Gerona

Girona is the seventh novel in the first series of the National Episodes by Benito Pérez Galdós.
The novel tells us about the second siege of Girona, in which the city suffered a harsh siege by the French.
Gabriel de Araceli is in his regiment, on the way to Cádiz, with his friend Andrés Marijuán, whom we have already met in Bailén. Both are in the army of the Center.
Gabriel comments that he has been to the Siege of Zaragoza. Andrés tells him that the place is nothing compared to that of Girona. Then he tells her the story of it, because Andrés himself was there.
In this novel it is not Gabriel who is the narrator, but Andrés who takes charge of the story.
Pérez Galdós dedicates some chapters of the novel to tell us about the vile way of acting of the French army with the commander of the square, Álvarez de Castro. The French skipped all surrender agreements and the ways of war at the time.
The narrative takes us to the thresholds of human degradation. It invokes feelings that are more institive than one’s own honor and love of country.
The story ends just at the moment when Gabriel de Araceli and Countess Amaranta are about to meet Inés again.

Reference edition: Reference edition: Madrid, Imprenta y Litografía de La Guirnalda, 1879.