THE time was now approaching when the hills of Chupas would be sprinkled with the blood of men who were born in Spain, to bear witness in future times that the herbs and stunted3 bushes growing on them are seedlings4 sprung from Spanish elements. And you! ghosts of Tabogan captains, if one may call you such, there in the place where your deeds have laid you, gaze upon the[266] fabric5 you have woven, and watch how your ever-binding oath is accomplished6 to the utmost! Ay, remember the famous Incas, with their Huayna Capac, and consider the dire7 vengeance8 being exacted for the ruin brought about in the Yupanqui lineage, and whether other weapons were not called for rather than those by whose means rash men brought about and wreaked9 that havoc10. And you Romans! who so exalt11 the events that occurred in your Rome during the civil wars, see how there arose another mad struggle, near the equator, so long-drawn that eleven years sped by before it ended, wherein there were not wanting its Curios, its Scaevolas, its Centalios, nor its Brutuses! For in this war, while hearts were transfixed by lance, and bullets tore by their impetuosity the entrails and the caul, as if to cast the soul out by the mouth, some gave the battle cry "Almagro!" and others "Pizarro!" but all shouted for "the King!" I know not how I shall set about relating such a horror, nor which side I can lock upon as in the right, but, after all, tyranny is a fearsome and hateful thing before the divine throne. And since I must not leave unfinished the task I have begun—though many times I have stayed my hand, and thrust the paper on one side that we might escape the sooner from such pangs—it will be necessary to relate what Lope de Idiáquez and the factor Mercado did when they left the camp which was about to become a sacrifice to its own folly12. They were not a little glad to find themselves clear of it, and at once made for Guamanga.
The Governor, Vaca de Castro, having sent the messengers, and with them, as their text, the law of the Partida, which, according to the lawyers, declares those who deny obedience13 to the king to be traitors14, he held a consultation15 with the principal leaders in his camp. Learning from the Indian Chiefs that Don Diego had departed from Vilcas, and suspecting that he might be going by the route of[267] Guaytara to Lima, where he would do even more harm than when he killed the Marquis, Vaca de Castro moved his forces from where they had halted, and marched that day, which was a Friday, until they took up a position on the level ground of CHUPAS. This was done on the advice of them all.
That night there was a storm so violent that nothing short of torrents16 of water fell from the clouds and thickness, accompanied by loud peals17 of thunder, insomuch that the very elements appeared to be enemies. They passed a very troublous night, for many soldiers had no protection from the rain for the arms they would have to fight with on the following day; and if the armies should meet it seemed likely that the artillery18 and arquebuses could do little harm. If this battle were being joined in Spain, or if one host encountered another in Italy, there would be no cause for wonder, and nothing need be stated beyond the fact that two thousand men met to kill each other. But it is a striking and remarkable19 thing that, after making such protracted20 voyages as those by way of the Southern Ocean, and arriving in driblets a few at a time, so many of our people should join together, and that, though in the aggregate21 their numbers are not large, they should cause all the nations and regions from the Strait to the uttermost parts of the land to tremble, without the barbarians22 daring to oppose them. I know well that two thousand Spaniards outside my country, wherever they may be, are feared, and that they can carry on civil war with terrible savagery23, as will presently be shown by the case of a soldier who filled the post of Sergeant-major in the force of Vaca de Castro.[123] Never was a Marius, or Sylla, a Dionisius, or Falaris, his equal in cruelty; for in[268] every phase of cruelty he showed himself a past master of the class I have mentioned and the trees[124] from Quito to the hill-crest of Potosí bear witness to it.
And now when the night was far spent and the falling snow had scattered24 many of its flakes25 over the face of the country, and the weather seemed clear enough to go forth26, the Governor Vaca de Castro ordered a reconnaissance to be made. Presently a very laughable thing happened, which was that Don Pedro Puertocarrero, and one Juan de Mora, straying apart from the rest of the scouts27, came to where there were some crags and great rocks. In the twilight28 Don Pedro thought they were the enemy's patrols and that he could dash through them to give notice to his captain, so he put his lance to the rest and charged the rocks in such fashion that the lance was shivered to pieces, and his horse and himself nearly broke their necks. Those who went out to reconnoitre that morning did get sight of the enemy scouts, and reported it to Vaca de Castro. Little time elapsed before the factor Mercado and Lope Idiáquez arrived where the Governor was, and reported what had occurred, and how the men of Chile had been minded to kill them; and finally that war was certain, and peace quite out of reach, for the enemy would brook29 none but what they might win at the point of their lances. They said that there were five hundred Spaniards at Vilcas, well armed and mounted, and some experienced fighting men amongst them, all firmly resolved to conquer or die. On hearing this the Governor ordered his secretary Pero López to enter it in the records together with the letters from Almagro and his captains. He then called a meeting of all his captains and combatant officers, and said to them: "You are aware of the correspondence I have had with Don Diego and his followers30 who are accomplices[269] with him in the tyranny they have set up. To avoid bloodshed and for the service his father rendered to his Majesty31 I was anxious that this boy should not be lost, but he has refused to repent32 and enjoy the clemency33 and the pardon his Majesty would have granted him. On the contrary, he was on the point of murdering the ambassadors, and, not to mention the crafty34 and insincere letters he has written to me, now comes against us to give us battle with tyrannical fury, and an insatiable greed to usurp35 and rule over the Realm: a thing to which we cannot consent, nor allow such a great calamity36 to befall. That our men may take heart, and that punishment proportionate to so great a crime may be dealt, my decision is that he and his defenders37 are traitors, and that whatever may be found in his camp is lawful38 plunder39."
The captains Alonso de Alvarado, Pero Alvarez Holguin, Garcilaso de la Vega, Diego de Rojas, Pedro de Castro and the Sergeant-major Francisco de Caravajal, and the rest who were present, replied that Vaca de Castro was Governor on behalf of the King, and very learned in letters, and that therefore they, as his executive, would support him in all things he might feel it right to be done. When the meeting broke up, the drums were sounded, the soldiers stood to their arms and, in a loud voice that all might hear, Don Diego and his confederates were proclaimed as traitors, unless they should surrender within six days from the date of summons. The soldiers of the King were given free leave, also, to loot the enemy's camp. Vaca de Castro did not hold a commission to proclaim this on his own authority, nor had his Majesty given him powers to that effect; but in such times war must be conducted in a way to instil40 fear. Having done this, Vaca de Castro retired41 into his tent, lifted up his hands before a crucifix, and besought42 God for aid, for he knew how strong His desire was for peace and how He deprecated war.
[270]
At this time the men of Chile were about a league from the Pachacama forces. Don Diego held a consultation with his officers to decide what should be done. There was some difference of opinion. Some thought that they should give battle to their enemies, which could easily be done. Others said that victory would be easier to gain by going out to the spur of Chupas, wheeling to the right, and marching into Guamanga. Having occupied that city the enemy would run short of provisions, and soon be in such straits that he would have to seek for them, whilst themselves, having by then chosen a position and formed a camp, would have the artillery so planted that the enemy would be broken up by it. This seemed a good plan to all present, and they set to work to carry it into effect; it being agreed that if the enemy should come against them on the way they must give them battle without waiting for anything else. Presently they started off accordingly, sending out scouts in all directions.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
animating
|
|
| v.使有生气( animate的现在分词 )；驱动；使栩栩如生地动作；赋予…以生命 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
exhorting
|
|
| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
stunted
|
|
| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
seedlings
|
|
| n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
fabric
|
|
| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
dire
|
|
| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
vengeance
|
|
| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
wreaked
|
|
| 诉诸（武力），施行（暴力），发（脾气）( wreak的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
havoc
|
|
| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
exalt
|
|
| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
folly
|
|
| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
obedience
|
|
| n.服从，顺从 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
traitors
|
|
| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
consultation
|
|
| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
torrents
|
|
| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
peals
|
|
| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
artillery
|
|
| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
protracted
|
|
| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
aggregate
|
|
| adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
barbarians
|
|
| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
savagery
|
|
| n.野性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
flakes
|
|
| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
scouts
|
|
| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
twilight
|
|
| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
brook
|
|
| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
followers
|
|
| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
majesty
|
|
| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
repent
|
|
| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
clemency
|
|
| n.温和，仁慈，宽厚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
crafty
|
|
| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
usurp
|
|
| vt.篡夺，霸占；vi.篡位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
calamity
|
|
| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
defenders
|
|
| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
lawful
|
|
| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
plunder
|
|
| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
instil
|
|
| v.逐渐灌输 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
besought
|
|
| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |