CHAPTER LIX

    How the Governor Vaca de Castro held a review of the Spaniards who were with him, and how he sent the captain Lorenzo de Aldana, and also Diego Maldonado, to the camp of Pero Alvarez.

AS the Governor had arrived so near to Guaraz, where the Captain-General Pero Alvarez Holguin was encamped, many came from thence to see him and offer their services for the king, some remaining and others returning. And as in these parts of the Indies there is much craft, and men put so little faith in each other, it was not long before they began to sow discord¹ between the Governor and Pero Alvarez: in this way. To Vaca de Castro they said that Pero Alvarez was suspicious, and that it was his intention, if he were not retained in the rank of General, not to furnish the troops he had raised, nor acknowledge Vaca de Castro as Governor. To Pero Alvarez they said that, owing to what Gómez de Tordoya and Garcilaso de la Vega had said to Vaca de Castro, he and others who had come from his camp showed no inclination² to recognize the great service Pero Alvarez had rendered to his Majesty³, and advised him not to hand over the banners. While these things that we are relating were going on Vaca de Castro consulted with the Provincial⁴ about what they told him. His intention was not to leave the command with Pero Alvarez as General, for it would not be proper that he himself, as Governor for the king, and having to be on the battle-field in person, should share the title of General with any other officer if the enemy attacked them. He also intended to bestow⁵ the position of Camp-master on Lorenzo de Aldana. The Provincial gave him his opinion as to what would be best for his Majesty's[200] service, and advised the Governor to send some trustworthy persons to explain matters privately⁶ to Pero Alvarez and persuade him to conform.

The advice of the Provincial appeared to Vaca de Castro to be good, and, seeing that Lorenzo de Aldana, who was an intimate friend and relative of Pero Alvarez, was there, he arranged to send him to speak with Pero Alvarez on his behalf. He was to say that the Governor had the greatest pleasure in recognizing all the service that Pero Alvarez had done his Majesty, but he was to persuade him to deliver the banners to Vaca de Castro, because, the Marquis being deceased, he was now the Governor of the Realm by commission from his Majesty as Pero Alvarez was already aware. As to what had been heard of him, that he desired to retain the command, the Governor would promise that, after himself, no one who was with him or elsewhere in the Realm should have precedence of Pero Alvarez in honour, nor rank above him in the camp. And since Aldana had always been such a loyal servant of his Majesty, and was such a close friend and relative of Pero Alvarez, it was to be expected that he would put his hand to this business in such a way that the king's service would not suffer in any respect. The Governor moreover wished that Diego Maldonado, a citizen of Cuzco, should go with Aldana, as he was a person of importance and well known to all. Lorenzo de Aldana replied cheerfully, expressing a confident hope that the king would be well served by the mission of Diego Maldonado and himself, inasmuch as there could be no reasonable doubt of the loyalty⁷ of Pero Alvarez. So they presently set out and arrived at Guaraz in a few days. After having been handsomely welcomed some discussions took place between the parties. Aldana and Maldonado explained to Pero Alvarez the suspicions that had been raised against him, and said that having done such splendid service to[201] the king's cause he should not tarnish⁸ it by not conforming to the Governor's plans. In the end they persuaded him to act with all friendship and loyalty, assuring him that Vaca de Castro would look upon him as the second person in all the camp, and would give him the position of Camp-master. So Pero Alvarez delivered the banners to be given to Vaca de Castro and wrote him a polite letter; and the same was done by the other captains and cavaliers who were there with him.

Meanwhile the Governor Vaca de Castro had set out from where he had halted and was approaching the place where Alonso de Alvarado's camp was pitched, on learning which that officer prepared to receive him in the most honourable⁹ way possible, with many festoons of sedges and sweet-smelling flowers round about the tent. As the Governor approached, Alvarado and his officers mounted their steeds and rode out to meet him, in their armour¹⁰, while the footmen came with pikes, cross-bows, and arquebuses, in squadron formation and in fine order, as if ready to fight, that the Governor might see how dexterous¹¹ they were in military drill. When Alonso de Alvarado came to the Governor, he dismounted to make obeisance¹², and Vaca de Castro received him very well, commending him for the great service he had done to his Majesty in raising the banner in his royal name, and for the honour he had acquired in having been the first to declare against the party of the men of Chile. Alvarado replied that he had done what he would never cease to do, which was to serve the king. Presently Gómez de Alvarado and the other gentlemen and soldiers composing the cavalry¹³ and the squadron came up to kiss hands, and the Governor embraced them all affectionately and gave them sure hopes that they would be rewarded for what they had done in his Majesty's interests. After saying this and other things they all remounted and went into the camp, where[202] Vaca de Castro was lodged¹⁴ in quarters that had been prepared for him. He was so happy and contented¹⁵ at seeing himself in command of the troops assembled there, and at finding that Alonso de Alvarado was loyal to him, that he could not conceal¹⁶ his pleasure.

1 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

2 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

3 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

4 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

5 bestow   

v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费

参考例句：

• He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.他希望将那些伟大的荣誉授予这位英雄。
• What great inspiration wiII you bestow on me?你有什么伟大的灵感能馈赠给我？

6 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

7 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

8 tarnish   

n.晦暗，污点；vt.使失去光泽；玷污

参考例句：

• The affair could tarnish the reputation of the prime minister.这一事件可能有损首相的名誉。
• Stainless steel products won't tarnish.不锈钢产品不会失去光泽。

9 honourable   

adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的

参考例句：

• I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
• I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

10 armour   

（=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队

参考例句：

• His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
• Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。

11 dexterous   

adj.灵敏的；灵巧的

参考例句：

• As people grow older they generally become less dexterous.随着年龄的增长，人通常会变得不再那么手巧。
• The manager was dexterous in handling his staff.那位经理善于运用他属下的职员。

12 obeisance   

n.鞠躬，敬礼

参考例句：

• He made obeisance to the king.他向国王表示臣服。
• While he was still young and strong all paid obeisance to him.他年轻力壮时所有人都对他毕恭毕敬。

13 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

14 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

16 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。