Paul Kevin G. Ellasos Prof.

Myrna Soriano
ZHI - 112 BCG August 22, 2014
CHAPTER 5 - A STAR IN A DARK NIGHT
Ibarra went to his room, which overlooked the river and dropping into a chair gazed out into the
heaven through open window. He saw a house in the opposite side - profusely lighted and surrounded
with music.

If Ibarra had been less preoccupied ,he would have been charmed with one of those magical and
fantastic spectacles, the like of which is sometimes seen in theaters of Europe. Together with the
orchestra there seems to appear a goddess - wrapped with misty gauzed and luminous halo and moves
without touching the floor. In her presence the flowers bloom, music awakens and troops of devils,
nymphs , shepherds, satyrs and angels dance and shake their tambourines. He would have been saw
the beautiful maiden standing in the center of a semicircle made up of every class of people; Chinese,
Spaniards, Filipinos, soldiers, old men, curates and young men. Padre Damaso stood at the side of the
maiden - smiling like one especially blessed, Padre Sibyla was talking to her and Donya Victorina was
arranging the maiden's hair. Her complexion was white, perhaps too much so, and eyes seems like a
spotless soul and a white teeth. One man only in all crowd seemed insensible to her beauty - a young
Franciscan, thin, and pale who watched her from a distance motionless as a statue and scarcely
breathing.

But Ibarra saw nothing but a small space which seems to be a jail. He saw an old man breathing
with difficulty while uttered a name. From time to time a rattle of chains was heard on the other side of
the wall. Far away from the place of him, there was a feast where youth was laughing, shouting and
pouring wine upon flowers. The old man had the features of his father , the youth was himself, and the
name uttered by the former was his own name. The lights of the opposite house were extingished and
the noises ceased but Ibarra still heard the cry of his father calling upon his son in hour of his death.
Silence was observed around the city and other things seemed to be at rest. The cock-crow alternated
with the strokes of clocks of the church. Even Ibarra , worn out by his sadness or by his journey now
slept. But only the young Franciscan was not fall asleep, keep looking for a star in the dark sky. The star
paled and disappeared, the dim light of the waning moon faded, but he didn't move from his place- he
was gazing out over Bagumbayan and the sleeping sea.

Messages:

1. This is the first time that Maria Clara was introduced. She described as the most beautiful
woman in the city.
2. The young Franciscan who watched her from a distance motionless as a statue is Padre Salvi.
The phrase means that he was fascinated about the beauty of Maria Clara and he knew the secret
behind Maria Clara.
3. The star in the dark night that was looking by Padre Salvi means that there is an impossible
dream to reached and prohibited.
4. The old man represents the Philippines and the youth laughing , shouting and drinking
represent those Filipino who are careless about the Philippines.
5. The cry and utter of the old man means that he was seeking for help because of the struggle
and sufferings of the Philippines from Spaniards.