Noli me Tangere Chapter 9 summary

Aunt Isabel and Maria Clara bumped into Father Damaso when they were
on their way to pick up Maria Claras clothes at the convent. Father
Damaso was not pleased and upon entering the house, immediately talked
to Captain Tiago privately.
Elsewhere, Father Sibyla and an aged priest were in a serious discussion.
Sibyla narrated the union of Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra. He
believes Ibarra is a good man and does not seem to be a fool. The elder
priest reminded Sibyla that the church needs to be attacked so that they
would stay awake and make them see their weaknesses.
The two also discussed the hostility between the Lieutenant and Father
Damaso. The Lieutenant did not make known their altercation but the
Capitan General nevertheless learned about it through Senior Laruja.
The discussion between Capitan Tiago and Father Damaso eventually
concluded with Damaso offering what seemed like threats.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 10 summary

San Diego is a town at the margin of the lake and within the meadows and
paddy-fields. Harvested sugar, rice, coffee and fruits were then sold to the
Chinese at a very cheap price. One particular distinction is the forest within
the fields, which holds many different tales.

But just like any town, San Diego also has its own legend. Once, an old
Spaniard arrived at the wood and inquired about its owner. The old man
then acquired the land in exchange for clothes, jewellery, and cash. He was
But suddenly, the old man disappeared. The people thought that he was
taken by the spirits but then, it was discovered that the old man had died
and the foul odor was actually his corpse decaying.

Sometime later, a young man claiming the son of the deceased Spaniard
arrived. He was Don Saturnino. He devoted his time into cultivating the
land. Not long, he married a young woman from Manila. She gave birth
to Don Rafael Ibarra, the father of Crisostomo.
Unlike Don Saturnino, Do Rafael was love by the country people. He was
able to prosper his land, which brought in new settlers. The village
eventually became a town and Father Damaso became its priest after the
previous priest died.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 11 summary

Who are the caciques? It is not Don Rafael Ibarra, who despite being the
richest, and loved by many, still had people rose up against him.

It is also not Captain Tiago. It is true that he is received by an orchestra

each time he goes to San Diego, lavished with gifts, and offered the finest
fruits. But people call him Sakristan Tiago behind his back.

It is also not the gobernadorcillo, who commanded, ordered and driven by

the town mayor. His position, after all, was bought for P5,000 but
considering the income he is earning, it was a cheap price to pay.

The true caciques of the town are Father Salvi, the town curate,
and Alfares, the head of the civil guards. Father Salvin replaced Father
Damaso. Salvi was different than Damaso. While the latter prefers the use
of fist and cane as punishment, Salvi uses fines as punishment of his
subordinates. Whenever he preaches, he always have the doors of the
church closed.

The Alferez is the head of the Civil Guards and the husband of Dona
Consolacion. His marriage to the woman was considered a misfortune.
Hence, he takes his revenge by beating his wife, ordering his men to drill
under the sun, and getting too drank.

The two are considered the rulers of San Diego.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 12 summary

The cemetery of San Diego is at the west side of the town, in the midst of
the paddy-fields. In the center rises a large wooden cross with the
inscription INRI. At the foot of the cross is a pile of bones and skulls thrown
by grave-diggers.
On the other side of the grave, two grave diggers were digging up a
recently buried corpse. One was indifferent about what they were doing.
The other was frightful. The other revealed that a far friar had ordered the
corpse to be dug up and buried in the Chinese cemetery.

An old man then entered the cemetery and went straight to the pile of skulls
and bones at the foot of the cross. When he did not find what he was
looking for, he turned to the grave digger and offered him to find the skull of
his wife for a silver coin. The grave digger was uninterested and offered
instead, a different skull.

The old man rejected the idea and went away, leaving the grave digger to
complete his task.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 13 summary

When Crisostomo Ibarra went to the cemetery with an old slave of Captain
Tiago, they could not find his father, Don Rafel Ibarras grave. It turns out,
that the towns curate had earlier ordered his corpse be exhumed and
buried in the Chinese cemetery.

However, the grave-digger revealed that he did not bury Don Rafael
Ibarras where he was instructed to. Instead, he dumped his body into the
lake. Upon learning this, Crisostomo scolded the grave-digger and left. Not
far, he met the new curate, Father Salvi and immediately interrogated him
on what he did to his fathers corpse, thinking that he was the one who
gave the instructions to the grave-digger.

Instead, Father Salvi revealed it was Father Damaso who ordered to have
his fathers body dug up and buried in the Chinese cemetery. With that,
Crisostomo left him and hurried back to his house.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 14 summary

Tasio was a former student of philosophy. His mother feared that once he
became learned, he will cease to believe in God, and that was why she
made him stop schooling. Instead, she gave Tasio the choice of leaving
college or entering the priesthood. Tasio instead, left college and got
married.

Unfortunately, Tasio lost both his mother and wife within a year. After which,
he devoted his time in his books to free himself from sorrow. So much
addicted to his studies that Tasio neglected the fortune that was left for him.
For some, he is Don Anastasio or Tasio the Sage. For the rest of the town
people, he is known as Tasio the Lunatic.

While the storm is approaching, Tasio is merrily engaging different people

around town. He discussed with the gobernadorcillo about the dangers of
ringing the bell during a storm. Then he turned his attentions to the two
Sacristans and invited them for dinner.

And while walking aimlessly on the street, he was invited by Don Filipio
Lino, the lieutenant-mayor, and his wife, Dona Teodora Vina. The three of
them talked about Crisostomo Ibarra, Don Rafael Ibarras burial, wherein
Tasio was one of the six who accompanied the body. As they continued
their discussion, Tasio shared with him what he knew about the purgatory
after saying he does not believe in it.

Tasio eventually bade the couple goodbye as the storm becomes stronger.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 15 summary

At the height of the storm, the two brothers who Tasio was speaking to
were at the second floor of the church tower. The boys, age seven and 10,
are Crispin and Basilio, sacristans that were ordered by the curate to ring
the bell.

Up there, the two boys were talking about the two stolen gold coins which
were being blamed on Crispin. The two gold coins are worth P32.00, which
are then worth 160 cuartos Crispin imagined that two gold could buy their
mother an umbrella, shoes for their feet, a hat for his head, and clothes for
all of them.
He then wish he stole them because he can produce what the curate is
demanding, and that even if the curate beat him to death, Basilio and his
mother could have at least some clothes. Basilio is also worried how their
mother would react upon learning but Crispin said he will just show the
welts on his back and torn pockets.

While they were still discussing, the senior sacristan appeared and ordered
Basilio to stay until 10 in the evening while Crispin would not be allowed to
go home until what he allegedly stole was returned. The two beg the senior
sacristan to allow them to leave at eight because their mother is expecting
them and they havent seen her for a week.

The sacristan gave no heed and dragged Crisipin to the stairway and
began beating him. Basilio continued to work on the belfry and after he was
done, the rain gradually stopped pouring and the sky began clearing.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 16 summary

As the people of San Diego sleep peacefully throughout the night, Sisa, the
mother of Crispin and Basilio stays awake waiting for her two children, who
she calls as her angels.

Sisa lives an hours walk from town. She is the wife of a gambler.
Everything she had was taken by her husband to fund her vice. Often
times, her husband beats her. She was attractive once but pain and hunger
had caused her cheeks to hollow.

That night, Sisa decided to cook something delicious for her sons. She
bought some small fishes, picked some tomatoes from her garden, and
asked some wild boars meat and a leg of wild duck from Tasio the Sage.
She had even cooked the whitest of rice. All told, she described the meal
as fit for a curate.

Unfortunately, her husband came home and ate almost everything. Sisa, as
though she was the one being eaten, resolved not to eat what was left for
there was not enough for the three of them. Before leaving, her husband
reminded her of leaving a peso for him from Basilios wage.
That night, while waiting for her children, Sisa was deep in thoughts. The
dog that she spotted caused her great fear. While she was deep in
thoughts, Basilio came home and called out to her.

Noli me Tangere Chapter 17 summary

Sisa was shocked to see Basilio bleeding upon reaching home. It turned
out Basilio had run away despite being told to stay until 10 oclock. Upon
reaching town, he was challenged by the soldiers and when he ran, they
fired at him, grazing his forehead. Basilio begged his mother to say he fell
from the tree so that no one would know he was chased.

Crispin was still left at the convent and Basilio had no recourse but to tell
Sisa about the missing two pieces of gold. However, he did not mention of
the torture Crispin suffered. Sisa was broken-hearted upon learning this
and said only the poor have to endure the suffering. She offered what was
left of the meal to Basilio but he only asked for water. Upon learning that
their father came home that afternoon, he instinctively checked his
mothers face for he knew quite well what happens every time their father
comes home.

That night, Basilio dreamt Crispin was struck by a rattan cane by the
sacristan mayor and rendered unconscious. His cry was so loud, Sisa had
to wake him up. He instead told her something different. Basilio also said
he did not wish to be a sacristan any more. Instead, he will ask Crisostomo
Ibarra to hire him to tend his cattle and carabaos. Crispin, on the other
hand, can study with Tasio the Sage.

Sisa was pleased with everything she heard from Basilio. However, she
was saddened by the fact that the boy did not include their father in his
dreams.