# XXVI explained — Saragossa > Chapter companion for Saragossa by Benito Pérez Galdós. ## What happens The chapter depicts the dire state of the siege in early February. The French have taken the Convent of Jerusalem, and the defenders are exhausted and facing dwindling supplies. Palafox issues proclamations to rally the citizens, offering honors and threatening punishment for defeatism. The narrator's battalion is merged and sent to guard San Francisco, where they engage in dangerous underground counter-mining operations against the French. Amidst this, Don José de Montoria confronts Candiola, who insults Augustine. A mob of soldiers, suspecting Candiola of being a French agent, nearly throws him into a well, but he is saved by the narrator and a comrade. Later, Don José speaks with Father Luengo about his son's future, expressing his willingness to sacrifice Augustine for national honor. Mariquilla appears, searching for her missing father. ## Themes in this chapter ### Heroic Resistance and Patriotism Don José de Montoria expresses his willingness to sacrifice his only remaining son for the sake of national honor, embodying the spirit of resistance. ### War and Dehumanization The narrator describes the underground mining warfare as a dehumanizing experience, where men are converted into 'cold inhabitants of caverns' and the struggle feels like a nightmare. ### Love and Sacrifice Augustine Montoria keeps his bread to give to Mariquilla, and Don José's willingness to sacrifice his son for his country highlights the theme of personal sacrifice. ### Social Class and Prejudice Don José de Montoria's confrontation with Candiola reveals deep-seated class prejudice and personal animosity, as he insults Candiola's family and Candiola accuses Augustine of being a libertine. ## Character check-ins ### Augustine Montoria Now a captain, he keeps his bread ration to give to Mariquilla. ### Don José de Montoria Confronts Candiola, defends his son's honor, and speaks of his willingness to sacrifice Augustine for the national cause. ### Candiola Accused of being a French agent and nearly thrown into a well by a mob of soldiers; saved by the narrator. ### Mariquilla Candiola Appears sobbing, searching for her father who has gone missing. ### Palafox Issues proclamations to rally the citizens, offering his own possessions and creating a new military order. ### Father Luengo Engages in conversation with Don José de Montoria about the siege and Augustine's future. ### Don Araceli The narrator, now a lieutenant, helps save Candiola from the mob and observes the events. ## Key lines > We seemed to ourselves to have left off being men, and to be converted into another kind of creatures, into cold inhabitants of caverns, without feeling, far from the sun and the pure air and the lovely light of day. The soldiers felt they had lost their humanity, becoming like emotionless creatures of the underground, cut off from the natural world. _Highlights the dehumanizing effect of the underground warfare._ > I am giving my two watches and twenty silver dishes, which are all I have left. Palafox is offering his last personal possessions to support the war effort. _Shows the extreme sacrifice being asked of the leaders and citizens._ > If I should lose him, I would die of grief; but in order to save our national honor, I am willing that my only child shall perish. Don José says he would be devastated by the loss of his son, but he is prepared to accept it for the sake of the country's honor. _Illustrates the theme of heroic resistance and patriotism overriding personal loss._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se/chapters/xxvi - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/saragossa_se/chapters