Binondo
91 Malinta, Binondo, 18 April 1885
MR. JOSE RIZAL Y MERCADO
MY DISTINGUISHED NAMESAKE, OLD COMRADE, AND ESTEEMED FRIEND,
I received your cheery letter of 26 February last on the 5th instant by the ship that brought our governor general Mr. Terrero. In it you tell me that you would be glad to see our winsome O. married to me some day instead of to P. or C., as he is called in the house of Valenzuela. But I see that what you wish is difficult, if not impossible, to happen inasmuch as that young lady and her sisters consider me your legal proxy in your boasted love affair with her. This pretty girl was very much courted at the procession of Good Friday in Sta. Cruz, which was attended by all the girls of the smartest bracket of that district. I was one of those who formed her court, in the first place as your proxy, Pepe Javier, Ramon Lontoc, and S. L. who is quite dizzy about O., so dizzy that in order to get the favorable answer of this girl, he would bring to Manila B. together with his renowned estates. Does that seem to you little? Our friend Sixto lives in the house of Veloso, next to that of Valenzuela, where they held the wedding feast of Titay and Candeng and Lazaro Veloso and Ramon, employee of a foreign firm, respectively these men regard O. with the eyes of conquerors and me with inquisitive eyes since they learned that I was your proxy. I make all these young men completely dizzy. They cannot extract anything from me while I see them as clear as the potable water of this capital city and which you do not know.
When O. read your letter to Titay — who it seems will answer you by this mail — she did so with such ease that none of them could do it. Her sisters and cousins teased her saying that it was understandable why she could read so well your writing for she is accustomed to read your letters. This young woman tells me that her ears are already full of the phrase “that she is going to marry Rizal”. She asked me if it was true that C. would arrive here in June to which I replied no, but in the coming December, and now I see by your letter that you are still remaining there for a year and a half.
The entire family of the landlord is now in Dagupan. They left with deep regret for they liked Manila very much. According to information, the little landlady is not contented in that province, though her health is good, and I believe she will be here by June to enter La Concordia College.
In reply to your question as to whom I would choose of the two L’s, if I were in your place, I am going to tell you that I favor the old question of the Oriente,[1] because she is more feminine, more docile, more tractable, sweeter, gentler, more scrupulous, and above all more educated. This does not mean that the other one is detestable, for she has also her merits. Like almost all women in my district, she is industrious, hardworking, and she is not stupid in regard to earning a living. This one is a little stout now, and do you know what they tell her in regard to this? That it is very natural that she be so because your coming is approaching. This young lady celebrated her birthday on the 12th instant and she invited me to eat at her house, but because of my other engagements, it was impossible for me to attend it. This lass received many gifts on that day, among them a statue of Pope Leo done by a sculptor, a friend of hers and her family.
I have not received Ceferino’s reply to the letter I sent him. Perhaps he is very busy with his C.
It seems that the Rosarios, uncle and nephew, are engaged only in fishing and hunting. These folks spend an easy life there.
S.L., who arrived very sick, has completely recovered now in the warmth of the glances, though not favorable, that he gets from neighbor O.
Ariston Bautista, the foremost naughty kid of Sta. Cruz, is now Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery. Six Spanish Filipinos made fun of him because he was wearing a cutaway coat. They came to blows and poor Bautista was mauled; but I do not want to say with this that they won, just the opposite, for Ariston was the first to deal a fisticuff on the face of one of them. They went to the station in Intramuros [Walled City, Manila] of the Veteran Guard and there the rogues were insulted by Monasterio, intimate friend of Ariston and at the same time his colleague. Ariston vows to take revenge, but I do not know when it will take place.
I will take care of R., but is he so bad that he does not even deserve to be greeted?
I have already delivered your letters to Teong and Miguela who read them with great pleasure and they wish to see you soon. When you come, you will find them with another little boy or girl, that is, if he does not die immediately, as it has happened to the others. They designate you as sponsor for the baptism in case it is a boy.
I. M., my presumed brother-in-law, brother of no less than my presumed fiancée I., is now very sad on account of the departure for Dagupan of the question of the Oriente, as he loves her very much, though not without any hope of being loved by her. He is asking me continually if the current talk that she is engaged to you is true to which I replied no.
Respects from Tincho, Lopez, Apacibles, Gella. Angel Cortez left this month for that city in order to continue [the] medical course.
Lasam continues strayed, for I always see him with Orros, whom you know very well.
You know your very affectionate friend esteems you sincerely,
CHENGOY
01-117 [Family]
[1] Leonor Rivera .