historic girls-第22节

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！



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；　charging　against　his　pagan　enemy　at

a　furious　rate。



〃O　spare　him；　spare　my　brother；　noble　emir。　Let　me　die　in　his

stead；〃　cried　the　terrified　Theresa；　not　quite　so　confident　now

as　to　the　pleasure　of　martyrdom。



The　old　man　stretched　out　his　staff　and　stopped　the　headlong　dash

of　the　boy。　Then　laying　a　hand　lightly　on　his　assailant's　head　he

looked　smilingly　toward　Theresa。



〃Neither　prince　nor　emir　am　I；　Christian　maiden；〃　he　said；　〃but

the　poor　Morisco　Abd…el…'Aman　of　Cordova；　seeking　my　son　Ali；

who；　men　say；　is　servant　to　a　family　in　Valladolid。　Pray　you　if

you　have　aught　to　eat　give　some　to　me；　for　I　am　famishing。〃



This　was　not　exactly　martyrdom；　it　was；　in　fact；　quite　the

opposite；　and　the　little　Theresa　was　puzzled　as　to　her　duty　in

the　matter。　Pedro；　however；　was　not　at　all　undecided。



〃Give　our　bread　and　cake　to　a　nasty　old　Moor？〃　he　cried；　〃I

should　say　we　will　not；　will　we；　sister？　We　need　it　for

ourselves。　Besides；　what　dreadful　thing　is　it　that　the　Holy

Inquisition　does　to　people　who　succor　the　infidel　Moors？〃



Theresa　shuddered。　She　knew　too　well　all　the　stories　of　the

horrible　punishments　that　the　Holy　Office；　known　as　the

Inquisition　of　Spain；　visited　upon　those　who　harbored　Jews　or

aided　the　now　degraded　Moors。　For　so　complete　had　been　the

conquest　of　the　once　proud　possessors　of　Southern　Spain；　that

they　were　usually　known　only　by　the　contemptuous　title　of

〃Moriscoes；〃　and　were　despised　and　hated　by　their　〃chivalrous〃

Christian　conquerors。



But　little　Theresa　de　Cepeda　was　of　so　loving　and　generous　a

nature　that　even　the　plea　of　an　outcast　and　despised　Morisco

moved　her　to　pity。　From　her　earliest　childhood　she　had　delighted

in　helpful　and　generous　deeds。　She　repeatedly　gave　away；　so　we

are　told；　all　her　pocket…money　in　charity；　and　any　sign　of

trouble　or　distress　found　her　ready　and　anxious　to　extend　relief。

There　was　really　a　good　deal　of　the　angelic　in　little　Theresa；

and　even　the　risk　of　arousing　the　wrath　of　the　Inquisition；　the

walls　of　whose　gloomy　dungeon　in　Avila　she　had；　so　often　looked

upon　with　awe；　could　not　withhold　her　from　wishing　to　help　this

poor　old　man　who　was　hunting　for　his　lost　son。



〃Nay；　brother；〃　she　said　to　little　Pedro；　〃it　can　be　not　so　very

great　a　crime　to　give　food　to　a　starving　man〃；　and　much　to

Pedro's　disgust；　she　opened　the　wallet　and　emptied　their　little

store　of　provisions　into　the　old　beggar's　hand。



〃And　wither　are　ye　bound；　little　ones？〃　asked　this　〃tramp〃　of　the

long　ago；　as　the　children　watched　their　precious　dinner　disappear

behind　his　snowy　beard。



〃We　are　on　a　crusade；　don　Infidel；〃　replied　Pedro；　boldly。　〃A

crusade　against　your　armies　and　castles；　perhaps　to　capture　them；

and　thus　gain　the　crown　of　martyrdom。〃



The　old　Moor　looked　at　them　sadly。　〃There　is　scarce　need　for

that；　my　children；〃　he　said。　〃My　people　are　but　slaves；　their

armies　and　their　castles　are　lost；　their　beautiful　cities　are

ruined；　and　there　is　neither　conquest　nor　martyrdom　for　Christian

youths　and　maidens　to　gain　among　them。　Go　home；　my　little　ones；

and　pray　to　Allah　that　you　and　yours　may　never　know　so　much　of

sorrow　and　of　trouble　as　do　the　poor　Moriscoes　of　Spain　this

day。〃



This　was　news　to　Theresa。　No　martyrdom　to　be　obtained　among　the

Moors？　Where　then　was　all　the　truth　of　her　mother's

romances；where　was　all　the　wisdom　of　her　father's　savage　faith？

She　had　always　supposed　that　the　Moors　were　monsters　and　djins；

waiting　with　great　fires　and　racks　and　sharpest　cimeters　to　put

to　horrible　death　all　young　Christians　who　came　amongst　them；　and

now　here　was　one　who　begged　for　bread　and　pleaded　for　pity　like

any　common　beggar　of　Avila。　Evidently　something　was　wrong　in　the

home　stories。



As　for　little　Pedro；　he　waxed　more　valiant　as　the　danger

lessened。　He　whetted　his　toy　sword　against　the　granite　rocks　and

looked　savagely　at　the　old　man。



〃You　have　eaten　all　my　bread；　don　Infidel；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　you

would　lie　about　your　people　and　your　castles。　You　are　no　beggar；

you　are　the　King　of　Cordova　come　here　in　this　disguise　to　spy　out

the　Christian's　land。　I　know　all　about　you　from　my　mother's

stories。　So　you　must　die。　I　shall　send　your　head　to　our　Emperor

by　my　sister　here；　and　when　he　shall　ask　her　who　has　done　this

noble　deed　she　will　say；　just　as　did　Alvar　Fanez　to　King　Alfonso：



　'My　Cid　Campeador；　O　king；　it　was　who　girded　brand：

　　The　Paynim　king　he　hath　o'ercome；　the　mightiest　in　the　land

　　Plenteous　and　sovereign　is　the　spoil　he　from　the　Moor　hath

　　　　　　won；

　　This　portion；　honored　king　and　lord；　he　sendeth　to　your

　　　　　　throne。'





〃So；　King　of　Cordova；　bend　down　and　let　me　cut　off　your　head。〃



The　〃King　of　Cordova〃　made　no　movement　of　compliance　to　this

gentle　invitation；　and　the　head…strong　Pedro；　springing　toward

him；　would　have　caught　him　by　the　beard；　had　not　his　gentle

sister　restrained　him。



〃I　do　believe　he　is　no　king；　my　Pedro；〃　she　said；　〃but　only；　as

he　says；　a　poor　Morisco　beggar。　Let　us　rather　try　to　help　him。　He

hath　no　castles　I　am　sure；　and　as　for　his　armies〃



〃His　armies！　there　they　come；　look；　sister！〃　cried　little　Pedro；

breaking　into　his　sister's　words；　〃now　will　you　believe　me？〃　and

following　his　gaze；　Theresa　herself　started　as　she　saw　dashing

down　the　mountain　highway　what　looked　to　her　unpractised　eye　like

a　whole　band　of　Moorish　cavalry　with　glimmering　lances　and

streaming　pennons。



Pedro　faced　the　charge　with　drawn　sword。　Theresa　knelt　on　the

ground　with　silver　crucifix　upraised；　expecting　instant

martyrdom；　while　the　old　Moorish　tramp；　Abd…el…'Aman；　believing

discretion　to　be　the　better　part　of　valor；　quietly　dropped　down

by　the　side　of　the　rocky　roadway；　for　well　he　understood　who　were

these　latest　comers。



The　Moorish　cavalry；　which　proved　to　be　three　Spaniards　on

horseback；　drew　up　before　the　young　crusaders。



〃So；　runaw