V.
“CURSED WITH A CURSE.”
“Where is Ambrosia?”
Bishop Lonzello addressed the woman who had borne a daughter to him in the home he had provided for her. He was deeply agitated with passion. The insurgents, who had elected a president and assembly, had already nationalized the friars’ lands, and the heresy of Aglipay was waxing formidable, having possession of most of the churches throughout Luzon. Lonzello had heard that his daughter Ambrosia had been receiving attentions from Saguanaldo, the leader of the insurgents, and the thought of it made him furious. It showed in his face as he stood before the woman he had once loved and whom now he supported.
She was deeply religious. To her, submission to the embrace of Friar Lonzello had been obedience to God’s messenger, and to this day she regarded him as a sinless representative of Deity rather than as husband. It had been many weeks since Bishop Lonzello had deigned to visit her. There were other and younger women whom he met now; still, he made no attempt to conceal the parentage of the girl, and the general knowledge that he was her father had no bearing on his standing either as a citizen or a priest.
“I do not know, Holy Father,” replied the Filipino woman meekly.
“You ought to know. What do you suppose will become of your daughter if you let her wander about apart from your knowledge?”
“Nothing bad, I hope. I have great faith in Ambrosia.”
“Nothing bad! Diablo![1] Something has happened to her. Ambrosia has disgraced us and blasphemed the God of her fathers.”