chronicle of the conquest of granada-第62章

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　his　form　and　fluent　and　emphatic　in　his　discourse；　his　eloquence　had　an　effect；　therefore；　upon　the　alcayde　as　he　represented　the　hopelessness　of　a　defence　of　Malaga；　the　misery　that　must　attend　a　siege；　and　the　ruin　that　must　follow　a　capture　by　force　of　arms。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　set　forth　the　grace　that　might　be　obtained　from　the　Castilian　sovereigns　by　an　early　and　voluntary　acknowledgment　of　Boabdil　as　king；　the　peaceful　possession　of　their　property；　and　the　profitable　commerce　with　the　Christian　ports　that　would　be　allowed　them。　　He　was　seconded　by　his　weighty　and　important　coadjutors；　and　the　alcadye；　accustomed　to　regard　them　as　the　arbiters　of　the　affairs　of　the　place；　yielded　to　their　united　counsels。　　He　departed；　therefore；　with　all　speed　to　the　Christian　camp；　empowered　to　arrange　a　capitulation　with　the　Castilian　monarch；　and　in　the　mean　time　his　brother　remained　in　command　of　the　Alcazaba。

There　was　at　this　time　as　alcayde　in　the　old　crag…built　castle　of　Gibralfaro　a　warlike　and　fiery　Moor；　an　implacable　enemy　of　the　Christians。　　This　was　no　other　than　Hamet　Zeli；　surnamed　El　Zegri；　the　once…formidable　alcayde　of　Ronda　and　the　terror　of　its　mountains。　He　had　never　forgiven　the　capture　of　his　favorite　fortress；　and　panted　for　vengeance　on　the　Christians。　　Notwithstanding　his　reverses；　he　had　retained　the　favor　of　El　Zagal；　who　knew　how　to　appreciate　a　bold　warrior　of　the　kind；　and　had　placed　him　in　command　of　this　important　fortress　of　Gibralfaro。

Hamet　el　Zegri　had　gathered　round　him　the　remnant　of　his　band　of　Gomeres；　with　others　of　the　same　tribe　recently　arrived　from　Morocco。　　These　fierce　warriors　were　nestled　like　so　many　war…hawks　about　their　lofty　cliff。　　They　looked　down　with　martial　contempt　upon　the　commercial　city　of　Malaga；　which　they　were　placed　to　protect；　or；　rather；　they　esteemed　it　only　for　its　military　importance　and　its　capability　of　defence。　　They　held　no　communion　with　its　trading；　gainful　inhabitants；　and　even　considered　the　garrison　of　the　Alcazaba　as　their　inferiors。　　War　was　their　pursuit　and　passion；　they　rejoiced　in　its　turbulent　and　perilous　scenes；　and；　confident　in　the　strength　of　the　city；　and；　above　all；　of　their　castle；　they　set　at　defiance　the　menace　of　Christian　invasion。　　There　were　among　them　also　many　apostate　Moors；　who　had　once　embraced　Christianity；　but　had　since　recanted　and　fled　from　the　vengeance　of　the　Inquisition。*　　These　were　desperadoes　who　had　no　mercy　to　expect　should　they　again　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。

*Zurita；　lib。　30；　cap。　71。


Such　were　the　fierce　elements　of　the　garrison　of　Gibralfaro；　and　its　rage　may　easily　be　conceived　at　hearing　that　Malaga　was　to　be　given　up　without　a　blow；　that　they　were　to　sink　into　Christian　vassals　under　the　intermediate　sway　of　Boabdil　el　Chico；　and　that　the　alcayde　of　the　Alcazaba　had　departed　to　arrange　the　terms　of　capitulation。

Hamet　determined　to　avert　by　desperate　means　the　threatened　degradation。　　He　knew　that　there　was　a　large　party　in　the　city　faithful　to　El　Zagal；　being　composed　of　warlike　men　who　had　taken　refuge　from　the　various　mountain…towns　which　had　been　captured；　their　feelings　were　desperate　as　their　fortunes；　and；　like　Hamet；　they　panted　for　revenge　upon　the　Christians。　　With　these　he　had　a　secret　conference；　and　received　assurances　of　their　adherence　to　him　in　any　measures　of　defence。　　As　to　the　counsel　of　the　peaceful　inhabitants；　he　considered　it　unworthy　the　consideration　of　a　soldier；　and　he　spurned　at　the　interference　of　the　wealthy　merchant　Ali　Dordux　in　matters　of　warfare。

〃Still；〃　said　Hamet　el　Zegri；　〃let　us　proceed　regularly。〃　　So　he　descended　with　his　Gomeres　to　the　citadel；　entered　it　suddenly；　put　to　death　the　brother　of　the　alcayde　and　such　of　the　garrison　as　made　any　demur；　and　then　summoned　the　principal　inhabitants　of　Malaga　to　deliberate　on　measures　for　the　welfare　of　the　city。*　　The　wealthy　merchants　again　mounted　to　the　citadel；　excepting　Ali　Dordux；　who　refused　to　obey　the　summons。　　They　entered　with　hearts　filled　with　awe；　for　they　found　Hamet　surrounded　by　his　grim　African　guard　and　all　the　stern　array　of　military　power；　and　they　beheld　the　bloody　traces　of　the　recent　massacre。

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　82。


Hamet　rolled　a　dark　and　searching　eye　upon　the　assembly。　　〃Who；〃　said　he；　〃is　loyal　and　devoted　to　Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal？〃　　Every　one　present　asserted　his　loyalty。　　〃Good！〃　said　Hamet；　〃and　who　is　ready　to　prove　his　devotion　to　his　sovereign　by　defending　this　his　important　city　to　the　last　extremity？〃　　Every　one　present　declared　his　readiness。　　〃Enough！〃　observed　Hamet。　　〃The　alcayde　Aben　Comixa　has　proved　himself　a　traitor　to　his　sovereign　and　to　you　all；　for　he　has　conspired　to　deliver　the　place　to　the　Christians。　　It　behooves　you　to　choose　some　other　commander　capable　of　defending　your　city　against　the　approaching　enemy。〃　　The　assembly　declared　unanimously　that　no　one　was　so　worthy　of　the　command　as　himself。　So　Hamet　was　appointed　alcayde　of　Malaga；　and　immediately　proceeded　to　man　the　forts　and　towers　with　his　partisans　and　to　make　every　preparation　for　a　desperate　resistance。

Intelligence　of　these　occurrences　put　an　end　to　the　negotiations　between　King　Ferdinand　and　the　superseded　alcayde　Aben　Comixa；　and　it　was　supposed　there　was　no　alternative　but　to　lay　siege　to　the　place。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz；　however；　found　at　Velez　a　Moorish　cavalier　of　some　note；　a　native　of　Malaga；　who　offered　to　tamper　with　Hamet　el　Zegri　for　the　surrender　of　the　city；　or　at　least　of　the　castle　of　Gibralfaro。　　The　marques　communicated　this　to　the　king。　〃I　put　this　business　and　the　key　of　my　treasury　into　your　hands；〃　said　Ferdinand；　〃act；　stipulate；　and　disburse　in　my　name　as　you　think　proper。〃

The　marques　armed　the　Moor　with　his　own　lance；　cuirass；　and　target　and　mounted　him　on　one　of　his　own　horses。　　He　equipped　in　similar　style　also　another　Moor；　his　companion　and　relative。　　They　bore　secret　letters　to　Hamet　from　the　marques　offering　him　the　town　of　Coin　in　perpetual　inheritance　and　four　thousand　doblas　in　gold　if　he　would　deliver　up　Gibralfaro；　together　with　a　farm　and　two　thousand　doblas　for　his　lieutenant；　Ibrahim　Zenete；　and　large　sums　to　be　distributed　among　his　officers　and　soldiers；　and　he　offered　unlimited　rewards　for　the　surrender　of　the　city。

Hamet　had　a　warrior's　admiration　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　and　received　his　messengers　with　courtesy　in　his　fortress　of　Gibralfaro。　He　even　listened　to　their　propositions　with　patience；　and　dismissed　them　in　safety；　though　with　an　absolute　refusal。　　The　marques　thought　his　reply　was　not　so　peremptory　as　to　discourage　another　effort。　　The　emissaries　were　despatched；　therefore；　a　second　time；　with　further　propositions。　　They　approached　Malaga　in　the　night；　but　found　the　guards　doubled；　patrols　abroad；　and　the　whole　place　on　the　alert。　They　were　discovered；　pursued；　and　only　saved　themselves　by　the　fleetness　of　their　steeds　and　their　knowledge　of　the　passes　of　the　mountains。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　MS。；　c。　82。


Finding　all　attempts　to　tamper　with　the　faith　of　Hamet　utterly　futile；　King　Ferdinand　publicly　summoned　the　city　to　surrender；　offering　the　most　favorable　terms　in　case　of　immediate　compliance；　but　threatening　captivity　to　all　the　inhabitants　in　case　of　resistance。

It　required　a　man　of　nerve　to　undertake　the　delivery　of　such　a　summons　in　the　present　heated　and　turbulent　state　of　the　Moorish　community。　　Such　a　one　stepped　forward　in　the　person　of　a　cavalier　of　the　royal　guards；　Hernan　Perez　del　Pulgar　by　name；　a　youth　of　noble　descent；　who　had　already　signalized　himself　by　his　romantic　valor　and　daring　enterprise。　　Furnished　with　official　papers　for　Hamet　el　Zegri　and　a　private　letter　from　the　king　to　Ali　Dordux；　he　entered　the　gates　of　Malaga　under　the　protection　of　a　flag；　and　boldly　delivered　his　summons　in　presence　of　the　principal　inhabitants。　The　language　of　the　summons　or　the　tone　in　which　it　was　delivered　exasperated　the　fiery　spirit　of　the　Moors；　and　it　required　all　the　energy　of　Hamet　and　the　influence　of　several　of　the　alfaquis　to　prevent　an　outrage　to　the　person　of　the　ambassador。　　The　reply　of　Hamet　was　haughty　and　decided。　　〃The　city　of　Malaga　has　been　confided　to　me；〃　said　he〃not　to　be