The scariest time of day in Manila is noon. In the morning, the breeze knocks open the window and enters the room, which is refreshing. However, the good times did not last long. The morning breeze had just washed away the sleepiness and cheered up. The scorching heat soon came from the window. Even if you lean against the window and look at the sea, you can't see far away, because the flash of the waves is like a blazing coal fire. The walls of the snow-white houses painted in Spanish style emitted a dazzling white light, while the sky was like a sea of fire, which was so piercing that people could not open their eyes. It's not yet noon, and going out has become a kind of torture in purgatory, and staying in the house is unbearable. The Sandman attacks again, forcing people into a cage made of stuffy gauze curtains and pillow mats. It is not until dusk that people wake up from their drowsiness and feel more comfortable. The Spanish conquered the Philippines, but were overwhelmed by the weather and had to change their habits and schedule their beloved bullfighting performances until dusk.
"Who is that?" Mrs. Delgado asked. She is a ship owner's wife. Contrary to this surname (Note, she has a plump figure and a round face. It is still unbearably hot in the bullring at five o'clock in the afternoon. Although the sun is setting in the west, the sunshine is still very bright. The cotton curtains are drooping, a little There was no wind. She gently shook the silk fan, which covered most of her face. This lazy and affectionate gesture made the lover sitting next to her very satisfied.
"Who? Sitting in the seat under the arbor? Hell, that's the mayor."
"No, it's the tall guy next to the mayor. Look, he's talking to the mayor and has his hat in his hand. God, if only we could sit in that seat. It's so hot in here ”
"Ha, ha, ha, if you sit next to him, it will make you hot. This is the latest big hit. It's like Apollo came to Manila in the sun chariot. When he got here, everyone immediately gathered around He transferred it. Haven’t you ever heard anyone talk about it?”
"who is he?"
"Then you are so ignorant. Now he is the talk of the town: the man who sent Donna Marina de Arellano, the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis of Gonzalo de Arellano, to Manila That’s who he is.”
"It's him! What a great gentleman! He's surprisingly handsome. But I can't remember his name."
"Hey, no one can tell who he is. This guy claims to be from Italy, but when he stands in front of you he looks as tall as a Patagonian savage. He could be a nobleman from Parma, a Marquis from Sicily, Naples a prince of Montenegro, perhaps, wandering into Asia. Adhered to by a host of barbarians. That people would make him king of Japan, emperor of China."
"You're talking nonsense, Paolino." Mrs. Delgado raised her fan and gently tapped her young lover on the shoulder, "You're always talking nonsense."
"Nonsense? For the sake of the Virgin Mary," the young man known as Paolino took out a perfumed handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Deliberately revealing her initials embroidered on the handkerchief in front of her lover. To get her to smile sweetly, "This man's name is Vince Lando. Vince and Weiss are still called Vinceno, but his surname is Lando. It is said that he spent time with that group of lawless Australian savages. He paid 30,000 pesos to redeem the life of Doña Marina. My uncle, Don Basilio, the port tax collector, was the first to see this guy get off the Trinidad: he was as proud as a king. He made the appointment when he was in Macau The two best cabins on the Trinidad. The ham and wine he and Miss Arellano ate on board were all the best he brought. The rich man always invited the captain and officials to his He ate in the cabin, and even found some fiddlers among the passengers to play music while he ate. Each of them was given a piastré each time."
"Thirty thousand pesos! Oh, then he must be a rich man. But I heard that Miss Arellano's fiancé is also a rich man. He should be able to repay him, right?"
"Maybe. But he may not value that little money very much. It's just a drop in the bucket to him. Have you seen the pair of gold crosses newly erected on the altar of the cathedral? It was contributed by Lando. After he got off the boat, he looked at The thing is to go to mass. Dedicate those treasures to God, and now the whole city knows that he is a devout rich man." Seeing his lover's eyes widening, Paulino became more and more vigorous in showing off the rumors he got from the tavern and casino: "Mr. Lando probably had some experience in the military, but he certainly did not have any meritorious service in his hometown, so he ran to the East several years ago. At that time, he was very poor and had nothing but his title of nobility. The ship passed by One night after Malacca, he was drunk and sleeping on the bow of the ship. Two sailors took the last few coins from his pocket and pushed him off the deck into the sea."
"Oh my God!"
"However, he swam ashore and reached Macau with the help of missionaries. After that, the venerable Mr. Lando has been faithfully serving the Jesuits, the servants of God, with a sword. It is said that he recruited a large group of The Chinese and Japanese took them to fight everywhere. Later, Captain Lando went to rescue the Kingdom of Pattani, defeated the 30,000 invading Siamese army, and captured the younger brother of the King of Siam alive. The Queen of Pattani paid him heavily Reward him for his bravery.”
"Is this man's title and wealth given by the queen?" Mrs. Delgado asked, "It is indeed interesting for a Christian to be nobled by a pagan monarch, but it is not worth boasting about."
"No. He claimed to be the Count of Sardinia - you know the noble title here is not worth a penny. But what happened next was as magical as the story of "One Thousand and One Nights". Captain Lando requested The Queen sold him a piece of mountainous land on the upper reaches of the Kelantan River. Nothing was produced on that hill. Gold mines were discovered under the hill, but no one cared about it after the gold was mined. So the Queen immediately agreed. As for the land The price only charged him one silver coin. However, who knows what method the genius used to find a new, larger vein under the mineral deposit that everyone thought had been exhausted. This is the legend of Mr. Lando, and this is his wealth Source. Now there are thousands of Chinese working there for him, mining ore and smelting gold.”
"In my opinion, the Mr. Lando you introduced is not a reckless man who only knows how to play with swords and muskets, but has some real skills and knowledge - speaking of which, he is actually the same as Miss Arellano's fiancé. There are some similarities." Mrs. Delgado covered her face with a fan, revealing only the eyes under her forehead. The eagerness in her eyes made her lover feel a little overwhelmed, "Paulino, you also go to Siam and buy a piece. Come on, maybe you'll be as rich as him."
"You're starting to talk nonsense too, my dear," said Paolino. "I'm told that Mr. Lando got his talent for discovering gold from the devil. In exchange, the devil asked him to sign a piece of red parchment. Like Esau who sold his birthright, he sold his soul to the devil. I don't really believe this. Faust's offering will never be placed on the altar of God. But it is such a good thing to find gold. You will only be touched once, otherwise you will be punished by heaven. Look, the spearmen have already entered the field, and the trumpeter is about to blow the trumpet. Let's watch the bullfight." The blast of bugles was deafening, and the gorgeously dressed people The spearmen entered the arena one after another on horseback, and the cheers of the audience echoed throughout the bullring. The lovers promptly ended their conversation about the gold mining tycoon and the mercenary captain, because neither could make the other hear what they were saying.
The rainy season in the Philippines is usually daunting, but today was an exception. The layer of moist mist that usually floats under the night sky gradually dissipates, and the Manila Cathedral, the Governor's Palace and the city wall in the distance stand like ghosts in the moonlight and the occasional mist. The mayor's mansion was bustling with activity, with bright lights shining through the gaps in the shutters, and the band playing solemn sarabandes and fast tarenteras alternately. There is no doubt that the mayor is holding a very lively banquet in the palace, which can even be said to be unprecedented in Manila. Even the garden is filled with various colorful lanterns made of Japanese paper. The well-informed people will know that this kind of pomp is a fashionable style imitating Italian customs.
Except for the governor and the archbishop, almost all the leading figures in Manila gathered here. The elegant chatter and laughter of gentlemen and ladies were mixed with the sound of music, and mixed with the high or low shouts of servants. The short Tagalog servants in white uniforms, carrying cups and plates, sweating profusely, sometimes bumped into tall and strong black slaves, and sometimes squeezed through the crowd. From time to time, a servant's loud announcement will be heard from the door of the hall, announcing the arrival of such-and-such a colonel, such-and-such official, or such-and-such rich man who has spent money to buy a noble title. Sometimes the crowd will get angry because of hearing a certain name and title. There was some mild commotion, but most of the names received little more than an indifferent glance or a contemptuous smile. Manila is too remote. Several dignitaries in the colonial upper class are already well-known in social circles and cannot stir up any new excitement. As for those businessmen who are unknown except for the legendary number of properties, they imitate the scribes of the Peninsula. An unknown person with an arty style will not arouse people's interest. Until the servant appeared at the door of the living room again, calling out a long list of titles in a long voice: "Count Vananova of Sardinia, defender of Cetinje, conqueror of the King of Siam, lord of Kelantan -" ―Vincenzo Lando Di Vananova is here!" (To be continued...)
ps: Note 1: Delgado, delgado means thin in Spanish.
