chronicle of the conquest of granada-第111章

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　〃was　given　at　Cordova；　and　remains　the　same：　this　is　a　desperate　enterprise。　However；　the　Moors　are　at　hand；　and　if　they　suspect　weakness　in　us　it　will　increase　their　courage　and　our　peril。　　Forward　then　to　the　attack；　and　I　trust　in　God　we　shall　gain　a　victory。〃　　So　saying；　he　led　his　troops　into　the　battle。*

*Bleda；　1。　5；　c。　26。


On　the　skirts　of　the　mountain　were　several　level　places；　like　terraces；　here　the　Christians　pressed　valiantly　upon　the　Moors；　and　had　the　advantage；　but　the　latter　retreated　to　the　steep　and　craggy　heights；　whence　they　hurled　darts　and　rocks　upon　their　assailants。　They　defended　their　passes　and　defiles　with　valor；　but　were　driven　from　height　to　height　until　they　reached　the　plain　on　the　summit　of　the　mountain　where　their　wives　and　children　were　sheltered。　　Here　they　would　have　made　a　stand；　but　Alonso　de　Aguilar；　with　his　son　Don　Pedro；　charged　upon　them　at　the　head　of　three　hundred　men　and　put　them　to　flight　with　great　carnage。　　While　they　were　pursuing　the　flying　enemy　the　rest　of　the　army；　thinking　the　victory　achieved；　dispersed　themselves　over　the　little　plain　in　search　of　plunder。　They　pursued　the　shrieking　females；　tearing　off　their　necklaces；　bracelets；　and　anklets　of　gold；　and　they　found　so　much　treasure　of　various　kinds　collected　in　this　spot　that　they　threw　by　their　armor　and　weapons　to　load　themselves　with　booty。

Evening　was　closing。　　The　Christians；　intent　upon　spoil；　had　ceased　to　pursue　the　Moors；　and　the　latter　were　arrested　in　their　flight　by　the　cries　of　their　wives　and　children。　　Their　leader；　El　Feri；　threw　himself　before　them。　　〃Friends；　soldiers；〃　cried　he；　〃whither　do　you　fly？　Whither　can　you　seek　refuge　where　the　enemy　cannot　follow　you？　　Your　wives；　your　children；　are　behind　youturn　and　defend　them；　you　have　no　chance　for　safety　but　from　the　weapons　in　your　hands。〃

The　Moors　turned　at　his　words。　　They　beheld　the　Christians　scattered　about　the　plain；　many　of　them　without　armor；　and　all　encumbered　with　spoil。　　〃Now　is　the　time！〃　shouted　El　Feri：　〃charge　upon　them　while　laden　with　your　plunder。　　I　will　open　a　path　for　you。〃　　He　rushed　to　the　attack；　followed　by　his　Moors；　with　shouts　and　cries　that　echoed　through　the　mountains。　　The　scattered　Christians　were　seized　with　panic；　and；　throwing　down　their　booty；　began　to　fly　in　all　directions。　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　advanced　his　banner　and　endeavored　to　rally　them。　　Finding　his　horse　of　no　avail　in　these　rocky　heights；　he　dismounted；　and　caused　his　men　to　do　the　same：　he　had　a　small　band　of　tried　followers；　with　which　he　opposed　a　bold　front　to　the　Moors；　calling　on　the　scattered　troops　to　rally　in　the　rear。

Night　had　completely　closed。　　It　prevented　the　Moors　from　seeing　the　smallness　of　the　force　with　which　they　were　contending；　and　Don　Alonso　and　his　cavaliers　dealt　their　blows　so　vigorously　that；　aided　by　the　darkness；　they　seemed　multiplied　to　ten　times　their　number。　Unfortunately；　a　small　cask　of　gunpowder　blew　up　near　to　the　scene　of　action。　　It　shed　a　momentary　but　brilliant　light　over　all　the　plain　and　on　every　rock　and　cliff。　　The　Moors　beheld；　with　surprise；　that　they　were　opposed　by　a　mere　handful　of　men；　and　that　the　greater　part　of　the　Christians　were　flying　from　the　field。　　They　put　up　loud　shouts　of　triumph。　　While　some　continued　the　conflict　with　redoubled　ardor；　others　pursued　the　fugitives；　hurling　after　them　stones　and　darts　and　discharging　showers　of　arrows。　　Many　of　the　Christians　in　their　terror　and　their　ignorance　of　the　mountains；　rushed　headlong　from　the　brinks　of　precipices　and　were　dashed　in　pieces。

Don　Alonso　still　maintained　his　ground；　but；　while　some　of　the　Moors　assailed　him　in　front；　others　galled　him　with　all　kinds　of　missiles　from　the　impending　cliffs。　　Some　of　the　cavaliers；　seeing　the　hopeless　nature　of　the　conflict；　proposed　to　abandon　the　height　and　retreat　down　the　mountain。　　〃No；〃　said　Don　Alonso　proudly；　〃never　did　the　banner　of　the　house　of　Aguilar　retreat　one　foot　in　the　field　of　battle。〃　　He　had　scarcely　uttered　these　words　when　his　son　Pedro　was　stretched　at　his　feet。　　A　stone　hurled　from　a　cliff　had　struck　out　two　of　his　teeth；　and　a　lance　passed　quivering　through　his　thigh。　The　youth　attempted　to　rise；　and；　with　one　knee　on　the　ground；　to　fight　by　the　side　of　his　father。　　Don　Alonso；　finding　him　wounded；　urged　him　to　quit　the　field。　　〃Fly；　my　son；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　not　put　everything　at　venture　upon　one　hazard。　　Conduct　thyself　as　a　good　Christian；　and　live　to　comfort　and　honor　thy　mother。〃

Don　Pedro　still　refused　to　leave　his　side。　　Whereupon　Don　Alonso　ordered　several　of　his　followers　to　bear　him　off　by　force。　　His　friend　Don　Francisco　Alvarez　of　Cordova；　taking　him　in　his　arms；　conveyed　him　to　the　quarters　of　the　count　of　Urena；　who　had　halted　on　the　height　at　some　distance　from　the　scene　of　battle　for　the　purpose　of　rallying　and　succoring　the　fugitives。　　Almost　at　the　same　moment　the　count　beheld　his　own　son；　Don　Pedro　Giron；　brought　in　grievously　wounded。

In　the　mean　time；　Don　Alonso；　with　two　hundred　cavaliers；　maintained　the　unequal　contest。　　Surrounded　by　foes；　they　fell；　one　after　another；　like　so　many　stags　encircled　by　the　hunters。　　Don　Alonso　was　the　last　survivor；　without　horse　and　almost　without　armor；　his　corselet　unlaced　and　his　bosom　gashed　with　wounds。　　Still；　he　kept　a　brave　front　to　the　enemy；　and；　retiring　between　two　rocks；　defended　himself　with　such　valor　that　the　slain　lay　in　a　heap　before　him。

He　was　assailed　in　this　retreat　by　a　Moor　of　surpassing　strength　and　fierceness。　　The　contest　was　for　some　time　doubtful；　but　Don　Alonso　received　a　wound　in　the　head；　and　another　in　the　breast；　which　made　him　stagger。　　Closing　and　grappling　with　his　foe；　they　had　a　desperate　struggle；　until　the　Christian　cavalier；　exhausted　by　his　wounds；　fell　upon　his　back。　　He　still　retained　his　grasp　upon　his　enemy。　　〃Think　not；〃　cried　he；　〃thou　hast　an　easy　prize；　know　that　I　am　Don　Alonso；　he　of　Aguilar！〃〃If　thou　art　Don　Alonso；〃　replied　the　Moor；　〃know　that　I　am　El　Feri　of　Ben　Estepar。〃　　They　continued　their　deadly　struggle；　and　both　drew　their　daggers；　but　Don　Alonso　was　exhausted　by　seven　ghastly　wounds：　while　he　was　yet　struggling　his　heroic　soul　departed　from　his　body；　and　he　expired　in　the　grasp　of　the　Moor。

Thus　fell　Alonso　de　Aguilar；　the　mirror　of　Andalusian　chivalryone　of　the　most　powerful　grandees　of　Spain　for　person；　blood；　estate；　and　office。　　For　forty　years　he　had　made　successful　war　upon　the　Moorsin　childhood　by　his　household　and　retainers；　in　manhood　by　the　prowess　of　his　arm　and　in　the　wisdom　and　valor　of　his　spirit。　His　pennon　had　always　been　foremost　in　danger；　he　had　been　general　of　armies；　viceroy　of　Andalusia；　and　the　author　of　glorious　enterprises　in　which　kings　were　vanquished　and　mighty　alcaydes　and　warriors　laid　low。　　He　had　slain　many　Moslem　chiefs　with　his　own　arm；　and　among　others　the　renowned　Ali　Atar　of　Loxa；　fighting　foot　to　foot；　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil。　　His　judgment；　discretion；　magnanimity；　and　justice　vied　with　his　prowess。　　He　was　the　fifth　lord　of　his　warlike　house　that　fell　in　battle　with　the　Moors。

〃His　soul；〃　observes　the　worthy　Padre　Abarca；　〃it　is　believed；　ascended　to　heaven　to　receive　the　reward　of　so　Christian　a　captain；　for　that　very　day　he　had　armed　himself　with　the　sacraments　of　confession　and　communion。〃*

*Abarca；　Anales　de　Aragon；　Rey　xxx。　cap。　ii。


The　Moors；　elated　with　their　success；　pursued　the　fugitive　Christians　down　the　defiles　and　sides　of　the　mountains。　　It　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　that　the　count　de　Urena　could　bring　off　a　remnant　of　his　forces　from　that　disastrous　height。　　Fortunately；　on　the　lower　slope　of　the　mountain　they　found　the　rear…guard　of　the　army；　led　by　the　count　de　Cifuentes；　who　had　crossed　the　brook　and　the　ravine　to　come　to　their　assistance。　　As　the　fugitives　came　flying　in　headlong　terror　down　the　mountain　it　was　with　difficulty　the　count　kept　his　own　troops　from　giving　way　in　panic　and　retreating　in　confusion　across　the　brook。　　He　succeeded；　however；　in　maintaining　order；　in　rallying　the　fugitives；　and　checking　the　fury　of　the　Moors；　then；　taking　his　station　on　a　rocky　eminence；　he　maintained　his　post　until　morning；　sometimes　sustaining　violent　attacks；　at　other