Paris
23 June 1889
Dear Friend,
I continue translating in earnest your grand Memoir. I am already on page 36.
With this I am sending you two photographs, one for you and the other for Dr. Czepelack. I was 28 years old when it was taken.
Concerning Doña Antonia I will tell you the following:
She does not deserve your writings. She is a despicable whore. In the Philippines she was married to a warehouseman named Ureta of the store Arbol de Guernica on the Escolta. After some time she separated from her husband. She began her life in Manila as a courtesan with great scandal. It is said that Botta, Miralles, Puig, Llagostera, and other Catalans, as well as Capitán Luis Yangco, had been her lovers. Her sister, who also lived with her, had a son whose father nobody knew, but later she married and lived like a decent woman, at least she did not cause any scandal. But Antonia Rodríguez continued to live as before; she had no children. Afterwards she returned to Barcelona and continued her life as a prostitute, being well known by all. Here in Paris she had also love affairs with Alsatian Jews, among others, who had been in the Philippines. I received all this information from the family of P. de T., D. R. Abarca, a Spanish-Filipino of 55, V. Ventura, a Filipino who lived in Barcelona for seven years, and one Levy. No, she is not worthy of our writings. She ought to be treated like Barrantes. Therefore, out with her! To be outraged by her is an honor.
I send my thanks to the good people and the director who have congratulated me.
One of the photographs is for the good Dr. Czepelack.
I greet the whole family.
Yours,
Rizal
03-412 [Reformists]