chronicle of the conquest of granada- 第38部分

dwelleth　the　spirit　of　counsel。〃　　While　Ferdinand　and　his　captains　were　confounding　each　other　in　their　deliberations　at　the　Fountain　of　the　King；　a　quiet　but　deep　little　council　of　war　was　held　in　the　state　apartment　of　the　old　castle　of　Vaena　between　Queen　Isabella；　the　venerable　Pedro　Gonzalez　de　Mendoza；　grand　cardinal　of　Spain；　and　Don　Garcia　Osoria；　the　belligerent　bishop　of　Jaen。　　This　last　worthy　prelate；　who　had　exchanged　his　mitre　for　a　helm；　no　sooner　beheld　the　defeat　of　the　enterprise　against　Moclin　than　he　turned　the　reins　of　his　sleek；　stall…fed　steed　and　hastened　back　to　Vaena；　full　of　a　project　for　the　employment　of　the　army；　the　advancement　of　the　faith；　and　the　benefit　of　his　own　diocese。　　He　knew　that　the　actions　of　the　king　were　influenced　by　the　opinions　of　the　queen；　and　that　the　queen　always　inclined　a　listening　ear　to　the　counsels　of　saintly　men：　he　laid　his　plans；　therefore；　with　the　customary　wisdom　of　his　cloth；　to　turn　the　ideas　of　the　queen　into　the　proper　channel；　and　this　was　the　purport　of　the　worthy　bishop's　suggestions：

The　bishopric　of　Jaen　had　for　a　long　time　been　harassed　by　two　Moorish　castles；　the　scourge　and　terror　of　all　that　part　of　the　country。　　They　were　situated　on　the　frontiers　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada；　about　four　leagues　from　Jaen；　in　a　deep；　narrow；　and　rugged　valley　surrounded　by　lofty　mountains。　　Through　this　valley　runs　the　Rio　Frio　（or　Cold　River）　in　a　deep　channel　worn　between　high；　precipitous　banks。　　On　each　side　of　the　stream　rise　two　vast　rocks；　nearly　perpendicular；　within　a　stone's　throw　of　each　other；　blocking　up　the　gorge　of　the　valley。　　On　the　summits　of　these　rocks　stood　the　two　formidable　castles；　Cambil　and　Albahar；　fortified　with　battlements　and　towers　of　great　height　and　thickness。　　They　were　connected　together　by　a　bridge　thrown　from　rock　to　rock　across　the　river。　　The　road　which　passed　through　the　valley　traversed　this　bridge；　and　was　completely　commanded　by　these　castles。　　They　stood　like　two　giants　of　romance　guarding　the　pass　and　dominating　the　valley。

The　kings　of　Granada；　knowing　the　importance　of　these　castles；　kept　them　always　well　garrisoned　and　victualled　to　stand　a　siege；　with　fleet　steeds　and　hard　riders　to　forage　the　country　of　the　Christians。　　The　warlike　race　of　the　Abencerrages；　the　troops　of　the　royal　household；　and　others　of　the　choicest　chivalry　of　Granada　made　them　their　strongholds　or　posts　of　arms；　whence　to　sally　forth　on　those　predatory　and　roving　enterprises　in　which　they　delighted。　　As　the　wealthy　bishopric　of　Jaen　lay　immediately　at　hand；　it　suffered　more　peculiarly　from　these　marauders。　　They　drove　off　the　fat　beeves　and　the　flocks　of　sheep　from　the　pastures　and　swept　the　laborers　from　the　field；　they　scoured　the　country　to　the　very　gates　of　Jaen；　so　that　the　citizens　could　not　venture　from　their　walls　without　the　risk　of　being　borne　off　captive　to　the　dungeons　of　these　castles。

The　worthy　bishop；　like　a　good　pastor；　beheld　with　grief　of　heart　his　fat　bishopric　daily　waxing　leaner　and　leaner　and　poorer　and　poorer；　and　his　holy　ire　was　kindled　at　the　thoughts　that　the　possessions　of　the　Church　should　thus　be　at　the　mercy　of　a　crew　of　infidels。　　It　was　the　urgent　counsel　of　the　bishop；　therefore；　that　the　military　force　thus　providentially　assembled　in　the　neighborhood；　since　it　was　apparently　foiled　in　its　attempt　upon　Moclin；　should　be　turned　against　these　insolent　castles　and　the　country　delivered　from　their　domination。　　The　grand　cardinal　supported　the　suggestion　of　the　bishop；　and　declared　that　he　had　long　meditated　the　policy　of　a　measure　of　the　kind。　　Their　united　opinions　found　favor　with　the　queen；　and　she　despatched　a　letter　on　the　subject　to　the　king。　　It　came　just　in　time　to　relieve　him　from　the　distraction　of　a　multitude　of　counsellors；　and　he　immediately　undertook　the　reduction　of　those　castles。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　accordingly　sent　in　advance；　with　two　thousand　horse；　to　keep　a　watch　upon　the　garrisons　and　prevent　all　entrance　or　exit　until　the　king　should　arrive　with　the　main　army　and　the　battering　artillery。　　The　queen；　to　be　near　at　hand　in　case　of　need；　moved　her　quarters　to　the　city　of　Jaen；　where　she　was　received　with　martial　honors　by　the　belligerent　bishop；　who　had　buckled　on　his　cuirass　and　girded　on　his　sword　to　fight　in　the　cause　of　his　diocese。

In　the　mean　time；　the　marques　of　Cadiz　arrived　in　the　valley　and　completely　shut　up　the　Moors　within　their　walls。　　The　castles　were　under　the　command　of　Mahomet　Lentin　Ben　Usef；　an　Abencerrage；　and　one　of　the　bravest　cavaliers　of　Granada。　　In　his　garrisons　were　many　troops　of　the　fierce　African　tribe　of　Gomeres。　　Mahomet　Lentin；　confident　in　the　strength　of　his　fortresses；　smiled　as　he　looked　down　from　his　battlements　upon　the　Christian　cavalry　perplexed　in　the　rough　and　narrow　valley。　　He　sent　forth　skirmishing　parties　to　harass　them；　and　there　were　many　sharp　combats　between　small　parties　and　single　knights；　but　the　Moors　were　driven　back　to　their　castles；　and　all　attempts　to　send　intelligence　of　their　situation　to　Granada　were　frustrated　by　the　vigilance　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz。

At　length　the　legions　of　the　royal　army　came　pouring；　with　vaunting　trumpet　and　fluttering　banner；　along　the　defiles　of　the　mountains。　They　halted　before　the　castles；　but　the　king　could　not　find　room　in　the　narrow　and　rugged　valley　to　form　his　camp；　he　had　to　divide　it　into　three　parts；　which　were　posted　on　different　heights；　and　his　tents　whitened　the　sides　of　the　neighboring　hills。　　When　the　encampment　was　formed　the　army　remained　gazing　idly　at　the　castles。　　The　artillery　was　upward　of　four　leagues　in　the　rear；　and　without　artillery　all　attack　would　be　in　vain。

The　alcayde　Mahomet　Lentin　knew　the　nature　of　the　road　by　which　the　artillery　had　to　be　brought。　　It　was　merely　a　narrow　and　rugged　path；　at　times　scaling　almost　perpendicular　crags　and　precipices；　up　which　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　wheel　carriages　to　pass；　neither　was　it　in　the　power　of　man　or　beast　to　draw　up　the　lombards　and　other　ponderous　ordnance。　　He　felt　assured；　therefore；　that　they　never　could　be　brought　to　the　camp；　and　without　their　aid　what　could　the　Christians　effect　against　his　rock…built　castles？　　He　scoffed　at　them；　therefore；　as　he　saw　their　tents　by　day　and　their　fires　by　night　covering　the　surrounding　heights。　　〃Let　them　linger　here　a　little　while　longer；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　autumnal　torrents　will　wash　them　from　the　mountains。〃

While　the　alcayde　was　thus　closely　mewed　up　within　his　walls　and　the　Christians　remained　inactive　in　their　camp；　he　noticed；　one　calm　autumnal　day；　the　sound　of　implements　of　labor　echoing　among　the　mountains；　and　now　and　then　the　crash　of　a　falling　tree　or　a　thundering　report；　as　if　some　rock　had　been　heaved　from　its　bed　and　hurled　into　the　valley。　　The　alcayde　was　on　the　battlements　of　his　castle；　surrounded　by　his　knights。　　〃Methinks；〃　said　he；　〃these　Christians　are　making　war　upon　the　rocks　and　trees　of　the　mountains；　since　they　find　our　castle　unassailable。〃

The　sounds　did　not　cease　even　during　the　night：　every　now　and　then　the　Moorish　sentinel　as　he　paced　the　battlements　heard　some　crash　echoing　among　the　heights。　　The　return　of　day　explained　the　mystery。　Scarcely　did　the　sun　shine　against　the　summits　of　the　mountains　than　shouts　burst　from　the　cliffs　opposite　to　the　castle；　and　were　answered　from　the　camp　with　joyful　sounds　of　kettledrums　and　trumpets。

The　astonished　Moors　lifted　up　their　eyes　and　beheld；　as　it　were；　a　torrent　of　war　breaking　out　of　a　narrow　defile。　　There　was　a　multitude　of　men　with　pickaxes；　spades；　and　bars　of　iron　clearing　away　every　obstacle；　while　behind　them　slowly　moved　along　great　teams　of　oxen　dragging　heavy　ordnance　and　all　the　munitions　of　battering　artillery。

〃What　cannot　women　and　priests　effect　when　they　unite　in　council？〃　exclaims　again　the　worthy　Antonio　Agapida。　　The　queen　had　held　another　consultation　with　the　grand　cardinal　and　the　belligerent　bishop　of　Jaen。　　It　was　clear　that　the　heavy　ordnance　could　never　be　conveyed　to　the　camp　by　the　regular　road　of　the　country；　and　without　battering　artillery　nothing　could　be　effected。　　It　was　suggested；　however；　by　the　zealous　bishop　that　another　road　might　be　opened　through　a　more　practicable　part　of　the　mountains。　　It　would　be　an　undertaking　extravagant　and　chimerical　with　ordinary　means；　and　therefore　unlooked　for　by　the　enemy；　but　what　could　not　kings　effect　who　had　treasure　and　armies　at　command？

The　project　struck　the　enterprising　spirit　of　the　queen。　　Six　thousand　men　with　pickaxes；　crowbars；　and　every　other　necessary　implement　were　set　to　work　day　and　night　to　break　a　road　through　the　very　centre　of　the　mountains。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost；　for　it　was　rumored　that　El　Zagal　was　about　to　march　with　a　mighty　host　to　the　relief　of　the　castles。　　The　bustling　bishop　of　Jaen　acted　as　pioneer　to　mark　the　route　and　superintend　the　laborers；　and　the　grand　cardinal　took　care　that　the　work　should　never　languish　through　lack　of　means。*

*Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　lib。　20；　c。　64；　Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　51。


〃When　kings'　treasures；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃are　dispensed　by　priestly　hands；　there　is　no　stint；　as　the　glorious　annals　of　Spain　bear　witness。〃　　Under　the　guidan