RAQUEL KNEW THAT the discussion at her literary circle that night was going to be about the sensation Juan de Zavala had caused at the paseo.
To hide their true purposes, the group called themselves the Sor Juana Literary Society. While they in fact met and discussed books, they also frequently used their meetings for discussions of political and social issues that were on the prohibition lists of the viceroy and cardinal. The members were of like political minds. The Enlightenment and the great revolutions in France and the United States had shaken all of them intellectually.
Some clubs used the names of saints for their clubs, but Raquel and her close friend, Leona Vicario, thought it was hypocritical to name their society after a saint when one of its purposes was to debate and complain about the restrictions in free thought the church wrought. Instead they chose the name of Méjico’s great poetess.
Andrés Quintana Roo, a bright young lawyer who was attracted intellectually and romantically to Leona, considered Sor Juana’s name for their society as a joke on the church. “She wrote her resignation from intellectual life in blood because of criticism from the church,” he said.
Eleven members of the society were present that evening, including the self-proclaimed Mejicano Thinker. As Raquel had intimated to Juan, the members put a reign on their political tongues on the occasions Lizardi showed up. Tonight, however, the talk was more personal than profound.
“All of the homes of the city tonight are discussing the actions of Zavala,” Quintana Roo speculated.
None of them knew that Raquel had once been betrothed to Juan, not even Lizardi. Juan had told Raquel that he had never mentioned to the writer that he knew Raquel.
“The gachupines are very upset,” Leona said. “The junta in Cádiz has offered the colony full political representation, but the viceroy and his peninsular minions have ignored their decree, not wanting their colonialborn to have rights equal to theirs. But this adventurer, Zavala, has caused them no end of worry. A peon who first is a hero of Spain and who then humiliates three caballeros who assaulted him in the paseo? The gachupines will not—cannot—let such rebelliousness go unpunished.”
Lizardi said, “The gachupines fear that Zavala, by demanding an equal place at their table, will inflame and inspire peons everywhere.”
“Four caballeros he has offended,” Leona said. “He approached the wife of the Marqués de Mira besides humiliating the three caballeros. It’s a major embarrassment for the marqués because it is known that his wife, Isabella, permitted Zavala to woo her when they both lived in Guanajuato. Had a Spaniard approached her, it would have been grounds for a duel.”
“I’ve heard the marqués is in financial difficulty, not only as a result of his bad investments but also his wife’s extravagances,” Lizardi said. “The woman overindulges her expenditures—and her lovers. It is rumored that Augustín de Iturbide, a young officer in a provincial regiment, is her current lover.”
“Iturbide’s a Spaniard; so the marqués can look the other way about that affair,” Leona said, “but he can’t with a public affront by a peon. And he can’t challenge Zavala to a duel; a Spanish nobleman can’t fight a peon. It would be a socially unacceptable match.”
“He would also lose,” Quintana Roo said, “as will anyone else who calls Zavala out. The man is said to be indomitable with gun and sword.”
“But the marqués must have his honor restored,” Lizardi said, “as well as the caballeros Zavala humiliated. They will have their revenge.”
Raquel knew that that was the conclusion of everyone in the room and probably every Spaniard in the city, and it ripped her heart. Even as he made a fool of himself over another woman, her feelings didn’t change toward him.
“Zavala will pay,” Leona said, “and it won’t be on the dueling field.”
“He will be assassinated,” Lizardi said.
“You mean murdered.” After Raquel spoke the words, she got up and left the house.