[The Social Cancer by Jose Rizal]@TWC D-Link book
The Social Cancer

CHAPTER XXVII
13/15

The leper approached the basket, picked up the jeweled locket, which glittered in his hands, then fell upon his knees, kissed it, and taking off his salakot buried his forehead in the dust where the maiden had stepped.

Maria Clara hid her face behind her fan and raised her handkerchief to her eyes.
Meanwhile, a poor woman had approached the leper, who seemed to be praying.

Her long hair was loose and unkempt, and in the light of the torches could be recognized the extremely emaciated features of the crazy Sisa.

Feeling the touch of her hand, the leper jumped up with a cry, but to the horror of the onlooker's Sisa caught him by the arm and said: "Let us pray, let us pray! Today is All Souls' day! Those lights are the souls of men! Let us pray for my sons!" "Separate them! Separate them! The madwoman will get the disease!" cried the crowd, but no one dared to go near them.
"Do you see that light in the tower?
That is my son Basilio sliding down a rope! Do you see that light in the convento?
That is my son Crispin! But I'm not going to see them because the curate is sick and had many gold pieces and the gold pieces are lost! Pray, let us pray for the soul of the curate! I took him the finest fruits, for my garden was full of flowers and I had two sons! I had a garden, I used to take care of my flowers, and I had two sons!" Then releasing her hold of the leper, she ran away singing, "I had a garden and flowers, I had two sons, a garden, and flowers!" "What have you been able to do for that poor woman ?" Maria Clara asked Ibarra.
"Nothing! Lately she has been missing from the totem and wasn't to be found," answered the youth, rather confusedly.

"Besides, I have been very busy.


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