D. John sent one company of the army towards the Alpujarras, with the Duque de Sesa at their head, and himself attacked with the other, first, Guejar, a formidable place in which the Moors8 had one of their centres of operations, then reinforced with Berberiscos and Turks. By the clever man?uvre arranged by D. John they fell upon it unawares, and took the place and the castle with fewer losses and less difficulty than was feared.
The first to fly was the Alcaide Xoaybi, and he went proclaiming everywhere, to spite Aben-Humeya, that the latter was in treaty with the Christians9 to end the war and to give up the Moors, and in proof of this he showed a wrongly interpreted letter, kept by him at Guejar. They all believed the evil deeds of Aben-Humeya, which were many, and most of all a certain Diego Alguacil, a native of Albacete de Ujijar, who owed him a bitter grudge10, because Aben-Humeya had, by evil intrigue11, decoyed away a widowed cousin who was the mistress of Diego Alguacil. The kinglet took her by force, but she always kept up a correspondence with her cousin, to whom she told all Aben-Humeya's doings and plans.
Diego Alguacil made use of these advantages, and with a nephew named Diego de Rojas, and the renegade Diego Lopéz Aben Aboo, a dyer of the Albaicin, and the Turkish captains Huscein and Carafax, who had come from Algeria, contrived12 a plot, which would have been iniquitous13 had it not been against such a scoundrel as Aben-Humeya. They forged letters from him to Aben Aboo, ordering him to kill all the Turks treacherously14, and then they went to Laujar de Andarax, where Aben-Humeya was, intending to take him and kill him. He, however, had had warning of what was happening, and decided15 to fly to Valor16 at daybreak on the 3rd of October, but he was kept that night by a festival, and tired by merry-making, put off the journey until the next day, though the horses were already saddled. This was his ruin, as with the dawn Diego Alguacil, Aben Aboo and the others arrived and assaulted the house, taking him unawares. Aben-Humeya went to the door half dressed, with a crossbow in his hand, followed by the Moorish17 widow; but, as this bad woman saw at a glance what was happening, she clung to him, as if frightened, but in reality to stop him using his arms or the crossbow, and to make it easy for the others to capture him. This Aben Aboo and Diego Alguacil did, tying his hands with an "almaijar" (turban of gauze) and his legs very tightly with a hempen18 cord.
They were then joined by the Turkish captains, and in the presence of the Moorish woman began to hold his trial and to judge him. They produced the forged letters, which he, innocent and surprised, repudiated19 with energy, but they felled him to the ground with a blow, as one already sentenced and executed, and began in his presence to sack the house, and divide among themselves his women, money, clothes and goods, ending by designating Aben Aboo as the poor wretch's successor, who saw in his lifetime his most mortal enemies dividing his whole property. From the corner in which he lay bound, Aben-Humeya watched them and followed them with bitter speeches, which revealed the depth of his fury and the blackness of his heart. That he never intended to be a Moor7 except to avenge20 himself on one or the other. That he had hanged his enemies, friends and relations; cut off their heads, taken their women, stolen their property, and as he had fulfilled his desires and vengeance21, now they were taking theirs, but not for all this could they take away his heartfelt satisfaction. When he heard that Aben Aboo was designated to succeed him, he said that he died content, because Aben Aboo would soon find himself in the same situation as he was in at the moment.
At daybreak Diego Alguacil and Diego de Rojas took him to another room and there strangled him with a cord, each pulling an end. In the morning they took him out and buried him in a dunghill, as something despicable.
Meanwhile D. John of Austria was driving the Moors from place to place, and from rock to rock, towards the Alpujarras, where the other wing of the army was to cut them off. And such were his ardour, forethought, and wish to participate as much in the responsibilities of a leader as in the fatigues22 and dangers of a soldier, that the then veteran D. Diego Hurtado de Mendoza says of this, "And those of us who were in the engagements of the Emperor seemed to see in the son an image of the courage and forethought of the father, and his desire to be everywhere, especially with the enemy." Luis Quijada never left him for a moment, restraining at each step D. John's imprudent rashness in what concerned his own person, as he exposed his life with dangerous frequency. However, on this path of triumph, D. John met with desperate resistance from the town of Galera, where even the women fought with the vigour23 of valiant24 men. It was a very strong place, situated25 on a long ridge26 like a ship, whence its name, and on the summit it had an old castle surrounded by high mounds27 of rock, which supplied the lack of the fallen walls. In the town were more than 3000 Moorish fighting men, with a good handful of Turks and Berberiscos; so safe did they think the place that they had stored there wheat and barley28 to last more than a year, and great treasure of gold, silver, silks, pearls and other costly29 things.
D. John made a careful survey of the place from one of the high hills which dominated it, with Luis Quijada, the Knight30 Commander of Castille, and other renowned31 captains, and then ordered the batteries and trenches32 to be prepared for the assault. D. John personally inspected this work as Captain, General, and soldier, and, because it was necessary to go for the esparto grass of which the gabions were made to a distant hill, he went on foot in front of the soldiers to encourage them to work, and carried his load on his back like the rest, even to placing it in the trench33. They began, as soon as it was light, to fire at the tower of the church with two big cannon34, and in a few shots they opened a high, though small breach35, through which to make the assault, and D. Pedro de Padilla, the Marqués de la Favara, and D. Alonso de Luzón entered with others of the courageous36 gentlemen who followed D. John with his people from simple love of him.
The artillery37 went on firing at some houses, seemingly of earth, which were beside the church; but when they tried a second assault, so great was the fury with which the Moors repulsed38 them, and so strong was the resistance these miserable39 hovels offered, that the Christians had to retire with great damage, leaving several gallant40 gentlemen who had clamoured to advance penned in. One of them was D. Juan de Pacheco, a knight of Santiago, who was dismembered limb by limb, on account of the rage which the red cross on his breast inspired in the Moors. He had only arrived at the camp two hours before, from his home, Talavera de la Reina, and without more than just kissing D. John's hand entered the fray41 where he met with his death.
D. John, nothing daunted42 by this defeat, ordered new mines to be laid and fresh batteries placed, and settled another assault for the 20th of January, which, from the mines exploding prematurely43, ended in a second disaster. Both sides fought with great valour, and ensign D. Pedro Zapata succeeded in planting his flag on the enemy's wall with such boldness that, if the entrance had permitted others to help him, the town would have been gained that day; but the narrowness of the place prevented all help, and the Moors fell on him and threw him, badly wounded, down from the battery, still holding his flag, which he never let go, nor could anyone tear it from him, pull as they might. That day died more than 300 soldiers, among them many captains and men of worth, and more than 500 were wounded.
D. John's sorrow changed to ill-concealed rage, and he swore that day to level Galera to the ground and to sow it with salt, and to put all its dwellers44 to the sword; which he soon afterwards accomplished45, as at the third assault, with new mines laid to the foundations of the castle, and enormous breaches46 made by heavy artillery brought from Guescar, almost the whole village blew up with a dreadful noise and earthquake, which made the hill tremble, and the Christians dashed forward and gained the town inch by inch, until they penned up more than 1000 Moors in a little square, where they slew47 them without mercy or pity. The streets ran with blood and it made the roads slippery, covering the bushes and brambles as if with crimson48 flowers. They took great booty of things of much value, and D. John ordered that the great quantity of wheat and barley which the Moors had stored there should be seized; he also ordered D. Luis del Mármol, who relates all these events, to raze49 the town and sow it with salt, as he had sworn.
D. John of Austria left Galera and went straight to lay siege to the town and castle of Serón, where awaited him the first real sorrow which embittered50 his life. He encamped his troops at Canilles, and from there he wished to go personally to reconnoitre the place, taking with him the Knight Commander of Castille and Luis Quijada, with 2000 picked arquebusiers and 200 horses.
The Moors of Serón saw them coming, and hurriedly began to make signals from the castle, asking for help. Many went to take shots at the Christians from the slope and then fled, pursued by the Christians, all of whom entered the place, which seemed deserted51; the women could be seen running to take refuge in the castle, and from there were making signals. The soldiers gave themselves up in a shameless manner to sacking the houses, and better to secure the plunder52 many shut themselves up in them. Suddenly there appeared more than 1000 Moors from Tijola, Purchena, and other villages on the river, in response to the signals, and the panic of the Christians was then boundless53.
They fled in a disorderly way, and unwilling54 to leave the booty they had already in their hands, and encumbered55 with the loads, they stumbled, fell one on the top of the other, affording a good mark for stones, arrows, and bullets. D. John, from the hill where he was, saw all this confusion, and angry at the danger to his soldiers and at their want of discipline, fearlessly plunged56 his horse into the midst of them, crying with heroic force:
"What is this? Spaniards! Whom are you flying from? Where is the honour of Spain? Have you not your captain D. John of Austria in front of you? What do you fear? Retire in order like men of war with your faces to the enemy, and you will soon see these barbarians57 terrified at your arms." But Luis Quijada also saw the danger D. John ran within reach of shot, and he went with all speed to make him retire. At the same moment a ball from an arquebus struck the Prince's helmet, and, had it not been so solid, would have killed him. Like a lion whose cubs58 are being hurt, Luis Quijada turned and urged his horse on as if he would annihilate59 the marksman. He then received a shot in the shoulder, and they saw him first stagger and then fall heavily from his horse, among the cries of grief and shrieks60 of rage of those who were near. D. John covered him with his person, and with wonderful presence of mind, ordered him to be taken to Canilles with an escort by Tello de Aguilar and the horses from Jerez la Fontera.
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1
advisers
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| 顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授 | |
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graphically
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| adv.通过图表；生动地，轮廓分明地 | |
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laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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grumbles
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| 抱怨( grumble的第三人称单数 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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iniquitous
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| adj.不公正的；邪恶的；高得出奇的 | |
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treacherously
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| 背信弃义地； 背叛地； 靠不住地； 危险地 | |
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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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valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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hempen
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| adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的 | |
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19
repudiated
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| v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务） | |
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avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prematurely
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| adv.过早地，贸然地 | |
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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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45
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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46
breaches
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| 破坏( breach的名词复数 )； 破裂； 缺口； 违背 | |
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slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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raze
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| vt.铲平，把(城市、房屋等)夷为平地，拆毁 | |
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50
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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52
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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53
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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cubs
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| n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 ) | |
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annihilate
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| v.使无效；毁灭；取消 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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