# III explained — Saragossa

> Chapter companion for Saragossa by Benito Pérez Galdós.

## What happens

Don José de Montoria is not at home, so Don Roque and the narrator (Don Araceli) travel to his country house (torre) outside Saragossa. They find him cutting down olive trees as part of the defensive preparations for a second siege. Montoria welcomes them with brusque, generous hospitality, feeding them abundantly. He then shows them the fortifications being built in the western part of the city, including the battery at Portillo and the walls connecting convents. The chapter highlights Montoria's patriotic sacrifice and the makeshift nature of Saragossa's defenses.

## Themes in this chapter

### Heroic Resistance and Patriotism

Montoria's willingness to sacrifice his olive trees and his declaration that he would give his last crust for the defense exemplify the patriotic spirit.

### Survival and Human Endurance

The visitors' hunger and Montoria's insistence on feeding them highlight the basic needs and endurance during wartime.

## Character check-ins

### Don José de Montoria

Found at his torre cutting down olive trees for defense; shows brusque hospitality, feeds the visitors, and later shows them the fortifications.

### Don Roque

Accompanies the narrator to Montoria's torre; praises the narrator's deeds (with exaggerations) and asks for food.

### Don Araceli

The narrator; travels with Don Roque, is praised by him, and is welcomed by Montoria.

## Key lines

> In the first siege I cut down my trees on my property on the other side of the Huerva; but this second siege that is being prepared for us is going to be much more terrible, to judge by the great number of troops that the French are sending.

Montoria notes that he already sacrificed trees in the first siege, but the upcoming second siege will be worse given the French troop numbers.

_Shows Montoria's awareness of the escalating threat._

> Is it possible that you are hungry? Porra! Go to the devil with a hundred thousand porras! Why haven't you said so before?

Montoria is shocked that his guests were hungry and didn't speak up, and he scolds them for not asking directly.

_Illustrates Montoria's blunt, generous character._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se/chapters/iii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se/chapters