WHEN the letters were given to Alonso García, neither Lope de Idiáquez nor the factor Mercado observed it, because the others took care that they should not know or understand. They left Guamanga with the letters and despatches they were given, and travelled until they reached Vilcas. The terms demanded by Vaca de Castro were then made known. He required the Almagro camp to be broken up, and that Martín de Bilbao, San Millán, Diego de Hoces, Juan Rodríguez Barragán, Martín Cote and the others who had been concerned in the death of the Marquis, should be given up to him; and promised that the fullest mercy would be shown to Don Diego in the name of his Majesty1. To effect this settlement Juan Balsá was to go to Guamanga, and the captain Alonso de Alvarado was to come to Vilcas, so as to avoid by this plan the vast evils that would result if the war continued.
The captains resolved to meet and consider what should be done, Don Diego and the messengers being also present at the consultation2. After some discussion they decided3 to send Juan Balsa to offer that if Vaca de Castro would pardon the murderers, they would abide4 by his terms as regards everything else. While affairs were in a fair way to reach this conclusion, a letter came on the scene, which[263] Agamenon had written to Pedro de Candía, his father-in-law, inciting5 him to tamper6 with the artillery7, for he saw that he had gone astray and was acting8 against the service of his royal Majesty, and warning him that, such was the strength of the Governor's forces, the Almagro party could not fail to be conquered, and that then they would be looked upon as traitors9: and other things in like strain. This letter was brought from the aforesaid Agamenon by an Indian, and at the time when he delivered it, this Indian was asked whether any other Spaniard had seen the letter: he replied that the messengers had read it. Pedro de Candía, on reflection, then guessed that this was a snare11 laid to entrap12 him;[122] so without reading the letter he went straight to the consultation of officers which was just then in progress, where he showed the letter and read it openly. At this, the lives of the messengers came near being forfeited13 there and then: so monstrously14 indignant were Don Diego and the others on seeing that while in one hand they brought an appeal for peace, they craftily15 waged war with the other. In a raging passion all swore that they would conquer or die, ordering the messengers to go back with that for an answer, and tell the enemy to hurry up, and that neither they nor any other messengers were to return again with overtures16, if they valued their lives. Thus was every way towards peace closed. The messengers did not dally17, but promptly18 got their horses and were hustled19 out of the camp. Don Diego de Almagro, mounted on a powerful steed, ordered a general muster20 of all his men in the plaza21, which occupied a triangular22 space between the ruined palaces and the temple of the sun. As they were all so fond of the youth there was little slackness in obeying his command, and stationing himself in the midst of them all, Don Diego thus addressed them:
[264]
"Oh my companions and loyal friends!—I well believe that none of you are ignorant of the great merits, valour and liberality of the Adelantado Don Diego de Almagro, my father, or unaware23 that his was the first sword to reclaim24 from their savagery25 the multitude of barbarians26 in this region and in those which extend as far as the river Maule, thus bringing many of them under the Spanish yoke27 and into the royal service. He was the ladder by which the Pizarros rose, in recompense for which he was most cruelly deprived of his life. Afterwards, through lack of attention in Spain in providing for the administration of justice for which we waited, and finding, as was publicly known, that the Judge who was coming would be disposed only to add to our troubles and forlorn condition, and would not afford us justice (as he had been appointed through the influence of that warm befriender of the Pachacama party, Cardinal28 Loaysa) and seeing that we were denied on all sides the justice we had so long been expecting, it pleased God to lift the veil from his hidden judgments29 and, that they might be known now and for ever, to let the Marquis pay with his life for the death which through his cruelty and that of his traitor10 brother had been inflicted30 on my father. Well! since our Lord put such fortitude31 and spirit into your hearts that without difficulty you became indomitable men ready for any deed of strength, willing to suffer great hardships, hunger, cold and heat, I entreat32 you, in all earnestness, not to fail now, when fortune calls upon us to defend our lives and honour, which are poised33 but on the points of our lances and in the bullets of our arquebuses. Therefore I bid ye sally forth34 from this fort with willing heroism35 to seek out our enemies, and to let them understand the gallantry and courage with which our persons are endowed. And should it not please God to give us the glory of victory, we shall at least sell our lives at such a price that no one else will care to[265] purchase them, whilst winning perpetual fame by our deeds. Upon that soldier who shall bring me an enemy's head, from that moment I will bestow36 the lordship of his victim's repartimiento, and, if he should have been a married man, the victor shall step into his place in the marriage chamber37, and enjoy the society of the widow."
Young Don Diego had scarcely finished his speech when the soldiers, raising their right hands, shouted clamourously to be led to battle. So the camp was at once broken up and next day they marched to Pomacocha, a strong position, where they proposed to halt, and even to wait until they could know whether the enemy had quitted Chupas to offer battle at Sachabamba, a suitable, open plain where artillery could be effectively used. But as Death was now hovering38 over their heads, in their eagerness and impetuosity they had the tents struck again, and insisted on moving forward to pass the night at Sachabamba, intending next day either to come face to face with the enemy, or march into Guamanga.
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1
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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2
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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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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abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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inciting
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| 刺激的，煽动的 | |
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tamper
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| v.干预，玩弄，贿赂，窜改，削弱，损害 | |
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7
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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8
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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9
traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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11
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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entrap
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| v.以网或陷阱捕捉，使陷入圈套 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
monstrously
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craftily
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| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
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overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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17
dally
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| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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reclaim
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| v.要求归还，收回；开垦 | |
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savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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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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27
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
fortitude
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| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
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32
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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35
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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36
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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37
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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38
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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