Madrid
On concluding the issue between him and Rizal regarding Miss Boustead – An article in Pueblo Soberano of Barcelona calls Taga-Ilog (Antonio Luna) names – A. Luna goes to Barcelona to demand for reparation from its author – Ready to fight a duel – Tells Rizal about his love affairs.
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6-3 Clavel, Madrid
16 November 1889
DEAR RIZAL,
I appreciate exceedingly all the news you gave me yesterday. Through them only I at last learned about that most unfortunate question which has exploded like a bomb in the midst of the respective families concerned.
You will understand that here no serious crime has been committed, because to love is not a crime, and if we had any fault it was for having concealed our love.
On our part we have done the following: I answered calmly Juan’s letter in which he gives me solemn reprimand.
To Tula also I wrote apologizing; to Mme. Bousted, apologizing also and saying that I loved her daughter. In all these letters I asked for a thousand pardons and accused ourselves of being the only truly guilty ones. What do you think? I have made Dimayuga write also to Tula to give her a thousand explanations. I do believe that we have behaved valorously and saved absolutely our girls, though we are very sorry that these poor girls have suffered so much for us and that we are the cause of it all. For the rest, though we felt deeply what happened, I believe that the thing was not worth all the fuss that it aroused.
At any rate, perhaps they will be very benevolent if they would know that within a few days I may perchance disappear form the book of books. This is my secret that you will keep, above all let it not reach my brother’s ears. Today at three o’clock, I am leaving on the express for Barcelona to ask for reparation by means of arms form the author[1] of the article To Taga-Ilog in Pueblo Soberano. This gentleman thinks that Taga-Ilog is Juan Luna and he accuses him of being in ingrate, filibuster, indecent, dirty, and quotes paragraphs from Canamaque which berate us Filipinos in the dirtiest manner. In short, the Filipino colony told me unanimously that I have no other remedy but to go and fight.
Therefore I have no other alternative, and for that reason I am leaving immediately. I have consulted my fencing-master and he told me that, inasmuch as I have the choice of arms, I choose the sword for I am already dexterous and not to worry. He will give me a letter to Pardini in Barcelona so that he may furnish me with everything necessary.
Those here in general approve of my determination. I do not know if I am doing right but I do not feel in my conscience the remorse of the offender.
Goodbye, lad; I suppose you will keep from my brother everything. Should he know it, he is capable of going to Barcelona; but he has a family and he will have to lose more than I do. Moreover, I am the author of “Impresiones Madrileñas” and I am the only one responsible for it. Goodbye; if some mishap occurs, I ask you as a favor to tell Nelly how much I have loved her.
Receive a close embrace of your friend.
ANTONIO
Our compatriots will furnish me with means.
03-461 [Reformists]
[1] Mir Deas, Spanish journalist.