaged to be married to Paulita Gomez, and who is now busy making preparations for the wedding.

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

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Basilio is released from jail. After regaining his freedom the youth immediately goes to Simoun and asks the jeweler to help him start a revolution. Simoun is greatly pleased that he had gotten the youth to finally join him. He tells Basilio to meet with Cabesang Tales at a certain time and place so that they could acquire the guns and rifles hidden in Quiroga’s warehouse. Meanwhile, Simoun’s job is to place a dynamite-laden lamp at an important gathering – one that would explode to signal the attack.

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

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Basilio wanders around the streets of Manila, waiting for the explosion that would signal the start of the revolution.  He passes Calle Anloague, where Juanito and Paulita’s wedding celebration is going on.  After surveying the ornate decorations, the guards stationed at the entrances, and the important and prominent visitors present at the feast, Basilio assumes that this could be the crucial gathering Simoun was talking about.

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

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Simoun discreetly yet nonchalantly places the lamp at the center of the house where the guests are gathered.  Basilio watches him from a distance.  As the youth is about to leave the place, he sees Isagani and tries to convince his friend to leave.  Basilio tells him to get as far away from the house as possible, and explains that there is about to be an explosion any minute that would kill all the guests and everyone within a considerable distance.  Isagani, in a rare act of love and loyalty to his beloved Paulita, quickly rushes to the house and throws the lamp into the river below, stopping the explosion.

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

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From Capitan Tiago’s house, Ben Zayb runs to his abode to write about the shocking events that have transpired.  In his writing, he makes the governor-general, Padre Irene, Don Custodio, and Padre Salvi look like heroes.  He also wishes the governor-general a safe journey.  Meanwhile, the governor-general prohibits anyone from talking about the events that have taken place at the wedding celebration of Paulita and Juanito Pelaez.  According to rumors, a band of thieves had attacked a friar’s house. The robbers who are caught describe to the authorities the man who supposedly ordered them to attack the town after the signal is given.  Their description indisputably leads to Simoun.

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

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Isagani, Sensia, Capitana Loleng, Capitan Toringoy, and Chichoy discuss the events of the previous night.  Chichoy says that Simoun the jeweler is the mastermind behind all that had transpired, and that he was responsible for plotting to kill all the guests at the wedding feast.  Chichoy also adds that the lamp was supposed to start the fire, ignite the gunpowder, and set off the explosion.

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

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The soldiers escort a group of prisoners.  Suddenly, they are ambushed.  Carolino, one of the civil guards, is the long-lost son of Cabesang Tales.  He fights the bandits bravely and fiercely, finishing off the leader of the thieves with a spear, and killing an old man who is part of the group.  He surveys the dead, and realizes that the old man he had killed is in fact Tandang Selo, his grandfather.

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

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Simoun, wounded and exhausted, goes to the house of Padre Florentino to hide from the civil guards who are sent to arrest him and take him into custody.  Simoun drinks a poison, then reveals his true identity to Padre Florentino – that he, Simou

n the jeweler, is in fact Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, the fugitive believed to have died in the river years ago.  He admits that everything is his futile attempt to corrupt the government and the society so that he could start a revolution to free the country from the bonds of Spain. Padre Florentino corrects Simoun, telling him that freedom cannot be won by violence and the shedding of innocent blood but by proper education, hard work, and long-suffering.