CHAPTER LXV

    Of the concern shown by Don Diego and many of the Chile party at the death of the captain Cristóbal de Sotelo; and of how García de Alvarado and others fortified¹ themselves in his quarters, and Don Diego wanted to attack them there.

THE news of the murder of Captain Cristóbal de Sotelo soon spread throughout the city, and great was the excitement, for he was beloved by many soldiers for his valour, by the veterans who had served under the old Adelantado, and by those others who had recently chosen to follow the banners of Don Diego. They were so affected² that it did not fail to be evident from their sad countenances³ and from the tears that flowed from their eyes. With sorrowful lamentations they girded on their arms and repaired to the quarters of Don Diego, abandoning García de Alvarado, and calling him vile⁴ and cowardly for murdering Sotelo when he was disabled by sickness. They desired to have the traitor⁵ delivered into their hands that they might put him to death for daring to take the life of the captain they so greatly adored. Presently Juan Balsa went to young Don Diego's quarters and apprised⁶ him of what had happened, though he was out at the time. Don Diego was much concerned, because some told him that García de Alvarado wanted to deal with him in the same way, and revolt against him with the whole camp. Although Don Diego showed no weakness, but was anxious to go and seize or kill the murderer there and then, they advised him to enter the house of Pedro de O?ate, who was afterwards Camp Master, whence he ordered the alarm to be given through the city. He went to the great square, with those who rallied round him, whence it was his intention to go and attack the house[221] where García de Alvarado was ensconced. The captain Felipe Gutiérrez and other prudent⁷ cavaliers urged him not to do this, because it was not a time for expending⁸ men's lives, they said, and it might give rise to a mutiny against Don Diego himself, for it was known that some captains and many soldiers had a true friendship for García de Alvarado, and that if things came to blows, all their fury would be against Don Diego. He was thus persuaded not to attack the house in which García de Alvarado had shut himself up with the others who stood by him. Martín Carrillo, although he no longer enjoyed the post of Camp Master, but was only a private person, went out and about the city, without any authority whatever, forbidding everyone, on pain of death, to quit their houses. Don Diego, observing the luke-warmness and lack of will to carry out his wishes in those who were with him, returned very sadly to his house.

When the quarrelsome García de Alvarado saw how prosperously, and favourably⁹ to his wishes, the affair of the murder of Sotelo had turned out, he sent some of his friends to induce as many as they could to side with him; and since the Spaniards in Peru are so changeable and fickle¹⁰, and hold to no faith but their own private interests, seeing that García de Alvarado had more power than he whom they had chosen and appointed as their Governor, they joined him who seemed the stronger in greater numbers than he expected, offering their arms and their persons as far as he might wish to avail himself of them. Don Diego was now in his house, as we said, feeling very deeply the death of Cristóbal de Sotelo, and the fact that he was not strong enough to punish the author of so foul¹¹ a deed. Taking counsel with his captains and principal persons as to what it would be best to do, they agreed that it was not expedient¹², nor was it a time to form themselves into cliques¹³ and parties, for the enemy was at their gates. So[222] a truce¹⁴ was arranged between Don Diego and García de Alvarado. Don Diego covertly¹⁵ sent to say that García de Alvarado had better stay in his house and not come out of it, because no other course was convenient. García de Alvarado was so haughty¹⁶ and presumptuous¹⁷ that he cared very little for any words or commands of Don Diego; but he answered, in bad faith, that he would do as he was ordered, and would not leave his house until it should be Don Diego's pleasure.

1 fortified   

adj. 加强的

参考例句：

• He fortified himself against the cold with a hot drink. 他喝了一杯热饮御寒。
• The enemy drew back into a few fortified points. 敌人收缩到几个据点里。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 countenances   

n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持

参考例句：

• 'stood apart, with countenances of inflexible gravity, beyond what even the Puritan aspect could attain." 站在一旁，他们脸上那种严肃刚毅的神情，比清教徒们还有过之而无不及。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• The light of a laugh never came to brighten their sombre and wicked countenances. 欢乐的光芒从来未照亮过他们那阴郁邪恶的面孔。 来自辞典例句

4 vile   

adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的

参考例句：

• Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？
• Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

5 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

6 apprised   

v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价

参考例句：

• We were fully apprised of the situation. 我们完全获悉当时的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have apprised him of your arrival. 我已经告诉他你要来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

8 expending   

v.花费( expend的现在分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• The heart pumps by expending and contracting of muscle. 心脏通过收缩肌肉抽取和放出（血液）。 来自互联网
• Criminal action is an action of expending cost and then producing profit. 刑事诉讼是一种需要支付成本、能够产生收益的活动。 来自互联网

9 favourably   

adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably

参考例句：

• The play has been favourably commented by the audience. 本剧得到了观众的好评。
• The open approach contrasts favourably with the exclusivity of some universities. 这种开放式的方法与一些大学的封闭排外形成了有利的对比。

10 fickle   

adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的

参考例句：

• Fluctuating prices usually base on a fickle public's demand.物价的波动往往是由于群众需求的不稳定而引起的。
• The weather is so fickle in summer.夏日的天气如此多变。

11 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

12 expedient   

adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计

参考例句：

• The government found it expedient to relax censorship a little.政府发现略微放宽审查是可取的。
• Every kind of expedient was devised by our friends.我们的朋友想出了各种各样的应急办法。

13 cliques   

n.小集团，小圈子，派系( clique的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All traitorous persons and cliques came to no good end. 所有的叛徒及叛徒集团都没好下场。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They formed cliques and carried arms expansion and war preparations. 他们拉帮结派，扩军备战。 来自互联网

14 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

15 covertly   

adv.偷偷摸摸地

参考例句：

• Naval organizations were covertly incorporated into civil ministries. 各种海军组织秘密地混合在各民政机关之中。 来自辞典例句
• Modern terrorism is noteworthy today in that it is being done covertly. 现代的恐怖活动在今天是值得注意的，由于它是秘密进行的。 来自互联网

16 haughty   

adj.傲慢的，高傲的

参考例句：

• He gave me a haughty look and walked away.他向我摆出傲慢的表情后走开。
• They were displeased with her haughty airs.他们讨厌她高傲的派头。

17 presumptuous   

adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的

参考例句：

• It would be presumptuous for anybody to offer such a view.任何人提出这种观点都是太放肆了。
• It was presumptuous of him to take charge.他自拿主张，太放肆了。