chronicle of the conquest of granada-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　in　flank。

The　Moors　were　astounded　at　finding　war　thus　breaking　upon　them　from　various　quarters　of　what　they　had　expected　to　find　an　unguarded　country。　　They　fought　for　a　short　time　with　desperation；　and　resisted　a　vehement　assault　from　the　knights　of　Alcantara　and　the　men…at…arms　of　the　Holy　Brotherhood。　　At　length　the　veteran　Bexir　was　struck　from　his　horse　by　Puerto　Carrero　and　taken　prisoner；　and　the　whole　force　gave　way　and　fled。　　In　their　flight　they　separated　and　took　two　roads　to　the　mountains；　thinking　by　dividing　their　forces　to　distract　the　enemy。　　The　Christians　were　too　few　to　separate。　　Puerto　Carrero　kept　them　together；　pursuing　one　division　of　the　enemy　with　great　slaughter。　　This　battle　took　place　at　the　fountain　of　the　fig　tree；　near　to　the　Lopera。　　Six　hundred　Moorish　cavaliers　were　slain　and　many　taken　prisoners。　　Much　spoil　was　collected　on　the　field；　with　which　the　Christians　returned　in　triumph　to　their　homes。

The　larger　body　of　the　enemy　had　retreated　along　a　road　leading　more　to　the　south；　by　the　banks　of　the　Guadalete。　　When　they　reached　that　river　the　sound　of　pursuit　had　died　away；　and　they　rallied　to　breathe　and　refresh　themselves　on　the　margin　of　the　stream。　　Their　force　was　reduced　to　about　a　thousand　horse　and　a　confused　multitude　of　foot。　　While　they　were　scattered　and　partly　dismounted　on　the　banks　of　the　Guadalete　a　fresh　storm　of　war　burst　upon　them　from　an　opposite　direction。　　It　was　the＇4＇marques　of　Cadiz；　leading　on　his　household　troops　and　the　fighting　men　of　Xeres。　　When　the　Christian　warriors　came　in　sight　of　the　Moors；　they　were　roused　to　fury　at　beholding　many　of　them　arrayed　in　the　armor　of　the　cavaliers　who　had　been　slain　among　the　mountains　of　Malaga。　　Nay；　some　who　had　been　in　that　defeat　beheld　their　own　armor；　which　they　had　cast　away　in　their　flight　to　enable　themselves　to　climb　the　mountains。　　Exasperated　at　the　sight　they　rushed　upon　the　foe　with　the　ferocity　of　tigers　rather　than　the　temperate　courage　of　cavaliers。　　Each　man　felt　as　if　he　were　avenging　the　death　of　a　relative　or　wiping　out　his　own　disgrace。　　The　good　marques　himself　beheld　a　powerful　Moor　bestriding　the　horse　of　his　brother　Beltran：　giving　a　cry　of　rage　and　anguish　at　the　sight；　he　rushed　through　the　thickest　of　the　enemy；　attacked　the　Moor　with　resistless　fury；　and　after　a　short　combat　hurled　him　breathless　to　the　earth。

The　Moors；　already　vanquished　in　spirit；　could　not　withstand　the　assault　of　men　thus　madly　excited。　　They　soon　gave　way；　and　fled　for　the　defile　of　the　Serrania　de　Ronda；　where　the　body　of　troops　had　been　stationed　to　secure　a　retreat。　　These；　seeing　them　come　galloping　wildly　up　the　defile；　with　Christian　banners　in　pursuit　and　the　flash　of　weapons　at　their　deadly　work；　thought　all　Andalusia　was　upon　them；　and　fled　without　awaiting　an　attack。　　The　pursuit　continued　among　glens　and　defiles；　for　the　Christian　warriors；　eager　for　revenge；　had　no　compassion　on　the　foe。

When　the　pursuit　was　over　the　marques　of　Cadiz　and　his　followers　reposed　themselves　upon　the　banks　of　the　Guadalete；　where　they　divided　the　spoil。　　Among　this　were　found　many　rich　corselets；　helmets；　and　weapons；　the　Moorish　trophies　of　the　defeat　in　the　mountains　of　Malaga。　　Several　were　claimed　by　their　owners；　others　were　known　to　have　belonged　to　noble　cavaliers　who　had　been　slain　or　taken　prisoners。　　There　were　several　horses　also；　richly　caparisoned；　which　had　pranced　proudly　with　the　unfortunate　warriors　as　they　sallied　out　of　Antiquera　upon　that　fatal　expedition。　　Thus　the　exultation　of　the　victors　was　dashed　with　melancholy；　and　many　a　knight　was　seen　lamenting　over　the　helmet　or　corselet　of　some　loved　companion…in…arms。


NOTE。〃En　el　despojo　de　la　Batalla　se　vieron　muchas　ricas　corazas　　e　capacetes；　e　barberas　de　las　que　se　habian　perdido　en　el　Axarquia；　　e　otras　muchas　armas；　e　algunes　fueron　conocidas　de　sus　duenos　que　　las　habian　dejado　por　fuir；　e　otras　fueron　conocidas；　que　eran　mui　　senaladas　de　hombres　principales　que　habian　quedado　muertos　e　　cautivos；　i　fueron　tornados　muchos　de　los　mismos　Caballos　con　sus　　ricas　sillas；　de　los　que　quedaron　en　la　Axerquia；　e　fueron　concidos　　cuios　eran。〃〃Cura　de　los　Palacios；〃　cap。　67。



CHAPTER　XXIII。

RETREAT　OF　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI；　ALCAYDE　OF　RONDA。


The　bold　alcayde　of　Ronda；　Hamet　el　Zegri；　had　careered　wide　over　the　Campina　of　Utrera；　encompassing　the　flocks　and　herds；　when　he　heard　the　burst　of　war　at　a　distance。　　There　were　with　him　but　a　handful　of　his　Gomeres。　　He　saw　the　scamper　and　pursuit　afar　off；　and　beheld　the　Christian　horsemen　spurring　madly　toward　the　ambuscade　on　the　banks　of　the　Lopera。　　Hamet　tossed　his　hand　triumphantly　aloft　for　his　men　to　follow　him。　　〃The　Christian　dogs　are　ours！〃　said　he　as　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　to　take　the　enemy　in　rear。

The　little　band　which　followed　Hamet　scarcely　amounted　to　thirty　horsemen。　　They　spurred　across　the　plain；　and　reached　a　rising　ground　just　as　the　force　of　Puerto　Carrero　had　charged；　with　sound　of　trumpet；　upon　the　flank　of　the　party　in　ambush。　　Hamet　beheld　the　headlong　rout　of　the　army　with　rage　and　consternation。　He　found　the　country　was　pouring　forth　its　legions　from　every　quarter；　and　perceived　that　there　was　no　safety　but　in　precipitate　flight。

But　which　way　to　fly？　　An　army　was　between　him　and　the　mountain…　pass；　all　the　forces　of　the　neighborhood　were　rushing　to　the　borders；　the　whole　route　by　which　he　had　come　was　by　this　time　occupied　by　the　foe。　　He　checked　his　steed；　rose　in　the　stirrups；　and　rolled　a　stern　and　thoughtful　eye　over　the　country；　then；　sinking　into　his　saddle；　he　seemed　to　commune　a　moment　with　himself。　　Turning　quickly　to　his　troop；　he　singled　out　a　renegado　Christian；　a　traitor　to　his　religion　and　his　king。　　〃Come　hither；〃　said　Hamet。　　〃Thou　knowest　all　the　secret　passes　of　the　country？〃〃I　do；〃　replied　the　renegado。　〃Dost　thou　know　any　circuitous　route；　solitary　and　untravelled；　by　which　we　can　pass　wide　within　these　troops　and　reach　the　Serrania？〃　The　renegado　paused：　〃Such　a　route　I　know；　but　it　is　full　of　peril；　for　it　leads　through　the　heart　of　the　Christian　land。〃〃'Tis　well；〃　said　Hamet；　〃the　more　dangerous　in　appearance；　the　less　it　will　be　suspected。　　Now　hearken　to　me。　　Ride　by　my　side。　Thou　seest　this　purse　of　gold　and　this　scimetar。　　Take　us；　by　the　route　thou　hast　mentioned；　safe　to　the　pass　of　the　Serrania；　and　this　purse　shall　be　thy　reward；　betray　us；　and　this　scimetar　shall　cleave　thee　to　the　saddle…bow。〃*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　ubi　sup。


The　renegado　obeyed；　trembling。　　They　turned　off　from　the　direct　road　to　the　mountains　and　struck　southward　toward　Lebrixa；　passing　by　the　most　solitary　roads　and　along　those　deep　ramblas　and　ravines　by　which　the　country　is　intersected。　　It　was　indeed　a　daring　course。　Every　now　and　then　they　heard　the　distant　sound　of　trumpets　and　the　alarm…bells　of　towns　and　villages；　and　found　that　the　war　was　still　hurrying　to　the　borders。　　They　hid　themselves　in　thickets　and　in　dry　beds　of　rivers　until　the　danger　had　passed　by；　and　then　resumed　their　course。　　Hamet　el　Zegri　rode　on　in　silence；　his　hand　upon　his　scimetar　and　his　eye　upon　the　renegado　guide；　prepared　to　sacrifice　him　on　the　least　sign　of　treachery；　while　his　band　followed；　gnawing　their　lips　with　rage　at　having　thus　to　skulk　through　a　country　they　had　come　to　ravage。

When　night　fell　they　struck　into　more　practicable　roads；　always　keeping　wide　of　the　villages　and　hamlets；　lest　the　watch…dogs　should　betray　them。　　In　this　way　they　passed　in　deep　midnight　by　Arcos；　crossed　the　Guadalete；　and　effected　their　retreat　to　the　mountains。　The　day　dawned　as　they　made　their　way　up　the　savage　defiles。　　Their　comrades　had　been　hunted　up　these　very　glens　by　the　enemy。　　Every　now　and　then　they　came　to　where　there　had　been　a　partial　fight　or　a　slaughter　of　the　fugitives；　and　the　rocks　were　red　with　blood　and　strewed　with　mangled　bodies。　　The　alcayde　of　Ronda　was　almost　frantic　with　rage　at　seeing　many　of　his　bravest　warriors　lying　stiff　and　stark；　a　prey　to　the　hawks　and　vultures　of　the　mountains。　　Now　and　then　some　wretched　Moor　would　crawl　out　of　a　cave　or　glen；　whither　he　had　fled　for　refuge；　for　in　the　retreat　many　of　the　horsemen　had　abandoned　their　steeds；　thrown