chronicle of the conquest of granada-第104章

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tion　of　their　empire　and　blot　themselves　out　as　a　nation；　all　firmness　deserted　them；　and　many　gave　way　to　tears。　　Muza　alone　retained　an　unaltered　mien。　〃Leave；　seniors；〃　cried　he；　〃this　idle　lamentation　to　helpless　women　and　children：　we　are　menwe　have　hearts；　not　to　shed　tender　tears；　but　drops　of　blood。　　I　see　the　spirit　of　the　people　so　cast　down　that　it　is　impossible　to　save　the　kingdom。　　Yet　there　still　remains　an　alternative　for　noble　mindsa　glorious　death！　　Let　us　die　defending　our　liberty　and　avenging　the　woes　of　Granada。　　Our　mother　earth　will　receive　her　children　into　her　bosom；　safe　from　the　chains　and　oppressions　of　the　conqueror；　or；　should　any　fail　a　sepulchre　to　hide　his　remains；　he　will　not　want　a　sky　to　cover　him。　　Allah　forbid　it　should　be　said　the　nobles　of　Granada　feared　to　die　in　her　defence！〃

Muza　ceased　to　speak；　and　a　dead　silence　reigned　in　the　assembly。　Boabdil　looked　anxiously　round　and　scanned　every　face；　but　he　read　in　all　the　anxiety　of　careworn　men；　in　whose　hearts　enthusiasm　was　dead　and　who　had　grown　callous　to　every　chivalrous　appeal。　　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃there　is　no　God　but　God；　and　Mahomet　is　his　prophet！　　We　have　no　longer　forces　in　the　city　and　the　kingdom　to　resist　our　powerful　enemies。　　It　is　in　vain　to　struggle　against　the　will　of　Heaven。　　Too　surely　was　it　written　in　the　book　of　fate　that　I　should　be　unfortunate　and　the　kingdom　expire　under　my　rule。〃

〃Allah　Akbar！〃　echoed　the　viziers　and　alfaquis；　〃the　will　of　God　be　done！〃　　So　they　all　agreed　with　the　king　that　these　evils　were　preordained；　that　it　was　hopeless　to　contend　with　them；　and　that　the　terms　offered　by　the　Castilian　monarchs　were　as　favorable　as　could　be　expected。

When　Muza　heard　them　assent　to　the　treaty　of　surrender　he　rose　in　violent　indignation。　　〃Do　not　deceive　yourselves；〃　cried　he；　〃nor　think　the　Christians　will　be　faithful　to　their　promises；　or　their　king　as　magnanimous　in　conquest　as　he　has　been　victorious　in　war。　Death　is　the　least　we　have　to　fear。　　It　is　the　plundering　and　sacking　of　our　city；　the　profanation　of　our　mosques；　the　ruin　of　our　homes；　the　violation　of　our　wives　and　daughters；　cruel　oppression；　bigoted　intolerance；　whips　and　chains；　the　dungeon；　the　fagot；　and　the　stake：　such　are　the　miseries　and　indignities　we　shall　see　and　suffer；　at　least　those　grovelling　souls　will　see　and　suffer　them　who　now　shrink　from　an　honorable　death。　　For　my　part；　by　Allah；　I　will　never　witness　them！〃

With　these　words　he　left　the　council…chamber；　and　passed　gloomily　through　the　Court　of　Lions　and　the　outer　halls　of　the　Alhambra　without　deigning　to　speak　to　the　obsequious　courtiers　who　attended　in　them。　　He　repaired　to　his　dwelling；　armed　himself　at　all　points；　mounted　his　favorite　warhorse；　and；　issuing　from　the　city　by　the　gate　of　Elvira；　was　never　seen　or　heard　of　more。*

*Conde；　part　4。



CHAPTER　XCVIII。

COMMOTIONS　IN　GRANADA。


The　capitulation　for　the　surrender　of　Granada　was　signed　on　the　25th　of　November；　1481；　and　produced　a　sudden　cessation　of　those　hostilities　which　had　raged　for　so　many　years。　　Christian　and　Moor　might　now　be　seen　mingling　courteously　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil　and　the　Darro；　where　to　have　met　a　few　days　previous　would　have　produced　a　scene　of　sanguinary　contest。　　Still；　as　the　Moors　might　be　suddenly　roused　to　the　defence　if　within　the　allotted　term　of　sixty　days　succors　should　arrive　from　abroad；　and　as　they　were　at　all　times　a　rash；　inflammable　people；　the　wary　Ferdinand　maintained　a　vigilant　watch　upon　the　city　and　permitted　no　supplies　of　any　kind　to　enter。　His　garrisons　in　the　seaports　and　his　cruisers　in　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar　were　ordered　likewise　to　guard　against　any　relief　from　the　grand　soldan　of　Egypt　or　the　princes　of　Barbary。　　There　was　no　need　of　such　precautions。　　Those　powers　were　either　too　much　engrossed　by　their　own　wars　or　too　much　daunted　by　the　success　of　the　Spanish　arms　to　interfere　in　a　desperate　cause；　and　the　unfortunate　Moors　of　Granada　were　abandoned　to　their　fate。

The　month　of　December　had　nearly　passed　away：　the　famine　became　extreme；　and　there　was　no　hope　of　any　favorable　event　within　the　term　specified　in　the　capitulation。　　Boabdil　saw　that　to　hold　out　to　the　end　of　the　allotted　time　would　but　be　to　protract　the　miseries　of　his　people。　　With　the　consent　of　his　council　he　determined　to　surrender　the　city　on　the　sixth　of　January。　　He　accordingly　sent　his　grand　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　to　King　Ferdinand　to　make　known　his　intention；　bearing　him；　at　the　same　time；　a　present　of　a　magnificent　scimetar　and　two　Arabian　steeds　superbly　caparisoned。

The　unfortunate　Boabdil　was　doomed　to　meet　with　trouble　to　the　end　of　his　career。　　The　very　next　day　the　santon　or　dervise；　Hamet　Aben　Zarrax；　the　same　who　had　uttered　prophecies　and　excited　commotions　on　former　occasions；　suddenly　made　his　appearance。　　Whence　he　came　no　one　knew：　it　was　rumored　that　he　had　been　in　the　mountains　of　the　Alpuxarras　and　on　the　coast　of　Barbary　endeavoring　to　rouse　the　Moslems　to　the　relief　of　Granada。　　He　was　reduced　to　a　skeleton；　his　eyes　glowed　like　coals　in　their　sockets；　and　his　speech　was　little　better　than　frantic　raving。　　He　harangued　the　populace　in　the　streets　and　squares；　inveighed　against　the　capitulation；　denounced　the　king　and　nobles　as　Moslems　only　in　name；　and　called　upon　the　people　to　sally　forth　against　the　unbelievers；　for　that　Allah　had　decreed　them　a　signal　victory。

Upward　of　twenty　thousand　of　the　populace　seized　their　arms　and　paraded　the　streets　with　shouts　and　outcries。　　The　shops　and　houses　were　shut　up；　the　king　himself　did　not　dare　to　venture　forth；　but　remained　a　kind　of　prisoner　in　the　Alhambra。

The　turbulent　multitude　continued　roaming　and　shouting　and　howling　about　the　city　during　the　day　and　a　part　of　the　night。　　Hunger　and　a　wintry　tempest　tamed　their　frenzy；　and　when　morning　came　the　enthusiast　who　had　led　them　on　had　disappeared。　　Whether　he　had　been　disposed　of　by　the　emissaries　of　the　king　or　by　the　leading　men　of　the　city　is　not　known：　his　disappearance　remains　a　mystery。*

*Mariana。


Boabdil　now　issued　from　the　Alhambra；　attended　by　his　principal　nobles；　and　harangued　the　populace。　　He　set　forth　the　necessity　of　complying　with　the　capitulation；　from　the　famine　that　reigned　in　the　city；　the　futility　of　defence；　and　from　the　hostages　having　already　been　delivered　into　the　hands　of　the　besiegers。

In　the　dejection　of　his　spirits　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　attributed　to　himself　the　miseries　of　the　country。　　〃It　was　my　crime　in　ascending　the　throne　in　rebellion　against　my　father；〃　said　he；　mournfully；　〃which　has　brought　these　woes　upon　the　kingdom；　but　Allah　has　grievously　visited　my　sins　upon　my　head。　　For　your　sake；　my　people；　I　have　now　made　this　treaty；　to　protect　you　from　the　sword；　your　little　ones　from　famine；　your　wives　and　daughters　from　outrage；　and　to　secure　you　in　the　enjoyment　of　your　properties；　your　liberties；　your　laws；　and　your　religion　under　a　sovereign　of　happier　destinies　than　the　ill…starred　Boabdil。〃

The　versatile　population　were　touched　by　the　humility　of　their　sovereign：　they　agreed　to　adhere　to　the　capitulation；　and　there　was　even　a　faint　shout　of　〃Long　live　Boabdil　the　Unfortunate！〃　and　they　all　returned　to　their　homes　in　perfect　tranquillity。

Boabdil　immediately　sent　missives　to　King　Ferdinand　apprising　him　of　these　events；　and　of　his　fears　lest　further　delay　should　produce　new　tumults。　　The　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　was　again　the　agent　between　the　monarchs。　　He　was　received　with　unusual　courtesy　and　attention　by　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　and　it　was　arranged　between　them　that　the　surrender　should　take　place　on　the　second　day　of　January；　instead　of　the　sixth。　　A　new　difficulty　now　arose　in　regard　to　the　ceremonial　of　surrender。　　The　haughty　Ayxa　la　Horra；　whose　pride　rose　with　the　decline　of　her　fortunes；　declared　that　as　sultana…mother　she　would　never　consent　that　her　son　should　stoop　to　the　humiliation　of　kissing　the　hand　of　his　conquerors；　and　unless　this　part　of　the　ceremonial　were　modified　she　would　find　means　to　resist　a　surrender　accompanied　by　such　indignities。

Aben　Comixa　was　sorely　troubled　by　this　opposition。　　He　knew　the　high　spirit　of　the　indomitable　Ayxa　and　her　influen