The nobility, for their part, then paid to this lad of eighteen the most sincere homage2 which can be paid to the perfect man, set up as our model, that of copying him. The greater portion of the young nobles hastened to embark3 with D. John at Barcelona, some only with their swords and good intentions, having nothing else to bring; others, at their own cost, brought men-at-arms to fight against the Turk, the constant nightmare of the Europe of that day.
The most important of these gentlemen was D. Bernardino de Cárdenas, Lord of Colmenar de Oreja; D. Luis Carillo, eldest4 son of the Conde de Priego, and his uncle D. Luis with a great company taken at his charge of gentlemen, kindred, captains, and servants; D. Jerónimo de Padilla, D. Gabriel Manrique, son of the Conde de Osorno, D. Bernardino de Mendoza, brother of the Conde de Coru?a, D. Diego de Gúzman, Steward5 to the Queen, D. Lorenzo Manuel, D. Francisco Zapata de Cárdenas, D. Pedro de Luxán, D. Gabriel Ni?o, Juan Bautista Tassis, afterwards Conde de Villamediano, and a lot of other Castillian, Andalucian, and Aragonese gentlemen.
There arrived also at the last moment four of Prince Carlos's gentlemen, of whom one was afterwards the famous Marqués de Castel Rodrigo, D. Christóbal de Moúra.
All this made Philip II think, and from that moment he gave up the idea of forcing his brother into the Church, understanding that he would gain more from D. John by using his prestige and courage in matters of war.
Meanwhile D. John was flying from the hat in search of glory, with such bad luck that on arriving at Torija he had to stop, ill of a tertian fever. He was cared for as well as they could manage in a castle that the Conde de Coru?a had there, and, more plucky6 than cured, he went on his way to Frasno, five leagues from Saragossa. Here the fever returned with such force that he could go no further. This place belonged to the Conde de Rivagorza, the Duque de Villahermosa, D. Martin de Aragón, a great gentleman who experienced shortly afterwards, in the person of his eldest son, the most tragic7 disaster, perhaps, in all the history of the Grandees8.
This nobleman was the widower10 of Do?a Luisa de Borja, sister of St. Francis; after fighting in Flanders, and much distinguishing himself at the battle of St. Quintin, he was then living in retirement11 with his sons in the town of Pedrola. The Duke was told of the illustrious guest on his property, ill in the miserable12 inn of Frasno, and he hastened to send eighteen mules13 with everything necessary for the use of a prince, even to beds and coverings, and a complete set of hammered plate.
Not satisfied with this, the Duke went to Frasno with two of the doctors in his service, and pressed D. John to move to his country house at Pedrola or to his castle of Benabarre, the principal place of the county of Rivagorza, where he could be attended to and looked after with the greatest care.
D. John had not time to accept the invitation of the first Grandee9 of Aragón, because the Archbishop of Saragossa, hearing of his illness and being at Frasno, at once sent the Governor of the town, with many other noble gentlemen, to fetch D. John and carry him off to be well looked after in his own palace.
This Archbishop was D. Hernando of Aragón, grandson of King Ferdinand the Catholic, and was respected as much for his age as for his illustrious lineage.
So D. John was moved with many precautions by mules and litters belonging to the Duque de Villahermosa, who accompanied him with great courtesy until he left him installed in the Archbishop's palace.
The Archbishop received him outside the palace, and the people ran to see the Emperor's son, and to show by their applause their sympathy with him in his youthful escapade.
D. Pedro Manuel had arrived in Frasno, and no sooner did he see D. John a little better, than he hastened to give him D. Philip's order, adding, on his own account, "that he could not go on unless he wished to make the King angry, as the galleys15 in which he could have sailed had left Barcelona."
To which D. John answered gravely, that the undertaking17 was in the service of God and of the King his lord, and that this being so, he could not give it up with honour; so he sent D. José de Acu?a to Barcelona, to see if there was a galley16 for his passage. The Archbishop and Governor and many gentlemen also begged him "to go back to Madrid, as they had orders from the King to stop him."
But to this D. John would not give in either. The Archbishop, accordingly, with the King's letter in his hand, notified him "that he should not go further," but D. John, without losing his calmness or politeness, persisted in his wish. Then the Archbishop, Governor, and notables of Aragón, who had hurried to Saragossa, were so charmed by the audacity18 and firm purpose of this lad of eighteen, that they begged him, if he still persisted in going, "to take 500 arquebusiers for his guard, as it was not right to go alone, and that the Kingdom would pay for them, as long as the expedition lasted." To which D. John replied that, "if he embarked19, he would accept their offer." Then they offered him a great sum of money in crowns, but D. John gratefully and courteously20 refused this.
With an enthusiastic farewell from everyone D. John set out from Saragossa for Belpuche, where he lodged21 with the Viceroy of Naples. Then he went to Montserrat, to visit the celebrated22 sanctuary23, and the monks24, in league with the Viceroy of Catalonia, who was the Duque de Francavilla, arranged to amuse him in the monastery25 until the galleys for Malta had set sail from Barcelona.
Then the Viceroy, the Duque de Francavilla, with the magistrates26, the Archbishop of Tarragona, and the Bishop14 of Barcelona came to receive him in Montserrat, begging him to return to Madrid in accordance with the King's will as the galleys had sailed for the island of Malta. To which D. John answered imperturbably27 that, if there were no galleys in Barcelona, he could easily find one by crossing France, as he thought of doing, to seek one in another place.
Puzzled what to do, the Viceroy accompanied him to Barcelona, with much honour and a great following, and entertained him there with feasts, rejoicings and balls, in order to give time for the last resource, which was an autograph letter from the King to D. John, ordering him to return at once, without delay, to Madrid, under pain of his royal and lasting28 displeasure.
D. John bowed his head to such a conclusive29 threat, and returned at once to Madrid, with as much applause from everyone for his obedience30 as for his first brave resolution.
He was received with great enthusiasm in Madrid, and the first to go and meet him was Prince Carlos, who gave him a gold ring with a magnificent diamond, the work of Jacome Trezzo, which cost 800 ducats.
The King was not then in Madrid, having gone to Segovia and Sepulveda to meet the Queen Do?a Isabel, his wife, who was returning from the celebrated conference of Bayonne.
Their Majesties31' return was announced for the 30th of July, and Prince Carlos and D. John went three leagues from the town to receive them.
The King and D. John had not met since the latter's prank32, and the interview promised to be embarrassing.
But good Queen Isabel's prudence33 and cleverness, however, gave it a more pleasant turn, for, as soon as she saw D. John, she made him approach, and, without giving him time to say anything or make any sign, she asked him, with a sly smile, if the Turks of Malta had seemed brave to him. The would-be champion became as red as a poppy, and answered bitterly that, to his great sorrow, he had not been able to find out.
At this D. Philip laughed, and affectionately embraced his brother, whispering to him to have patience, that very shortly the armada would be ready to go against the pirates of the Mediterranean34, of which he had already decided35 to make D. John Generalissimo.
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1
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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3
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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8
grandees
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| n.贵族，大公，显贵者( grandee的名词复数 ) | |
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grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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widower
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| n.鳏夫 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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12
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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13
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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15
galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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16
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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17
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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18
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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19
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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20
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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21
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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imperturbably
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| adv.泰然地，镇静地，平静地 | |
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28
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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30
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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majesties
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| n.雄伟( majesty的名词复数 )；庄严；陛下；王权 | |
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32
prank
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| n.开玩笑，恶作剧；v.装饰；打扮；炫耀自己 | |
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33
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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34
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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