the complete writings-3-第33章

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h。　　We　cannot　but　recognize　that　this　is　his　opportunity。　　His　idle　boyhood　had　been　soaked　in　old　romances；　and　he　had　set　out　in　his　youth　to　do　what　equally　dreamy　but　less　venturesome　devourers　of　old　chronicles　were　content　to　read　about。　　Everything　arranged　itself　as　Smith　would　have　had　it。　　When　the　Christian　army　arrived；　the　Turks　sallied　out　and　gave　it　a　lively　welcome；　which　cost　each　side　about　fifteen　hundred　men。　　Meldritch　had　but　eight　thousand　soldiers；　but　he　was　re…enforced　by　the　arrival　of　nine　thousand　more；　with　six…and…twenty　pieces　of　ordnance；　under　Lord　Zachel　Moyses；　the　general　of　the　army；　who　took　command　of　the　whole。

After　the　first　skirmish　the　Turks　remained　within　their　fortress；　the　guns　of　which　commanded　the　plain；　and　the　Christians　spent　a　month　in　intrenching　themselves　and　mounting　their　guns。

The　Turks；　who　taught　Europe　the　art　of　civilized　war；　behaved　all　this　time　in　a　courtly　and　chivalric　manner；　exchanging　with　the　besiegers　wordy　compliments　until　such　time　as　the　latter　were　ready　to　begin。　　The　Turks　derided　the　slow　progress　of　the　works；　inquired　if　their　ordnance　was　in　pawn；　twitted　them　with　growing　fat　for　want　of　exercise；　and　expressed　the　fear　that　the　Christians　should　depart　without　making　an　assault。

In　order　to　make　the　time　pass　pleasantly；　and　exactly　in　accordance　with　the　tales　of　chivalry　which　Smith　had　read；　the　Turkish　Bashaw　in　the　fortress　sent　out　his　challenge：　〃That　to　delight　the　ladies；　who　did　long　to　see　some　courtlike　pastime；　the　Lord　Tubashaw　did　defy　any　captaine　that　had　the　command　of　a　company；　who　durst　combat　with　him　for　his　head。〃

This　handsome　offer　to　swap　heads　was　accepted；　lots　were　cast　for　the　honor　of　meeting　the　lord；　and；　fortunately　for　us；　the　choice　fell　upon　an　ardent　fighter　of　twenty…three　years；　named　Captain　John　Smith。　　Nothing　was　wanting　to　give　dignity　to　the　spectacle。　　Truce　was　made；　the　ramparts　of　this　fortress…city　in　the　mountains　（which　we　cannot　find　on　the　map）　were　〃all　beset　with　faire　Dames　and　men　in　Armes〃；　the　Christians　were　drawn　up　in　battle　array；　and　upon　the　theatre　thus　prepared　the　Turkish　Bashaw；　armed　and　mounted；　entered　with　a　flourish　of　hautboys；　on　his　shoulders　were　fixed　a　pair　of　great　wings；　compacted　of　eagles'　feathers　within　a　ridge　of　silver　richly　garnished　with　gold　and　precious　stones；　before　him　was　a　janissary　bearing　his　lance；　and　a　janissary　walked　at　each　side　leading　his　steed。

This　gorgeous　being　Smith　did　not　keep　long　waiting。　　Riding　into　the　field　with　a　flourish　of　trumpets；　and　only　a　simple　page　to　bear　his　lance；　Smith　favored　the　Bashaw　with　a　courteous　salute；　took　position；　charged　at　the　signal；　and　before　the　Bashaw　could　say　〃Jack　Robinson；〃　thrust　his　lance　through　the　sight　of　his　beaver；　face；　head　and　all；　threw　him　dead　to　the　ground；　alighted；　unbraced　his　helmet；　and　cut　off　his　head。　　The　whole　affair　was　over　so　suddenly　that　as　a　pastime　for　ladies　it　must　have　been　disappointing。　　The　Turks　came　out　and　took　the　headless　trunk；　and　Smith；　according　to　the　terms　of　the　challenge；　appropriated　the　head　and　presented　it　to　General　Moyses。

This　ceremonious　but　still　hasty　procedure　excited　the　rage　of　one　Grualgo；　the　friend　of　the　Bashaw；　who　sent　a　particular　challenge　to　Smith　to　regain　his　friend's　head　or　lose　his　own；　together　with　his　horse　and　armor。　　Our　hero　varied　the　combat　this　time。　　The　two　combatants　shivered　lances　and　then　took　to　pistols；　Smith　received　a　mark　upon　the　〃placard；〃　but　so　wounded　the　Turk　in　his　left　arm　that　he　was　unable　to　rule　his　horse。　　Smith　then　unhorsed　him；　cut　off　his　head；　took　possession　of　head；　horse；　and　armor；　but　returned　the　rich　apparel　and　the　body　to　his　friends　in　the　most　gentlemanly　manner。

Captain　Smith　was　perhaps　too　serious　a　knight　to　see　the　humor　of　these　encounters；　but　he　does　not　lack　humor　in　describing　them；　and　he　adopted　easily　the　witty　courtesies　of　the　code　he　was　illustrating。　　After　he　had　gathered　two　heads；　and　the　siege　still　dragged；　he　became　in　turn　the　challenger；　in　phrase　as　courteously　and　grimly　facetious　as　was　permissible；　thus：

〃To　delude　time；　Smith；　with　so　many　incontradictible　perswading　reasons；　obtained　leave　that　the　Ladies　might　know　he　was　not　so　much　enamored　of　their　servants'　heads；　but　if　any　Turke　of　their　ranke　would　come　to　the　place　of　combat　to　redeem　them；　should　have　also　his；　upon　like　conditions；　if　he　could　winne　it。〃

This　considerate　invitation　was　accepted　by　a　person　whom　Smith；　with　his　usual　contempt　for　names；　calls　〃Bonny　Mulgro。〃　　It　seems　difficult　to　immortalize　such　an　appellation；　and　it　is　a　pity　that　we　have　not　the　real　one　of　the　third　Turk　whom　Smith　honored　by　killing。　　But　Bonny　Mulgro；　as　we　must　call　the　worthiest　foe　that　Smith's　prowess　encountered；　appeared　upon　the　field。　　Smith　understands　working　up　a　narration；　and　makes　this　combat　long　and　doubtful。　　The　challenged　party；　who　had　the　choice　of　weapons；　had　marked　the　destructiveness　of　his　opponent's　lance；　and　elected；　therefore；　to　fight　with　pistols　and　battle…axes。　　The　pistols　proved　harmless；　and　then　the　battle…axes　came　in　play；　whose　piercing　bills　made　sometime　the　one；　sometime　the　other；　to　have　scarce　sense　to　keep　their　saddles。　　Smith　received　such　a　blow　that　he　lost　his　battle…axe；　whereat　the　Turks　on　the　ramparts　set　up　a　great　shout。　〃The　Turk　prosecuted　his　advantage　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　yet　the　other；　what　by　the　readiness　of　his　horse；　and　his　judgment　and　dexterity　in　such　a　business；　beyond　all　men's　expectations；　by　God's　assistance；　not　only　avoided　the　Turke's　violence；　but　having　drawn　his　Faulchion；　pierced　the　Turke　so　under　the　Culets　throrow　backe　and　body；　that　although　he　alighted　from　his　horse；　he　stood　not　long　ere　he　lost　his　head；　as　the　rest　had　done。〃

There　is　nothing　better　than　this　in　all　the　tales　of　chivalry；　and　John　Smith's　depreciation　of　his　inability　to　equal　Caesar　in　describing　his　own　exploits；　in　his　dedicatory　letter　to　the　Duchess　of　Richmond；　must　be　taken　as　an　excess　of　modesty。　　We　are　prepared　to　hear　that　these　beheadings　gave　such　encouragement　to　the　whole　army　that　six　thousand　soldiers；　with　three　led　horses；　each　preceded　by　a　soldier　bearing　a　Turk's　head　on　a　lance；　turned　out　as　a　guard　to　Smith　and　conducted　him　to　the　pavilion　of　the　general；　to　whom　he　presented　his　trophies。　　General　Moyses　（occasionally　Smith　calls　him　Moses）　took　him　in　his　arms　and　embraced　him　with　much　respect；　and　gave　him　a　fair　horse；　richly　furnished；　a　scimeter；　and　a　belt　worth　three　hundred　ducats。　　And　his　colonel　advanced　him　to　the　position　of　sergeant…major　of　his　regiment。　　If　any　detail　was　wanting　to　round　out　and　reward　this　knightly　performance　in　strict　accord　with　the　old　romances；　it　was　supplied　by　the　subsequent　handsome　conduct　of　Prince　Sigismund。

When　the　Christians　had　mounted　their　guns　and　made　a　couple　of　breaches　in　the　walls　of　Regall；　General　Moyses　ordered　an　attack　one　dark　night　〃by　the　light　that　proceeded　from　the　murdering　muskets　and　peace…making　cannon。〃　　The　enemy　were　thus　awaited；　〃whilst　their　slothful　governor　lay　in　a　castle　on　top　of　a　high　mountain；　and　like　a　valiant　prince　asketh　what's　the　matter；　when　horrour　and　death　stood　amazed　at　each　other；　to　see　who　should　prevail　to　make　him　victorious。〃　　These　descriptions　show　that　Smith　could　handle　the　pen　as　well　as　the　battleaxe；　and　distinguish　him　from　the　more　vulgar　fighters　of　his　time。　　The　assault　succeeded；　but　at　great　cost　of　life。　　The　Turks　sent　a　flag　of　truce　and　desired　a　〃composition；〃　but　the　earl；　remembering　the　death　of　his　father；　continued　to　batter　the　town　and　when　he　took　it　put　all　the　men　in　arms　to　the　sword；　and　then　set　their　heads　upon　stakes　along　the　walls；　the　Turks　having　ornamented　the　walls　with　Christian　heads　when　they　captured　the　fortress。　　Although　the　town　afforded　much　pillage；　the　loss　of　so　many　troops　so　mixed　the　sour　with　the　sweet　that　General　Moyses　could　only　allay　his　grief　by　sacking　three　other　towns；　Veratis；　Solmos；　and　Kapronka。　　Taking　from　these　a　couple　of　thousand　prisoners；　mostly　women　and　children；　Earl　Moys