He was also devoted to his loves, namely poetry and Paulita, and displayed an interest in studying law. He was one of the active members of the student organization and described to be an optimist in contrast with the student Pecson. Influenced by Padre Florentino's liberality as a Jesuit, he sought for genuine progress of the Philippines and was quick to vocalize said ideals. When the town's curate, Padre Agaton, displayed an uncharacteristically foul mood while giving Mass, Isagani was among the townspeople concerned, discussing it with the other men in the town square. He also, during that time, reunited with his real father. There, he encountered the gobernadorcillo's daughter Cecilia, and entered into a flirtation with her. A New LifeĪfter his uncle was transferred to the town of Pili as the assistant parish priest, Isagani moved there as well, becoming a tribunal clerk. The day after, he hid with the Orenda family, evading the authorities. When Basilio informed him that there was a bomb in that house that was going to kill everyone inside, Isagani rushed in to save Paulita, throwing the lamp in the river before escaping himself. Isagani refused, wanting to see Paulita one last time. As he did, he ran into Basilio, who urged him to flee. He thus watched their wedding reception from afar.
įollowing Isagani's release thanks to Padre Florentino, he learned that Paulita had been engaged to Juanito. He later turned himself in and was jailed like the others. Īfter many of the students in the association were jailed for supposedly posting seditious posters, Isagani met with the Jesuit Padre Fernandez in his office, arguing with him about the friars' education of the students. The conversation soon turned to Isagani's dreams for the country, which Paulita dismissed due to her pessimistic views, instilled by her aunt, Dona Victorina. Īfter the debut of Las Coches de Corneville in Manila, Isagani met with Paulita and confronted her about her watching the show with Juanito, as Paulita accused him of possibly ogling the French dancers. When he attempted to do so, Pasta refused out of fear of angering the friars. Isagani soon after volunteered to curry favor with Custodio through his uncle's friend, the lawyer Señor Pasta, whom Don Custodio often consulted. Later on, the Governor-General assigned the deliberation over the school to a commission headed by Don Custodio. While below deck, he and Basilio attempted to pitch the idea of the Academy to the elderly Capitan Basilio, who expressed his doubts. Trials of FateĪround Christmas of 1894, Isagani along with Padre Florentino boarded the steamship Tabo to visit his hometown of Tiani, Laguna.
At some point, he became lovers with Paulita Gomez. Isagani was an orphan taken in by Padre Florentino, rumored to be his own son by a female cousin or a son of his widowed former sweetheart.