historic girls-第24章

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father。　So　she　sought　her　favorite　brother　Pedroa　bright　little

fellow　of　seven；　who　adored　and　thoroughly　believed　in　his　sister

Theresa。



To　Pedro；　then；　Theresa　confided　her　belief　that；　if　forever　was

so　long　a　time　as　〃always；〃　it　would　be　most　unpleasant　to　suffer

〃always；〃　if　by　any　chance　they　should　do　any　thing　wrong。　It

would　be　far　better；　so　argued　this　little　logician；　to　die　now

and　end　the　problem；　than　to　live　and　run　so　great　a　risk。　She

told　him；　too；　that；　as　they　knew　from　their　mother's　tales；　the

most　beautiful；　the　most　glorious　way　to　die　was　as　a　martyr

among　the　infidel　Moors。　So　she　proposed　to　Pedro　that　she　and　he

should　not　say　a　word　to　any　one；　but　just　start　off　at　once　as

crusaders　on　their　own　accounts；　and　lose　their　lives　but　save

their　souls　as　martyrs　among　the　Moors。



The　suggestion　had　all　the　effect　of　novelty　to　the　little　Pedro；

and　while　he　did　not　altogether　relish　the　idea　of　losing　his

life　among　the　Moors；　still　the　possibility　of　a　change　presented

itself　with　all　the　attractions　that　the　thought　of　trying

something　new　always　has　for　children。　Besides；　he　had　great

respect　for　his　sister's　judgment。



〃Well；　let　us　be　crusaders；〃　he　said；　〃and　perhaps　we　need　not　be

martyrs；　sister。　I　don't　think　that　would　be　so　very　pleasant；　do

you？　Who　knows；　perhaps　we　may　be　victorious　crusaders　and

conquer　the　Infidels　just　as　did　Ruy　Diaz　the　Cid。＇1＇　See　here；

Theresa；　I　have　my　sword　and　you　can　take　your　cross；　and　we　can

have　such　a　nice　crusade；　and　may　be　the　infidel　Moors　will　run

away　from　us　just　as　they　did　from　the　Cid　and　leave　us　their

cities　and　their　gold　and　treasure？　Don't　you　remember　what

mother　read　us；　how　the　Cid　won　Castelon；　with　its　silver　and　its

gold？〃



＇1＇　The　Cid　was　the　great　hero　of　Spanish　romance。　The　stories　of

his　valor　have　been　the　joy　of　Spaniards；　old　and　young；　for

centuries。　Cid　is　a　corruption　of　the　Moorish　word　seyd　or　said；

and　means　master。





And　the　little　fellow　spouted　most　valiantly　this　portion　of　the

famous　poem　of　the　exploits　of　the　Cid　（the　Poema　del　Cid）；　with

the　martial　spirit　of　which　stirring　rhyme　his　romantic　mother

had　filled　her　children：



　　Smite；　smite；　my　knights；　for　mercy's　sakeon　boldly　to　the　　　　

　war；

　　I　am　Ruy　Diaz　of　Bivar；　the　Cid　Campeador！

　　Three　hundred　lances　then　were　couched；　with　pennons

　　　　　　streaming　gay；

　　Three　hundred　shields　were　pierced　throughno　steel　the

　　　　　　shock　might　stay；

　　Three　hundred　hauberks　were　torn　off　in　that　encounter　sore；

　　Three　hundred　snow…white　pennons　were　crimson…dyed　in

　　　　　　gore；

　　Three　hundred　chargers　wandered　loosetheir　lords　were

　　　　　　overthrown；

　　The　Christians　cry　'St。　James　for　Spain！'　the　Moormen

　　　　　　cry　'Mahoun！'　〃





Theresa　applauded　her　little　brother's　eloquent　recitation；　and

thought　him　a　very　smart　boy；　but　she　said　rather　sadly：　〃I　fear

me　it　will　not　be　that　way；　my　Pedro；　for　martyrdom　means；　as

mother　has　told　us；　the　giving　up　of　our　life　rather　than　bow　to

the　false　faith　of　the　Infidel；　and　thus　to　save　our　souls　and

have　a　crown　of　glory。〃



〃The　crown　would　be　very　nice；　I　suppose；　sister；〃　said　practical

young　Pedro；　〃especially　if　it　was　all　so　fine　as　the　one　they

say　the　young　King　Carlos＇1＇　wearsEmperor；　too；　now；　is　he　not？

Could　we　be　emperors；　too；　sister；　if　we　were　martyrs；　and　had

each　a　crown？　But　we　must　be　crusaders　first；　I　suppose。　Come；

let　us　go　at　once。〃



＇1＇　King　Charles　the　Fifth　was　at　this　time　King　of　Spain；　and

had　just　been　elected　Emperor　of　Germany。





The　road　from　granite…walled　Avila　to　the　south　is　across　a　wild

and　desolate　waste；　frowned　down　upon　on　either　hand　by　the

savage　crests　of　the　grim　sierras　of　the　Guadarrama。　It　winds

along　gorges　and　ravines　and　rocky　river…beds；　and　has　always

been；　even　in　the　days　of　Spanish　power　and　glory；　about　as

untamed　and　savagely　picturesque　a　road　as　one　could　well

imagine。



Along　this　hard　and　desolate　road；　only　a　few　days　after　their

determination　had　been　reached；　to　start　upon　a　crusade　the

brother　and　sister　plodded。　Theresa　carried　her　crucifix；　and

Pedro　his　toy　sword；　while　in　a　little　wallet　at　his　side　were　a

few　bits　of　food　taken　from　the　home　larder。　This　stock　of　food

had；　of　course；　been　taken　without　the　knowledge　of　the　mother；

who　knew　nothing　of　their　crusade；　and　this；　therefore；　furnished

for　Theresa　another　sin；　for　which　she　must　do　penance；　and

another　reason　for　the　desired　martyrdom。



They　had　really　only　proceeded　a　few　miles　into　the　mountains

beyond　Avila；　but　already　their　sturdy　little　legs　were　tired；

and　their　stout　little　backs　were　sore。　Pedro　thought　crusading

not　such　very　great　fun　after　all；　be　was　always　hungry　and

thirsty；　and　Theresa　would　only　let　him　take　a　bite　once　in　a

while。



〃Don't　you　suppose　there　is　a　Moorish　castle　somewhere　around

here　that　we　could　capture；　and　so　get　plenty　to　eat？〃　he

inquired　of　his　sister。　〃That　is　what　the　Cid　was　always　finding。

Don't　you　remember　how　nicely　he　got　into　Alcacer　and　slew　eleven

Infidel　knights；　and　found　ever　so　much　gold　and　things　to　eat？

This　is　what　he　said；　you　know：



　〃　'On；　on；　my　knights；　and　smite　the　foe！

　　　　　　And　falter　not；　I　pray；

　　For　by　the　grace　of　God；　I　trow；

　　　　　　The　town　is　ours　this　day！'　〃





〃O　Pedro；　dear；　why　will　you　think　so　much　of　things　to　eat；〃

groaned　Theresa。　〃Do　you　not　know　that　to　be　hungry　is　one　way　to

be　a　martyr。　And　besides；　it　is；　I　doubt　not；　our　just　punishment

for　having　taken　any　thing　to　eat　without　letting　mother　know。　We

must　suffer　and　be　strong；　little　brother。〃



〃That's　just　like　a　girl；〃　cried　Pedro；　a　trifle　scornfully。　〃How

can　we　be　strong　if　we　suffer？　I　can't；　I　know。〃



But　before　Theresa　could　enter　upon　an　explanation　of　this　most

difficult　problemone　that　has　troubled　many　older　heads　than

little　Pedro's；both　the　children　started　in　surprise；　and　then

involuntarily　shrunk　closer　to　the　dark　gray　rock　in　whose　shadow

they　were　resting。　For　there；　not　a　hundred　yards　distant；　coming

around　a　turn　in　the　road；　was　one　of　the　very　Infidels　they　had

come　out　to　meet　and　conquer；　or　be　martyred　by。



He　was　a　rather　imposing…looking　but　not　a　formidable　old　man。

His　cloak　or　mantle　of　brown　stuff　was　worn　and　ragged；　his

turban　was　quite　as　dingy；　but　the　long　white　beard　that　fell

upon　his　breast　made　his　swarthy　face　look　even　fiercer　than　it

really　was；　and　the　stout　staff；　with　which　he　helped　himself

over　the　uneven　road；　seemed　to　the　little　crusaders　some

terrible　weapon　of　torture　and　of　martyrdom。



But　Pedro　was　a　valiant　little　fellow　after　all。　The　fighting

spirit　of　his　father　the　Don　burned　within　him；　and　few　little

folks　of　seven　know　what　caution　is。　He　whispered　to　his　sister；

whose　hand　he　had　at　first　clutched　in　terror；　a　word　of

assurance。



〃Be　not　afraid；　sister　mine；〃　he　said。　〃Yonder　comes　the　Infidel

we　have　gone　forth　to　find。　Do　you　suppose　he　has　a　whole　great

army　following　him？　Hold　up　your　crucifix；　and　I　will　strike　him

with　my　sword。　The　castle　can't　be　far　away；　and　perhaps　we　can

conquer　this　old　Infidel　and　find　a　good　dinner　in　his　castle。

That　's　just　what　the　Cid　would　have　done。　You　know　what　he　said：



　〃　'Far　from　our　land；　far　from　Castile

　　　　　　We　here　are　banished；

　　If　with　the　Moors　we　battle　not；

　　　　　　I　wot　we　get　no　bread。'



Let　us　battle　with　him　at　once。〃



And　before　his　sister　with　restraining　hand；　could　hold　him　back

the　plucky　young　crusader　flourished　his　sword　furiously　and

charged　down　upon　the　old　Moor；　who　now　in　turn　started　in

surprise　and　drew　aside　from　the　path　of　the　determined　little

warrior。



　〃Now　yield　thee；　yield　thee；　pagan　prince。

　　　　　　Or　die　in　crimson　gore；

　　I　am　Ruy　Diaz　of　Bivar；

　　　　　　The　Cid　Campeador！〃



shouted　the　little　crusader；　cha