chronicle of the conquest of granada-第20章

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under　him；　his　brothers；　Don　Diego　and　Don　Lope；　with　his　two　nephews；　Don　Lorenzo　and　Don　Manuel；　were　one　by　one　swept　from　his　side；　either　transfixed　with　darts　and　lances　by　the　soldiers　of　El　Zagal　or　crushed　by　stones　from　the　heights。　　The　marques　was　a　veteran　warrior；　and　had　been　in　many　a　bloody　battle；　but　never　before　had　death　fallen　so　thick　and　close　around　him。　　When　he　saw　his　remaining　brother；　Don　Beltran；　struck　out　of　his　saddle　by　a　fragment　of　a　rock　and　his　horse　running　wildly　about　without　his　rider；　he　gave　a　cry　of　anguish　and　stood　bewildered　and　aghast。　A　few　faithful　followers　surrounded　him　and　entreated　him　to　fly　for　his　life。　　He　would　still　have　remained；　to　have　shared　the　fortunes　of　his　friend　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　and　his　other　companions…in…arms；　but　the　forces　of　El　Zagal　were　between　him　and　them；　and　death　was　whistling　by　on　every　wind。　　Reluctantly；　therefore；　he　consented　to　fly。　　Another　horse　was　brought　him：　his　faithful　adalid　guided　him　by　one　of　the　steepest　paths；　which　lasted　for　four　leagues；　the　enemy　still　hanging　on　his　traces　and　thinning　the　scanty　ranks　of　his　followers。　　At　length　the　marques　reached　the　extremity　of　the　mountain…defiles；　and　with　a　haggard　remnant　of　his　men　escaped　by　dint　of　hoof　to　Antiquera。

The　count　of　Cifuentes；　with　a　few　of　his　retainers；　in　attempting　to　follow　the　marques　of　Cadiz　wandered　into　a　narrow　pass；　where　they　were　completely　surrounded　by　the　band　of　El　Zagal。　　The　count　himself　was　assailed　by　six　of　the　enemy；　against　whom　he　was　defending　himself　with　desperation；　when　their　leader；　struck　with　the　inequality　of　the　fight；　ordered　the　others　to　desist；　and　continued　the　combat　alone。　　The　count；　already　exhausted；　was　soon　compelled　to　surrender；　his　brother；　Don　Pedro　de　Silva；　and　the　few　of　his　retainers　who　survived；　were　likewise　taken　prisoners。　　The　Moorish　cavalier　who　had　manifested　such　a　chivalrous　spirit　in　encountering　the　count　singly　was＇3＇Reduan　Vanegas；　brother　of　the　former　vizier　of　Muley　Abul　Hassan；　and　one　of　the　leaders　of　the　faction　of　the　sultana　Zoraya。

The　dawn　of　day　found　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　with　a　handful　of　his　followers　still　among　the　mountains。　　They　had　attempted　to　follow　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　but　had　been　obliged　to　pause　and　defend　themselves　against　the　thickening　forces　of　the　enemy。　　They　at　length　traversed　the　mountain；　and　reached　the　same　valley　where　the　marques　had　made　his　last　disastrous　stand。　　Wearied　and　perplexed；　they　sheltered　themselves　in　a　natural　grotto　under　an　overhanging　rock；　which　kept　off　the　darts　of　the　enemy；　while　a　bubbling　fountain　gave　them　the　means　of　slaking　their　raging　thirst　and　refreshing　their　exhausted　steeds。　　As　day　broke　the　scene　of　slaughter　unfolded　its　horrors。　　There　lay　the　noble　brothers　and　nephews　of　the　gallant　marques；　transfixed　with　darts　or　gashed　and　bruised　with　unseemly　wounds；　while　many　other　gallant　cavaliers　lay　stretched　out　dead　and　dying　around；　some　of　them　partly　stripped　and　plundered　by　the　Moors。　　De　Aguilar　was　a　pious　knight；　but　his　piety　was　not　humble　and　resigned；　like　that　of　the　worthy　master　of　Santiago。　　He　imprecated　holy　curses　upon　the　infidels　for　having　thus　laid　low　the　flower　of　Christian　chivalry；　and　he　vowed　in　his　heart　bitter　vengeance　upon　the　surrounding　country。

By　degrees　the　little　force　of　De　Aguilar　was　augmented　by　numbers　of　fugitives　who　issued　from　caves　and　chasms　where　they　had　taken　refuge　in　the　night。　　A　little　band　of　mounted　knights　was　gradually　formed；　and；　the　Moors　having　abandoned　the　heights　to　collect　the　spoils　of　the　slain；　this　gallant　but　forlorn　squadron　was　enabled　to　retreat　to　Antiquera。

This　disastrous　affair　lasted　from　Thursday　evening；　throughout　Friday；　the　twenty…first　of　March；　the　festival　of　St。　Benedict。　It　is　still　recorded　in　Spanish　calendars　as　the　defeat　of　the　mountains　of　Malaga；　and　the　spot　where　the　greatest　slaughter　took　place　is　called　〃la　Cuesta　de　la　Matanza；〃　or　the　Hill　of　the　Massacre。　　The　principal　leaders　who　survived　returned　to　Antiquera。　Many　of　the　knights　took　refuge　in　Alhama　and　other　towns：　many　wandered　about　the　mountains　for　eight　days；　living　on　roots　and　herbs；　hiding　themselves　during　the　day　and　sallying　forth　at　night。　So　enfeebled　and　disheartened　were　they　that　they　offered　no　resistance　if　attacked。　　Three　or　four　soldiers　would　surrender　to　a　Moorish　peasant；　and　even　the　women　of　Malaga　sallied　forth　and　made　prisoners。　　Some　were　thrown　into　the　dungeons　of　frontier　towns；　others　led　captive　to　Granada；　but　by　far　the　greater　number　were　conducted　to　Malaga；　the　city　they　had　threatened　to　attack。　Two　hundred　and　fifty　principal　cavaliers；　alcaydes；　commanders；　and　hidalgos　of　generous　blood　were　confined　in　the　alcazaba；　or　citadel；　of　Malaga　to　await　their　ransom；　and　five　hundred　and　seventy　of　the　common　soldiery　were　crowded　in　an　enclosure　or　courtyard　of　the　alcazaba　to　be　sold　as　slaves。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios。


Great　spoils　were　collected　of　splendid　armor　and　weapons　taken　from　the　slain　or　thrown　away　by　the　cavaliers　in　their　flight；　and　many　horses；　magnificently　caparisoned；　together　with　numerous　standards；all　which　were　paraded　in　triumph　in　the　Moorish　towns。

The　merchants　also　who　had　come　with　the　army；　intending　to　traffic　in　the　spoils　of　the　Moors；　were　themselves　made　objects　of　traffic。　Several　of　them　were　driven　like　cattle　before　the　Moorish　viragoes　to　the　market　of　Malaga；　and；　in　spite　of　all　their　adroitness　in　trade　and　their　attempts　to　buy　themselves　off　at　a　cheap　ransom；　they　were　unable　to　purchase　their　freedom　without　such　draughts　upon　their　money…bags　at　home　as　drained　them　to　the　very　bottom。



CHAPTER　XIII。

EFFECTS　OF　THE　DISASTERS　AMONG　THE　MOUNTAINS　OF　MALAGA。


The　people　of　Antiquera　had　scarcely　recovered　from　the　tumult　of　excitement　and　admiration　caused　by　the　departure　of　the　gallant　band　of　cavaliers　upon　their　foray　when　they　beheld　the　scattered　wrecks　flying　for　refuge　to　their　walls。　　Day　after　day　and　hour　after　hour　brought　some　wretched　fugitive；　in　whose　battered　plight　and　haggard　woebegone　demeanor　it　was　almost　impossible　to　recognize　the　warrior　who　had　lately　issued　so　gayly　and　gloriously　from　their　gates。

The　arrival　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz　almost　alone；　covered　with　dust　and　blood；　his　armor　shattered　and　defaced；　his　countenance　the　picture　of　despair；　filled　every　heart　with　sorrow；　for　he　was　greatly　beloved　by　the　people。　　The　multitude　asked　of　his　companions　where　was　the　band　of　brothers　which　had　rallied　round　him　as　he　went　forth　to　the　field；　and　when　told　that　one　by　one　they　had　been　slaughtered　at　his　side；　they　hushed　their　voices　or　spake　to　each　other　only　in　whispers　as　he　passed；　gazing　at　him　in　silent　sympathy。　　No　one　attempted　to　console　him　in　so　great　an　affliction；　nor　did　the　good　marques　speak　ever　a　word；　but；　shutting　himself　up；　brooded　in　lonely　anguish　over　his　misfortune。　　It　was　only　the　arrival　of　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　that　gave　him　a　gleam　of　consolation；　rejoicing　to　find　that　amidst　the　shafts　of　death　which　had　fallen　so　thickly　among　his　family　his　chosen　friend　and　brother…in…arms　had　escaped　uninjured。

For　several　days　every　eye　was　turned　in　fearful　suspense　toward　the　Moorish　border；　anxiously　looking　in　every　fugitive　from　the　mountains　for　the　lineaments　of　some　friend　or　relative　whose　fate　was　yet　a　mystery。　　At　length　every　hope　and　doubt　subsided　into　certainty；　the　whole　extent　of　this　great　calamity　was　known；　spreading　grief　and　consternation　throughout　the　land　and　laying　desolate　the　pride　and　hopes　of　palaces。　　It　was　a　sorrow　that　visited　the　marble　hall　and　silken　pillow。　　Stately　dames　mourned　over　the　loss　of　their　sons；　the　joy　and　glory　of　their　age；　and　many　a　fair　cheek　was　blanched　with　woe　which　had　lately　mantled　with　secret　admiration。　　〃All　Andalusia；〃　says　a　historian　of　the　time；　〃was　overwhelmed　by　a　great　affliction；　there　was　no　drying　of　the　eyes　which　wept　in　her。〃*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios。


Fear　and　trembling　reigned　for　a　time　along　the　frontier。　　Their　spear　seemed　broken；　their　buckler　cleft　in　twain：　every　border　town