Trafalgar - Episodios Nacionales 1 - by Benito Pérez Galdós

 First Published: 1873

RATING: GOOD

SPOILERS!!!

This is the first of the Episodios Nacionales. The narrator is Gabriel, who tells the events that he experienced when he was younger. In this book he tells us that he was born in Cadiz, and when his mother died, he came to serve an old navy officer, Alonso Gutiérrez de Cisniega and his wife, Francisca. At the time of the novel he is fourteen, and he tells us that his master and mistress has a daughter, who he grew to love, but after the first two years, Rosita grows to be a woman and falls in love with an artillery officer, Rafael Malespina.

In 1805 Spain is an ally of France, and they are in war with England. D Alonso wants to join the navy fighting in Cadiz, but his wife is very vocal in her opinion about the foolery of his intention. Rafael comes to announce that he is sent to fight in Cadiz, and Rosita is desconsolate. The next day when Francisca and Rosita are in church, Alonso, Gabriel, and Alonso's friend, Marcial, leave for Cadiz. On the way they run into Rafael and his father, José, who is a lying big mouth about his deeds in his military career. In Cadiz Alonso and Gabriel stays with the cousin of the former, and Gabriel hates it there because Doña Flora has taken a liking to her and keeps touching her all the time.

Several days later Alonso, Marcial and Gabriel board the Santisima Trinidad, and soon the armada depart. Gabriel describes the battle in Trafalgar and how the Spanish lose. The ship sinks, and Alonso, Gabriel and Marcial are taken to another ship by British officers as prisoners. That night another Spanish ship attacks, and the men are saved. Yet, Marcial and Rafael have been wounded, and it is decided that they should take on another ship, but Alonso stays on the same ship. The new ship is old, and the wind pushes it towards the Guadalquivir River, and there it starts sinking. Rafael and some other wounded men are taken by boats, but Marcial and Gabriel are left behind. Gabriel thinks he is going to die, but he wakes up and finds himself surrounded by sailors. He is told that he was rescued but they found Marcial dead. 

When Gabriel is accompanied by a sailor to Sanlucar, he is told that Rafael has died. When he reaches Cadiz, he goes to Doña Flora's house straightaway, and he finds Alonso, Rosita and Doña Francisca there. When Gabriel says that Rafael has died, Rosita faints, and then there are loud voices outside, and when they go to the window, they find Rafael alive. Everybody upbraids Gabriel sternly, and Gabriel realises that Jose must have told one of his over-the-top boastful stories about being a hero, and somehow it reached some others wrong.

Rafael and Rosita marry, and Doña Francisca tells Gabriel to go and serve them in Medina Sidonia. Yet, when he reaches the house, Gabriel feels he can't serve his young mistress without suffering, and he leaves, intending to go to Madrid.

This is the first time I've read a national episode, and I have found it very educational and interesting. So much has been written about Trafalgar, but this gives us a different perspective.