chronicle of the conquest of granada-第59章

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ld　warrior…king　of　Granada　was　on　the　mountain　above　the　camp。

The　spirits　of　the　Moors　were　suddenly　raised　to　a　pitch　of　the　greatest　exultation；　while　the　Christians　were　astonished　to　see　the　storm　of　war　ready　to　burst　upon　their　heads。　　The　count　de　Cabra；　with　his　accustomed　eagerness　when　there　was　a　king　in　the　field；　would　fain　have　scaled　the　heights　and　attacked　El　Zagal　before　he　had　time　to　form　his　camp；　but　Ferdinand；　more　cool　and　wary；　restrained　him。　　To　attack　the　height　would　be　to　abandon　the　siege。　He　ordered　every　one；　therefore；　to　keep　a　vigilant　watch　at　his　post　and　stand　ready　to　defend　it　to　the　utmost；　but　on　no　account　to　sally　forth　and　attack　the　enemy。

All　night　the　signal…fires　kept　blazing　along　the　mountains；　rousing　and　animating　the　whole　country。　　The　morning　sun　rose　over　the　lofty　summit　of　Bentomiz　on　a　scene　of　martial　splendor。　　As　its　rays　glanced　down　the　mountain　they　lighted　up　the　white　tents　of　the　Christian　cavaliers　cresting　its　lower　prominences；　their　pennons　and　ensigns　fluttering　in　the　morning　breeze。　　The　sumptuous　pavilions　of　the　king；　with　the　holy　standard　of　the　cross　and　the　royal　banners　of　Castile　and　Aragon；　dominated　the　encampment。　Beyond　lay　the　city；　its　lofty　castle　and　numerous　towers　glistening　with　arms；　while　above　all；　and　just　on　the　profile　of　the　height；　in　the　full　blaze　of　the　rising　sun；　were　descried　the　tents　of　the　Moor；　his　troops　clustering　about　them　and　his　infidel　banners　floating　against　the　sky。　　Columns　of　smoke　rose　where　the　night…　fires　had　blazed；　and　the　clash　of　the　Moorish　cymbal；　the　bray　of　trumpet；　and　the　neigh　of　steed　were　faintly　heard　from　the　airy　heights。　　So　pure　and　transparent　is　the　atmosphere　in　this　region　that　every　object　can　be　distinctly　seen　at　a　great　distance；　and　the　Christians　were　able　to　behold　the　formidable　hosts　of　fires　gathering　on　the　summits　of　the　surrounding　mountains。

One　of　the　first　measures　of　the　Moorish　king　was　to　detach　a　large　force；　under　Reduan　de　Vanegas；　alcayde　of　Granada；　to　fall　upon　the　convoy　of　ordnance；　which　stretched　for　a　great　distance　through　the　mountain…defiles。　　Ferdinand　had　anticipated　this　attempt；　and　sent　the　commander　of　Leon　with　a　body　of　horse　and　foot　to　reinforce　the　master　of　Alcantara。　　El　Zagal　from　his　mountain…height　beheld　the　detachment　issue　from　the　camp；　and　immediately　recalled　Reduan。　The　armies　now　remained　quiet　for　a　time；　the　Moor　looking　grimly　down　upon　the　Christian　camp；　like　a　tiger　meditating　a　bound　upon　his　prey。　　The　Christians　were　in　fearful　jeopardya　hostile　city　below　them；　a　powerful　army　above　them；　and　on　every　side　mountains　filled　with　implacable　foes。

After　El　Zagal　had　maturely　considered　the　situation　of　the　Christian　camp；　and　informed　himself　of　all　the　passes　of　the　mountain；　he　conceived　a　plan　to　surprise　the　enemy　which　he　flattered　himself　would　ensure　their　ruin　and　perhaps　the　capture　of　King　Ferdinand。　He　wrote　a　letter　to　the　alcayde　of　the　city；　commanding　him　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　on　a　signal…fire　being　made　from　the　mountain；　to　sally　forth　with　all　his　troops　and　fall　furiously　upon　the　Christian　camp。　　The　king　would；　at　the　same　time；　rush　down　with　his　army　from　the　mountain；　and　assail　it　on　the　opposite　side；　thus　overwhelming　it　at　the　hour　of　deep　repose。　　This　letter　he　despatched　by　a　renegado　Christian；　who　knew　all　the　secret　roads　of　the　country；　and　if　taken　could　pass　himself　for　a　Christian　who　had　escaped　from　captivity。

El　Zagal；　confident　in　his　stratagem；　looked　down　upon　the　Christians　as　his　devoted　victims。　　As　the　sun　went　down　and　the　long　shadows　of　the　mountains　stretched　across　the　vega；　he　pointed　with　exultation　to　the　camp　below；　apparently　unconscious　of　the　impending　danger。　〃Behold；〃　said　he；　〃the　unbelievers　are　delivered　into　our　hands；　their　king　and　choicest　chivalry　will　soon　be　at　our　mercy。　　Now　is　the　time　to　show　the　courage　of　men；　and　by　one　glorious　victory　retrieve　all　that　we　have　lost。　　Happy　he　who　falls　fighting　in　the　cause　of　the　Prophet！　he　will　at　once　be　transported　to　the　paradise　of　the　faithful　and　surrounded　by　immortal　houris。　　Happy　he　who　shall　survive　victorious！　he　will　behold　Granadaan　earthly　paradise！once　more　delivered　from　its　foes　and　restored　to　all　its　glory。〃　　The　words　of　El　Zagal　were　received　with　acclamations　by　his　troops；　who　waited　impatiently　for　the　appointed　hour　to　pour　down　from　their　mountain…　hold　upon　the　Christians。



CHAPTER　XLIX。

RESULT　OF　THE　STRATAGEM　OF　EL　ZAGAL　TO　SURPRISE　　　　　KING　FERDINAND。


Queen　Isabella　and　her　court　had　remained　at　Cordova　in　great　anxiety　for　the　result　of　the　royal　expedition。　　Every　day　brought　tidings　of　the　difficulties　which　attended　the　transportation　of　the　ordnance　and　munitions　and　of　the　critical　state　of　the　army。

While　in　this　state　of　anxious　suspense　couriers　arrived　with　all　speed　from　the　frontiers；　bringing　tidings　of　the　sudden　sally　of　El　Zagal　from　Granada　to　surprise　the　camp。　　All　Cordova　was　in　consternation。　　The　destruction　of　the　Andalusian　chivalry　among　the　mountains　of　this　very　neighborhood　was　called　to　mind；　it　was　feared　that　similar　ruin　was　about　to　burst　forth　from　rocks　and　precipices　upon　Ferdinand　and　his　army。

Queen　Isabella　shared　in　the　public　alarm；　but　it　served　to　rouse　all　the　energies　of　her　heroic　mind。　　Instead　of　uttering　idle　apprehensions；　she　sought　only　how　to　avert　the　danger。　　She　called　upon　all　the　men　of　Andalusia　under　the　age　of　seventy　to　arm　and　hasten　to　the　relief　of　their　sovereign；　and　she　prepared　to　set　out　with　the　first　levies。　　The　grand　cardinal　of　Spain；　old　Pedro　Gonzalez　de　Mendoza；　in　whom　the　piety　of　the　saint　and　the　wisdom　of　the　counsellor　were　mingled　with　the　fire　of　the　cavalier；　offered　high　pay　to　all　horsemen　who　would　follow　him　to　aid　their　king　and　the　Christian　cause；　and；　buckling　on　armor；　prepared　to　lead　them　to　the　scene　of　danger。

The　summons　of　the　queen　roused　the　quick　Andalusian　spirit。　Warriors　who　had　long　since　given　up　fighting　and　had　sent　their　sons　to　battle　now　seized　the　sword　and　lance　rusting　on　the　wall；　and　marshalled　forth　their　gray…headed　domestics　and　their　grandchildren　for　the　field。　　The　great　dread　was；　that　all　aid　would　arrive　too　late；　El　Zagal　and　his　host　had　passed　like　a　storm　through　the　mountains；　and　it　was　feared　the　tempest　had　already　burst　upon　the　Christian　camp。

In　the　mean　time；　the　night　had　closed　which　had　been　appointed　by　El　Zagal　for　the　execution　of　his　plan。　　He　had　watched　the　last　light　of　day　expire；　and　all　the　Spanish　camp　remained　tranquil。　　As　the　hours　wore　away　the　camp…fires　were　gradually　extinguished。　No　drum　nor　trumpet　sounded　from　below。　　Nothing　was　heard　but　now　and　then　the　dull　heavy　tread　of　troops　or　the　echoing　tramp　of　horsesthe　usual　patrols　of　the　campand　the　changes　of　the　guards。　　El　Zagal　restrained　his　own　impatience　and　that　of　his　troops　until　the　night　should　be　advanced　and　the　camp　sunk　in　that　heavy　sleep　from　which　men　are　with　difficulty　awakened；　and　when　awakened　prone　to　be　bewildered　and　dismayed。

At　length　the　appointed　hour　arrived。　　By　order　of　the　Moorish　king　a　bright　flame　sprang　up　from　the　height　of　Bentomiz；　but　El　Zagal　looked　in　vain　for　the　responding　light　from　the　city。　　His　impatience　would　brook　no　longer　delay；　he　ordered　the　advance　of　the　army　to　descend　the　mountain…defile　and　attack　the　camp。　　The　defile　was　narrow　and　overhung　by　rocks；　as　the　troops　proceeded　they　came　suddenly；　in　a　shadowy　hollow；　upon　a　dark　mass　of　warriors　who；　with　a　loud　shout；　rushed　to　assail　them。　　Surprised　and　disconcerted；　they　retreated　in　confusion　to　the　height。　　When　El　Zagal　heard　of　a　Christian　force　in　the　defile；　he　doubted　some　counter…plan　of　the　enemy；　and　gave　orders　to　light　the　mountain…fires。　　On　a　signal　given　bright　flames　sprang　up　on　every　height　from　pyres　of　wood　prepared　for　the　purpose：　cliff　blazed　out　after　cliff　until　the　whole　atmosphere　was　in　a　glow　of　furnace　light。

The　ruddy　glare　lit　up　the　glens　and　passes；　and　fell　strongly　upon　the　Christian　camp；　revealing　all　its　tents　and　every　post　and　bulwark。　　Wherever　El　Zagal　turne