burlesques-第80节

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Monsieur　Alexandre　Dumas；　or　even　in　three　like　other　great

authors。　　We　have　no　room　for　the　recounting　of　Sir　Wilfrid's　deeds

of　valor。　　Whenever　he　took　a　Moorish　town；　it　was　remarked；　that

he　went　anxiously　into　the　Jewish　quarter；　and　inquired　amongst　the

Hebrews；　who　were　in　great　numbers　in　Spain；　for　Rebecca；　the

daughter　of　Isaac。　　Many　Jews；　according　to　his　wont；　he　ransomed；

and　created　so　much　scandal　by　this　proceeding；　and　by　the　manifest

favor　which　he　showed　to　the　people　of　that　nation；　that　the　Master

of　Saint　Jago　remonstrated　with　him；　and　it　is　probable　he　would

have　been　cast　into　the　Inquisition　and　roasted；　but　that　his

prodigious　valor　and　success　against　the　Moors　counterbalanced　his

heretical　partiality　for　the　children　of　Jacob。



It　chanced　that　the　good　knight　was　present　at　the　siege　of　Xixona

in　Andalusia；　entering　the　breach　first；　according　to　his　wont；　and

slaying；　with　his　own　hand；　the　Moorish　lieutenant　of　the　town；　and

several　hundred　more　of　its　unbelieving　defenders。　　He　had　very

nearly　done　for　the　Alfaqui；　or　governora　veteran　warrior　with　a

crooked　scimitar　and　a　beard　as　white　as　snowbut　a　couple　of

hundred　of　the　Alfaqui's　bodyguard　flung　themselves　between　Ivanhoe

and　their　chief；　and　the　old　fellow　escaped　with　his　life；　leaving

a　handful　of　his　beard　in　the　grasp　of　the　English　knight。　　The

strictly　military　business　being　done；　and　such　of　the　garrison　as

did　not　escape　put；　as　by　right；　to　the　sword；　the　good　knight；　Sir

Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe；　took　no　further　part　in　the　proceedings　of　the

conquerors　of　that　ill…fated　place。　　A　scene　of　horrible　massacre

and　frightful　reprisals　ensued；　and　the　Christian　warriors；　hot

with　victory　and　flushed　with　slaughter；　were；　it　is　to　be　feared；

as　savage　in　their　hour　of　triumph　as　ever　their　heathen　enemies

had　been。



Among　the　most　violent　and　least　scrupulous　was　the　ferocious

Knight　of　Saint　Jago；　Don　Beltran　de　Cuchilla　y　Trabuco　y　Espada　y

Espelon。　　Raging　through　the　vanquished　city　like　a　demon；　he

slaughtered　indiscriminately　all　those　infidels　of　both　sexes　whose

wealth　did　not　tempt　him　to　a　ransom；　or　whose　beauty　did　not

reserve　them　for　more　frightful　calamities　than　death。　　The

slaughter　over；　Don　Beltran　took　up　his　quarters　in　the　Albaycen；

where　the　Alfaqui　had　lived　who　had　so　narrowly　escaped　the　sword

of　Ivanhoe；　but　the　wealth；　the　treasure；　the　slaves；　and　the

family　of　the　fugitive　chieftain；　were　left　in　possession　of　the

conqueror　of　Xixona。　　Among　the　treasures；　Don　Beltran　recognized

with　a　savage　joy　the　coat…armors　and　ornaments　of　many　brave　and

unfortunate　companions…in…arms　who　had　fallen　in　the　fatal　battle

of　Alarcos。　　The　sight　of　those　bloody　relics　added　fury　to　his

cruel　disposition；　and　served　to　steel　a　heart　already　but　little

disposed　to　sentiments　of　mercy。



Three　days　after　the　sack　and　plunder　of　the　place；　Don　Beltran　was

seated　in　the　hall…court　lately　occupied　by　the　proud　Alfaqui；

lying　in　his　divan；　dressed　in　his　rich　robes；　the　fountains

playing　in　the　centre；　the　slaves　of　the　Moor　ministering　to　his

scarred　and　rugged　Christian　conqueror。　　Some　fanned　him　with

peacocks'　pinions；　some　danced　before　him；　some　sang　Moor's

melodies　to　the　plaintive　notes　of　a　guzla；　oneit　was　the　only

daughter　of　the　Moor's　old　age；　the　young　Zutulbe；　a　rosebud　of

beautysat　weeping　in　a　corner　of　the　gilded　hall：　weeping　for　her

slain　brethren；　the　pride　of　Moslem　chivalry；　whose　heads　were

blackening　in　the　blazing　sunshine　on　the　portals　without；　and　for

her　father；　whose　home　had　been　thus　made　desolate。



He　and　his　guest；　the　English　knight　Sir　Wilfrid；　were　playing　at

chess；　a　favorite　amusement　with　the　chivalry　of　the　period；　when　a

messenger　was　announced　from　Valencia；　to　treat；　if　possible；　for

the　ransom　of　the　remaining　part　of　the　Alfaqui's　family。　　A　grim

smile　lighted　up　Don　Beltran's　features　as　he　bade　the　black　slave

admit　the　messenger。　　He　entered。　　By　his　costume　it　was　at　once

seen　that　the　bearer　of　the　flag　of　truce　was　a　Jewthe　people

were　employed　continually　then　as　ambassadors　between　the　two　races

at　war　in　Spain。



〃I　come；〃　said　the　old　Jew　（in　a　voice　which　made　Sir　Wilfrid

start）；　〃from　my　lord　the　Alfaqui　to　my　noble　senor；　the　invincible

Don　Beltran　de　Cuchilla；　to　treat　for　the　ransom　of　the　Moor's　only

daughter；　the　child　of　his　old　age　and　the　pearl　of　his　affection。〃



〃A　pearl　is　a　valuable　jewel；　Hebrew。　　What　does　the　Moorish　dog

bid　for　her？〃　asked　Don　Beltran；　still　smiling　grimly。



〃The　Alfaqui　offers　100；000　dinars；　twenty…four　horses　with　their

caparisons；　twenty…four　suits　of　plate…armor；　and　diamonds　and

rubies　to　the　amount　of　1；000；000　dinars。〃



〃Ho；　slaves！〃　roared　Don　Beltran；　〃show　the　Jew　my　treasury　of

gold。　　How　many　hundred　thousand　pieces　are　there？〃　　And　ten

enormous　chests　were　produced　in　which　the　accountant　counted　1；000

bags　of　1；000　dirhems　each；　and　displayed　several　caskets　of　jewels

containing　such　a　treasure　of　rubies；　smaragds；　diamonds；　and

jacinths；　as　made　the　eyes　of　the　aged　ambassador　twinkle　with

avarice。



〃How　many　horses　are　there　in　my　stable？〃　continued　Don　Beltran；

and　Muley；　the　master　of　the　horse；　numbered　three　hundred　fully

caparisoned；　and　there　was；　likewise；　armor　of　the　richest　sort　for

as　many　cavaliers；　who　followed　the　banner　of　this　doughty　captain。



〃I　want　neither　money　nor　armor；〃　said　the　ferocious　knight；　〃tell

this　to　the　Alfaqui；　Jew。　　And　I　will　keep　the　child；　his　daughter；

to　serve　the　messes　for　my　dogs；　and　clean　the　platters　for　my

scullions。〃



〃Deprive　not　the　old　man　of　his　child；〃　here　interposed　the　Knight

of　Ivanhoe；　〃bethink　thee；　brave　Don　Beltran；　she　is　but　an　infant

in　years。〃



〃She　is　my　captive；　Sir　Knight；〃　replied　the　surly　Don　Beltran；　〃I

will　do　with　my　own　as　becomes　me。〃



〃Take　200；000　dirhems；〃　cried　the　Jew；　〃more！anything！　　The

Alfaqui　will　give　his　life　for　his　child！〃



〃Come　hither；　Zutulbe！come　hither；　thou　Moorish　pearl！〃　yelled

the　ferocious　warrior；　〃come　closer；　my　pretty　black…eyed　houri　of

heathenesse！　　Hast　heard　the　name　of　Beltran　de　Espada　y　Trabuco？〃



〃There　were　three　brothers　of　that　name　at　Alarcos；　and　my　brothers

slew　the　Christian　dogs！〃　said　the　proud　young　girl；　looking　boldly

at　Don　Beltran；　who　foamed　with　rage。



〃The　Moors　butchered　my　mother　and　her　little　ones；　at　midnight；　in

our　castle　of　Murcia；〃　Beltran　said。



〃Thy　father　fled　like　a　craven；　as　thou　didst；　Don　Beltran！〃　cried

the　high…spirited　girl。



〃By　Saint　Jago；　this　is　too　much！〃　screamed　the　infuriated

nobleman；　and　the　next　moment　there　was　a　shriek；　and　the　maiden

fell　to　the　ground　with　Don　Beltran's　dagger　in　her　side。



〃Death　is　better　than　dishonor！〃　cried　the　child；　rolling　on　the

blood…stained　marble　pavement。　　〃II　spit　upon　thee；　dog　of　a

Christian！〃　and　with　this；　and　with　a　savage　laugh；　she　fell　back

and　died。



〃Bear　back　this　news；　Jew；　to　the　Alfaqui；〃　howled　the　Don；

spurning　the　beauteous　corpse　with　his　foot。　　〃I　would　not　have

ransomed　her　for　all　the　gold　in　Barbary！〃　　And　shuddering；　the　old

Jew　left　the　apartment；　which　Ivanhoe　quitted　likewise。



When　they　were　in　the　outer　court；　the　knight　said　to　the　Jew；

〃Isaac　of　York；　dost　thou　not　know　me？〃　and　threw　back　his　hood；

and　looked　at　the　old　man。



The　old　Jew　stared　wildly；　rushed　forward　as　if　to　seize　his　hand；

then　started　back；　trembling　convulsively；　and　clutching　his

withered　hands　over　his　face；　said；　with　a　burst　of　grief；　〃Sir

Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe！no；　no！I　do　not　know　thee！〃



〃Holy　mother！　what　has　chanced？〃　said　Ivanhoe；　in　his　turn　becoming

ghastly　pale；　〃where　is　thy　daughterwhere　is　Rebecca？〃



〃Away　from　me！〃　said　the　old　Jew；　tottering。　　〃Away　Rebecca　is

dead！〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



When　the　Disinherited　Knight　heard　that　fatal　announcement；　he　fell

to　the　ground　senseless；　and　was　for　some　days　as　one　perfectly

distraught　with　grief。　　He　took　no　nourishment　and　uttered　no　word。

For　weeks　he　did　not　relapse　out　of　his　moody　silence；　and　when　he

came　partially　to　himself　again；　it　was　to　bid　his　people　to　horse；

in　a　hollow　voice；　and　to　make　a　foray　against　the　Moors。　　Day

after　day　he　issued　out　against　these　infidels；　and　did　nought　but

slay　and　slay。　　He　took　no　plunder　as　other　knights　did；　but　left

that　to　his　followers；　he　uttered　no　war…cry；　as　was　the　manner　of

chivalry；　and　he　gave　no　quarter；　insomuch　that　the　〃silent　knight〃

became　the　dread　of　all　the　Paynims　of　Granada　and　Andalusia；　and

more　fell　by　his　lance　than　by　that　of　any　the　most　clamorous

captains　of　the　troops　in　arms　against　them。　　Thus　the　tide　of

battle　turned；　and　the　Arab　historian；　El　Makary；　recounts　how；　at

the　great　battle　of　Al　Akab；　called　by　the　Spaniards　Las　Navas；　the

Christians　retrieved　their　d