diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

himself and whom he observed at close range. This was shown in his diaryaboard ship:25th day: "The friars [Franciscans] were all the time on their knees," during themass.2s28th day: sketch of the back of a Franciscan.26 (Rizal's biographers believe thatthat the sketch represents the aging and broadminded missionary of China,Mons. Volonteri, because of Rizal's deep and open admiration for him. But thesharp hood and even the cincture leave no doubt it is a Franciscan.)30th day: "The Franciscans and Lombards argue about everything everymorning. I irritate them when I ask vgho is more saintly [sic] . . . I ask them whofirst reached heaven . . . Afterwards I check with them what the souls in Limbowere doing when Christ arrived there, and the souls of the dead who returned tolife. They are maddened! Fr. Fuchs then came with his Divina commedia inGerman. A discussion follows next whether the translation must be bad .. . ."The same day Rizal writes about the Franciscans' attitude to a case ofapparent injustice: "The second class passengers [Rizal travels first class]had a slight altercation. Two of them took it ill that a servant of a first classpassenger should be mixed with them. They asked he be put outside and eatseparately from them. The friars and many others protested that since he hadpaid, he had 'a right to eat. It seems they are going to the Commissar to havethe servant returned.""1302 November brief recount of the passengers: "With us are 7 Jesuits, 5Franciscans, 3 Lombard priests, and one bishop."'6 November: walk through Colombo, accompanied probably by fellow travelers,the Italian Franciscans: "We visited the hospital administered by theFranciscans,"2" highly praising their work there.8 November: "The Franciscans came after, and I have been talking with themabout the Franciscans in my country." It was impossible for Rizal, obsessed bythe real or apparent wealth of the Franciscans of the Philippines, not to bring upfor discussion a subject that preoccupied him deeply. But their brothers in thecloth limited themselves to draw the conclusion from the information Rizalfurnished them: "If they are rich, they are no longer Franciscans."'" The dialoguemust have continued in an atmosphere of calm and relaxation: "Seated on theropes and cables, they conversed about these things. They talked of the miraclesof Saint Francis, the niche behind the door, the thorn turned into roses, etc. One[who?] gave, me one of these leaves."3' No dialogue in Rizal's diary wasrecorded with such delicacy and respect as this one he had with no one elseaboard the ship. It was because of his sincere admiration for the saint from Assisi,with whom he had so many things in common.