a night in the hills (1).docx

8/9/2019 A Night in the Hills (1).docx

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A Night in the Hills

HOW Gerardo Luna came by his dream no one could have told, not even he. He was

a salesman in a jewelry store on Rosario street and had been little else. His job he

had inherited from his father, one might say; for his father before him had leaned

behind the selfsame counter, also solicitous, also shortsighted and thin of hair.

!fter o"ce hours, if he was tired, he too# the street car to his home in

$ntramuros. $f he was feeling well, he wal#ed; not fre%uently, however, for he was

frail of constitution and not unduly thrifty. &he stairs of his house were narrow and

dar# and ran# with characteristic odors from a 'hinese sarisari store which

occu(ied (art of the ground )oor.

He would sit down to a su((er which savored strongly of 'hinese coo#ing. He

was a fastidious eater. He li#ed to have the courses s(read out where he couldsurvey them all. He would sam(le each and daintily (ic# out his favorite (ortions*

the wing ti(s, the liver, the brains from the chic#en course, the tailend from the

+sh. He ate a((reciatively, but rarely with much a((etite. !fter su((er he s(ent

%uite a time (ic#ing his teeth meditatively, thin#ing of this and that. On the verge of

doing he would (erha(s thin# of the forest.

-or his dream concerned the forest. He wanted to go to the forest. He had

wanted to go ever since he could remember. &he forest was beautiful. traight

growing trees.'lear streams.! mountain broo# which he might follow bac# to its

source u( among the clouds. /erha(s the thought that most charmed and enslaved

him was of seeing the image of the forest in the water. He would see the in+nitely

far blue of the s#y in the clear stream, as in his childhood, when (laying in his

father0s azotea,he saw in the waterjars an image of the s#y and of the (omelo tree

that bent over the railing, also to loo# at the s#y in the jars.

Only once did he s(ea# of this dream of his. One day, !mbo the gatherer of

orchids came u( from the (rovinces to buy some chea( earrings for his wife0s store.

He had (roudly told Gerardo that the orchid season had been good and had netted

him over a thousand (esos. &hen he tal#ed to him of orchids and where they were

to be found and also of the trees that he #new as he #new the (alm of his hand. He

s(o#e of slee(ing in the forest, of living there for wee#s at a time. Gerardo hadlistened with his (rominent eyes staring and with thrills coursing through his s(are

body. !t home he told his wife about the conversation, and she was interested in the

business as(ect of it.

1$t would be nice to go with him once,2 he ventured ho(efully.

13es,2 she agreed, 1but $ doubt if he would let you in on his business.2


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14o,2 he sounded a(ologetically. 15ut just to have the e6(erience, to be out.2

1Out72 doubtfully.

1&o be out of doors, in the hills,2 he said (reci(itately.

1Why7 &hat would be just courting discomfort and even sic#ness. !nd for

nothing.2

He was silent.

He never mentioned the dream again. $t was a sensitive, wellmannered dream

which nevertheless grew in its %uiet way. $t lived under Gerardo Luna0s (igeon chest

and +lled it with something, not warm or sweet, but cool and green and murmurous

with waters.

He was under forty. One of these days when he least e6(ected it the dream

would come true. How, he did not #now. $t seemed so unli#ely that he would

deliberately contrive things so as to ma#e the dream a fact. &hat would he very

di"cult.

&hen his wife died.

!nd now, at last, he was to see the forest. -or !mbo had come once more, this

time with tales of newly o(ened (ublic land u( on a forest (lateau where he had

been gathering orchids. $f Gerardo was interested*he seemed to be*they would go

out and locate a good (iece. Gerardo was interested*not e6actly in land, but !mboneed not be told.

He had big false teeth that did not %uite +t into his gums. When he was e6cited,

as he was now, he s(luttered and stammered and his teeth got in the way of his

words.

1$ am leaving town tomorrow morning.2 he informed otera. 1Will*2

1Leaving town7 Where are you going72

1someone is inviting me to loo# at some land in Laguna.2

1Land7 What are you going to do with land72

&hat %uestion had never occurred to him.

1Why,2 he stammered, 1Raraise something, $$ su((ose.2


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1How can you raise anything8 3ou don0t #now anything about it. 3ou haven0t

even seen a carabao82

19on0t e6aggerate, !te. 3ou #now that is not true.2

1Hitched to a carreton,yes; but hitched to a (low*2

14ever mind82 said Gerardo (atiently. 1$ just want to leave you my #eys

tomorrow and as# you to loo# after the house.2

1Who is this man you are going with72

1!mbo, who came to the store to buy some chea( jewelry. His wife has a little

business in jewels. He suggested that $*ggo with him.2

He found himself then (utting the thing as matteroffactly and (lausibly as he

could. He em(hasied the immense (ossibilities of land and wa6ed elo%uently over

the idea that land was the only form of wealth that could not he carried away.

1Why, whatever ha((ens, your land will be there. 4othing can (ossibly ta#e it

away. 3ou may lose one cro(, two, three. Queimporte!&he land will still he there.2

otera said coldly, 1$ do not see any sense in it. How can you thin# of land when

a (awnsho( is so much more (ro+table7 &hin#8 /eo(le coming to you to urge you to

acce(t their business. &here0s /eregrina. he would ma#e the right (artner for you,

the right wife. Why don0t you decide72

1$f $ marry her, $0ll #ee( a (awnsho(*no, if $ #ee( a (awnsho( $0ll marry her,2 he

said hurriedly.

He #new %uite without vanity that /eregrina would ta#e him the minute he

(ro(osed. 5ut he could not (ro(ose. 4ot now that he had visions of himself

com(letely made over, ranging the forest at will, #nowing it thoroughly as !mbo

#new it, fearless, free. 4o, not /eregrina for him8 4ot even for his own sa#e, much

less otera0s.

otera wasAte&ere to him through a devious rec#oning of relationshi( that was

not without ingenuity. -or Gerardo Luna was a younger brother to the former

mistress of otera0s also younger brother, and it was to otera0s credit that when

her brother died after a deathbed marriage she too# Gerardo under her wings and

married him o: to a (oor relation who too# good care of him and submitted his

(roblem as well as her own to otera0s com(etent management. 4ow that Gerardo

was a widower she intended to re(eat the good o"ce and (rovide him with another

(oor relation guaranteed to loo# after his (hysical and economic wellbeing and, in


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addition, guaranteed to stay healthy and not die on him. 1arrying to (lay nurse to

your wife,2 was certainly not otera0s idea of a worthwhile marriage.

&his time, however, he was not so tractable. He never o(enly o((osed her (lans,

but he would not commit himself. 4ot that he failed to realie the disadvantages of

widowerhood. How much more comfortable it would be to give u( resisting, marrygood, fat /eregrina, and be ta#en care of until he died for she would surely outlive

him.

5ut he could not, he must not.


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1&here is a s(ring around here, isn0t there7 Or is it dried u(72

14o, there is still water in it. =ery little but good.2

&hey clambered over logs and stum(s down a )ight of ste(s cut into the side of

the hill. !t the foot sheltered by an overhanging ferncovered roc# was what at +rstseemed only a wetness. &he young man s%uatted before it and lifted o: a mat of

leaves from a tiny little (ool. &a#ing his tin cu( he cleared the surface by trailing the

bottom of the cu( on it. &hen he scoo(ed u( some of the water. $t was cool and

clear, with an indescribable tang of leaf and roc#. $t seemed the very essence of the

hills.

He sat with the young man on a fallen log and tal#ed with him. &he young man

said that he was a high school graduate, that he had taught school for a while and

had laid aside some money with which he had bought this land. &hen he had got

married, and as soon as he could manage it he would build a home here near this

s(ring. His voice was (eaceful and even. Gerardo suddenly heard his own voice and

was embarrassed. He lowered his tone and tried to ca(ture the other0s %uiet.

&hat house would be li#e those he had seen on the way*brown, and in time

)ec#ed with gray. &he surroundings would be stri((ed bare. &here would be san

franciscos around it and (robably beer bottles stuc# in the ground. $n the evening

the burning leaves in the yard would send a (leasant odor of smo#e through the two

rooms, driving away the mos%uitoes, then wandering outdoors again into the

forest. !t night the red +re in the #itchen would glow through the door of

the batalanand would be visible in the forest,

&he forest was there, near enough for his u(turned eyes to reach. &he way was

stee(, the (ath rising ruthlessly from the clearing in an almost straight course. His

eyes were wistful, and he sighed tremulously. &he student followed his gae u(ward.

&hen he said, 1$t must ta#e money to live in anila. $f $ had the ca(ital $ would

have gone into business in anila.2

1Why72 Gerardo was sur(rised.

1Why*because the money is there, and if one wishes to +sh he must go where

the +shes are. However,2 he continued slowly after a silence, 1it is not li#ely that $

shall ever do that. Well, this little (lace is all right.2

&hey left the high school graduate standing on the clearing, his weight resting on

one foot, his eyes following them as they toiled u( the (er(endicular (ath. !t the

to( of the climb Gerardo sat on the ground and loo#ed down on the green +elds far

below, the la#e in the distance, the clearings on the hill sides, and then on the


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diminishing +gure of the high school graduate now busily hac#ing away, ma#ing the

most of the remaining hours of daylight. /erched above them all, he felt an

e6hilaration in his (ainfully drumming chest.

oon they entered the dim forest.

Here was the trail that once was followed by the galleon traders when, to outwit

those that lay in wait for them, they landed the treasure on the eastern shores of

Luon, and, crossing the 'ordillera on this secret trail, brought it to Laguna. ! trail

centuries old. talwart adventurers, im(erious and fearless, treasure coveted by

others as im(erious and fearless, carriers bent beneath burden almost too great to

bear*stu: of ancient s(lendors and ancient griefs.

O4 his bed of twigs and small branches, under a roughly contrived roof Gerardo lay

down that evening after automatically crossing himself. He shifted around until at

last he settled into a comfortable hollow. &he +re was burning brightly, fed

occasionally with dead branches that the men had collected into a (ile. !mbo and

the (orters were sitting on the blac# oilcloth that had served them for a dining

table. &hey sat with their arms hugging their #nees and tal#ed together in

(eaceable tones (unctuated with brief laughter. -rom where he lay Gerardo Luna

could feel the warmth of the +re on his face.

He was drifting into dee(ly contented slumber, lulled by the even tones of his

com(anions. =oices outdoors had a strange %uality. &hey blended with the wind,

and, on its waves, )owed gently around and (ast one who listened. $n the hae ofnew slee( he thought he was listening not to human voices, but to something more

elemental. ! warm sea on level stretches of beach. Or, if he had ever #nown such a

thing, raindro(s on the bamboos.

He awo#e uneasily after an hour or two. &he men were still tal#ing, but

intermittently. &he +re was not so bright nor so warm.

!mbo was saying>

1Gather more +rewood. We must #ee( the +re burning all night. 3ou may slee(. $

shall wa#e u( once in a while to (ut on more wood.2

Gerardo was reassured. &he thought that he would have to slee( in the dar# not

#nowing whether sna#es were crawling towards him was intolerable. He settled

once more into light slumber.


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&he men tal#ed on. &hey did not sing as boatmen would have done while

(addling their bancas in the dar#. /erha(s only seafol# sang and hillfol# #e(t

silence. -or seafol# bear no burdens to weigh them down to the earth. $nto

whatever wilderness of remote sea their wanderer0s hearts may urge them, they

may load their treasures in sturdy craft, (ull at the oar or invo#e the wind, and raise

their voices in song. &he de(ths of ocean beneath, the height of s#y above, andbetween, a song )oating out on the dar#ness. ! song in the hills would only add to

the lonesomeness a hundredfold.

He wo#e u( again feeling that the little twigs underneath him had suddenly

ac%uired uncomfortable (ro(ortions. urely when he lay down they were almost

unnoticeable. He raised himself on his elbow and carefully scrutinied his mat for

sna#es. He shoo# his blan#et out and once more eased himself into a new and

smoother corner. &he men were now absolutely %uiet, e6ce(t for their snoring. &he

+re was burning low. !mbo evidently had failed to wa#e u( in time to feed it.

He thought of getting u( to attend to the +re, but hesitated. He lay listening to

the forest and sensing the dar#ness. How vast that dar#ness8 ile u(on mile of it all

around.Lost somewhere in it, a little )ic#er, a little warmth.

He got u(. He found his limbs sti: and his muscles sore. He could not straighten

his bac# without discomfort. He went out of the tent and carefully arranged two

small logs on the +re. &he air was chilly. He loo#ed about him at the slee(ing men

huddled together and doubled u( for warmth. He loo#ed toward his tent, +t fully

lighted by the +re that was now crac#ling and rising higher. !nd at last his gae

lifted to loo# into the forest. traight white trun#s gleaming dimly in the

dar#ness.&he startling glimmer of a +re)y. Outside of the circle of the +re was themeasureless un#nown, hostile now, he felt. Or was it he who was hostile7 &his +re

was the only (rotection, the only thing that isolated this little stri( of s(ace and

made it shelter for defenseless man. Let the +re go out and the un#nown would roll

in and engulf them all in dar#ness. He hastily (laced four more logs on the +re and

retreated to his tent.

He could not slee(. He felt absolutely alone. !loneness was li#e hunger in that it

drove away slee(.

He remembered his wife. He had a )eeting thought of God. &hen he remembered

his wife again. /robably not his wife as herself, as a de+nite (ersonality, but merely

as a com(anion and a ministerer to his comfort. 4ot his wife, but a wife. His mind

recreated a scene which had no reason at all for (ersisting as a memory. &here was

very little to it. He had wa#ed one midnight to +nd his wife sitting u( in the bed they

shared. he had on her )annel camisa de chino,always more or less dingy, and she

was telling her beads. 1What are you doing72 he had as#ed. 1$ forgot to say my

(rayers,2 she had answered.


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He was o((ressed by nostalgia. !nd because he did not #now what it was he

wanted his longing became #eener. 4ot for his wife, nor for his life in the city. 4ot for

his (arents nor even for his lost childhood. What was there in these that could

(rovo#e anything remotely resembling this regret7 What was not within the life s(an

could not be memories. omething more remote even than race memory. His

longing went farther bac#, to some age in /aradise maybe when the soul of manwas limitless and unshac#led> when it embraced the in+nite and did not hunger

because it had the ine6haustible at its command.

When he wo#e again the +re was smoldering. 5ut there was a light in the forest,

an eerie light. $t was di:used and cold. He wondered what it was. &here were noises

now where before had seemed only the silence itself. &here were a continuous

trilling, strange nightcalls and a (eculiar, soft clin#ing which recurred at regular

intervals. -orest noises. &here was the noise, too, of nearby waters.

One of the men wo#e u( and said something to another who was also evidently

awa#e, Gerardo called out.

1What noise is that72

1Which noise72

1&hat %ueer, ringing noise.2

1&hat7 &hat0s caused by tree worms, $ have been told.2

He had a sudden vision of long, strong worms drumming with their heads on thebar#s of trees.

1&he other noise is the worm noise,2 corrected !mbo. 1&hat hissing. &hat noise

you are tal#ing about is made by cric#ets.2

1What is that light72 he (resently as#ed.

1&hat is the moon,2 said !mbo.

1&he moon82 Gerardo e6claimed and fell silent. He would never understand the

forest.

Later he as#ed, 1Where is that water that $ hear72

1! little farther and lower, $ did not wish to cam( there because of the leeches.

!t daylight we shall sto( there, if you wish.2


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When he awo#e again it was to +nd the dawn invading the forest. He #new the

feel of the dawn from the many misas de gallothat he had gone to on 9ecember

mornings. &he a((roach of daylight gave him a feeling of relief. !nd he was

saddened.

He sat %uietly on a )at stone with his legs in the water and loo#ed around. Hewas still sore all over. His nec# ached, his bac# hurt, his joints troubled him. He sat

there, his wet shirt tightly (lastered over his meager form and wondered confusedly

about many things. &he s#y showed overhead through the rift in the trees. &he sun

loo#ed through that o(ening on the rushing water. &he s#y was high and blue. $t was

as it always had been in his dreams, beautiful as he had always thought it would be.

5ut he would never come bac#. &his little corner of the earth hidden in the hills

would never again be before his gae.

He loo#ed u( again at the blue s#y and thought of God. God for him was always

u( in the s#y. Only the God he thought of now was not the God he had always

#nown. &his God he was thin#ing of was another God. He was wondering if when

man died and moved on to another life he would not +nd there the things he missed

and so wished to have. He had a dee( certainty that that would be so, that after his

mortal life was over and we came against that obstruction called death, our lives,

li#e a stream that runs u( against a dam, would still )ow on, in courses fuller and

smoother. &his must be so. He had a feeling, almost an instinct, that he was not

wrong. !nd a 5eing, all wise and com(assionate, would enable us to remedy our

frustrations and heartaches.

H? went straight to otera0s to get the #ey to his house. $n the half light of the stairs

he met /eregrina, who in the solicitous e6(ression of her eyes saw the dust on his

face, his hands, and his hair, saw the un#em(t air of the whole of him. He muttered

something (olite and hurried u( stairs, selfconsciousness ham(ering his feet.

/eregrina, %uite without embarrassment, turned and climbed the stairs after him.

On his way out with the #eys in his hand he saw her at the head of the stairs

an6iously lingering. He sto((ed and considered her thoughtfully.

1/ereg, as soon as $ get these clothes o: $ shall come to as# you a %uestion that

is very*very im(ortant to me.2

!s she smiled eagerly but uncertainly into his face, he heard a jangling in his

hand. He felt, %ueerly, that something was closing above his hand, and that

whoever was closing it, was rattling the #eys.

a night in the hills (1).docx

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