August 1890 when Rizal attended a social reunion of the Filipino in Madrid.

Later on,
Antonio Luna as one of the guest become talkative because of the influence of the wine served to
that party at the same time Luna was bitter and frustrated toward his romance to Nellie Bousted.
A part of him, he was blaming Rizal for his failure to win her though Rizal explained it already
to him he has nothing to do with it. As time goes by, Rizal got angry to the remarks Luna’s
saying toward Nellie. Since Rizal’s high sense of chivalry could not tolerate any slur against the
honor of any woman, he decide to challenge Luna his friend to a duel. The two of them are
expert in different weapon such as Swordsman and Pistol, but fortunately Luna got sober, admit
his mistakes and apologize to Rizal. At the end, the two of them become friends again.
As I mention above regarding about his nature, neither hot –tempered nor pugnacious but
he will risk his own life when he heard someone dishonoring his people, his family, and a
women also. The story behind the first book-length biography of the greatest Filipino hero
written by Wenceslao E. Retana. Back then, Retana who is talented Spanish scholar and a press
agent of the friars in Spain used to attack the Filipino. There’s this time when he wrote an anti-
Filipino newspaper in Madrid where it mentioned how the family of Rizal and his friend had not
paid their rents so that they were ejected from their lands in Calamba by the Dominicans. Such
an insult stirred Rizal to action that he immediately send his seconds to Retana with his challenge
to a duel. That only his blood nor apology could vindicate the good name of rizal’s family and
friend. Because of that, Retana once published a retraction and an apology in the newspapers for
he could never win against Rizal on a field of honor, for Rizal was his superior in both pistol as
sword.
1890 in autumn in Madrid when Rizal encounter the feeling of bitterness and
disappointment in his life. One night, Rizal and his friends decide to attend a foreplay that make
him lost his gold watch chain that proved to be a bad prophecy containing the picture of Leonor
Rivera the love of his life. December 1980, cold winds of winter sweeping across the shivering
city when he (Rizal) receive a letter from Leonor asking for forgiveness at the same time
mentioning her coming marriage to an Englishman the choices of her mother. He was stunned as
his tears dimmed in his eyes and his heart broke. Several hurtful weeks passed before he could
share to his best friend Blumentritt. February 15, 1891, when Blumentritt reply to Rizal
comforting him and his wife as they were saying how disappointed and disgusted Blumentritt
wife toward Rizal’s lover. Three months later Blumentritt send another comforting later to him.
When 1890 approaching to end a rivalry between Rizal and M.H. del Pilar arose for
supremacy. Rizal the most talented of his time, was until then the undisputed leader of the
Filipinos in Europe. On the other hand, Del Pilar, the lawyer –journalist was gaining prestige in
Madrid for he aggressively own the editorials in La Solidaridad. He had purchased this
fortnightly periodical from Pablo Rianzares, its first proprietor, and had replaced Graciano Lopez
Jaena as its editor. As leader, Rizal tried to imbue his compatriots with his own idealism.
Unfortunately, countrymen, who love wine, women, and cards didn’t agree to his idealism and
declined Rizal’s Leadership. His former admirers who supported his leadership resent him for
interfering in their private lives. So they support Del Pilar instead. January 1, 189, New Year’s
Day when a meeting happen and it decided to call the leader Responsable, be chosen to direct the
affairs of the Filipino community and to determine the editorial policy of La Solidaridad. It also
mention to their meeting where they agreed that the Responsible should be elected by a two-
thirds vote of the Filipino community.
The election happen during the first week of February 1891, Filipinos were divided into
two hostile camps the Rizalistas and the Pilaristas. From the very beginning, on the first day of
the voting, Rizal was winning. But he could not obtain the required two-thirds vote to be
proclaimed Responsable. On second day of balloting, the result was again indecisive, he won but
the votes cast for him did not reach the required two-thirds. When the situation become explosive
and critical on the third day, Mariano Ponce force his countrymen to vote for Rizal. Some
pilaristas, evidently, heeded his plea. And they succeed because Rizal won and become the
Responsible.
Since he is a man of honor and dignity, he graciously declined the coveted position for he
knew that some of his compatriots who supported Del Pilar despised or dislike him. So he
preferred to abdicate his leadership rather than be the cause of disunity and bitterness among his
countrymen.
Sadly, packed up his bags, paid his bills, and boarded a train leaving for Biarritz. Before
that, Rizal wrote a brief note thanking his compatriots for electing him as Responsible. As his
train pulled out of the railway station, he gazed through its window at the city of Madrid, where
he was happy during his first stay (1882-85) but unhappy on his second visit (1890-91). And it
was the last time he saw Madrid. His agonizing heart bade goodbye to the metropolis, of which
he had written years ago.