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" . FROM f HS tADT'S BOOK.
THE KNIGHTS OP CALATRAVA.
"What tidings! from the host," demand
c j the Kinff of Arragon, as hr thought-
full' paced the floor of the lofty presence -
chamt'or, ot his palace ol l oledo; nave
oiir lrave-knights been enabled to tnairi
Win the fortress, or must it fall into the
hinds of the false -followers of the,Prophet
of Mecca?" : .
, There are rurooufs, my ; Lord," was
the respectful ansjwer of the page, to whom
these questions were addressed, 'of loss
t-anx defeat to its defenders, but no messen
::ge'r lias arrived who nght bring '-us cer
.tain HUelligence." . " ; , '
"1 A ar rnemuch'," said the monarch in
j.:n midor tone, "that this bright jewel will
l;e torn from my. diadem," and he relaps
xd into a ;'m.oody. .si Toilet! . '
Tiie youthful attendant, too dutiful to
i titer rupt, lis meditation?; retired fto the
recess of a richly carded gothic window,
anli in a standing position surveyed, the
'extended landscape. He had not remain
ed Jang in this-siiuation, when the bright
glts'tm of spear and 'cuirass; denoted the
ai rbacli of a body of mailed warriors.
The sudden and indistinct expression 6f
.surprise occasioned by this circumstance,
'irew-upon the page fhe attention of the
.monarch." . '
"What see:st thou, Ferdinand?", he ex-'
claimed, "that thou evincest such agita
;ro:u: aro the Moors nponnsf" J :
"No, by my fait'a!". was the energetic
, r'v nl y , "a go o u ! y a r r a y , bearing; t'he ban
iu r of the Temple, is advancing towards
-Toledo"., : :: k - : ;.;-;V....-:: .
! - h "Calatrava io .s;ifo,:; joyfully exclaimed
the king; "the brave soldiers Would else
have perished in its defence. Let our
- court," he added, "be assembled: that due
, JtrVj rr and respect may await those, whose
rI:ilI and heroism proclaim them he chief
bulwark of our throne." " k . 'f
j - But the nearer approach of the chosen
troops disclosed not the tokens 0 triumph
rant exultation, which the ardentirnagina
tion of the monarch had anticipated; and
they sped over the wide heath, more like
a company of pilgrims, than a chivalric
i rray, ret u rn i n g f rem J h e won battle field.
jNo joyous sijout burst from the stately
jnriks- the trumpet's voice'was hushed
. jhtr fhe torn and soiled banner hung droop-
Jiv.7: from the dented stafT. On the coun
; Tt?h;!!;ce:' of many of the knights compos-ti-e
martial throng, the stern ; expres
sion of pain, firmly endured, arising from
; the hastily dressed wound, could be ob
served; while the features of others .;dis-
closed the existence of some deep and
absorbing reflection. Occasionally, the
glances from their eye.s , were fierce,)
haughty and confident, their lances would'
he-"grasped more firmly, and the bearing
nf the steel did soldiers indicated the
. high spirit of chivalry .that could not, un
der the most- adverse circumstances, be
1 repressed or subdued. At . length, the
principal object of the march was attained,
and leaving the rest of the body td the
proffered accommodations of the palace,
their leader and Chief commanders were
. ti'shered into the presence, of the king-and
assembled court. The Knights of the
Gros .'regarded not the admiring glances
ff the glittering throng of lords and la-
ilits, that crowded the royal apartment,
. kit slawlv pfoceededto the foot of . the
.-throne, and awaited in respectful silence, j
.'headdress of the monarch. "The chi
, valry of the temple are welcome," - was
fhe kingly salutation, "and we are iridebt
ed to the zeal which urges them to.com--j";
Jnunicate, though at the expense of much
.labor, th intelligence of their success:
: !7nlatravd has been bravely defended..'
' The glorious standard of Arragon,"
j .vas ihe -calm and some what?saddened re--ny
of the. Commander, Bertrand de Lon
gueyillc, "still floats over the fQrtfess; but
. it was no va.in desire of display that
'brought us hither; the banner of the Tem
ple has waved, and our war cry tias been
-heard in battle, for the last time in Spain:"
A shudder of horror and amazement
i -pervaded the listening'grroup at this de
j claration, while the monarch, almost
i tartiri from his seat, exclaimed in a hur
ried tone, ' ' , r' : -1 . - -
"Do the Knights Templars, to whom
j was entrusted, the defence of the important
i fortress, express their determination to a
bandon their high charge, even at the
time of its greatest peril? I may not,"
he added, "impeach your valour, but such
a reeolution is fraught with shame, and
loss, nd .disaster, ito the holy cause in
thjch we are at present engaged."
"Some eight years since," was the reply
of. Do Lohgueville, "your gracious ances
tor. King Doh Alfonso, entrusted the ex
tensive fortress of Calatrava to the keep
" ing of the Kniffhts of the Temple; and,
though I myself say it, right well and va
hahtlvhas the duty been performed. By
.Jiight and by day," he proceeded, ; with
viriore animation, "in "storm and in sun
?hine, have gur battle shouts been heard
. ' C -jv "v-:' - : :i
. ; L ' . ' 1 j
tmmamm'm' . - .. ' . - '.; V,! ... ' ! . : ' i ! ! : ' ! : : : i. 'T. 1
! . - - V ' ' 1 . - '!! . !' - ' i -I. -
even above tha pealing tecbir, and thou
sands of the misbelievers have met their
fate, by the lances of the soldiers of the
cross. But all thejr efforts are vain and
useless The best and bravest of our
band lie before the walh and in the
trenches of Calatrava, while hosts of bar
barians from Afrija supply the places of
thei r slain comrades, and swell the num
ber of the false followers of the Prophet.
The last stand made, two days' since, to
stem the torrent, though we shed our
blood like water, and remained ! masters
of the field, served but little else than to
show our desperate and unavailing resist
ance. Ourytask i? done, and I resign
unto the Lord King Don Sancho, the
charter which gave; our order the posses
sion ot'the fortress of Jalatrava." As he
.thus spoke he handed fthe parchment to
the king, who received it with a slight
acknowledgment of acquiescence, and the
champion of the Cross proceeded; "Fresh,
bodies of infidels, as T have even now
mentioned, ate daily joining the ranks of
their countrymen, eager for the assault of
the doomed iortress, and it were pity to
.subject the slender jjgarrison to the calam
ity that threatens to overwhelm them.
To withdraw the bfave soldi srs ere it be
too late would be isel policy!' '
:"Bjr St. Jago!,Sijr Knight," exclaimed
the King, "we ca. dispense .with your
advice, since -you ajre so sparing of your
services. There is no lack," he added,
"of knights and gentlemen in Spain, to
peril .their lives ahd honor i 1 the sacred
cause of God and jfreedom: while" the chi
valry of the templeswithdraw from the con
test and devote thernse
ves to ease and iri-
glorious inaction,'
"Our 'warfare ceases only i n the grave,"
was the calm- repy of de Lonueville
to the taunt, "we hence to defend the
1111 n Hi Hi '
noiy sepuicnre irojrn pollution, since our
services here are jf no avail, and in obe
dience to the behests of our superior. The
war-cry of the Temple," , he added, hall
re-echo, amid the o;hce fertile, but now de
solate plains of Palestine, and the, sands
of the desert shall witness the triumph, or
drink the blood of! the sworn soldier of
the Cross." f ; ! ' '
"Forgive me, del Longueville," was the
frank observation rof Don Sanclio, "my
hasty speech: w;e nust-not jxirjtlin anger
with those, whose jralor has be&ri the bul
wark ofour faith, arid support Df our throne.
Accept this," he aded, as he took a chain
of gold, to which ai jewelled cross was at
tached,' from his person, "as a token of
regard and respectjl for you worth and
services." ji
' The Templar accepted the rich gift,
with an;ihdifierencie which 'expressed a
sense of his own deserts, and suspending
it over the red badge of his order, took
his leave, and with! his associates with
drew from the royal presence
A deep silence pervaded the apartment
during this jnteresiing interview, and ga
thering emotions of gloom and sadness
filled the bosoms qjf the "couriers as "the
knights departed, and their heavy tread
was heard descending) the lofty stairway.
They inwardly shuddered as they thought
upon the tide of Moslem conquest,' swell
ing with devastating .'fury,; r ow that the
last barrier to its progress was removed,
and instinctively turned towards theiaug
to . elicit from his countenance, some hope
or mitigation of of the expected calamity.
But the monarch had thrown hknself back
in his chair' of tate, the moment De
Longueville depatted, and with his face
shaded by his hand, sat absorbed in deep
meditation. The ;: trump, of the warrior
band, as it told the signal for its march,
succeeded by a bursting shout, "for the
Temple!" dispelled the'tranc s-like silence
of the presence-chamber.;
"Let my heralds," said Don Sancho,
rising with dignrtyi "proclairi throughout
Arrao-on, that I, the King, will confer the
possession of the jFortress of Calatrava
upon such Barons Knights, or Gentle
men, who, in its hpur of danger and dis
tress, will underta
ice to defend it from the
misbelievers: ' and
waiving- his hand dis-
missed the court.
The brethren ofjthe Convent of St. Ma
ry, -had received the benediction at the
close of the .evening service, and were
retiring silently through the dim aisles
of the chapel to their respec tive places of
rest and meditatidn. But there was one
among the cowledjassembly, upon whom
the pealing anthem, the sacred homily, or
the intensity of his1! own jthou ghts, seemed
to &ave made a .deep impression. He
heeded not the departure of , those around
him, but retained the same station he, had
occupied during the performance of the
religious exercises' and stood leaning his
head , upon his arm, which rested against
a fretted .column, jj r ' ' j ' 1
4Thou seemest disquieted, brother Am
ose,'' fdr by thaij name he was icnown
in the convent, said the abbot, addressing
him, "and I would; fain, if in my po wer,
relieve thy uneasiness. The strict rules
of our order, may f press too heavily upon
thy weakened body, or sickn ess may have
caused this unusual dejection, j Andyet,"
he added, "I know; not if I am right in so
terming thy abstraction, for even during
the solemn service; J observed thine eye
to brighten with aj lustre more j dazzling
than the rays from ithe jewelled cross, the
glit of the royal Alfonso, i-iow am 1 10
WILMINGTON, N. C WEDNESDAY AUGtSTl
understand the exhibition of such opposite
emotions" ,'
"I have been too long accustomed'-re-plied
thejmonk, "to the rigid severity of
the convent, to feel aught of the hardships
it may impose, nor does sickness or in1
dispositiojn press its, debilitating hand v.p
on me. jWheri, but a short period since,
the thrilling anthem pealed loudest, sound
ing the triumphs ofehovah over the hea
then, and the , discoursepxplaining the
character and beauty of ur pure faith, fiit
ed my bdsom with noly awe and admira
tion, the- sound of the Moorish atabal
seemed tp ring; in my ears, and the voice
of the Imaun, extolling the camel-driver
of Mecca1, above the saviour of the world,
to proceed from yon altar. It might be,
that indignation at the proud confidence
of the misbelievers, as if their boasted
crescent ihad never been trampled in the
dust, mingled with my meditation, on the
threatened calamity. Thou well know
est," he continued, T'that the chivalry of
the Tem pie have abandoned in despair,
the fortress of Calatrava, the chief barrier
against Moslem conquest, and the royal
city of Toledo, the convent of St. Mary,
and this fair portion of Spain, will soon,
jmiess aid is received, be involved in one
common ruin." ! ' j
"Thou mayest well lament, my son,"
was the sorrowful response! of his supe
rior, "the distress and desolation about to
be brought upon us, by J the
hordes of misbelievins: Africans.
ruthless
All that
we could do has been done,!
to ..avert the
terrible catastrophe. Day and night have
our; prayers and petitions for deliverance
ascended to Heaven. Our vigils and pe
nances have been redoubled, arid, like the
Lroyal psalmist have: I watered my couch
with myjtears. -Ere long.' proceeded the
Abbot, "jwe must leave these peaceful and
holy walls, and seek some! remote pro
vince, where, undisturbed and unmocked,
we can perform our devotions to the most
High. jTo His will we must submit." j
- The monk, Ambrose, had hitherto re
mained in the same position, and exhibit
ed the same tokens of thoughtful dejection,
as when first addressed by the Abbot. J
But the words of the father were scarce
uttered, when he threw himself from the
supporting pillar, and standing erect, ex
claimed in a voice, that was loudly re-echoed
from vaulted ceiling and sculptured
wall "We must never abandon the
House of God to defilement, but rather
die fightjing bravely in its defence. The
turbaned infidel shall boast neither ofour
flight noir of our submission. We will
acccept the offer of the King of Arragon,
and with God's blessing, preserve the for
tress from their impious hands, and the
slaves of the Caliph shall long have occa
sion to remember the faith and valour of
the cloistered Knights of Calatrava."
Some moments elapsed, ero the Abbot
could, in his surprise at the sr.dden con
version of one of the most quiet and sub
missive members of the community, into
the resolute and daring; soldier, find utter
ance for 1 a reply
?Thy enthusiasm is commendable,"
he at len'gth exclaimed,
..1
out
l am fearful
it will avail but little in our hour of need.
The crown Of the martyr, and "not the
wreath Of the: warrior, must be the ob-j
a . I -ml. 1 t !
tect ol our ambition. 1 nou saidst even 4
now, thsjt the' well-trained chivalry of the
Temple have retired from the unavailing
contest." j : 'v ;
'Thc Red; Cross Knights,' was the
more calm reply of the monk, "are cal
led by duty to Palestine, toj aid their bre
thren in defending the holy sepulchre,
which is threatened by the Saracens. -They
are, besides, strangers and foreign
ers in the land, and the Spanish blood
courses in the? veins of but few of their
number. But time presses; with your
leave, we will assemble the whole frater
nity in the hall of the convent, arid I will
lay my proposition before them'
.. His superior assented, I and, their de
parting footsteps were Te-echOed with a
hollow sound from the stony pavement,
and deserted galleries. j
Our storyi must now revert to the pal
ace. of the king of Arragon. In a small
apartment, ' opening into one of larger
dimensions, sat its princely owner, ho,
absorbed in painful and dispiriting medi
tation, heeded not the gathering gloom,
forJt was eventide, that enveloped the ob
jects it contained, in a shadowy indistinct
ness. ; And well might the monarch of
Arragon, indulge in sad and dark fore
bodings At this period, the turbaned
followers of the! Prophet -of Mecca, were
engaged in a desperate effort to recover
their lost provinces, and their immense
superiority ofiiUmbers gave the haughty
warriors an assurance of complete suc
cess. The knights and nobles, the chiv
alry .f Spain, worn down by incessant
and strenuoris exertion, jaad generally re
tired to their iortresses, as well .for the
purposeiif gaining a short respite, as to
place .them in such a state of defence, as
might defr the ! -fierce impetuosity of the
ruthless! African. The hardy soldier of
the Temple, had, as we have seen, aban
doned, as vain, the further defence of Cala
trava, arid no j voice respopded to the call
of the king,1 accepting s. ther Jmportant
charge. Toledo, .the royal metropolis;
won from the Moors by the valour of his
ancestors, almost destitute of defenders,
could oppose ;but a feeble resistance'to the
ihrious torrent, and tho martial labour of
years,; seemed about to be destfoyea in
the lapse of a few weeks. The wild !
thoughts elicited bv a review of these un
toward circumstances; tormentecj the im
agination of the king of Arragon, and
rested sullenly J upon one unbroken pic
ture of defeat, desolation, and despair.
These painful reflections were interrup
ted byjthe entrance of the page.f Ferdin
and,! with the intelligence that thf monk
Ambrose, and eleven brethren of the con
vent of St. Mary, earnestly entreated
speech of the king. J j
""Vljre h not," muttered Don ( Sancho,
"for these adverse 1 times," as I he gave a
someiat reluctant consent, 1 should
suoDOsS'thev came to ask. or rather de-
mand a broader valley for the 'flocks of
tne society, or some additional privilege;
but now it is penance to the king for his
transgressions, ere he can expect; deliver
ance. ; -By the saint! I have enduifed more
suffering for the last three weeks, than
was ever imposed by the most rigid head
of a; monastery upon his erring brethren.
But they shall not, he added, with a feel
ing of .kingly pride, as he advanced to the
larger apartment, and seated himself in a:
chair of -state, "observe the misery and
wretchedness that oppressjme."
j Yet it is no easy matter, even for a
monarch, to assume a placid brow, while
the heart is rent with internal an xiety;
and. he had scarce acquired the requisite
calmntess, vhen his cowled visitors were
introduced. "V-. ! 1 1
"Ye are welcome, brethren of St. Ma
ry, fo 'Toledo,"; was Don Sancho' s salu
tation! as he slightly acknowledged their
respectful homage, upon entering the a
partment, "and I would fain Mow, for
time. at the present conjuncture is pre
cious to what Iam indebted for the fa
vour of this visit?" !
"Some three weeks since," was the an
swer of the monk, Ambrose, "it Kvas pro
claimed throughout Arragon, that the
king, Don Sancho, would. jconferj the for
tress of Calatrava, and its possessions, up
on thbse who would undertakefjto keep
it safe and harmless from the! assaults of
the misbelieving: Moors, and We come
authorized by the different cohvjents and
stations of the holy order of St. Ma'ry.-to
accept in ! their behalf, the ardious but
honourable trust. i 1 '
"To your books, and, your beads. Sir
Priests," exclaimed the monarch in a
passionate tone, the moment h under
stood the purpose of theirimissian; "this
is no period for mockery or jest: but if
your proposal be made seriously oy my
faith, I would father place lance ajad blade
in the hands of the women of 1 oledo, and
rely on their aid," and he laughed in ve
ry scorn and bitterness. : ,
"The proposition," answered Ambrose
calmly, "has not been made lightly, nor
without consideration, and we woiild urge
it upon youi: deliberate and unprejudiced
attention." ! .
"And was the danger, the difficulty,
the impossibility of the enterprize," de
manded the king "placed before your
sage council? Even the daring apd well-
trained chivalry of the X era pie, he went
oq, hhave quailed before the barbarian
host, and I am asked to entrustjthe for
tress their daring valour eould pot pro
tect to the iiands of the unwairlike and
peaceful inmates of a convent. By St.
Jagp! it passes beliefand patience, and it
is yell the communication ; was njiade jn
private; rather than before my assembled
court."'-'.' '. .i ; T' -1;
"The knights of the loly Temple,"
wasp the modest remark of the monk, "are
not always in the red battle-field: they
too are sroverned by monastic rules, and
when the strife is over,!assuramg
r- -
the
cowl for the helmet, they! retire to their
lonely cells, for prayer, and ' meditation."
"Now, by iny faith " exclaimed the
king, in derision, "it is a pleasanr matter
to hear these sluggards of St. Mary, com
pare themselves with the most approved!
soldiers in the world." .1, I
"And why should they not?" said the J
speaker, Ambrose, in a firm, manly voice,
no ilonger concealing nis linense emu-1
tions; "wny snouid not tne monies oi oi. i
l1 ,H ., 1' .ffli
Mary be named at the same time witn
the soldier-priests of the Temple? Do J
thei warndrs of the cross endure with
patience hunger and cold, fatigue, and
watchfulness? our fasts and vigils have
prepared our bodies for a similar display
of fortitude.. Can they suffer, without
sigh or groan, pain and torture?-ven in
the midst of the blazing faggots, the brow
of t ie most youthful of, nay associates,
would be as tranquil as th? sleeping lake
at noon-day. ' A thousand bihren of the
several, convents of our order await but
vour assent, to take steed arid lance, and'
rescue the devoted fortress tromi the in
fidel, or perish before its walls."
Xuring the delivery of this spirited ap
peal, the surprise of the monarch kas ex
treme, and his gaze rested earnftly -on
the! group before him, as if seeking to de
tect some deception in the assumed char
acter of thosexomposing it. A rlause of
some duration ensued the delegates of
Sl Mary awaiting respectfully the decis
ion: of the king. But .it was not jpven at
once. His first impulse was to accept
their proffered services, as a desperate
remedy for the evils that-surrounded him,
but: feelings of doubt and. oncertainty .re
sumed their sway, and restrained iu im
mediato expression." There.is some djP
28 1833,
ference," he thought, "between enduring
privations, and suffeirings with a fortitude
induced by habit and a. sense of religion,
and to dash boJdlyj and .fearlessly, amid
the frowning ranks, of fierce and fanatic
enemies. They are , jgill hut monks and
priests." f .
'Who is there,"JjedeTnanded, in a tone
ahd manner in whidhdecisioh was blen
dbd with a spirit oftjanxious inquiry, llo
lead these brethren of the convent to bat
tle, and emulate the4eeds of the brave De
lLongueville?" I
"One," replied the .monk, "whqse blade
is as keen as that repowned warrior's, and
vjrhosexvarshout has as lofiily mingleTJ
with the discordant? terbrr--rDiego Valas
quez; and the same duty which led him
within the alls of a cloister, now urges
him to the battle-fieJd." As he said this,
he removed the hood that had partially con
cealed his face, and displayed to thekin
h;is Avell -known features. k,.
j "I had long supposed thee dead," ex
claimed Don Sancho, warmly grasping
his. hand; "and welt remember the gloom
that overspread Toledo upon the disap
pearance of one of he best knights of Ar
ragon. My prayers to Heaven,'' he ad
ded, ."for aid and deliverance, have been
answered even whjen I had ; despaired of
its favour. Thy proffer is most willingly
accepted, and I entrust the fortress of
Calatrava to thyself and associates, in the
full, confidence; tha it .will yet be preser
ved from the false misbelievers. The
charter of possession shall be delivered
tomorrow." . ;
"We will do Our best," said Diego
Velasquez, as he took his desparture with
his companions, 'tbut from God alone
cometh-the victory
It was almost midnight, yet the Moor
ish camp which he
tfefcs of Calatrava,
d in leaqruer the for-
exhibited little of the
silence and . loneliness peculiar to that
hour. Groups of jchieflains and dfUcers
were to be seen reclining on the grass, or
sauntering listlessly along the banks of the
Guadiana, while those o meaner rank,
unchecked by any severity of discipline,
were holding discourse wTith the sentinels,
or listening to the Animated strains of the
Wandering story-teller. Bursts of harsh
music from the horn, or atabaj, would oc
casionally, rise aboie the, hum of the mul
titude, conveying to the warriors bosom
the thrilling recollection of some glorious
battle-field; and at times, too, the peaceful
harp or lute, more fin accordance with the
mild spirit of the scene, breathed forth
the ten.de.r -.lay f love, or sang the beau
ties of the shady gro ves and verdattt pas
tures of the - happy Arabia. A moon of
unrivalled brilliancy shed a rich, lustre o
ver the landscape, lending a snowy white
ness to the graceful drapery of the tent,
and causing the surface of the river to
glow like a mirror of silver. The sfan-
I dardofthe Prophe, firmly planted amid
the luxuriant grass, nung suneniy arouna
its massy staff, as if scorning the tranquil
scene, and sighing for the tempestuous
atmosphere of battle. In the distance, the
renownedfortress, Jits, frowning front urt
illurhed b the oblique rays of the moon
rose like a huge mountain from th e plain,
or the grim evening-cloud, when the orb
of day sinks angrily into the bosom of
ocean. - But it was not alone the attrac
tive splendour of the balmy summer night
that beguiled the hardy soldiers of their
repose. The ev Remaining defenders of
Calatrava, despairing of a successful de
fence, especially since the departure c
the Temple knights, 'had titered into a
convention for its! surrender, unless pre
viously relieved, fat the expiration of a
week-from the date! Of the capitulation.
The extreme reluctance of the Christains to
yield up the important post, induced them
to insist oh the latest period for its execu
tion, and the midnight of the seventh dav
was desip-nated as the time for the fulfil-
ment of the treaty.! This term had now
almost expired, and as the hour when. the
crescent should displace the standard of
Arragon from the lofty towers drew near,
tne wakeminess ano sur among me ios-
I. ' . , . 1 . I
lems, denoted tneir;
ihtention of availing
themselves of their
good fortune, without
unnecessary idelay
Amid a luxuriant orange grove1 that a-
dorned the verdant! margin of the Guadi
ana the Lady Zara, the daughter of .the
Moorish leader Aridaliafa, and her prin
cipal female, attendants, were seated on
embroidered cushions, while a cjowd of
princes and captains, formed ao admixing
circle round the object of attraction.
"How beautifully was the observation
of the Xady Zara,, jas she directed, her ani
mated glance towards he river, -are the
moonbeams playing on the calm sulfate
of the Guadiana, and how soothing the
murmur of the -crystal ripples as they
leave the flowery shoref ' ' -
"The scene is fair," said, the yeterap
jChebar, looking for a moment upon the
object cf her admiration, "but the rays of
the full .moon, streaming upon th e mar
ble palace of the Spanish king, at Toledo,
and the crescent waving in triumph over
the cityi would to me be afar.moresplenp
did spectacle." , j;
. I hare seen,"- .observed ,the young
Prince of Cordoba, 'gazing for an instant
ubpn. the lovely features of the daughter
of Abdallah, but partially concealed by
the- transparent, veil, "a sight far more
tbeautiful than cDioonligbt stream or paj'
VOIi. 1.
ace, and ' have heard even now, a sound
pbfter than' the murrnu'f of the sparkling
ripples of the Guadiana!" f
"To what next am I to be compared?"
said Zara, playfully, n answer tojne com
pliment; "the descendants of the Prophet
are celebrated for fervour of imagination,
and the romantic scenery of $pain is-ejl "
adapted, to give it scope and exercise.
iAna. yet," she added, "it would afforil me ,
much gratification to behold the royal
palace of Toledo, either in the paje mooiir j
light, or by the gorgeous blaze of the:
noontide sun.. AThen I was at Cordoba.
I heard much of the grandeur and stern
rnagnificence.of the ancient metropolis."
"4tThe Lady Zara will soon enjoy that
pleasure," observed the chieftain Chebafj
f'ere many days, the crescent of the Pro
phet shall wave in proud defiance over
the boasted city of the misbelievers.!' .
j "The knights of the Temple,' said Za-;.
rajirchly, "have retired from the contest,
and your march will be probably unop-
I "By the turban of Mahqmetj" exclaim-'' A
ed the Prince of Cordoba, "it matters but
little whether the dogs of the Temple ar
h the field or not. But they have acted
wisely in not daring longer, tQ oppose our
invincible host." -
j "When we regain p.ossess ion," renin r4c- '
ed another chieftain, playing with Jthe,
gemmed hilt of his scymetar, "of the me
tropolis, formerly won' by moorish valor,
the united force of all the misbelievers in.
Spain, though commanded by a second
Pel a go, shall not be able toexpcl.us "
j i"By tlie might of Alia!" said the lead
er of the: expedition taking part in the
conversation, "not only Toledo, but the.
remotest province shall be added to the
dominions of the Caliph, and the north
as well as the south resound-with invoca
tions to thle Prophet of God. The hour
is already! at hand, when the surrender of "
Calatrava .will usher in the commence
ment of a glorious series of successful, n--'
thicvements. Let the fleetest steed, Sc
lim," he added, addressing one of the
company, "be prepared to convey io tlm
faithful at Cordoba, the earliest tidings of
the fall of the fortress of the inhdef." ;
; j! 'Thou seemest sad, Almanzof,n oh'
served the lady Zara, upon the drjKirturo
of the officer, to a )roung chieftain w ho
Wore a green turban, and was otherwise
richly apparelled; "does the splendor of
the moonlit scenery, or the anticipation,
of conquest to the Moslem arms, '-which'..'
swells with triumph every bosom, fill thine'"'.
with dejection?"' f
; "I have this evening," readHy answer
ed the chieftain, "been pondering oa two
circumstances, which, though kappertng
ait distant intervals, have reference t-' the.
same event. But it is useless". to troivblc
the daughter of Abdallah and this coin
pany, with the recital." ! f ,'-( ;
l. "Nay," exclaimed the, Jady Zara; "9
story would add much toil he enjoymer.t
of this delightful hour, and it vbnld nor
be the less acceptable if it'be tinged wih
the hue of romance or melancholy."
i f ' As we were laziiy crossing the dc- ;.
sert," said the descendant of tlie Prophet
commencing his narrative, ''an old nujr.
w,bo called himself a Syrian soothsayer,-
joined our train. His dress and general
appearance were strange; and uron his
offering to read ine a'pa!'e fromthe book
01 futurity, I ordered the caravan to halt, -
and a tent to be pitched. . When we were
alone, alter many curious , ceremonies and
jpng pauses, he told me I should. .die' in 1
Spain near the Castle cf Calatrava. . I
received the intelligence with indiffer- ;
ence and have seldom thought upon such .
a common adventure; but last night, I had
a dream or vision, which forciblyjrecr'jled
to my remembrance the prediction cf the
soothsayer, uttered long since It teem-
ed such a night .as this, when the ro.bdu
gave uisunciness to surrounding j jbject.,
that oyr camp was .suddenly assailed (by
the sband3 of the misbelievers.'; 1 had
sarpely mounted my steed, when a war
jrior having a white cross on his breast,
attacked me and in spite of Vny resistance,
iiuiiauvji nit nuii IllO liillMT. i
4JVhat should a soldier dream of hu,t
the hattle-Zieldr exclaimed Abdallah, in
terrupting the narration;"! have, myself, r
a thousand times, seen-in jny scep thjc .
fierce conflict; nor, by the Ptpphet! does (
it hecorae a soldier of the .crescent, to be
annoyed or disturbed by tle idle caprices f
ot the imagination."
"It moves jne,430t,n was the reply, "neJk
ther does it disturb me; but the vividness
of the ecene compels me to regard the
ioccurrenee a;r of singular charqcter.r-1-
The fortress of Cahxtfa va, with its dark f
battlements and towers, appeared as now
in tne distance me uauaiana roiica
with a gentle.mmur its bright ripples
-f the camp exhibited the same stirring,
animated appearance as. at present, and I
can readily point. to the very spot w hero
1 was overthrown and slain by my. fierce
antagonist." - '. v;" ' ,. -'. .
: "We are governed by Destiny," obser--yed
the chieftain, Abdallah, . "nor can all
the soothsayers ot aitfologerjs in the
jprorld anticipate, or retard, its .unerring
decrees," ((;-- t y'.r" : ', ) ';'-'- 1. ; ' ..
'. The pause wtych .succeeded j the re
mark of the Moorish commander was in
terrupted by a note of distant music, borne
onhe awakening midnight breeze, that
mingled with, without overpowermg the
4 Qpitinvca en laa frgr.
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