Major characters

[edit]Ibarra Juan Crisstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarra or Crisstomo, is the protagonist in the story. Son of a Filipino businessman, Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in Europe for seven years.[6] Ibarra is also Mara Clara's fianc. Several sources claim that Ibarra is also Rizal's reflection: both studied in Europe and both persons believe in the same ideas. Upon his return, Ibarra requested the local government of San Diego to construct a public school to promote education in the town.
[7]

In the sequel of Noli, El Filibusterismo, Ibarra returned with different character and name: he called himself as Simoun, the English mestizo.

Mara Clara
Mara Clara de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as Mara Clara, is Ibarra's fiance. She was raised by Capitn Tiago, San Diego'scabeza de barangay and is the most beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego.
[8]

In the later parts of the novel, Mara Clara's identity was revealed as an illegitimate daughter of Father

Dmaso, former parish curate of the town, and Doa Pa Alba, wife of Capitn Tiago.[9] In the end she entered local covenant for nuns Beaterio de Santa Clara. In the epilogue dealing with the fate of the characters, Rizal stated that it is unknown if Mara Clara is still living within the walls of the covenant or she is already dead.[10] The character of Mara Clara was patterned after Leonor Rivera, Rizal's first cousin and childhood sweetheart.[11]

Capitn Tiago
Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title Capitn Tiago is a Filipino businessman and the cabeza de barangay or head of barangay of the town of San Diego. He is also the known father of Mara Clara.[8] In the novel, it is said that Capitn Tiago is the richest man in the region of Binondo and he possessed real properties in Pampanga and Laguna de Bay. He is also said to be a good Catholic, friend of the Spanish government and was considered as a Spanish by colonialists. Capitn Tiago never attended school, so he became a domestic helper of a Dominican friar who taught him informal education. He married Pa Alba from Santa Cruz.
[8]

Padre Dmaso
Dmaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dmaso is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of San Diego. He is best known as a notorious character who speaks with harsh words and has been a cruel priest during his stay in the town. He is the real father of Mara Clara and an enemy of Crisstomo's father, Rafael Ibarra. Later, he and Mara Clara had bitter arguments whether she would marry Alfonso Linares or go to a convent.[13] At the end of the novel, he is again re-assigned to a distant town and is found dead one day.
[10] [12] [9]

In popular culture, when a priest was said to be like Padre Dmaso, it means that he is a cruel but respectable individual. When one says a child is "anak ni Padre Damaso" (child of Padre Dmaso), it means that the child's father's identity is unknown.

Elas

Elas is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elas made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra and Mara Clara and her friends.
[14]

He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish oppression.

[15]

The 50th chapter of the novel explores the past of Elas and history of his family. In the past, Ibarra's greatgrandfather condemned Elas' grandfather of burning a warehouse which led into misfortune for Elas' family. His father was refused to be married by her mother because his father's past and family lineage was discovered by his mother's family. In the long run, Elas and his twin sister was raised by their maternal grandfather. When they were teenagers, their distant relatives called them hijos de bastardo or illegitimate children. One day, his sister disappeared which led him to search for her. His search led him into different places, and finally, he became a fugitive and subversive.
[16]

[edit]Filosofo

Tacio

Filosofo Tacio, known by his Filipinized name Pilosopo Tasyo is another major character in the story. Seeking for reforms from the government, he expresses his ideals in paper written in a cryptographic alphabet similar from hieroglyphs and Coptic figures hoping "that the future generations may be able to decipher it" and realized the abuse and oppression done by the conquerors.[18] His full name is only known as Don Anastacio. The educated inhabitants of San Diego labeled him as Filosofo Tacio (Tacio the Sage) while others called him as Tacio el Loco (Insane Tacio) due to his exceptional talent for reasoning. [edit]Doa
[17]

Victorina

Doa Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaa, commonly known as Doa Victorina, is an ambitious Filipina who classifies herself as a Spanish and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up.[12] The novel narrates Doa Victorina's younger days: she had lots of admirers, but she did not choose any of them because nobody was a Spaniard. Later on, she met and married Don Tiburcio de Espadaa, an official of the customs bureau who is about ten years her junior.[19] However, their marriage is childless. Her husband assumes the title of medical doctor even though he never attended medical school; using fake documents and certificates, Tiburcio practices illegal medicine. Tiburcio's usage of the title Dr. consequently makes Victorina assume the title Dra. (doctora, female doctor).[19] Apparently, she uses the whole name Doa Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaa, with double de to emphasize her marriage surname.[19] She seems to feel that this awkward titling makes her more "sophisticated." [edit]Sisa,

Crispn, and Basilio

Sisa, Crispn, and Basilio represent a Filipino family persecuted by the Spanish authorities. Narcisa or Sisa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispn. Described as beautiful and young, although she loves her children very much, she can not protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro. Crispn is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church. After failing to force Crispn to return the money he allegedly stole, Father Salv and the head sacristan killed him. It is not directly stated that he was killed, but the dream of Basilio suggests that Crispn died during his encounter with Padre Salvi and his minion. Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to ring the church bells for the Angelus, he faced the dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of his mother into insanity. At the end of the novel, Elas wished Basilio to bury him by burning in exchange of chest of gold located on his death ground. He will later play a major role in El Filibusterismo. Due to their tragic but endearing story, these characters are often parodied in modern Filipino popular culture.

Other characters
There are a number of secondary and minor characters in Noli Me Tangere. Items indicated inside the parenthesis are the standard Filipinization of the Spanish names in the novel.

 

Padre Hernando de la Sibyla a Dominican friar. He is described as short and has fair skin. He is instructed by an old priest in his order to watch Crisstomo Ibarra. Padre Bernardo Salv the Franciscan curate of San Diego, secretly harboring lust for Mara Clara. He is described to be very thin and sickly. It is also hinted that his last name, "Salvi" is the shorter form of "Salvi" meaning Salvation, or "Salvi" is short for "Salvaje" meaning bad hinting to the fact that he is willing to kill an innocent child, Crispin, just to get his money back, though there was not enough evidence that it was Crispin who has stolen his 2 onzas.

 

El Alfrez or Alperes chief of the Guardia Civil. Mortal enemy of the priests for power in San Diego and husband of Doa Consolacion. Doa Consolacon wife of the Alfrez, nicknamed as la musa de los guardias civiles (The muse of the Civil Guards) or la Alfreza, was a former laundrywoman who passes herself as a Peninsular; best remembered for her abusive treatment of Sisa. Don Tiburcio de Espadaa Spanish Quack Doctor who is limp and submissive to his wife, Doa Victorina. Teniente Guevara - a close friend of Don Rafael Ibarra. He reveals to Crisstomo how Don Rafael Ibarra's death came about. Alfonso Linares A distant nephew of Tiburcio de Espanada, the would-be fianc of Mara Clara. Although he presented himself as a practitioner of law, it was later revealed that he, just like Don Tiburcio, is a fraud. He later died due to given medications of Don Tiburcio.

  

    

Ta Isabel - Capitn Tiago's cousin, who raised Maria Clara. Governor General (Gobernador Heneral) Unnamed person in the novel, he is the most powerful official in the Philippines. He has great disdain for the friars and corrupt officials, and sympathizes with Ibarra. Don Filipo Lino vice mayor of the town of San Diego, leader of the liberals. Padre Manuel Martn - he is the linguist curate of a nearby town who delivers the sermon during San Diego's fiesta. Don Rafael Ibarra - father of Crisstomo Ibarra. Though he is the richest man in San Diego, he is also the most virtuous and generous.

        

Juan Crisostomo Magsalin Ibarra - the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra. He came from Europe after 7 years of studying. Maria Clara - the foster daughter of Captain Tiyago; the sweetheart of Crisostomo. Elias - a man hiding from the authorities. He is bound to save Ibarra until death. Don Santiago de los Santos - the foster father of Maria Clara; also known as Captain Tiyago. Fray Damaso Verdolagas- the true father of Maria Clara; the former parish priest destined in San Diego Fray Bernardo Salvi - the new parish priest of San Diego; he is secretly eyeing on Maria Clara Fray Hernando de la Sibyla - the parish priest of Binondo Salome - the sweetheart of Elias Sisa - the loving mother of Basilio and Crispin and a wife of a gambler

                

Pedro - the husband of Sisa; a gambler Basilio - the older son of Sisa; a sexton Crispin - the younger son of Sisa; a sexton Don Anastacio - also known as Pilosopo Tasyo. He is considered a fool by the uneducated and a philosopher by the educated. Doa Consolacion - the wife of the alperes, a woman who sees herself to be more beautiful than Maria Clara Alperes - the head of the civl guards; the husband of Doa Consolacion Don Tiburcio de de Espadaa - a man who pretends to be a doctor Doa Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaa - the wife of Don Tiburcio; a woman who pretends to be an Oropea (European woman) Don Alfonso Linares de Espadaa - the cousin of Doa Victorina and the arranged husband-to-be of Maria Clara Sinang -the bestfriend of Maria Clara Iday - the most beautiful of the friends of Maria Clara; the sweetheart of Leon Neneng - the shy friend of Maria Clara Victoria - the most clumsy friend of Maria Clara; the sweetheart of Albino Albino - the friend of Crisostomo a former seminarian; the sweetheart of Victoria Leon - the friend of Crisostomo; the sweetheart of Iday

Dona Pa Alba - wife of Capitan Tiago and mother of Mara Clara, she died giving birth to her daughter. In reality, she was raped by Dmaso so she could bear a child.

Non-recurring characters
These characters were mentioned in the novel, appeared once, mentioned many times or have no major contribution to the storyline.

Don Pedro Eibarramendia - the great-grandfather of Crisstomo Ibarra who came from the Basque area of Spain. He started the misfortunes of Elias' family. His descendants abbreviated their surname to Ibarra. He died of unknown reasons, but was seen as a decaying corpse on a Balite Tree. Don Saturnino Ibarra - the son of Don Pedro, father of Don Rafael and grandfather of Crisstomo Ibarra. He was the one who developed the town of San Diego. He was described as a cruel man but was very clever. Salom - Elas' sweetheart. She lives in a little house by the lake, and though Elas would like to marry her, he tells her that it would do her or their children no good to be related to a fugitive like himself. In the original publication of Noli, the chapter that explores the identity of Elas and Salom was omitted, classifying her as a total non-existing character. This chapter, entitled Elas y Salom was probably the 25th chapter of the novel. However, recent editions and translations of Noli provides the inclusion of this chapter, either on the appendix or renamed as Chapter X (Ex).

 

    

Sinang - Maria Clara's friend. Because Crisstomo Ibarra offered half of the school he was building to Sinang, he gained Capitan Basilio's support. Iday, Andeng and Victoria - Maria Clara's other friends. Capitn Basilio - Sinang's father, leader of the conservatives. Pedro the abusive husband of Sisa who loves cockfighting. Tandng Pablo The leader of the tulisanes (bandits), whose family was destroyed because of the Spaniards.

El hombre amarillo (apparently means "yellowish person", named as Taong Madilaw) - One of Crisostomo Ibarra's would-be assassins. He is not named in the novel, and only described as such. In the novel, he carved the cornerstone for Ibarra's school. Instead of killing Ibarra, he was killed by his cornerstone.

Lucas - the brother of the taong madilaw. He planned a revolution against the government with Ibarra as the leader after he was turned down by Ibarra. He was said to have a scar on his left cheek. He would later be killed by the Sakristan Mayor.

      

Bruno and Tarsilo a pair of brothers whose father was killed by the Spaniards. or Juan (ol Juan) - appointed as foreman of the school to be built by Ibarra Capitana Tika - Sinang's mother and wife of Capitan Basilio. Albino - a former seminarian who joined the picnic with Ibarra and Mara Clara. Was later captured during the revolution. Capitana Mara Elena - a nationalist woman who defends Ibarra of the memory of his father. Capitn Tinong and Capitn Valentn - other known people from the town of San Diego. Sacristn Mayor - The one who governs the altar boys and killed Crispn for his accusation.

 

 

The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and epilogue. It begins with a reception given by Capitan Tiago (Santiago de los Santos) at his house in Calle Analogue (now Juan Luna Street) on the last day of October. The reception or dinner is given in honor of Crisostomo Ibarra, a young and rich Filipino who had just returned after seven years of study in Europe. Ibarra was the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra, friend of Capitan Tiago, and a fianc of beautiful Maria Clara, supposed daughter of Capitan Tiago. Among the guests during the reception were Padre Damaso, a fat Franciscan friar who had been parish priest for 20 years of San Diego (Calamba), Ibarras native town; Padre Sybila, a young Dominican parish priest of Binondo; Seor Guevara, as elderly and kind lieutenant of the Guardia Civil; Don Tiburcio de Espadaa, a bogus Spanish physician, lame, and henpecked husband of Doa Victorina; and several ladies. Ibarra, upon his arrival, produced a favorable impression among the guests, except Padre Damaso, who has rude to him. In accordance with a German custom, he introduced himself to the ladies. During the dinner the conversation centered on Ibarras studies and travels abroad. Padre Damaso was in bad mood because he got a bony neck and a hard wing of the chicken tinola. He tried to discredit Ibarras remarks. After dinner, Ibarra left Capitan Tiagos house to return to his hotel. On the way, the kind Lieutenant Guevara told him the sad story of his fathers death in San Diego. Don Rafael, his father, was a rich and brave man. He defended a helpless boy from the brutality of an illiterate Spanish tax collector, pushing the latter and accidentally killing him. Don Rafael was thrown in prison, where he died unhappily. He was buried in consecrated ground, but his enemies, accusing him being a heretic, had his body removed from the cemetery. On hearing about his fathers sad story, Ibarra thanked the kind Spanish lieutenant and vowed to find out the truth about his fathers death. The following morning, he visited Maria Clara, his childhood sweetheart. Maria Clara teasingly said that he had forgotten her because the girls in Germany were beautiful. Ibarra replied that he had never forgotten her. After the romantic reunion with Maria Clara, Ibarra went to San Diego to visit his fathers grave. It was All Saints Day. At the cemetery, the grave digger told Ibarra that the corpse of Don Rafael was removed by order of the parish priest to be, buried in the Chinese cemetery; but the corpse was heavy and it was a dark and rainy night so that he (the grave-digger) simply threw the corpse into the lake. Ibarra was angered by the grave-diggers story. He left the cemetery. On the way, he met Padre Salvi, Franciscan parish priest of San Diego. In a flash, Ibarra pounced on the priest, demanding redress for desecrating his fathers mortal remains. Padre told him that he had nothing to do with it, for he was not

the parish priest at the time of Don Rafaels death. It was Padre Damaso, his predecessor, who was responsible for it. Convinced for Padre Salvis innocence, Ibarra went away. In his town Ibarra met several interesting people, such as the wise old man, Tasio the philosopher, whose ideas were too advanced for his times so that the people, who could not understand him, called him Tasio the Lunatic; the progressive school teacher, who complained to Ibarra that the children were losing interest to their studies because of the lack proper school house and the discouraging attitude of the parish friar towards both the teaching of Spanish and of the use of modern methods of pedagogy; the spineless gobernadorcillo, who catered to the wishes of the Spanish parish friars; Don Filipo Lino, the teniente-mayor and leader of the cuardrilleros (town police); and the former gobernadorcillos who were prominent citizens Don Basilio and Don Valentin. A most tragic story in the novel is the tale of Sisa, who was formerly a rich girl but became poor because she married a gambler, and a wastrel at that. She became crazy because she lost her two boys, Basilio and Crispin, the joy of her wretched life. These boys were sacristanes (sextons) in the church, working for a small wage to support their poor mother. Crispin the younger of the two brothers was accused by the brutal sacristan mayor (chief sexton) of stealing the money of the priest. He was tortured in the convent and died. Basilio, with his brothers dying cries ringing in his ears, escaped. When the two boys did not return home, Sisa looked for them everywhere and, in her great sorrow, she became insane. Capitan Tiago, Maria Clara, and Aunt Isabel (Capitan Tiagos cousin who took care of Maria Clara, after his mothers death) arrived in San Diego. Ibarra and his friends give picnic at the lake. Among those present in this picnic, were Maria Clara and her four girl friends the merry Siang, the grave Victoria, the beautiful Iday, and the thoughtful Neneng; Aunt Isabel, chaperon of Maria Clara; Capitana Tika, mother of Siang; Andeng, foster sister of Maria Clara; Albino, the ex-theological student who was in love with Siang; and Ibarra and his friends. One of the boatmen was a strong and silent peasant youth named Elias. An incident of the picnic was the saving of Elias life by Ibarra. Elias bravely grappled with a crocodile which was caught in the fish corral. But the crocodile struggled furiously so that Elias could not subdue it. Ibarra jumped into the water and killed the crocodile, thereby saving Elias. After the crocodile incident, was the rendering of a beautiful song by Maria Clara who had a sweet voice and they went ashore. They made merry in the cool, wooded meadow. Padre Salvi, Capitan Basilio (former gobernadorcillo and Siangs father) the alferez (lieutenant of the Guardia Civil) and the town officials were present. The luncheon was served, and everybody enjoyed eating. The meal over, Ibarra and Capitan Basilio played chess, while Maria Clara and her friends played the Wheel of Chance, a game based on a fortune-telling book. As the girls were enjoying their fortunetelling game, Padre Salvi came and tore to pieces the book, saying that it was a sin to play such game. Shortly thereafter, a sergent and four soldiers of the Guardia Civil suddenly arrived, looking for Elias, who was hunted for assaulting Padre Damaso and throwing the alferez into a mud hole. Fortunately Elias had disappeared, and the Guardia Civil went away empty-handed. During the picnic also, Ibarra received a telegram from the Spanish authorities notifying him the approval of his donation of a schoolhouse for the children of San Diego. The next day Ibarra visited old Tasio to consult him on his pet project about the schoolhouse. He saw the old mans writings were written in hieroglyphics. Tasio explained to him that he wrote in hieroglyphics because he was writing for the future generations who would understand them and say, Not all were asleep in the night of our ancestors! Meanwhile San Diego was merrily preparing for its annual fiesta, in honor of its patron saint San Diego de Alcala, whose feast day is the 11th of November. On the eve of the fiesta, hundreds of visitors arrived from the nearby towns, and there were laughter, music, exploding bombs, feasting and moromoro. The music was furnished by five brass bands (including the famous Pagsanjan Band owned by the escribano Miguel Guevara) and three orchestras. In the morning of the fiesta there was a high mass in the church, officiated by Padre Salvi. Padre Damaso gave the long sermon, in which he expatiated on the evils of the times that were caused by certain men, who having tasted some education spread pernicious ideas among the people.

After Padre Damasos sermon, the mass was continued by Padre Salve. Elias quietly moved to Ibarra, who was kneeling and praying by Maria Claras side, and warned him to be careful during the ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of the schoolhouse because there was a plot to kill him. Elias suspected that the yellowish man, who built the derrick, was a paid stooge of Ibarras enemies. True to his suspicion, later in the day, when Ibarra, in the presence of a big crowd, went down into the trench to cement the cornerstone, the derrick collapsed. Elias, quick as a flash, pushed him aside, thereby saving his life. The yellowish man was the one crushed to death by the shattered derrick. At the sumptuous dinner that night under a decorated kiosk, a sad incident occurred. The arrogant Padre Damaso, speaking in the presence of many guests, insulted the memory of Ibarras father. Ibarra jumped to his seat, knocked down the fat friar with his fist, and then seized a sharp knife. He would have killed the friar, were it not for the timely intervention of Maria Clara. The fiesta over, Maria Clara became ill. She was treated by the quack Spanish physician, Tiburcio de Espadaa, whose wife, a vain and vulgar native woman, was a frequent visitor in Capitan Tiagos house. This woman had hallucinations of being a superior Castillan, and, although a native herself, she looked down on her own people as inferior beings. She added another de to her husbands surname in order to more Spanish. Thus she wanted to be called Doctora Doa Victorina de los Reyes de De Espadaa. She introduced to Capitan Tiagos young Spaniards, Don Alfonso Linares de Espadaa, cousin of Don Tiburcio de Espadaa and godson of Padre Damasos brother in law. Linares was a penniless and jobless, fortune hunter who came to the Philippines in search of a rich Filipino heiress. Both Doa Victorina and Padre Damaso sponsored his wooing of Maria Clara, but the latter did not respond because she loved Ibarra. The story of Elias like that of Sisa, was a tale of pathos and tragedy. He related it to Ibarra. Some 60 years ago, his grandfather, who was then a young bookkeeper in a Spanish commercial firm in Manila, was wrongly accused of burning the firms warehouse. He was flogged in public and was left in the street, crippled and almost died. His was pregnant, beg for alms and became a prostitute in order to support her sick husband and their son. After giving birth to her second son and the death of her husband, she fled, with her to sons to the mountains. Years later the first boy became a dreaded tulisan named Balat. He terrorized the provinces. One day he was caught by the authorities. His head was cut off and was hung from a tree branch in the forest. On seeing this gory object, the poor mother (Elias grandmother) died. Balats younger brother, who was by nature kindhearted, fled and became a trusted laborer in the house of rich man in Tayabas. He fell in love with the masters daughter. The girls father, enraged by the romance, investigated his past and found out the truth. The unfortunate lover (Elias father) was sent to jail, while the girl gave birth to twins, a boy (Elias) and a girl. Their rich grandfather took care of them, keeping secret their scandalous origin, and reared them as rich children. Elias was educated in the JesuitCollege in Manila, while his sister studied in La Concordia College. They lived happily, until one day, owing to certain dispute over money matters, a distant relative exposed their shameful birth. They were disgraced. An old male servant, whom they used to abuse, was forced to testify in court and the truth came out that he was their real father.

 

 

 

 

Elias and his sister left Tayabas to hide their shame in another place. One day the sister disappeared. Elias roamed from place to place, looking for her. He heard later that a girl answering to his sisters description, was found died on the beach of San Diego. Since then, Elias lived a vagabond life, wandering from province to province until he met Ibarra.

Elias, learning of Ibarras arrest, burned all the papers that might incriminate his friend and set Ibarras house on fire. Then he went to prison and helped Ibarra escape. He and Ibarra jumped into a banca loaded with sacate (grass). Ibarra stopped at the house of Capitan Tiago to say goodbye to Maria Clara. In the tearful last scene between the two lovers, Ibarra forgave Maria Clara for giving up his letter to her to the Spanish authorities who utilized them as evidence against him. On her part, Maria Clara revealed that those letters were exchanged with a letter from her late mother, Pia Alba which Padre Salvi gave her. From his letter, she learned that her real father was Padre Damaso. After bidding Maria Clara farewell, Ibarra returned to the banca. He and Elias paddled up the PasigRiver toward Laguna de Bay. A police boat, with the Guardia Civil on board, pursued them as their banca reached the lake. Elias told Ibarra to hide under the zacate. As the police boat was overtaking the banca, Elias jumped into the water and swam swiftly toward the shore. In this way, he diverted the attention of the soldiers on his person, thereby giving Ibarra a chance to escape. The soldier fired at the swimming Elias, who was hit and sank. The water turned red because of his blood. The soldiers, thinking that they had killed the fleeing Ibarra returned to Manila. Thus Ibarra was able to escape. > Elias seriously wounded, reached the shore and staggered into the forest. He met a boy, Basilio, who was weeping over his mothers dead body. He told Basilio to make a pyre on which their bodies (his and Sisa) were to be burned to ashes. It was Christmas eve, and the moon gleamed softly in the sky. Basilio prepared the funeral pyre. As lifes breath slowly left his body. Elias looked toward the east and murmured: I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land. You, who have it to see, welcome it! And forget not those who have fallen during the night. The novel has an epilogue which recounts what happened to the other characters. Maria Clara, out of her loyalty to the memory of Ibarra, the man she truly loved, entered the Santa Clara nunnery. Padre Salvi left the parish of San Diego and became a chaplain of the nunnery. Padre Damaso was transferred to a remote province, but the next morning he was found dead in his bedroom. Capitan Tiago the former genial host and generous patron of the church became an opium addict and a human wreck. Doa Victorina, still henpecking poor Don Tiburcio, had taken to wearing eye-glasses because of weakening eyesight. Linares, who failed to win Maria Claras affection, died of dysentery and was buried in Paco cemetery. > The alferez, who successfully repulsed the abortive attack on the barracks, was promoted major. He returned to Spain, leaving behind his shabby mistress, Doa Consolacion. The novel ends with Maria Clara, an unhappy nun in Santa Clara nunnery forever lost to the world.