chronicle of the conquest of granada-第70章

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hristian　camp；　preferring　captivity　to　the　horrors　which　surrounded　them。

At　length　the　sufferings　of　the　inhabitants　became　so　great　as　to　conquer　even　their　fears　of　Hamet　and　his　Gomeres。　　They　assembled　before　the　house　of　Ali　Dordux；　the　wealthy　merchant；　whose　stately　mansion　was　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　of　the　Alcazaba；　and　they　urged　him　to　stand　forth　as　their　leader　and　to　intercede　with　Hamet　for　a　surrender。　　Ali　Dordux　was　a　man　of　courage　as　well　as　policy；　he　perceived　also　that　hunger　was　giving　boldness　to　the　citizens；　while　he　trusted　it　was　subduing　the　fierceness　of　the　soldiery。　　He　armed　himself；　therefore；　cap…a…pie；　and　undertook　this　dangerous　parley　with　the　alcayde。　　He　associated　with　him　an　alfaqui　named　Abraham　Alhariz　and　an　important　inhabitant　named　Amar　ben　Amar；　and　they　ascended　to　the　fortress　of　Gibralfaro；　followed　by　several　of　the　trembling　merchants。

They　found　Hamet　el　Zegri；　not；　as　before；　surrounded　by　ferocious　guards　and　all　the　implements　of　war；　but　in　a　chamber　of　one　of　the　lofty　towers；　at　a　table　of　stone　covered　with　scrolls　traced　with　strange　characters　and　mystic　diagrams；　while　instruments　of　singular　and　unknown　form　lay　about　the　room。　　Beside　Hamet　stood　the　prophetic　dervise；　who　appeared　to　have　been　explaining　to　him　the　mysterious　inscriptions　of　the　scrolls。　　His　presence　filled　the　citizens　with　awe；　for　even　Ali　Dordux　considered　him　a　man　inspired。

The　alfaqui；　Abraham　Alhariz；　whose　sacred　character　gave　him　boldness　to　speak；　now　lifted　up　his　voice　and　addressed　Hamet　el　Zegri。　　〃We　implore　thee；〃　said　he；　solemnly；　〃in　the　name　of　the　most　powerful　God；　no　longer　to　persist　in　a　vain　resistance　which　must　end　in　our　destruction；　but　deliver　up　the　city　while　clemency　is　yet　to　be　obtained。　　Think　how　many　of　our　warriors　have　fallen　by

the　sword；　do　not　suffer　those　who　survive　to　perish　by　famine。　　Our　wives　and　children　cry　to　us　for　bread；　and　we　have　none　to　give　them。　　We　see　them　expire　in　lingering　agony　before　our　eyes；　while　the　enemy　mocks　our　misery　by　displaying　the　abundance　of　his　camp。　Of　what　avail　is　our　defence？　　Are　our　walls；　peradventure；　more　strong　than　the　walls　of　Ronda？　　Are　our　warriors　more　brave　than　the　defenders　of　Loxa？　　The　walls　of　Ronda　were　thrown　down　and　the　warriors　of　Loxa　had　to　surrender。　　Do　we　hope　for　succor？whence　are　we　to　receive　it？　　The　time　for　hope　is　gone　by。　　Granada　has　lost　its　power；　it　no　longer　possesses　chivalry；　commanders；　nor　a　king。　Boabdil　sits　a　vassal　in　the　degraded　halls　of　the　Alhambra；　El　Zagal　is　a　fugitive；　shut　up　within　the　walls　of　Guadix。　　The　kingdom　is　divided　against　itselfits　strength　is　gone；　its　pride　fallen；　its　very　existence　at　an　end。　　In　the　name　of　Allah　we　conjure　thee；　who　art　our　captain；　be　not　our　direst　enemy；　but　surrender　these　ruins　of　our　once…happy　Malaga　and　deliver　us　from　these　overwhelming　horrors。〃

Such　was　the　supplication　forced　from　the　inhabitants　by　the　extremity　of　their　sufferings。　　Hamet　listened　to　the　alfaqui　without　anger；　for　he　respected　the　sanctity　of　his　office。　　His　heart　too　was　at　that　moment　lifted　up　with　a　vain　confidence。　　〃Yet　a　few　days　of　patience；〃　said　he；　〃and　all　these　evils　will　suddenly　have　an　end。　　I　have　been　conferring　with　this　holy　man；　and　find　that　the　time　of　our　deliverance　is　at　hand。　　The　decrees　of　fate　are　inevitable；　it　is　written　in　the　book　of　destiny　that　we　shall　sally　forth　and　destroy　the　camp　of　the　unbelievers；　and　banquet　upon　those　mountains　of　grain　which　are　piled　up　in　the　midst　of　it。　　So　Allah　hath　promised　by　the　mouth　of　this　his　prophet。　　Allah　Akbar！　God　is　great！　　Let　no　man　oppose　the　decrees　of　Heaven！〃

The　citizens　bowed　with　profound　reverence；　for　no　true　Moslem　pretends　to　struggle　against　whatever　is　written　in　the　book　of　fate。　　Ali　Dordux；　who　had　come　prepared　to　champion　the　city　and　to　brave　the　ire　of　Hamet；　humbled　himself　before　this　holy　man　and　gave　faith　to　his　prophecies　as　the　revelations　of　Allah。　　So　the　deputies　returned　to　the　citizens；　and　exhorted　them　to　be　of　good　cheer。　　〃A　few　days　longer；〃　said　they；　〃and　our　sufferings　are　to　terminate。　　When　the　white　banner　is　removed　from　the　tower；　then　look　out　for　deliverance；　for　the　hour　of　sallying　forth　will　have　arrived。〃　　The　people　retired　to　their　homes　with　sorrowful　hearts；　they　tried　in　vain　to　quiet　the　cries　of　their　famishing　children；　and　day　by　day　and　hour　by　hour　their　anxious　eyes　were　turned　to　the　sacred　banner；　which　still　continued　to　wave　on　the　tower　of　Gibralfaro。



CHAPTER　LXIII。

HOW　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI　SALLIED　FORTH　WITH　THE　SACRED　BANNER　TO　　　　　ATTACK　THE　CHRISTIAN　CAMP。


〃The　Moorish　nigromancer；〃　observes　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃remained　shut　up　in　a　tower　of　the　Gibralfaro　devising　devilish　means　to　work　mischief　and　discomfiture　upon　the　Christians。　　He　was　daily　consulted　by　Hamet；　who　had　great　faith　in　those　black　and　magic　arts　which　he　had　brought　with　him　from　the　bosom　of　heathen　Africa。〃

From　the　account　given　of　this　dervise　and　his　incantations　by　the　worthy　father　it　would　appear　that　he　was　an　astrologer；　and　was　studying　the　stars　and　endeavoring　to　calculate　the　day　and　hour　when　a　successful　attack　might　be　made　upon　the　Christian　camp。

Famine　had　now　increased　to　such　a　degree　as　to　distress　even　the　garrison　of　Gibralfaro；　although　the　Gomeres　had　seized　upon　all　the　provisions　they　could　find　in　the　city。　　Their　passions　were　sharpened　by　hunger；　and　they　became　restless　and　turbulent　and　impatient　for　action。

Hamet　was　one　day　in　council　with　his　captains；　perplexed　by　the　pressure　of　events；　when　the　dervise　entered　among　them。　　〃The　hour　of　victory；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃is　at　hand。　　Allah　has　commanded　that　to…morrow　morning　ye　shall　sally　forth　to　the　fight。　　I　will　bear　before　you　the　sacred　banner　and　deliver　your　enemies　into　your　hands。　　Remember；　however；　that　ye　are　but　instruments　in　the　hands　of　Allah　to　take　vengeance　on　the　enemies　of　the　faith。　　Go　into　battle；　therefore；　with　pure　hearts；　forgiving　each　other　all　past　offences；　for　those　who　are　charitable　toward　each　other　will　be　victorious　over　the　foe。〃　　The　words　of　the　dervise　were　received　with　rapture；　all　Gibralfaro　and　the　Alcazaba　resounded　immediately　with　the　din　of　arms；　and　Hamet　sent　throughout　the　towers　and　fortifications　of　the　city　and　selected　the　choicest　troops　and　most　distinguished　captains　for　this　eventful　combat。

In　the　morning　early　the　rumor　went　throughout　the　city　that　the　sacred　banner　had　disappeared　from　the　tower　of　Gibralfaro；　and　all　Malaga　was　roused　to　witness　the　sally　that　was　to　destroy　the　unbelievers。　　Hamet　descended　from　his　stronghold；　accompanied　by　his　principal　captain；　Ibrahim　Zenete；　and　followed　by　his　Gomeres。　The　dervise　led　the　way；　displaying　the　white　banner；　the　sacred　pledge　of　victory。　　The　multitude　shouted　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　and　prostrated　themselves　before　the　banner　as　it　passed。　　Even　the　dreaded　Hamet　was　hailed　with　praises；　for　in　their　hopes　of　speedy　relief　through　the　prowess　of　his　arm　the　populace　forgot　everything　but　his　bravery。　Every　bosom　in　Malaga　was　agitated　by　hope　and　fear：　the　old　men；　the　women；　and　children；　and　all　who　went　not　forth　to　battle　mounted　on　tower　and　battlement　and　roof　to　watch　a　combat　that　was　to　decide　their　fate。

Before　sallying　forth　from　the　city　the　dervise　addressed　the　troops；　reminding　them　of　the　holy　nature　of　this　enterprise；　and　warning　them　not　to　forfeit　the　protection　of　the　sacred　banner　by　any　unworthy　act。　　They　were　not　to　pause　to　make　spoil　nor　to　take　prisoners：　they　were　to　press　forward；　fighting　valiantly；　and　granting　no　quarter。　　The　gate　was　then　thrown　open；　and　the　dervise　issued　forth；　followed　by　the　army。　　They　directed　their　assaults　upon　the　encampments　of　the　master　of　Santiago　and　the　master　of　Alcantara；　and　came　upon　them　so　suddenly　that　they　killed　and　wounded　several　of　the　guards。　　Ibrahim　Zenete　made　his　way　into　one　of　the　tents；　where　he　beheld　several　Christian　striplings　just　starting　from　their　slumber。　　The　heart　of　the　Moor　was　suddenly　touched　with　pity　for　their　youth；　or　perhaps　he　scorned　the　weakness　of　the