chronicle of the conquest of granada-第94节

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t　his　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　to　deliver　up　the　palace。　　The　gate　by　which　he　sallied　passed　through　a　lofty　tower　of　the　outer　wall；　called　the　Tower　of　the　Seven　Floors　（de　los　siete　suelos）。　　He　was　accompanied　by　fifty　cavaliers；　and　approached　the　grand　cardinal　on　foot。　　The　latter　immediately　alighted；　and　advanced　to　meet　him　with　the　utmost　respect。　　They　stepped　aside　a　few　paces；　and　held　a　brief　conversation　in　an　under　tone；　when　Boabdil；　raising　his　voice；　exclaimed；　〃Go；　senor；　and　take　possession　of　those　fortresses　in　the　name　of　the　powerful　sovereigns　to　whom　God　has　been　pleased　to　deliver　them　in　reward　of　their　great　merits　and　in　punishment　of　the　sins　of　the　Moors。〃　　The　grand　cardinal　sought　to　console　him　in　his　reverses；　and　offered　him　the　use　of　his　own　tent　during　any　time　he　might　sojourn　in　the　camp。　　Boabdil　thanked　him　for　the　courteous　offer；　adding　some　words　of　melancholy　import；　and　then；　taking　leave　of　him　gracefully；　passed　mournfully　on　to　meet　the　Catholic　sovereigns；　descending　to　the　Vega　by　the　same　road　by　which　the　cardinal　had　come。　　The　latter；　with　the　prelates　and　cavaliers　who　attended　him；　entered　the　Alhambra；　the　gates　of　which　were　thrown　wide　open　by　the　alcayde　Aben　Comixa。　　At　the　same　time　the　Moorish　guards　yielded　up　their　arms；　and　the　towers　and　battlements　were　taken　possession　of　by　the　Christian　troops。

While　these　transactions　were　passing　in　the　Alhambra　and　its　vicinity　the　sovereigns　remained　with　their　retinue　and　guards　near　the　village　of　Armilla；　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　towers　of　the　royal　fortress；　watching　for　the　appointed　signal　of　possession。　　The　time　that　had　elapsed　since　the　departure　of　the　detachment　seemed　to　them　more　than　necessary　for　the　purpose；　and　the　anxious　mind　of　Ferdinand　began　to　entertain　doubts　of　some　commotion　in　the　city。　At　length　they　saw　the　silver　cross；　the　great　standard　of　this　crusade；　elevated　on　the　Torre　de　la　Vela；　or　Great　Watch…tower；　and　sparkling　in　the　sunbeams。　　This　was　done　by　Hernando　de　Talavera；　bishop　of　Avila。　　Beside　it　was　planted　the　pennon　of　the　glorious　apostle　St。　James；　and　a　great　shout　of　〃Santiago！　Santiago！〃　rose　throughout　the　army。　　Lastly　was　reared　the　royal　standard　by　the　king…at…arms；　with　the　shout　of　〃Castile！　Castile！　for　King　Ferdinand　and　Queen　Isabella！〃　　The　words　were　echoed　by　the　whole　army；　with　acclamations　that　resounded　across　the　Vega。　　At　sight　of　these　signals　of　possession　the　sovereigns　sank　upon　their　knees；　giving　thanks　to　God　for　this　great　triumph；　the　whole　assembled　host　followed　their　example；　and　the　choristers　of　the　royal　chapel　broke　forth　into　the　solemn　anthem　of　''Te　Deum　laudamus。〃

The　king　now　advanced　with　a　splendid　escort　of　cavalry　and　the　sound　of　trumpets；　until　he　came　to　a　small　mosque　near　the　banks　of　the　Xenil；　and　not　far　from　the　foot　of　the　Hill　of　Martyrs；　which　edifice　remains　to　the　present　day　consecrated　as　the　hermitage　of　St。　Sebastian。　　Here　he　beheld　the　unfortunate　king　of　Granada　approaching　on　horseback　at　the　head　of　his　slender　retinue。　　Boabdil　as　he　drew　near　made　a　movement　to　dismount；　but；　as　had　previously　been　concerted；　Ferdinand　prevented　him。　　He　then　offered　to　kiss　the　king's　hand；　which　according　to　arrangement　was　likewise　declined；　whereupon　he　leaned　forward　and　kissed　the　king's　right　arm；　at　the　same　time　he　delivered　the　keys　of　the　city　with　an　air　of　mingled　melancholy　and　resignation。　　〃These　keys；〃　said　he；　〃are　the　last　relics　of　the　Arabian　empire　in　Spain：　thine；　O　king；　are　our　trophies；　our　kingdom；　and　our　person。　　Such　is　the　will　of　God！　　Receive　them　with　the　clemency　thou　hast　promised；　and　which　we　look　for　at　thy　hands。〃*

*Abarca；　Anales　de　Aragon；　Rey　30；　c。　3。


King　Ferdinand　restrained　his　exultation　into　an　air　of　serene　magnanimity。　　〃Doubt　not　our　promises；〃　replied　he；　〃nor　that　thou　shalt　regain　from　our　friendship　the　prosperity　of　which　the　fortune　of　war　has　deprived　thee。〃

Being　informed　that　Don　Inigo　Lopez　de　Mendoza；　the　good　count　of　Tendilla；　was　to　be　governor　of　the　city；　Boabdil　drew　from　his　finger　a　gold　ring　set　with　a　precious　stone　and　presented　it　to　the　count。　　〃With　this　ring；〃　said　he；　〃Granada　has　been　governed；　take　it　and　govern　with　it；　and　God　make　you　more　fortunate　than　I！〃*

*This　ring　remained　in　the　possession　of　the　descendants　of　the　　count　until　the　death　of　the　marques　Don　Inigo；　the　last　male　heir；　　who　died　in　Malaga；　without　children；　in　1656。　　The　ring　was　then　　lost　through　inadvertence　and　ignorance　of　its　value；　Dona　Maria；　　the　sister　of　the　marques；　being　absent　in　Madrid〃Alcantara；〃　1。　　4；　c。18。


He　then　proceeded　to　the　village　of　Armilla；　where　the　queen　Isabella　remained　with　her　escort　and　attendants。　　The　queen；　like　her　husband；　declined　all　acts　of　homage；　and　received　him　with　her　accustomed　grace　and　benignity。　　She　at　the　same　time　delivered　to　him　his　son；　who　had　been　held　as　a　hostage　for　the　fulfilment　of　the　capitulation。　　Boabdil　pressed　his　child　to　his　bosom　with　tender　emotion；　and　they　seemed　mutually　endeared　to　each　other　by　their　misfortunes。*

*Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　lib。　20；　cap。　92。


Having　rejoined　his　family；　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　continued　on　toward　the　Alpuxarras；　that　he　might　not　behold　the　entrance　of　the　Christians　into　his　capital。　　His　devoted　band　of　cavaliers　followed　him　in　gloomy　silence；　　but　heavy　sighs　burst　from　their　bosoms　as　shouts　of　joy　and　strains　of　triumphant　music　were　borne　on　the　breeze　from　the　victorious　army。

Having　rejoined　his　family；　Boabdil　set　forth　with　a　heavy　heart　for　his　allotted　residence　in　the　valley　of　Purchena。　　At　two　leagues'　distance　the　cavalcade；　winding　into　the　skirts　of　the　Alpuxarras；　ascended　an　eminence　commanding　the　last　view　of　Granada。　　As　they　arrived　at　this　spot　the　Moors　paused　involuntarily　to　take　a　farewell　gaze　at　their　beloved　city；　which　a　few　steps　more　would　shut　from　their　sight　for　ever。　　Never　had　it　appeared　so　lovely　in　their　eyes。　　The　sunshine；　so　bright　in　that　transparent　climate；　lit　up　each　tower　and　minaret；　and　rested　gloriously　upon　the　crowning　battlements　of　the　Alhambra；　while　the　Vega　spread　its　enamelled　bosom　of　verdure　below；　glistening　with　the　silver　windings　of　the　Xenil。　　The　Moorish　cavaliers　gazed　with　a　silent　agony　of　tenderness　and　grief　upon　that　delicious　abode；　the　scene　of　their　loves　and　pleasures。　　While　they　yet　looked　a　light　cloud　of　smoke　burst　forth　from　the　citadel；　and　presently　a　peal　of　artillery；　faintly　heard；　told　that　the　city　was　taken　possession　of；　and　the　throne　of　the　Moslem　kings　was　lost　for　ever。　　The　heart　of　Boabdil；　softened　by　misfortunes　and　overcharged　with　grief；　could　no　longer　contain　itself。　　〃Allah　Akbar！　God　is　great！〃　said　he　but　the　words　of　resignation　died　upon　his　lips　and　he　burst　into　tears。

The　mother；　the　intrepid　Ayxa；　was　indignant　at　his　weakness。　〃You　do　well；〃　said　she；　〃to　weep　like　a　woman　for　what　you　failed　to　defend　like　a　man。〃

The　vizier　Aben　Comixa　endeavored　to　console　his　royal　master。　〃Consider；　senor；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　most　signal　misfortunes　often　render　men　as　renowned　as　the　most　prosperous　achievements；　provided　they　sustain　them　with　magnanimity。〃

The　unhappy　monarch；　however；　was　not　to　be　consoled；　his　tears　continued　to　flow。　　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃when　did　misfortune　ever　equal　mine？〃

From　this　circumstance　the　hill；　which　is　not　far　from　Padul；　took　the　name　of　Feg　Allah　Akbar；　but　the　point　of　view　commanding　the　last　prospect　of　Granada　is　known　among　Spaniards　by　the　name　of　〃El　ultimo　suspiro　del　Moro；〃　or　〃The　last　sigh　of　the　Moor。〃



CHAPTER　C。

HOW　THE　CASTILIAN　SOVEREIGNS　TOOK　POSSESSION　　　　　OF　GRANADA。


Queen　Isabella　having　joined　the　king；　the　royal　pair；　followed　by　a　triumphant　host；　passed　up　the　road　by　the　Hill　of　Martyrs；　and　thence　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　Alhambra。　　The　grand　cardinal　awaited　them　under　the　lofty　arch　of　the　great　Gate　of　Justice；　accompanied　by　Don　Gutierrez　de　Cardenas　and　Aben　Comixa。　　Here　King　Ferdinand　gave　the　keys　which　had　been　delivered　up　to　him　into　the　hands　of　the　queen；　they　were　passed　successively　into　the　hands　of　the　prince　Juan；　the　grand　cardinal；　and　finally　into　those　of　the　count　de　Tendilla；　in　whose　custody　they　remained；　that　brave　cavalier　having　been　named　alcayde　of　the　Alhambra　and　captain…general　of　Granada。

The　sovereigns　did　not　remain　long　in　the　Alhambra　on　this　first　visit；　but；　leaving　a　strong　garrison　there　under　the　count　de　Tendilla　to　maintain　tranquillity　in　the　palace　and　the　subjacent　city；　returned　to　the　camp　at　Santa　Fe。

We　must　not　omit　to　mention　a　circumstance　attending　the　surrender　of　the　city　which　spoke　eloquently　to　the　hearts　of　the　victors。　　As　the　royal　army　had　advanced　in　all　the　pomp　of　courtly　and　chivalrous　array；　a　procession　of　a　different　kind　came　forth　to　meet　it。　　This　was　composed　of　more　than　five　hundred　Christian　captives；　many　of　whom　had　languished　for　years　in　Moorish　dungeons。　　Pale　and　emaciated；　they　came　clanking　their　chains　in　triumph　and　shedding　tears　of　joy。　They　were　received　with　tenderness　by　the　sovereigns。　　The　king　hailed　them　as　good