chronicle of the conquest of granada-第100章

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　closed；　he　bore　a　huge　buckler　and　a　ponderous　lance；　his　scimetar　was　of　a　Damascus　blade；　and　his　richly　ornamented　dagger　was　wrought　by　an　artificer　of　Fez。　　He　was　known　by　his　device　to　be　Tarfe；　the　most　insolent　yet　valiant　of　the　Moslem　warriorsthe　same　who　had　hurled　into　the　royal　camp　his　lance　inscribed　to　the　queen。　　As　he　rode　slowly　along　in　front　of　the　army　his　very　steed；　prancing　with　fiery　eye　and　distended　nostril；　seemed　to　breathe　defiance　to　the　Christians。

But　what　were　the　feelings　of　the　Spanish　cavaliers　when　they　beheld；　tied　to　the　tail　of　his　steed　and　dragged　in　the　dust；　the　very　inscription〃　AVE　MARIA〃which　Hernan　Perez　del　Pulgar　had　affixed　to　the　door　of　the　mosque！　　A　burst　of　horror　and　indignation　broke　forth　from　the　army。　　Hernan　was　not　at　hand　to　maintain　his　previous　achievement；　but　one　of　his　young　companions…in…arms；　Garcilasso　de　la　Vega　by　name；　putting　spurs　to　his　horse；　galloped　to　the　hamlet　of　Zubia；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　the　king；　and　besought　permission　to　accept　the　defiance　of　this　insolent　infidel　and　to　revenge　the　insult　offered　to　our　Blessed　Lady。　　The　request　was　too　pious　to　be　refused。　　Garcilasso　remounted　his　steed；　closed　his　helmet；　graced　by　four　sable　plumes；　grasped　his　buckler　of　Flemish　workmanship　and　his　lance　of　matchless　temper；　and　defied　the　haughty　Moor　in　the　midst　of　his　career。　　A　combat　took　place　in　view　of　the　two　armies　and　of　the　Castilian　court。　　The　Moor　was　powerful　in　wielding　his　weapons　and　dextrous　in　managing　his　steed。　He　was　of　larger　frame　than　Garcilasso；　and　more　completely　armed；　and　the　Christians　trembled　for　their　champion。　　The　shock　of　their　encounter　was　dreadful；　their　lances　were　shivered；　and　sent　up　splinters　in　the　air。　　Garcilasso　was　thrown　back　in　his　saddle：　his　horse　made　a　wide　career　before　he　could　recover；　gather　up　the　reins；　and　return　to　the　conflict。　　They　now　encountered　each　other　with　swords。　　The　Moor　circled　round　his　opponent　as　a　hawk　circles　where　about　to　make　a　swoop；　his　steed　obeyed　his　rider　with　matchless　quickness；　at　every　attack　of　the　infidel　it　seemed　as　if　the　Christian　knight　must　sink　beneath　his　flashing　scimetar。　But　if　Garcilasso　was　inferior　to　him　in　power；　he　was　superior　in　agility：　many　of　his　blows　he　parried；　others　he　received　upon　his　Flemish　shield；　which　was　proof　against　the　Damascus　blade。　　The　blood　streamed　from　numerous　wounds　received　by　either　warrior。　The　Moor；　seeing　his　antagonist　exhausted；　availed　himself　of　his　superior　force；　and；　grappling；　endeavored　to　wrest　him　from　his　saddle。　　They　both　fell　to　earth：　the　Moor　placed　his　knee　upon　the　breast　of　his　victim；　and；　brandishing　his　dagger；　aimed　a　blow　at　his　throat。　　A　cry　of　despair　was　uttered　by　the　Christian　warriors；　when　suddenly　they　beheld　the　Moor　rolling　lifeless　in　the　dust。　Garcilasso　had　shortened　his　sword；　and　as　his　adversary　raised　his　arm　to　strike　had　pierced　him　to　the　heart。　　〃It　was　a　singular　and　miraculous　victory；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃but　the　Christian　knight　was　armed　by　the　sacred　nature　of　his　cause；　and　the　Holy　Virgin　gave　him　strength；　like　another　David；　to　slay　this　gigantic　champion　of　the　Gentiles。〃

The　laws　of　chivalry　were　observed　throughout　the　combatno　one　interfered　on　either　side。　　Garcilasso　now　despoiled　his　adversary；　then；　rescuing　the　holy　inscription　of　〃AVE　MARIA〃　from　its　degrading　situation；　he　elevated　it　on　the　point　of　his　sword；　and　bore　it　on　as　a　signal　of　triumph　amid　the　rapturous　shouts　of　the　Christian　army。*

*The　above　incident　has　been　commemorated　in　old　Spanish　ballads；　　and　made　the　subject　of　a　scene　in　an　old　Spanish　drama　ascribed　by　　some　to　Lope　de　Vega。


The　sun　had　now　reached　the　meridian；　and　the　hot　blood　of　the　Moors　was　inflamed　by　its　rays　and　by　the　sight　of　the　defeat　of　their　champion。　　Muza　ordered　two　pieces　of　ordnance　to　open　a　fire　upon　the　Christians。　　A　confusion　was　produced　in　one　part　of　their　ranks：　Muza　called　to　the　chiefs　of　the　army；　〃Let　us　waste　no　more　time　in　empty　challengeslet　us　charge　upon　the　enemy：　he　who　assaults　has　always　an　advantage　in　the　combat。〃　　So　saying；　he　rushed　forward；　followed　by　a　large　body　of　horse　and　foot；　and　charged　so　furiously　upon　the　advance　guard　of　the　Christians　that　he　drove　it　in　upon　the　battalion　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz。

The　gallant　marques　now　considered　himself　absolved　from　all　further　obedience　to　the　queen's　commands。　　He　gave　the　signal　to　attack；　〃Santiago！〃　was　shouted　along　the　line；　and　he　pressed　forward　to　the　encounter　with　his　battalion　of　twelve　hundred　lances。　　The　other　cavaliers　followed　his　example；　and　the　battle　instantly　became　general。

When　the　king　and　queen　beheld　the　armies　thus　rushing　to　the　combat；　they　threw　themselves　on　their　knees　and　implored　the　Holy　Virgin　to　protect　her　faithful　warriors。　　The　prince　and　princess；　the　ladies　of　the　court；　and　the　prelates　and　friars　who　were　present　did　the　same；　and　the　effect　of　the　prayers　of　these　illustrious　and　saintly　persons　was　immediately　apparent。　　The　fierceness　with　which　the　Moors　had　rushed　to　the　attack　was　suddenly　cooled；　they　were　bold　and　adroit　for　a　skirmish；　but　unequal　to　the　veteran　Spaniards　in　the　open　field。　　A　panic　seized　upon　the　foot…soldiers；　they　turned　and　took　to　flight。　　Muza　and　his　cavaliers　in　vain　endeavored　to　rally　them。　　Some　took　refuge　in　the　mountains；　but　the　greater　part　fled　to　the　city　in　such　confusion　that　they　overturned　and　trampled　upon　each　other。　　The　Christians　pursued　them　to　the　very　gates。　　Upward　of　two　thousand　were　either　killed；　wounded；　or　taken　prisoners；　and　the　two　pieces　of　ordnance　were　brought　off　as　trophies　of　the　victory。　　Not　a　Christian　lance　but　was　bathed　that　day　in　the　blood　of　an　infidel。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　101；　Zurita；　lib。　20；　c。　88。


Such　was　the　brief　but　bloody　action　which　was　known　among　the　Christian　warriors　by　the　name　of　〃the　Queen's　Skirmish；〃　for　when　the　marques　of　Cadiz　waited　upon　Her　Majesty　to　apologize　for　breaking　her　commands；　he　attributed　the　victory　entirely　to　her　presence。　　The　queen；　however；　insisted　that　it　was　all　owing　to　her　troops　being　led　on　by　so　valiant　a　commander。　　Her　Majesty　had　not　yet　recovered　from　her　agitation　at　beholding　so　terrible　a　scene　of　bloodshed；　though　certain　veterans　present　pronounced　it　as　gay　and　gentle　a　skirmish　as　they　had　ever　witnessed。

The　gayety　of　this　gentle　pass　at　arms；　however；　was　somewhat　marred　by　a　rough　reverse　in　the　evening。　　Certain　of　the　Christian　cavaliers；　among　whom　were　the　count　de　Urena；　Don　Alonso　Aguilar；　his　brother　Gonsalvo　of　Cordova；　Diego　Castrillo；　commander　of　Calatrava；　and　others　to　the　number　of　fifty；　remained　in　ambush　near　Armilla；　expecting　the　Moors　would　sally　forth　at　night　to　visit　the　scene　of　battle　and　to　bury　their　dead。　　They　were　discovered　by　a　Moor　who　had　climbed　an　elm　tree　to　reconnoitre；　and　who　hastened　into　the　city　to　give　notice　of　their　ambush。　　Scarce　had　night　fallen　when　the　cavaliers　found　themselves　surrounded　by　a　host　which　in　the　darkness　seemed　innumerable。　　The　Moors　attacked　them　with　sanguinary　fury　to　revenge　the　disgrace　of　the　morning。　　The　cavaliers　fought　to　every　disadvantage；　overwhelmed　by　numbers；　ignorant　of　the　ground；　perplexed　by　thickets　and　by　the　water…courses　of　the　gardens；　the　sluices　of　which　were　all　thrown　open。　　Even　retreat　was　difficult。　The　count　de　Urena　was　surrounded　and　in　imminent　peril；　from　which　he　was　saved　by　two　of　his　faithful　followers　at　the　sacrifice　of　their　lives。　　Several　cavaliers　lost　their　horses；　and　were　themselves　put　to　death　in　the　water…courses。　　Gonsalvo　of　Cordova　came　near　having　his　own　illustrious　career　cut　short　in　this　obscure　skirmish。　　He　had　fallen　into　a　water…course；　whence　he　extricated　himself；　covered　with　mud　and　so　encumbered　with　his　armor　that　he　could　not　retreat。　Inigo　de　Mendoza；　a　relative　of　his　brother　Alonso；　seeing　his　peril；　offered　him　his　horse。　　〃Take　it；　senor；〃　said　he；　〃for　you　cannot　save　yourself　on　foot；　and　I　can；　but　should　I　fall　take　care　of　my　wife　and　daughters。〃

Gonsalvo　accepted　the　devoted　offer；　mounted　the　horse；　and　h