diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

Basilio with the Governor General, but he failed because the latter needed amartyr for the "good of the majority . . . the good of all [and] maintain thethreatened principle of authority, and preserve and enhance the prestige of theregime." Out of a myopic sense of justice, someone had to die: "that way thepunishment turns out to be more salutary and exemplary for it will strikemore terror." And so, because he openly sides with the natives, the HighOfficial receives a one-way ticket back to Spain, no doubt, arranged by theGovernor. But, before leaving, the Official talks to the native lackey whoopens• the door as he steps out of the Governor's office: "When you declareyourselves independent some day, remember that there were not lackinghearts in Spain that beat for you and fought for your rights." But the lackeyasks uncomprehending, "Where to did you say, sir?'" Is Rizal sayingcommunication has broken down between the rulers and the ruled? Worse,that the people have no longer ears or the time to listen in order to knowwhich direction to take?SYMBOLIC EPISODESMore than symbolic names or apothegms, Rizal employs to greatadvantage symbolic episodes, or individual incidents that illumine a widersituation. Multiform vignettes of daily life, they are the details that add up toa perfect picture ad unguem.Maria Clara and the girls are happily chattering along the street whenthey are stopped by a strange sight. A leper is begging, as is his wont, andIday explains his plight. She says people suspect he contracted the diseasefrom overstaying in the prison, while others report he was infected by hisdiseased mother for whom he was caring. Everyone now avoids him, and heis forbidden all human contact. To obtain his daily bread, he leaves out at adistance a basket, and people drop what they set aside for him. One day hehappens to be passing by when a small boy falls into a ditch. He instinctivelypulls the lad up, but instead of being grateful, the father denounces the leperto the town authorities. The gobernadorcillo has him flogged, burning thelash afterwards. Iday dramatizes the end of her story:192It was horrible! The leper running away, the flogger running after him, and theMayor screaming: "Let that be a lesson to you! Better to drown than catch yourdisease!"And Maria Clara whispered, "True!""