chronicle of the conquest of granada- 第6部分

Deep　was　the　grief　and　indignation　of　the　people　of　Granada　at　this　cruel　scene。　　Old　men；　who　had　experienced　the　calamities　of　warfare；　anticipated　coming　troubles。　　Mothers　clasped　their　infants　to　their　breasts　as　they　beheld　the　hapless　females　of　Zahara　with　their　children　expiring　in　their　arms。　　On　every　side　the　accents　of　pity　for　the　sufferers　were　mingled　with　execrations　of　the　barbarity　of　the　king。　The　preparations　for　festivity　were　neglected；　and　the　viands　which　were　to　have　feasted　the　conquerors　were　distributed　among　the　captives。

The　nobles　and　alfaquis；　however；　repaired　to　the　Alhambra　to　congratulate　the　king；　for；　whatever　storms　may　rage　in　the　lower　regions　of　society；　rarely　do　any　clouds　but　clouds　of　incense　rise　to　the　awful　eminence　of　the　throne。　　In　this　instance；　however；　a　voice　rose　from　the　midst　of　the　obsequious　crowd；　and　burst　like　thunder　upon　the　ears　of　Abul　Hassan。　　〃Woe！　woe！　woe！　to　Granada！〃　exclaimed　the　voice；　〃its　hour　of　desolation　approaches。　　The　ruins　of　Zahara　will　fall　upon　our　heads；　my　spirit　tells　me　that　the　end　of　our　empire　is　at　hand。〃　　All　shrank　back　aghast；　and　left　the　denouncer　of　woe　standing　alone　in　the　centre　of　the　hall。　　He　was　an　ancient　and　hoary　man　in　the　rude　attire　of　a　dervise。　　Age　had　withered　his　form　without　quenching　the　fire　of　his　spirit；　which　glared　in　baleful　lustre　from　his　eyes。　　He　was　（say　the　Arabian　historians）　one　of　those　holy　men　termed　santons　who　pass　their　lives　in　hermitages　in　fasting；　meditation；　and　prayer　until　they　attain　to　the　purity　of　saints　and　the　foresight　of　prophets。　　〃He　was；〃　says　the　indignant　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃a　son　of　Belial；　one　of　those　fanatic　infidels　possessed　by　the　devil　who　are　sometimes　permitted　to　predict　the　truth　to　their　followers；　but　with　the　proviso　that　their　predictions　shall　be　of　no　avail。〃

The　voice　of　the　santon　resounded　through　the　lofty　hall　of　the　Alhambra；　and　struck　silence　and　awe　into　the　crowd　of　courtly　sycophants。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　alone　was　unmoved：　he　eyed　the　hoary　anchorite　with　scorn　as　he　stood　dauntless　before　him；　and　treated　his　predictions　as　the　ravings　of　a　maniac。　　The　santon　rushed　from　the　royal　presence；　and；　descending　into　the　city；　hurried　through　its　streets　and　squares　with　frantic　gesticulations。　　His　voice　was　heard　in　every　part　in　awful　denunciation：　〃The　peace　is　broken！　exterminating　war　is　commenced。　　Woe！　woe！　woe　to　Granada！　its　fall　is　at　hand！　desolation　will　dwell　in　its　palaces；　its　strong　men　will　fall　beneath　the　sword；　its　children　and　maidens　be　led　into　captivity。　Zahara　is　but　a　type　of　Granada！〃

Terror　seized　upon　the　populace；　for　they　considered　these　ravings　as　the　inspirations　of　prophecy。　　Some　hid　themselves　in　their　dwellings　as　in　a　time　of　general　mourning；　while　some　gathered　together　in　knots　in　the　streets　and　squares；　alarming　each　other　with　dismal　forebodings　and　cursing　the　rashness　and　cruelty　of　the　king。

The　Moorish　monarch　heeded　not　their　murmurs。　　Knowing　that　his　exploit　must　draw　upon　him　the　vengeance　of　the　Christians；　he　now　threw　off　all　reserve；　and　made　attempts　to　surprise　Castellan　and　Elvira；　though　without　success。　　He　sent　alfaquis　also　to　the　Barbary　powers；　informing　them　that　the　sword　was　drawn；　and　inviting　the　African　princes　to　aid　him　with　men　and　supplies　in　maintaining　the　kingdom　of　Granada　and　the　religion　of　Mahomet　against　the　violence　of　unbelievers。

While　discontent　exhaled　itself　in　murmurs　among　the　common　people；　however；　it　fomented　in　dangerous　conspiracies　among　the　nobles；　and　Muley　Abul　Hassan　was　startled　by　information　of　a　design　to　depose　him　and　place　his　son　Boabdil　upon　the　throne。　　His　first　measure　was　to　confine　the　prince　and　his　mother　in　the　Tower　of　Comares；　then；　calling　to　mind　the　prediction　of　the　astrologers；　that　the　youth　would　one　day　sit　on　the　throne　of　Granada；　he　impiously　set　the　stars　at　defiance。　　〃The　sword　of　the　executioner；〃　said　he；　〃shall　prove　the　fallacy　of　those　lying　horoscopes；　and　shall　silence　the　ambition　of　Boabdil。〃

The　sultana　Ayxa；　apprised　of　the　imminent　danger　of　her　son；　concerted　a　plan　for　his　escape。　　At　the　dead　of　the　night　she　gained　access　to　his　prison；　and；　tying　together　the　shawls　and　scarfs　of　herself　and　her　female　attendants；　lowered　him　down　from　a　balcony　of　the　Alhambra　to　the　steep　rocky　hillside　which　sweeps　down　to　the　Darro。　　Here　some　of　her　devoted　adherents　were　waiting　to　receive　him；　who；　mounting　him　on　a　swift　horse；　spirited　him　away　to　the　city　of　Guadix；　in　the　Alpuxarras。



CHAPTER　V。

EXPEDITION　OF　THE　MARQUES　OF　CADIZ　AGAINST　ALHAMA。


Great　was　the　indignation　of　King　Ferdinand　when　he　heard　of　the　storming　of　Zahara；　though　the　outrage　of　the　Moor　happened　most　opportunely。　　The　war　between　Castile　and　Portugal　had　come　to　a　close；　the　factions　of　Spanish　nobles　were　for　the　most　part　quelled。　The　Castilian　monarchs　had　now；　therefore；　turned　their　thoughts　to　the　cherished　object　of　their　ambition；　the　conquest　of　Granada。　The　pious　heart　of　Isabella　yearned　to　behold　the　entire　Peninsula　redeemed　from　the　domination　of　the　infidel；　while　Ferdinand；　in　whom　religious　zeal　was　mingled　with　temporal　policy；　looked　with　a　craving　eye　to　the　rich　territory　of　the　Moor；　studded　with　wealthy　towns　and　cities。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　had　rashly　or　unwarily　thrown　the　brand　that　was　to　produce　the　wide　conflagration。　　Ferdinand　was　not　the　one　to　quench　the　flames。　　He　immediately　issued　orders　to　all　the　adelantados　and　alcaydes　of　the　frontiers　to　maintain　the　utmost　vigilance　at　their　several　posts；　and　to　prepare　to　carry　fire　and　sword　into　the　territories　of　the　Moors。

Among　the　many　valiant　cavaliers　who　rallied　round　the　throne　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　one　of　the　most　eminent　in　rank　and　renowned　in　arms　was　Don　Roderigo　Ponce　de　Leon；　marques　of　Cadiz。　　As　he　was　the　distinguished　champion　of　this　holy　war；　and　commanded　in　most　of　its　enterprises　and　battles；　it　is　meet　that　some　particular　account　should　be　given　of　him。　　He　was　born　in　1443　of　the　valiant　lineage　of　the　Ponces；　and　from　his　earliest　youth　had　rendered　himself　illustrious　in　the　field。　　He　was　of　the　middle　stature；　with　a　muscular　and　powerful　frame；　capable　of　great　exertion　and　fatigue。　His　hair　and　beard　were　red　and　curled；　his　countenance　was　open　and　magnanimous；　of　a　ruddy　complexion　and　slightly　marked　with　the　small…　pox。　　He　was　temperate；　chaste；　valiant；　vigilant；　a　just　and　generous　master　to　his　vassals；　frank　and　noble　in　his　deportment　toward　his　equals；　loving　and　faithful　to　his　friends；　fierce　and　terrible；　yet　magnanimous；　to　his　enemies。　　He　was　considered　the　mirror　of　chivalry　of　his　times；　and　compared　by　contemporary　historians　to　the　immortal　Cid。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　had　vast　possessions　in　the　most　fertile　parts　of　Andalusia；　including　many　towns　and　castles；　and　could　lead　forth　an　army　into　the　field　from　his　own　vassals　and　dependants。　　On　receiving　the　orders　of　the　king　he　burned　to　signalize　himself　by　some　sudden　incursion　into　the　kingdom　of　Granada　that　should　give　a　brilliant　commencement　to　the　war；　and　should　console　the　sovereigns　for　the　insult　they　had　received　in　the　capture　of　Zahara。　　As　his　estates　lay　near　to　the　Moorish　frontiers　and　were　subject　to　sudden　inroads；　he　had　always　in　his　pay　numbers　of　adalides；　or　scouts　and　guides；　many　of　them　converted　Moors。　　These　he　sent　out　in　all　directions　to　watch　the　movements　of　the　enemy　and　to　procure　all　kinds　of　information　important　to　the　security　of　the　frontier。　　One　of　these　spies　came　to　him　one　day　in　his　town　of　Marchena；　and　informed　him　that　the　Moorish　town　of　Alhama　was　slightly　garrisoned　and　negligently　guarded；　and　might　be　taken　by　surprise。　　This　was　a　large；　wealthy；　and　populous　place　within　a　few　leagues　of　Granada。　It　was　situated　on　a　rocky　height；　nearly　surrounded　by　a　river；　and　defended　by　a　fortress　to　which　there　was　no　access　but　by　a　steep　and　cragged　ascent。　　The　strength　of　its　situation　and　its　being　embosomed　in　the　centre　of　the　kingdom　had　produced　the　careless　security　which　now　invited　attack。

To　ascertain　fully　the　state　of　the　fortress　the　marques　despatched　secretly　a　veteran　soldier　who　was　highly　in　his　confidence。　　His　name　was　Ortega　de　Prado；　a　man　of　great　activity；　shrewdness；　and　valor；　and　captain　of　escaladors　（soldiers　employed　to　scale　the　walls　of　fortresses　in　time　of　attack）。　　Ortega　approached　Alhama　one　moonless　night；　and　paced　along　its　walls　with　noiseless　step；　laying　his　ear　occasionally　to　the　ground　or　to　the　wall。　　Every　time　he　distinguished　the　measured　tread　of　a　sentinel；　and　now　and　then　the　challenge　of　the　night…watch　going　its　rounds。　　Finding　the　town　thus　guarded；　he　clambered　to　the　castle：　there　all　was　silent。　　As　he　ranged　its　lofty　battlements　between　him　and　the　sky　he　saw　no　sentinel　on　duty。　　He　noticed　certain　places　where　the　wall　might　be　ascended　by　scaling…ladders；　and；　having　marked　the　hour　of　relieving　guard　and　made　all　necessary　observations；　he　retired　without　being　discovered。

Ortega　returned　to　Marchena；　and　assured　the　marques　of　Cadiz　of　the　practicability　of　scaling　the　castle　of　Alhama　and　taking　it　by　surprise。　The　marques　had　a　secret　conference　with　Don　Pedro　Enriques；　adelantado　of　Andalusia；　Don　Diego　de　Merlo；　commander　of　Seville；　Sancho　de　Avila；　alcayde　of　Carmona；　and　others；　who　all　agreed　to　aid　him　with　their　forces。　　On　an　appointed　day　the　several　commanders　assembled　at　Marchena　with　their　troops　and　retainers。　　None　but　the　leaders　knew　the　object　or　destination　of　the　enterprise；　but　it　was　enough　to　rouse　the　Andalusian　spirit　to　know　that　a　foray　was　intended　into　the　country　of　their　old　enemies；　the　Moors。　　Secrecy　and　celerity　were　necessary　for　success。　　They　set　out　promptly　with　three　thousand　genetes　or　light　cavalry　and　four　thousand　infantry。　　They　chose　a　route　but　little　travelled；　by　the　way　of　Antiquera；　passing　with　great　labor　through　rugged　and　solitary　defiles　of　the　sierra　or　chain　of　mountains　of　Arrecife；　and　left　all　their　baggage　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Yeguas；　to　be　brought　after　them。　　This　march　was　principally　in　the　night；　all　day　they　remaine