How could it be _Felipenas_ instead of _Felipinas ?_ One of two things: either it was _Felipenas_ or it was necessary to say _Felipi!_ So that day he very prudently dropped the subject.

Leaving his wife, he went to consult the books.

Here his astonishment reached a climax: he rubbed his eyes--let's see--slowly, now! _F-i-l-i-p-i-n-a-s_, Filipinas! So all the well-printed books gave it--neither he nor his wife was right! "How's this ?" he murmured.

"Can history lie?
Doesn't this book say that Alonso Saavedra gave the country that name in honor of the prince, Don Felipe?
How was that name corrupted?
Can it be that this Alonso Saavedra was an Indian ?" [110] With these doubts he went to consult the sergeant Gomez, who, as a youth, had wanted to be a curate.

Without deigning to look at the corporal the sergeant blew out a mouthful of smoke and answered with great pompousness, "In ancient times it was pronounced _Filipi_ instead of _Felipe_.