> In his secluded retreat beside the sea, the lonely Father Florentino solaced

himself

by

playing

grave

and

melancholy

airs

on

reed-organ

to

the

accompaniment of the crashing waves and the sighting of nearby woods. And since
he was alone, he gave free rein to the sadness in his heart.
> The old man had reason to be sad. His good friend, Don Tiburcio de Espadana,
had just left him, flying from the persecution of his wife.
> Father Florentino had been unable to stop him from going; in vain, he pointed out
that the description of the Spaniard in hiding as disabled might not apply to Don
Tiburcio but to the jeweler Simoun who had arrived two days before, wounded and
a fugitive, seeking hospitality.
> However, he had no doubt that the wanted Spaniard was the jeweler Simoun. He
had arrived in mysterious circumstance, carrying his treasure-chest himself,
wounded, morose, and in a state of extreme depression. Father Florentino being
hospitable and open himself, welcomed him although he did not have a clear
understanding of the situation.
> Had he been the victim of a personal vendetta?
> The condition of the wounded man made moving him, and yet the telegram kept
on saying dead or alive.
> As the old priest looked out upon the sea, he tried to analyze the sad ironic smile
with which Simoun had greeted the news that he was going to be arrested. What
did it mean?
> This Simoun, so rich, so powerful, so feared only a week ago, was now more
unfortunate. And in a few hours, this man would be arrested, taken from the bed
where he lay, without consideration for his condition, without thought for his
wounds; he was wanted by his enemies, dead or alive.
> Father Florentino then saw that Simouns face had lost its tranquil and ironic
expression.
> PF: Are you in pain, Mr. Simoun?
> S: Somewhat, but soon I shall be out of it.
> As Father Florentino realized the terrible truth

> PF: My God, what have you done? What did you take?
> The old priest reached out a hand towards the bottles.
> S: Useless, there is nothing that can be done. What else did you expect me to do?
Not later than eight oclock dead or alive dead, yes, but not alive.
> PF: My God, my God, what have you done?
> S: Compose yourself. Whats done is done. I must not fall alive into anyones
hands, they might wrest my secret from me. Listen to me, I must tell you my secret.
I must give you my last will. At this supreme moment, I want to unburden myself.
You have such faith in God I want you to tell me if there is a God.
> PF: An antidote, Mr. Simoun! I have apomorphine, a quick emetic Ether,
chloroform
> S: (impatient) Useless! Dont lose time or I shall go with my secret!
> The bewildered priest knelt at his praying as if he had received from God all the
energy, all the dignity, all the authority of the Judge of consciousness.
> At Simouns first words, when he revealed his real name, the old priest fell back
and stared at him with fear. Simoun smiled bitterly.
> Simoun told his sorrowful story. He was all ready to do good things after
returning from Europe thirteen years ago. But it was not to be. He had lost his
reputation, position, love, prospects for the future, freedom, everything. From then,
he had sworn revenge.
> After the long confession, the voice of the priest, sad, deliberate, but consoling,
broke the silence.
> PF: God will forgive you, Mr. Simoun. He knows we are liable to be deceived. Let
us obey His will and give Him thanks. --- God is justice and He cannot abandon His
own cause, the cause of freedom without which no justice is possible.
> S: Why then has He forsaken me?
> PF: Because you chose a means of which He could not approve. Hate only creates
monsters; crime, criminals; and only love can work wonders, only virtue can
redeem.

> S: Very well, I accept your explanation. --- I was wrong. But because I was wrong,
was this God of yours to deny freedom and spare others much more evil than I
was? What is my error from there?
> PF: The just and worthy must suffer so that their ideas may be known and
spread. The vessel must be shaken or broken to release the perfume, the stone
must be struck to raise a spark!
> Then there was a brief pause.
> S: Then what is to be done?
> PF: Endure and work.
> S: Endure, work! Endure, work? It is easy to say so when there is nothing to be
endured, when work is rewarded! I dont understand! What kind of a God is that?!
> PF: A most just God, Mr. Simoun. A God who punishes our lack of faith, our
vices, the little regard we have for dignity and the civic virtues. Remember, the
school of suffering tempers the spirit and the fighting arena strengthens the soul.
Our misfortunes are our own fault.
> Father Florentino felt the dying man take his hand and press it. He fell silent and
waited for him to speak but only felt his hand and pressed twice again and heard a
sigh; then a long silence reigned in the room.
> PF: Where are the youths who will dedicate their innocence, their idealism, their
enthusiasm to the good of the country? We await you, come for we await you!
> The old priest freed Simouns hand and rise to contemplate the vast expanse of
the sea by the window. When he returned to the bedside, he saw by the lamplight
that Simoun was still, his eyes closed, and the hand which had pressed his own
open at the edge of the bed. Observing no signs of breathing, he touched him
gently, realizing that was dead, and already turning cold.
> The priest fell on his knees and prayed. When he rose and looked upon the dead
body, in whose face was sadness beyond death, the old priest shuddered
> PF: God have pity on those who led him astray.

> Then Father Florentino took the famous steel chest from the cabinet which
contained Simouns treasures and went downstairs to stare down into the depths of
the sea.
> The old priest then hurled the chest through the air and into the sea. He saw the
splash and heard the broken sound as it plunged into the depths which closed
upon the treasure. The waves kept their unbroken array, as secretive, as if into the
immensity of the sea, only a pebble had fallen.
> PF: May Nature guard you in the deepest of the deep. --- When men should need
you for a purpose holy and sublime, God will know how to raise you from the
bottom of the seas. Until then you will do no evil there, you will not thwart justice
or incite greed!