Dona Victorina, however, was just turning up her nose in disdain when she suddenly became as furious as a trampled serpent--the lieutenant had stepped on the train of her gown.
"Haven't you any eyes ?" she demanded.
"Yes, senora, two better than yours, but the fact is that I was admiring your frizzes," retorted the rather ungallant soldier as he moved away from her.
As if from instinct the two friars both started toward the head of the table, perhaps from habit, and then, as might have been expected, the same thing happened that occurs with the competitors for a university position, who openly exalt the qualifications and superiority of their opponents, later giving to understand that just the contrary was meant, and who murmur and grumble when they do not receive the appointment.
"For you, Fray Damaso." "For you, Fray Sibyla." "An older friend of the family--confessor of the deceased lady--age, dignity, and authority--" "Not so very old, either! On the other hand, you are the curate of the district," replied Fray Damaso sourly, without taking his hand from the back of the chair.
"Since you command it, I obey," concluded Fray Sibyla, disposing himself to take the seat.
"I don't command it!" protested the Franciscan.

"I don't command it!" Fray Sibyla was about to seat himself without paying any more attention to these protests when his eyes happened to encounter those of the lieutenant.

According to clerical opinion in the Philippines, the highest secular official is inferior to a friar-cook: _cedant arma togae_, said Cicero in the Senate--_cedant arma cottae_, say the friars in the Philippines.

[28] But Fray Sibyla was a well-bred person, so he said, "Lieutenant, here we are in the world and not in the church.

The seat of honor belongs to you." To judge from the tone of his voice, however, even in the world it really did belong to him, and the lieutenant, either to keep out of trouble or to avoid sitting between two friars, curtly declined.
None of the claimants had given a thought to their host.