File:Spanish life in town and country (1902) (14576632990).jpg

Identifier: spanishlifeintow00higg (find matches)
Title: Spanish life in town and country
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Higgin, L Street, Eugène E. (Eugène Edward), d. 1913
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Publisher: New York, London, G.P. Putnam's sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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the moment when a directheir to the throne was expected. Once more,when the daughter of Alfonsos second wife, thepresent Queen Regent, was born, the InfantaIsabel became her title, and she took again thelower rank. Nothing in history is more pathetic than thisfirst marriage of Alfonso XII. and its unhappytermination. The children of Queen Isabel andthose of her sister, the Duquesa de Montpensier,had been brought up together, and there was aboy-and-girl attachment between the Prince ofAsturias and his cousin Mercedes. When Alfonsobecame King, almost as it seemed by accident,and it was thought necessary that he shouldmarry, the boy gravely assured his Ministers thathe was quite willing to do so, and in fact intendedto marry his cousin. Nothing could be more in-opportune, nothing more contrary to the welfareof the distracted country! From the time thatthe notorious Spanish marriages had becomefacts, the Duke of Montpensier had been an in-triguer. The birth of heirs to the throne of Spain
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The Court 105 (it is useless to go back to those long-past scan-dals) had completely upset the machinations ofLouis Philippe and his Ministers. So long asDon Francisco de Assis and the Spanish nationchose to acknowledge the children as legitimate,there was nothing to be done. The direct hopeof seeing his sons Kings of Spain faded from theview of the French husband of the sister of IsabelII., but he never for one moment ceased tointrigue. Although loaded with benefits andkindness by the Queen, Montpensier took nosmall part in the revolution which drove her fromthe country. Topete, and Serrano — who hadonce been what the Spaniards called Polio Realhimself—were bound in honour to uphold hiscandidature for the vacant throne; their promisehad been given long before the pronunciamie?itoat Cadiz had made successful revolution possi-ble. Prim alone stood firm: J^amas, jamas ! (Never, never!) he replied to every suggestionto bring Montpensier forward. In those wordshe signed his own death-

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