Rumours of legendary
proportions told of his successes as a missionary beyond the eye of
Christian men. He had baptized whole nations of Indians, living with
them like a savage himself. It was related that the padre used to ride
with his Indians for days, half naked, carrying a bullock-hide shield,
and, no doubt, a long lance, too--who knows? That he had wandered
clothed in skins, seeking for proselytes somewhere near the snow line of
the Cordillera. Of these exploits Padre Corbelan himself was never known
to talk. But he made no secret of his opinion that the politicians of
Sta. Marta had harder hearts and more corrupt minds than the heathen
to whom he had carried the word of God. His injudicious zeal for the
temporal welfare of the Church was damaging the Ribierist cause. It was
common knowledge that he had refused to be made titular bishop of the
Occidental diocese till justice was done to a despoiled Church. The
political Gefe of Sulaco (the same dignitary whom Captain Mitchell saved
from the mob afterwards) hinted with naive cynicism that doubtless their
Excellencies the Ministers sent the padre over the mountains to Sulaco
in the worst season of the year in the hope that he would be frozen
to death by the icy blasts of the high paramos.
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