chronicle of the conquest of granada-第23章

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king；　and　I　will　not　be　disappointed。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　replied　Don　Diego；　〃let　us　wait　but　two　hours；　and　we　shall　have　reinforcements　which　have　been　promised　me　from　Rambla；　Santaella；　Montilla；　and　other　places　in　the　neighborhood。〃　　〃If　we　await　these；〃　said　the　hardy　count；　〃the　Moors　will　be　off；　and　all　our　trouble　will　have　been　in　vain。　　You　may　await　them　if　you　please；　I　am　resolved　on　fighting。〃

The　count　paused　for　no　reply；　but　in　his　prompt　and　rapid　manner　sallied　forth　to　his　men。　　The　young　alcayde　de　los　Donceles；　though　more　prudent　than　his　ardent　uncle；　was　equally　brave；　he　determined　to　stand　by　him　in　his　rash　enterprise；　and；　summoning　his　little　force；　marched　forth　to　join　the　count；　who　was　already　on　the　move。　They　then　proceeded　together　in　quest　of　the　enemy。

The　Moorish　army　had　ceased　ravaging　the　country；　and　was　not　to　be　seen；　the　neighborhood　being　hilly　and　broken　with　deep　ravines。　The　count　despatched　six　scouts　on　horseback　to　reconnoitre；　ordering　them　to　return　with　all　speed　on　discovering　the　enemy；　and　by　no　means　to　engage　in　skirmishing　with　stragglers。　　The　scouts；　ascending　a　high　hill；　beheld　the　Moorish　army　in　a　valley　behind　it；　the　cavalry　ranged　in　five　battalions　keeping　guard；　while　the　foot…soldiers　were　seated　on　the　grass　making　a　repast。　　They　returned　immediately　with　the　intelligence。

The　count　now　ordered　the　troops　to　march　in　the　direction　of　the　enemy。　　He　and　his　nephew　ascended　the　hill；　and　saw　that　the　five　battalions　of　Moorish　cavalry　had　been　formed　into　two；　one　of　about　nine　hundred　lances；　the　other　of　about　six　hundred。　　The　whole　force　seemed　prepared　to　march　for　the　frontier。　　The　foot…soldiers　were　already　under　way　with　many　prisoners　and　a　great　train　of　mules　and　beasts　of　burden　laden　with　booty。　　At　a　distance　was　Boabdil　el　Chico：　they　could　not　distinguish　his　person；　but　they　knew　him　by　his　superb　black　and　white　charger；　magnificently　caparisoned；　and　by　his　being　surrounded　by　a　numerous　guard　sumptuously　armed　and　attired。　　Old　Ali　Atar　was　careering　about　the　valley　with　his　usual　impatience；　hurrying　the　march　of　the　loitering　troops。

The　eyes　of　the　count　de　Cabra　glistened　with　eager　joy　as　he　beheld　the　royal　prize　within　his　reach。　　The　immense　disparity　of　their　forces　never　entered　into　his　mind。　　〃By　Santiago！〃　said　he　to　his　nephew　as　they　hastened　down　the　hill；　〃had　we　waited　for　more　forces　the　Moorish　king　and　his　army　would　have　escaped　us。〃

The　count　now　harangued　his　men　to　inspirit　them　to　this　hazardous　encounter。　　He　told　them　not　to　be　dismayed　at　the　number　of　the　Moors；　for　God　often　permitted　the　few　to　conquer　the　many；　and　he　had　great　confidence　that　through　the　divine　aid　they　were　that　day　to　achieve　a　signal　victory　which　should　win　them　both　riches　and　renown。　　He　commanded　that　no　man　should　hurl　his　lance　at　the　enemy；　but　should　keep　it　in　his　hands　and　strike　as　many　blows　with　it　as　he　could。　　He　warned　them　also　never　to　shout　except　when　the　Moors　did；　for　when　both　armies　shouted　together　there　was　no　perceiving　which　made　the　most　noise　and　was　the　strongest。　He　desired　his　uncle　Lope　de　Mendoza；　and　Diego　de　Cabrera；　alcayde　of　Dona　Mencia；　to　alight　and　enter　on　foot　in　the　battalion　of　infantry　to　animate　them　to　the　combat。　　He　appointed　also　the　alcayde　of　Vaena　and　Diego　de　Clavijo；　a　cavalier　of　his　household；　to　remain　in　the　rear；　and　not　to　permit　any　one　to　lag　behind；　either　to　despoil　the　dead　or　for　any　other　purpose。

Such　were　the　orders　given　by　this　most　adroit；　active；　and　intrepid　cavalier　to　his　little　army；　supplying　by　admirable　sagacity　and　subtle　management　the　want　of　a　more　numerous　force。　　His　orders　being　given　and　all　arrangements　made；　he　threw　aside　his　lance；　drew　his　sword；　and　commanded　his　standard　to　be　advanced　against　the　enemy。



CHAPTER　XVI。

THE　BATTLE　OF　LUCENA。


The　Moorish　king　had　descried　the　Spanish　forces　at　a　distance；　although　a　slight　fog　prevented　his　seeing　them　distinctly　and　ascertaining　their　numbers。　　His　old　father…in…law；　Ali　Atar；　was　by　his　side；　who；　being　a　veteran　marauder；　was　well　acquainted　with　all　the　standards　and　armorial　bearings　of　the　frontiers。　　When　the　king　beheld　the　ancient　and　long…disused　banner　of　Cabra　emerging　from　the　mist；　he　turned　to　Ali　Atar　and　demanded　whose　ensign　it　was。　　The　old　borderer　was　for　once　at　a　loss；　for　the　banner　had　not　been　displayed　in　battle　in　his　time。　　〃In　truth；〃　replied　he；　after　a　pause；　〃I　have　been　considering　that　standard　for　some　time；　but　I　confess　I　do　not　know　it。　　It　cannot　be　the　ensign　of　any　single　commander　or　community；　for　none　would　venture　single…handed　to　attack　you。　　It　appears　to　be　a　dog；　which　device　is　borne　by　the　towns　of　Baeza　and　Ubeda。　If　it　be　so；　all　Andalusia　is　in　movement　against　you；　and　I　would　advise　you　to　retire。〃

The　count　de　Cabra；　in　winding　down　the　hill　toward　the　Moors；　found　himself　on　much　lower　ground　than　the　enemy：　he　ordered　in　all　haste　that　his　standard　should　be　taken　back；　so　as　to　gain　the　vantage…　ground。　　The　Moors；　mistaking　this　for　a　retreat；　rushed　impetuously　toward　the　Christians。　　The　latter；　having　gained　the　height　proposed；　charged　upon　them　at　the　same　moment　with　the　battle…cry　of　〃Santiago！〃　and；　dealing　the　first　blows；　laid　many　of　the　Moorish　cavaliers　in　the　dust。

The　Moors；　thus　checked　in　their　tumultuous　assault；　were　thrown　into　confusion；　and　began　to　give　way；　the　Christians　following　hard　upon　them。　　Boabdil　el　Chico　endeavored　to　rally　them。　　〃Hold！　hold！　for　shame！〃　cried　he；　〃let　us　not　fly；　at　least　until　we　know　our　enemy。〃　　The　Moorish　chivalry　were　stung　by　this　reproof；　and　turned　to　make　front　with　the　valor　of　men　who　feel　that　they　are　fighting　under　their　monarch's　eye。

At　this　moment；　Lorenzo　de　Porres；　alcayde　of　Luque；　arrived　with　fifty　horse　and　one　hundred　foot；　sounding　an　Italian　trumpet　from　among　a　copse　of　oak　trees　which　concealed　his　force。　　The　quick　ear　of　old　Ali　Atar　caught　the　note。　　〃That　is　an　Italian　trumpet；〃　said　he　to　the　king；　〃the　whole　world　seems　in　arms　against　Your　Highness！〃

The　trumpet　of　Lorenzo　de　Porres　was　answered　by　that　of　the　count　de　Cabra　in　another　direction；　and　it　seemed　to　the　Moors　as　if　they　were　between　two　armies。　　Don　Lorenzo；　sallying　from　among　the　oaks；　now　charged　upon　the　enemy：　the　latter　did　not　wait　to　ascertain　the　force　of　this　new　foe；　the　confusion；　the　variety　of　alarums；　the　attacks　from　opposite　quarters；　the　obscurity　of　the　fog；　all　conspired　to　deceive　them　as　to　the　number　of　their　adversaries。　　Broken　and　dismayed；　they　retreated　fighting；　and　nothing　but　the　presence　and　remonstrances　of　the　king　prevented　their　retreat　from　becoming　a　headlong　flight。　　If　Boabdil　had　displayed　little　of　the　talents　of　a　general　in　the　outset　of　his　enterprise；　he　manifested　courage　and　presence　of　mind　amid　the　disasters　of　its　close。　　Seconded　by　a　small　body　of　cavalry；　the　choicest　and　most　loyal　of　his　guards；　he　made　repeated　stand　against　the　press　of　the　foe　in　a　skirmishing　retreat　of　about　three　leagues；　and　the　way　was　strewn　with　the　flower　of　his　chivalry。　At　length　they　came　to　the　brook　of　Martin　Gonzales　（or　Mingozales；　as　it　is　called　by　the　Moorish　chroniclers）；　which；　swollen　by　recent　rain；　was　now　a　deep　and　turbid　torrent。　　Here　a　scene　of　confusion　ensued。　　Horse　and　foot　precipitated　themselves　into　the　stream。　Some　of　the　horses　stuck　fast　in　the　mire　and　blocked　up　the　ford；　others　trampled　down　the　foot…soldiers；　many　were　drowned　and　more　carried　down　the　stream。　　Such　of　the　foot…soldiers　as　gained　the　opposite　side　immediately　took　to　flight；　the　horsemen；　too；　who　had　struggled　through　the　stream；　gave　reins　to　their　steeds　and　scoured　for　the　frontier。

The　little　band　of　devoted　cavaliers　about　the　king　serried　their　forces　to　keep　the　enemy　in　check；　fighting　with　them　hand　to　hand　until　he　should　have　time　to　cross。　　In　the　tumult　his　horse　was　shot　down；　and　he　became　environed　in　the　throng　of　foot…soldiers　struggling　forward　to　the　ford　and　in　peril　from　the　lances　of　their　pursuers。　　Conscious　that　his　rich　array　made　him　a　conspicuous　object；　he　retreated　al