chronicle of the conquest of granada-第71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！


　the　Moor　was　suddenly　touched　with　pity　for　their　youth；　or　perhaps　he　scorned　the　weakness　of　the　foe。

He　smote　them　with　the　flat　instead　of　the　edge　of　the　sword。　　〃Away；　imps！〃　cried　he；　〃away　to　your　mothers！〃　　The　fanatic　dervise　reproached　him　with　his　clemency。　　〃I　did　not　kill　them；〃　replied　Zenete；　〃because　I　saw　no　beards！〃*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　84。


The　alarm　was　given　in　the　camp；　and　the　Christians　rushed　from　all　quarters　to　defend　the　gates　of　the　bulwarks。　　Don　Pedro　Puerto　Carrero；　senior　of　Moguer；　and　his　brother；　Don　Alonzo　Pacheco；　planted　themselves　with　their　followers　in　the　gateway　of　the　encampment　of　the　master　of　Santiago；　and　bore　the　whole　brunt　of　battle　until　they　were　reinforced。　　The　gate　of　the　encampment　of　the　master　of　Calatrava　was　in　like　manner　defended　by　Lorenzo　Saurez　de　Mendoza。　　Hamet　was　furious　at　being　thus　checked　where　he　had　expected　a　miraculous　victory。　　He　led　his　troops　repeatedly　to　the　attack；　hoping　to　force　the　gates　before　succor　should　arrive：　they　fought　with　vehement　ardor；　but　were　as　often　repulsed；　and　every　time　they　returned　to　the　assault　they　found　their　enemies　doubled　in　number。　　The　Christians　opened　a　cross…fire　of　all　kinds　of　missiles　from　their　bulwarks；　the　Moors　could　effect　but　little　damage　upon　a　foe　thus　protected　behind　their　works；　while　they　themselves　were　exposed　from　head　to　foot。　　The　Christians　singled　out　the　most　conspicuous　cavaliers；　the　greater　part　of　whom　were　either　slain　or　wounded。　　Still；　the　Moors；　infatuated　by　the　predictions　of　the　prophet；　fought　desperately　and　devotedly；　and　they　were　furious　to　revenge　the　slaughter　of　their　leaders。　　They　rushed　upon　certain　death；　endeavoring　madly　to　scale　the　bulwarks　or　force　the　gates；　and　fell　amidst　showers　of　darts　and　lances；　filling　the　ditches　with　their　mangled　bodies。

Hamet　el　Zegri　raged　along　the　front　of　the　bulwarks　seeking　an　opening　for　attack。　　He　gnashed　his　teeth　with　fury　as　he　saw　so　many　of　his　chosen　warriors　slain　around　him。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　charmed　life；　for；　though　constantly　in　the　hottest　of　the　fight　amidst　showers　of　missiles；　he　still　escaped　uninjured。　　Blindly　confiding　in　the　prophecy　of　victory；　he　continued　to　urge　on　his　devoted　troops。　　The　dervise　too　ran　like　a　maniac　through　the　ranks；　waving　his　white　banner　and　inciting　the　Moors　by　howlings　rather　than　by　shouts。　　〃Fear　not！　the　victory　is　ours；　for　so　it　is　written！〃　cried　he。　　In　the　midst　of　his　frenzy　a　stone　from　a　catapult　struck　him　in　the　head　and　dashed　out　his　bewildered　brains。*

*Garibay；　lib。　18；　c。　33。


When　the　Moors　beheld　their　prophet　slain　and　his　banner　in　the　dust；　they　were　seized　with　despair　and　fled　in　confusion　to　the　city。　　Hamet　el　Zegri　made　some　effort　to　rally　them；　but　was　himself　confounded　by　the　fall　of　the　dervise。　　He　covered　the　flight　of　his　broken　forces；　turning　repeatedly　upon　their　pursuers　and　slowly　making　his　retreat　into　the　city。

The　inhabitants　of　Malaga　witnessed　from　their　walls　with　trembling　anxiety　the　whole　of　this　disastrous　conflict。　　At　the　first　onset；　when　they　beheld　the　guards　of　the　camp　put　to　flight；　they　exclaimed；　〃Allah　has　given　us　the　victory！〃　and　they　sent　up　shouts　of　triumph。　　Their　exultation；　however；　was　soon　turned　into　doubt　when　they　beheld　their　troops　repulsed　in　repeated　attacks。　　They　could　see　from　time　to　time　some　distinguished　warrior　laid　low　and　others　brought　back　bleeding　to　the　city。　　When　at　length　the　sacred　banner　fell　and　the　routed　troops　came　flying　to　the　gates；　pursued　and　cut　down　by　the　foe；　horror　and　despair　seized　upon　the　populace。

As　Hamet　entered　the　gates　he　heard　nothing　but　loud　lamentations：　mothers　whose　sons　had　been　slain　shrieked　curses　after　him　as　he　passed；　some　in　the　anguish　of　their　hearts　threw　down　their　famishing　babes　before　him；　exclaiming；　〃Trample　on　them　with　thy　horse's　feet；　for　we　have　no　food　to　give　them；　and　we　cannot　endure　their　cries。〃　　All　heaped　execrations　on　his　head　as　the　cause　of　the　woes　of　Malaga。

The　warlike　part　of　the　citizens　also；　and　many　warriors　who　with　their　wives　and　children　had　taken　refuge　in　Malaga　from　the　mountain…fortresses；　now　joined　in　the　popular　clamor；　for　their　hearts　were　overcome　by　the　sufferings　of　their　families。

Hamet　el　Zegri　found　it　impossible　to　withstand　this　torrent　of　lamentations；　curses；　and　reproaches。　　His　military　ascendancy　was　at　an　end；　for　most　of　his　officers　and　the　prime　warriors　of　his　African　band　had　fallen　in　this　disastrous　sally。　　Turning　his　back；　therefore；　upon　the　city　and　abandoning　it　to　its　own　counsels；　he　retired　with　the　remnant　of　his　Gomeres　to　his　stronghold　in　the　Gibralfaro。



CHAPTER　LXIV。

HOW　THE　CITY　OF　MALAGA　CAPITULATED。


The　people　of　Malaga；　being　no　longer　overawed　by　Hamet　el　Zegri　and　his　Gomeres；　turned　to　Ali　Dordux；　the　magnanimous　merchant；　and　put　the　fate　of　the　city　into　his　hands。　　He　had　already　gained　the　alcaydes　of　the　castle　of　the　Genoese　and　of　the　citadel　into　his　party；　and　in　the　late　confusion　had　gained　the　sway　over　those　important　fortresses。　　He　now　associated　himself　with　the　alfaqui　Abraham　Alhariz　and　four　of　the　principal　inhabitants；　and；　forming　a　provisional　junta；　they　sent　heralds　to　the　Christian　sovereigns　offering　to　surrender　the　city　on　certain　terms　protecting　the　persons　and　property　of　the　inhabitants；　permitting　them　to　reside　as　mudexares　or　tributary　vassals　either　in　Malaga　or　elsewhere。

When　the　herald　arrived　at　the　camp　and　made　known　their　mission　to　King　Ferdinand；　his　anger　was　kindled。　　〃Return　to　your　fellow…　citizens；〃　said　he；　〃and　tell　them　that　the　day　of　grace　is　gone　by。　They　have　persisted　in　a　fruitless　defence　until　they　are　driven　by　necessity　to　capitulate；　they　must　surrender　unconditionally　and　abide　the　fate　of　the　vanquished。　　　Those　who　merit　death　shall　suffer　death；　those　who　merit　captivity　shall　be　made　captives。〃

This　stern　reply　spread　consternation　among　the　people　of　Malaga；　but　Ali　Dordux　comforted　them；　and　undertook　to　go　in　person　and　pray　for　favorable　terms。　　When　the　people　beheld　this　great　and　wealthy　merchant；　who　was　so　eminent　in　their　city；　departing　with　his　associates　on　this　mission；　they　plucked　up　heart；　for　they　said；　〃Surely　the　Christian　king　will　not　turn　a　deaf　ear　to　such　a　man　as　Ali　Dordux。〃

Ferdinand；　however；　would　not　even　admit　the　ambassadors　to　his　presence。　　〃Send　them　to　the　devil！〃　said　he　in　a　great　passion　to　the　commander　of　Leon；　〃I'll　not　see　them。　　Let　them　get　back　to　their　city。　　They　shall　all　surrender　to　my　mercy　as　vanquished　enemies。〃*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　84。


To　give　emphasis　to　this　reply　he　ordered　a　general　discharge　from　all　the　artillery　and　batteries；　and　there　was　a　great　shout　throughout　the　camp；　and　all　the　lombards　and　catapults　and　other　engines　of　war　thundered　furiously　upon　the　city；　doing　great　damage。

Ali　Dordux　and　his　companions　returned　to　the　city　with　downcast　countenances；　and　could　scarce　make　the　reply　of　the　Christian　sovereign　be　heard　for　the　roaring　of　the　artillery；　the　tumbling　of　the　walls；　and　the　cries　of　women　and　children。　　The　citizens　were　greatly　astonished　and　dismayed　when　they　found　the　little　respect　paid　to　their　most　eminent　man；　but　the　warriors　who　were　in　the　city　exclaimed；　〃What　has　this　merchant　to　do　with　questions　between　men　of　battle？　　Let　us　not　address　the　enemy　as　abject　suppliants　who　have　no　power　to　injure；　but　as　valiant　men　who　have　weapons　in　their　hands。〃

So　they　despatched　another　message　to　the　Christian　sovereigns；　offering　to　yield　up　the　city　and　all　their　effects　on　condition　of　being　secured　in　their　personal　liberty。　　Should　this　be　denied；　they　declared　they　would　hang　from　the　battlements　fifteen　hundred　Christian　captives；　male　and　femalethat　they　would　put　all　their　old　men；　their　women；　and　children　into　the　citadel；　set　fire　to　the　city；　and　sally　forth；　sword　in　hand；　to　fight　until　the　last　gasp。　　〃In　this　way；〃　said　they；　〃the　Spanish　sovereigns　shall　gain　a　bloody　victory；　and　the　fall　of　Malaga　be　renowned　while　the　world　endures。〃

To　this　fierce　and　swelling　message　Ferdinand　r