Chapter 5

Dramatis Personae

_Francos_ . . . . . . _Governor General of a Province._ _Quezox_ . . . . . . _Resident Delegate of the Province._ _Bonset_ . . . . . . _Secretary of the Governor._ _Halstrom_ . . . . . _Aide to the Governor._ _Carpen_ . . . . . . _Executive Secretary._ _Two Gentlemen._ _Delegation of Englishmen._

_First Scene: Governor Office._

_Francos:_ When, as we tread the varied path of life, Disaster dire demands a valued limb, We with the mood of Stoic bear the pain; While nagging tooth doth ever set us wild. 'Tis vain on deep philosophy to call When stinging gnats, unseen, do us assail; A warring instinct urges us to kill, And we delay not, till Dame Reason speaks. 'Twas but an automatic action of the mind When matter trivial late did rouse a phlegm Within my soul, which irritated sore, And on the instant I did stern resolve That, like the surgeon when an abscess ripe Action demands with operating knife, To sever bonds politic which did fast Within my family executive Hold Seldonskip and bid him hence to speed. But sometimes action swift doth breed regreet; An as I on the future cogitate, Methinks excuses which might satisfy Uninterested minds may weakly fail To ease paternal irritation, when Its offspring, bearing hence a varnished tale Of wrongs which from imagination's womb Were born and yet with specious sound do ring. Hence I must speedily with subtle skill Frame a dispatch which like to plaster kind May ease the irritation of the sore And thus mar not a happy intercourse. The mind of man can compass many things, But still, to reach perfection's dizzy height, It should be centered on some special point, Fathered by energy, to reach the goal. How can I soar, upheld by wings of hope, When various projects, all demanding skill, Before me loom, as do the clouds of night All threat'ning storm which well may wreck the craft Unless the captain calls unto his aid Lieutenants by long school of action trained To guard from danger's shoals which are unknown Except to those who long the chart have scanned? My predecessor who first ruled these Isles Did loud proclaim in optimistic tones The Philippines for Filipinos are, And so high expectations did arouse Which Time with all its mellowing pow'r did Dissapoint; and so at last Approval's Smile slowly did wane, and bitterest frown, Conceived from discontent, usurped its place. Alas! Am I to be the pliant tool To work a policy from chaos born? And on its failure, if perchance it fails, Will I too meet the cold and icy stare? _Enter Halstrom; speaks:_ My Liege, thy self-communion I would halt And usher to thy presence men of weight Who would discourse upon some pregnant facts Which may perchance to thee be quite unknown. _Francos:_ Good Halstrom, tell me of their every mien. _(anxiously)_ Didst thou in judgment fair, within their eyes Spy greedy look as if on plunder bent? If so, 'twere best preoccupation plead. _Halstrom:_ I think, my Liege, 'twere safe to give them ear So that offense may rankle not their minds. _Francos:_ Ha, thinkst thou so? Then hail them to my court. But stay! Wisdom doth hint that in each ear A caution should be breathed that concise speech Were best, for pressing matters constant urge. _Halstrom:_ Thy words are uttered but to be obeyed. That time is precious I will firm impart. _(Retires and ushers the visitors in.)_ Most honored Sire, these gentlement would speak On matters of great import to the state. _Francos:_ Welcome, sweet Gentlement, I greet thee well, And wait the import of the words ye bring. I beg thee speedily the burden ease From off thy overladen minds, that we May then in converse wise consider well The various phases of a matter new. _Gentleman:_ Your Honor!--Please excuse the term, as I From pleading long before the bar have thus Familiar with this title grown, and so From 'tween my lips the word did careless slip. _Francos (earnestly):_ But honored Sir, I fain would ask what bar It wast before which thou didst earnest plead? _Gentlemen:_ Ha! Ha! Methinks a subtle humor finds Its home within the mind of him who rules. But in all truth the point were taken well, For Caesar, rumor saith, disdains the cup Which doth inebriate and thus befool The mind of him who at it tarries long. But Sire, the business which doth urge us here Is of great import to our party's needs. _Francos:_ I pray thee, hasten to the point, for time Hath wings that bear us swiftly on. _Gentleman:_ Most noble Governor, I sore lament That from our noble South there be men here Who have deep sympathy for these, who in The past have fattened at the public crib, And find no sympathy for Caesar's plan To mould this commonwealth on model grand Perfected by the chivalry front which Both he and thou didst draw sweet childhood's milk. These men did quick condone the ev'ry act Which emanated from the Northern mind. Yearly were millions spent on bootless task Of feeding vacant minds on useless food Because unfitted to their various needs. "A little knowledge is a dang'rous thing" And doth unfit the plodding mass for toil, Which is their proper sphere; hence ev'ry thought Hard thrust within their skulls doth discontent Engender, and thus far stability Doth threathen for the ruling class, and so As in our "Sunny South" the specter grins Prophetic of grave danger to the State. _Francos:_ The plea doth fall on sympathetic ears. Yet Caesar counseled in his parting words That discord here among our party friends Would breed distemper if 'twere not ignored. _Both Gentlemen, despondingly:_ Alas! 'Tis so, that we who burdens bore Are thrust aside when vict'ry crowns our work And renegades are placed on equal terms With loyal sons who ne'er a duty shirked. _(Exeunt Gentlemen)._ _Francos:_ Ah! so it is. Each entity is filled With selfish impulse which doth ever hide Justice eternal from its clouded sight And pigmy self exalt to giant form. _Bonset:_ But Sire, it were the common lot of man To seek preferment; and unless he doth, No other will lift hand to boost him on, Unless great wealth doth like a magnet draw Support from those who with a greedy eye Expect to feel most happy contact with The shining coin, which doth a lever prove To pry success from out the voting mob. _Francos:_ But Bonset, see'st thou not that native worth And mental parts may overtower the gold And thus perforce attract attention from The ones who guide their party to success? _(Bonset doublingly)_ Perhaps, my Liege. But in the outer hall A deputation waits to greeting give And tokens of respectful homage show On the behalf of Briton's col'ny here. _(Enter Quezox)_ _Francos:_ But Bonset, list! 'Twere well to let them wait: To quick respond will lower dignity. The British mind doth breed a rev'rence deep For form and etiquette which swift cognition Might debase, and thus we on their mental Vision might mayhap but feeble impress Make as envoys by most noble Caesar sent To rule these Isles with gravity and state. _Quezox:_ Most noble Sire! If I might but suggest, 'Twere well for Bonset to inquire each name And mental picture stamp upon his mind That he may fluent be when he presents Each sev'ral person as he shall proceed To pass before thee and his greeting voice, And when the proper waiting hath an end, I will speed forth and beck the conclave in. _Francos:_ 'Tis well! And in the intervining time 'Twere wise important matters to discuss. _(Enter Carpen)_ Ha! Carpen, thou hast long experience had In dealings intricate with this proud race, And thee alone from out the anchored host I trust to honest voice conditions here. _Carpen:_ Sire! dost thou seek a true, unvarnished tale, Or rather wouldst a colored picture please? _Francos:_ Truth is so hidden in her various garbs That nakedness alone presents her fair; Hence ornament and furbelow disdain, And Hebe-like unbedecked let her stand forth. _Carpen:_ It were indeed a most stupendous mind Which, as the argonaut with mining pan Doth sift pure gold from ever present dross, Can Truth unmesh from Error's well spread net. Conditions intricate with taunting smile Of Fate's stern irony, have faced us here; But now the seething problem must be solved And vague uncertainty be swept aside. Shall the mestizos, as the ruling class, Be firm entrenched by our assisting hand, Or must we in the well marked path still tread And longer bear our burden which will bring No gratitude to recompense our pains? _Quezox:_ Sire! Carpen well hath voiced mine ev'ry thought, We, who Caucasian blood boast in our veins Are numerous, and can uphold the state. The pure-blood Filipinos to us look For guidance and our ev'ry counsel take. To wait until the tao fills his skull With book lore were to see us in our graves And millions burden on thy native land. But Sire, I feel that time enow has flown To proper impress make on waiting minds. Hence it were well to bid them entrance speed That they may grave obeisance to thee make. _(Exit Quezox)_

_Second Scene: Outer Room, where the deputation waits._

_Bonset:_ Good Gentlemen, a business of import Doth now engross His Highness, but forsooth When it is properly dispatched, he word Will by the mouth of Quezox speedy send. _An English gentleman (brusquely)._ But sir, no business enterprise hath brought Us here, and if His Highness careth not To give us audience, why we'll depart! _Bonset:_ Tut, tut, Good friend Quezox will soon appear. _(The Gentlemen uneasily pace the room and whisper)_ _Enter Quezox:_ Sweet Gentlemen, His Highness bid me hail You to his presence, there to converse join. _(All look at Quezox, disgusted)_ _Bonset:_ Fall in! Fall in! and form a proper line _(abruptly)_ While Quezox doth precede us as we go! _1st Gentleman (indignant)_ Fall in! What doth such words portend? Are we but jail birds who at keeper's call Move into line, and then with lockstep march To face a judge who may us sentence give? _(Puts up his hands)_ I say, my friends, put up your "dukes" and I will show How Englishmen resent an insult gross. _(Friends interefere to prevent blows.)_ _Quezox:_ Hold! Hold! my friends, sweet Bonset means no ill, 'Twere only lack of polish in his speech. We Spaniards sweetly phrase our ev'ry word E'en when we prick one sharply in the ribs. _1st Gentleman (excitedly)_ Well, who is this, with dignity enrobed Who like a fighting cock doth bravely strut? _2nd Gentleman (whispers)_ Whist, little friend, this is the mighty Quezox, Who doth within his hand hold destiny. Twere best for business purposes to yield Apparent homage, though we him disdain. _1st Gentleman (turns to Quezox)_ Ho! Ho! I did a mistake serious make In expectation that a mind so great Would find its home within a form most grand, But like mine own it chose a cottage small. _Bonset:_ Well, Gentlemen, so you like not the line, Proceed to scramble in at your sweet will.

_All speak:_ A trifling discord doth like sauce in soup Make betterment. Hence we my now declaim, In happy vein: "All's well that endeth well."