Letters of Two Brides · Chapter
XIV: The Duc de Soria to the Baron de Macumer explained
The Duc de Soria writes to his brother, the Baron de Macumer, expressing that he and Marie cannot proceed with their marriage unless Macumer accepts the two million francs that are rightfully his.
What happens
The Duc de Soria writes to his brother, the Baron de Macumer, expressing that he and Marie cannot proceed with their marriage unless Macumer accepts the two million francs that are rightfully his. The Duc describes their prayers for Macumer's happiness and his own gratitude for the sacrifice that allowed him to marry Marie. He also provides instructions for secure correspondence via the Nuncio and the French ambassador in Rome.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Aristocracy
The Duc's insistence on Macumer accepting his fortune highlights the aristocratic values of honor, family duty, and the proper distribution of wealth among the nobility.
Love vs. Marriage
The Duc's marriage to Marie is portrayed as a happiness founded on Macumer's sacrifice, intertwining romantic love with familial obligation and the practicalities of aristocratic marriage.
Friendship and Correspondence
The letter itself is a testament to the deep bond between the brothers, maintained through careful, secret correspondence across borders.
Characters to notice
- Duc de Soria
Writes to his brother, insisting he accept the fortune and expressing his gratitude and prayers for Macumer's happiness.
- Felipe Hénarez
The Baron de Macumer, recipient of the letter; the Duc urges him to accept the money and find love in exile.
- Marie Hérédia
Marie is mentioned as sharing the Duc's sentiments, having read Macumer's letter with tears and admiration.
Key passages
“How could I tolerate my happiness if I knew you to be a wanderer, deprived of the comforts which wealth everywhere commands?”
I cannot enjoy my own happiness knowing you are a homeless wanderer without the comforts that money can provide.
The Duc expresses his inability to be happy while his brother suffers in exile.
“The only thing I have taken for myself, dear brother, is my happiness. I have taken Marie. For this I shall always be beholden to you, as the creature to the Creator.”
The only thing I have kept for myself is my joy in marrying Marie, and for that I will always be indebted to you, like a creature to its creator.
The Duc acknowledges that his marriage was made possible by Macumer's sacrifice.