My family had its origin in a village in the mountains of Leon, and nature had been kinder and more generous to it than fortune; though in the general poverty of those communities my father passed for being even a rich man; and he would have been so in reality had he been as clever in preserving his property as he was in spending it. This tendency of his to be liberal and profuse1 he had acquired from having been a soldier in his youth, for the soldier’s life is a school in which the niggard becomes free-handed and the free-handed prodigal2; and if any soldiers are to be found who are misers3, they are monsters of rare occurrence. My father went beyond liberality and bordered on prodigality4, a disposition5 by no means advantageous6 to a married man who has children to succeed to his name and position. My father had three, all sons, and all of sufficient age to make choice of a profession. Finding, then, that he was unable to resist his propensity7, he resolved to divest8 himself of the instrument and cause of his prodigality and lavishness9, to divest himself of wealth, without which Alexander himself would have seemed parsimonious10; and so calling us all three aside one day into a room, he addressed us in words somewhat to the following effect:
“My sons, to assure you that I love you, no more need be known or said than that you are my sons; and to encourage a suspicion that I do not love you, no more is needed than the knowledge that I have no self-control as far as preservation11 of your patrimony12 is concerned; therefore, that you may for the future feel sure that I love you like a father, and have no wish to ruin you like a stepfather, I propose to do with you what I have for some time back meditated13, and after mature deliberation decided14 upon. You are now of an age to choose your line of life or at least make choice of a calling that will bring you honour and profit when you are older; and what I have resolved to do is to divide my property into four parts; three I will give to you, to each his portion without making any difference, and the other I will retain to live upon and support myself for whatever remainder of life Heaven may be pleased to grant me. But I wish each of you on taking possession of the share that falls to him to follow one of the paths I shall indicate. In this Spain of ours there is a proverb, to my mind very true — as they all are, being short aphorisms15 drawn16 from long practical experience — and the one I refer to says, ‘The church, or the sea, or the king’s house;’ as much as to say, in plainer language, whoever wants to flourish and become rich, let him follow the church, or go to sea, adopting commerce as his calling, or go into the king’s service in his household, for they say, ‘Better a king’s crumb17 than a lord’s favour.’ I say so because it is my will and pleasure that one of you should follow letters, another trade, and the third serve the king in the wars, for it is a difficult matter to gain admission to his service in his household, and if war does not bring much wealth it confers great distinction and fame. Eight days hence I will give you your full shares in money, without defrauding18 you of a farthing, as you will see in the end. Now tell me if you are willing to follow out my idea and advice as I have laid it before you.”
Having called upon me as the eldest19 to answer, I, after urging him not to strip himself of his property but to spend it all as he pleased, for we were young men able to gain our living, consented to comply with his wishes, and said that mine were to follow the profession of arms and thereby20 serve God and my king. My second brother having made the same proposal, decided upon going to the Indies, embarking21 the portion that fell to him in trade. The youngest, and in my opinion the wisest, said he would rather follow the church, or go to complete his studies at Salamanca. As soon as we had come to an understanding, and made choice of our professions, my father embraced us all, and in the short time he mentioned carried into effect all he had promised; and when he had given to each his share, which as well as I remember was three thousand ducats apiece in cash (for an uncle of ours bought the estate and paid for it down, not to let it go out of the family), we all three on the same day took leave of our good father; and at the same time, as it seemed to me inhuman22 to leave my father with such scanty23 means in his old age, I induced him to take two of my three thousand ducats, as the remainder would be enough to provide me with all a soldier needed. My two brothers, moved by my example, gave him each a thousand ducats, so that there was left for my father four thousand ducats in money, besides three thousand, the value of the portion that fell to him which he preferred to retain in land instead of selling it. Finally, as I said, we took leave of him, and of our uncle whom I have mentioned, not without sorrow and tears on both sides, they charging us to let them know whenever an opportunity offered how we fared, whether well or ill. We promised to do so, and when he had embraced us and given us his blessing24, one set out for Salamanca, the other for Seville, and I for Alicante, where I had heard there was a Genoese vessel25 taking in a cargo26 of wool for Genoa.
It is now some twenty-two years since I left my father’s house, and all that time, though I have written several letters, I have had no news whatever of him or of my brothers; my own adventures during that period I will now relate briefly27. I embarked28 at Alicante, reached Genoa after a prosperous voyage, and proceeded thence to Milan, where I provided myself with arms and a few soldier’s accoutrements; thence it was my intention to go and take service in Piedmont, but as I was already on the road to Alessandria della Paglia, I learned that the great Duke of Alva was on his way to Flanders. I changed my plans, joined him, served under him in the campaigns he made, was present at the deaths of the Counts Egmont and Horn, and was promoted to be ensign under a famous captain of Guadalajara, Diego de Urbina by name. Some time after my arrival in Flanders news came of the league that his Holiness Pope Pius V of happy memory, had made with Venice and Spain against the common enemy, the Turk, who had just then with his fleet taken the famous island of Cyprus, which belonged to the Venetians, a loss deplorable and disastrous29. It was known as a fact that the Most Serene30 Don John of Austria, natural brother of our good king Don Philip, was coming as commander-in-chief of the allied31 forces, and rumours32 were abroad of the vast warlike preparations which were being made, all which stirred my heart and filled me with a longing33 to take part in the campaign which was expected; and though I had reason to believe, and almost certain promises, that on the first opportunity that presented itself I should be promoted to be captain, I preferred to leave all and betake myself, as I did, to Italy; and it was my good fortune that Don John had just arrived at Genoa, and was going on to Naples to join the Venetian fleet, as he afterwards did at Messina. I may say, in short, that I took part in that glorious expedition, promoted by this time to be a captain of infantry34, to which honourable35 charge my good luck rather than my merits raised me; and that day — so fortunate for Christendom, because then all the nations of the earth were disabused36 of the error under which they lay in imagining the Turks to be invincible37 on sea-on that day, I say, on which the Ottoman pride and arrogance38 were broken, among all that were there made happy (for the Christians39 who died that day were happier than those who remained alive and victorious) I alone was miserable40; for, instead of some naval41 crown that I might have expected had it been in Roman times, on the night that followed that famous day I found myself with fetters42 on my feet and manacles on my hands.
It happened in this way: El Uchali, the king of Algiers, a daring and successful corsair, having attacked and taken the leading Maltese galley43 (only three knights44 being left alive in it, and they badly wounded), the chief galley of John Andrea, on board of which I and my company were placed, came to its relief, and doing as was bound to do in such a case, I leaped on board the enemy’s galley, which, sheering off from that which had attacked it, prevented my men from following me, and so I found myself alone in the midst of my enemies, who were in such numbers that I was unable to resist; in short I was taken, covered with wounds; El Uchali, as you know, sirs, made his escape with his entire squadron, and I was left a prisoner in his power, the only sad being among so many filled with joy, and the only captive among so many free; for there were fifteen thousand Christians, all at the oar46 in the Turkish fleet, that regained47 their longed-for liberty that day.
They carried me to Constantinople, where the Grand Turk, Selim, made my master general at sea for having done his duty in the battle and carried off as evidence of his bravery the standard of the Order of Malta. The following year, which was the year seventy-two, I found myself at Navarino rowing in the leading galley with the three lanterns. There I saw and observed how the opportunity of capturing the whole Turkish fleet in harbour was lost; for all the marines and janizzaries that belonged to it made sure that they were about to be attacked inside the very harbour, and had their kits48 and pasamaques, or shoes, ready to flee at once on shore without waiting to be assailed49, in so great fear did they stand of our fleet. But Heaven ordered it otherwise, not for any fault or neglect of the general who commanded on our side, but for the sins of Christendom, and because it was God’s will and pleasure that we should always have instruments of punishment to chastise50 us. As it was, El Uchali took refuge at Modon, which is an island near Navarino, and landing forces fortified51 the mouth of the harbour and waited quietly until Don John retired52. On this expedition was taken the galley called the Prize, whose captain was a son of the famous corsair Barbarossa. It was taken by the chief Neapolitan galley called the She-wolf, commanded by that thunderbolt of war, that father of his men, that successful and unconquered captain Don Alvaro de Bazan, Marquis of Santa Cruz; and I cannot help telling you what took place at the capture of the Prize.
The son of Barbarossa was so cruel, and treated his slaves so badly, that, when those who were at the oars53 saw that the She-wolf galley was bearing down upon them and gaining upon them, they all at once dropped their oars and seized their captain who stood on the stage at the end of the gangway shouting to them to row lustily; and passing him on from bench to bench, from the poop to the prow54, they so bit him that before he had got much past the mast his soul had already got to hell; so great, as I said, was the cruelty with which he treated them, and the hatred55 with which they hated him.
We returned to Constantinople, and the following year, seventy-three, it became known that Don John had seized Tunis and taken the kingdom from the Turks, and placed Muley Hamet in possession, putting an end to the hopes which Muley Hamida, the cruelest and bravest Moor56 in the world, entertained of returning to reign57 there. The Grand Turk took the loss greatly to heart, and with the cunning which all his race possess, he made peace with the Venetians (who were much more eager for it than he was), and the following year, seventy-four, he attacked the Goletta and the fort which Don John had left half built near Tunis. While all these events were occurring, I was labouring at the oar without any hope of freedom; at least I had no hope of obtaining it by ransom58, for I was firmly resolved not to write to my father telling him of my misfortunes. At length the Goletta fell, and the fort fell, before which places there were seventy-five thousand regular Turkish soldiers, and more than four hundred thousand Moors59 and Arabs from all parts of Africa, and in the train of all this great host such munitions60 and engines of war, and so many pioneers that with their hands they might have covered the Goletta and the fort with handfuls of earth. The first to fall was the Goletta, until then reckoned impregnable, and it fell, not by any fault of its defenders61, who did all that they could and should have done, but because experiment proved how easily entrenchments could be made in the desert sand there; for water used to be found at two palms depth, while the Turks found none at two yards; and so by means of a quantity of sandbags they raised their works so high that they commanded the walls of the fort, sweeping62 them as if from a cavalier, so that no one was able to make a stand or maintain the defence.
It was a common opinion that our men should not have shut themselves up in the Goletta, but should have waited in the open at the landing-place; but those who say so talk at random63 and with little knowledge of such matters; for if in the Goletta and in the fort there were barely seven thousand soldiers, how could such a small number, however resolute64, sally out and hold their own against numbers like those of the enemy? And how is it possible to help losing a stronghold that is not relieved, above all when surrounded by a host of determined65 enemies in their own country? But many thought, and I thought so too, that it was special favour and mercy which Heaven showed to Spain in permitting the destruction of that source and hiding place of mischief66, that devourer67, sponge, and moth68 of countless69 money, fruitlessly wasted there to no other purpose save preserving the memory of its capture by the invincible Charles V; as if to make that eternal, as it is and will be, these stones were needed to support it. The fort also fell; but the Turks had to win it inch by inch, for the soldiers who defended it fought so gallantly70 and stoutly71 that the number of the enemy killed in twenty-two general assaults exceeded twenty-five thousand. Of three hundred that remained alive not one was taken unwounded, a clear and manifest proof of their gallantry and resolution, and how sturdily they had defended themselves and held their post. A small fort or tower which was in the middle of the lagoon72 under the command of Don Juan Zanoguera, a Valencian gentleman and a famous soldier, capitulated upon terms. They took prisoner Don Pedro Puertocarrero, commandant of the Goletta, who had done all in his power to defend his fortress73, and took the loss of it so much to heart that he died of grief on the way to Constantinople, where they were carrying him a prisoner. They also took the commandant of the fort, Gabrio Cerbellon by name, a Milanese gentleman, a great engineer and a very brave soldier. In these two fortresses74 perished many persons of note, among whom was Pagano Doria, knight45 of the Order of St. John, a man of generous disposition, as was shown by his extreme liberality to his brother, the famous John Andrea Doria; and what made his death the more sad was that he was slain75 by some Arabs to whom, seeing that the fort was now lost, he entrusted76 himself, and who offered to conduct him in the disguise of a Moor to Tabarca, a small fort or station on the coast held by the Genoese employed in the coral fishery. These Arabs cut off his head and carried it to the commander of the Turkish fleet, who proved on them the truth of our Castilian proverb, that “though the treason may please, the traitor77 is hated;” for they say he ordered those who brought him the present to be hanged for not having brought him alive.
Among the Christians who were taken in the fort was one named Don Pedro de Aguilar, a native of some place, I know not what, in Andalusia, who had been ensign in the fort, a soldier of great repute and rare intelligence, who had in particular a special gift for what they call poetry. I say so because his fate brought him to my galley and to my bench, and made him a slave to the same master; and before we left the port this gentleman composed two sonnets78 by way of epitaphs, one on the Goletta and the other on the fort; indeed, I may as well repeat them, for I have them by heart, and I think they will be liked rather than disliked.
The instant the captive mentioned the name of Don Pedro de Aguilar, Don Fernando looked at his companions and they all three smiled; and when he came to speak of the sonnets one of them said, “Before your worship proceeds any further I entreat79 you to tell me what became of that Don Pedro de Aguilar you have spoken of.”
“All I know is,” replied the captive, “that after having been in Constantinople two years, he escaped in the disguise of an Arnaut, in company with a Greek spy; but whether he regained his liberty or not I cannot tell, though I fancy he did, because a year afterwards I saw the Greek at Constantinople, though I was unable to ask him what the result of the journey was.”
“Well then, you are right,” returned the gentleman, “for that Don Pedro is my brother, and he is now in our village in good health, rich, married, and with three children.”
“Thanks be to God for all the mercies he has shown him,” said the captive; “for to my mind there is no happiness on earth to compare with recovering lost liberty.”
“And what is more,” said the gentleman, “I know the sonnets my brother made.”
“Then let your worship repeat them,” said the captive, “for you will recite them better than I can.”
“With all my heart,” said the gentleman; “that on the Goletta runs thus.”
“我的祖籍在莱昂山区的一个地方。门第似乎比财运更为照顾我的家族。不过在那些小村镇里，我父亲也称得上是富人了。如果父亲能精心维持这个家庭，而不是把家里的财产都乱花掉，他真的会成为一个富人。他这个大手大脚的习惯是在他年轻时当兵的那几年里形成的。军队可以让人由小气变成大方，由大方变成挥霍无度。如果谁显得寒酸，就会被视为魔鬼。不过，这种情况并不多见。
“我的父亲由大手大脚变成了挥霍无度。这对一个已经结婚、有了后代的人来说，是极为不利的。父亲有三个孩子，都是男孩，而且后来都到了结婚的年龄。据他自己说，他见自己积习难改，就想剥夺自己挥霍无度的手段和病因，也就是剥夺自己的财产。没有了财产，即使是亚历山大大帝也会感到窘迫。于是有一天，他把三个孩子叫到自己的房间，说了一番话。他大概是这么说的：
“‘孩子们，我要说我爱你们，我只说你们是我的孩子就够了。我要说我不爱你们，我只须让你们知道，我并没有着意为你们保管财产就行了。为了让你们知道，我想从现在起做得像个亲爹的样子，而不是像个后爹似的毁了你们，我想做一件事情。这件事我已经考虑了很多天，现在已经考虑好了。你们已经到了能够自立的年龄，至少有能力选择将来对你们有利的事情。我要做的事情就是把我的财产分成四部分，你们每人一份，平均一样多。还有一份我留下维持生活用，直到老天保佑我能够活到的那一天。不过我给你们指出几条路，希望你们每个人拿到自己应得的那份财产后，能够选择其中的一条。在我们西班牙有句老话，我觉得说得很实在，这些老话是多年经验的精确总结，所以都很符合实际。这句话是这么说的：教会、海洋或王宫。若加以解释就是说：欲富欲贵者，或入教会，或海上经商，或进王宫服侍国王。俗话说，国王的残羹胜过领主的佳肴。我说这些是希望你们其中一人从文，另一个人经商，还有一个人为国王打仗，因为要进王宫服侍国王很困难。虽然战争不能给人带来很多财富，却可以给人带来很高的地位和名声。八天之内，我把你们每人分得的钱全部给你们，一分也不会少，你们到时候就知道了。你们现在告诉我，你们愿意听从我的劝告吗？’
“我是老大，父亲让我先说。我说家产不要分了，他愿意怎么花就怎么花。我们都是小伙子了，可以自己挣钱。最后，我说我会听从他的意志，我选择从军，为上帝和我的国王效忠。我的大弟弟也是同样的意见，他选择的是带着他那份财产到美洲去。小弟弟选择的是从事教会职业，或者到萨拉曼卡去完成他的学业。我觉得小弟弟最聪明。
“我们刚一说完各自的看法和选择，父亲就拥抱了我们，并且在他说的日子里，把他说的事情全做到了，给了我们每人一份钱。我记得是每份三千杜卡多。有个叔叔不愿意家产外流，已经用现金买下了我们三人的产业。我们在同一天告诉了我们善良的父亲。当时我觉得我父亲已经老了，只给他留下那么点儿财产，未免太不人道了，就让他从我的三千杜卡多里拿出两千，我留下一千，当兵已经足够用了。我的两个兄弟被我感动了，每人也拿出一千。这样父亲就有了四千杜卡多，还有一份大约值三千杜卡多的产业。他不想把那点家产卖了，想留作自己的不动产。下面，我把我在这期间的情况简单讲讲。
“最后，我们告别了父亲和我刚才提到的那个叔叔。大家都不无伤感和眼泪。父亲和叔叔叮嘱我们，只要有条件，不管情况好坏，都要把我们的情况告诉他们。我们答应了。父亲和叔叔拥抱了我们，为我们祝福。然后，我们一人去了萨拉曼卡，另一人去了塞维利亚，我去的是阿利坎特，在那儿我听说有条船要装运羊毛去热那亚。
“我这一离开父亲就是二十二年。我虽然在这期间给他写过几封信，却未得到有关他和我的两个兄弟的消息。我在阿利坎特上了船，顺利抵达热那亚，又从那儿去了米兰。我在米兰得到了武器和几件漂亮的军服，又打算到皮埃蒙特服役。在去亚历山大里亚·德拉帕利亚的路上，我听说伟大的阿尔瓦公爵正要去佛兰德，就又改变了主意，投奔了他，服侍他巡行，处死埃格蒙和奥尔诺斯伯爵的时候我也在场。后来，我终于在瓜达拉哈拉一位名叫迭戈·德乌尔维纳的著名军官手下当上了少尉。我到佛兰德不久又听说查理五世陛下，想起他就令人愉快，说他已经同威尼斯和西班牙结盟，反对共同的敌人土耳其。当时土耳其的军队已经攻占了原来由威尼斯人统治的著名的塞浦路斯岛，这是极其不幸的损失。
“后来得到确切消息，我们圣明的费利佩国王的兄弟胡安·德奥斯特里亚要来做这个联盟的统领，还传说庞大的战争机器已经运转起来。这些又燃起了我要在即将来临的关键时刻挺身而出的激情和愿望。虽然我预感到，或者已经得到了确切的承诺，说一有机会就要把我提升为上尉，我还是放弃了一切，来到了意大利。恰好胡安·德奥斯特里亚刚刚抵达热那亚，要经过那不勒斯同威尼斯的军队会合，不过后来他们是在墨西拿会合的。总之，我在那个极其幸运的关键时刻当上了步兵上尉，这主要是由于我的运气好，并不是由于我的贡献大。那是基督教的幸福日子，就在那天，世界各国认为土耳其在海上不可战胜的错误观念被打破了，奥斯曼帝国的傲慢和威风被一扫而光。对于很多人来说，那是幸运的一天，而且在那天，战死的基督教徒要比后来成为战胜者的生还者还要幸运。只有我最倒霉。与我期望的相反，那天晚上，我得到的是手上的手铐和脚上的锁链。本来按照罗马时代的习惯，我是完全可以得到一个冠状圈环①的。
①奖给第一个冲上敌舰或冲人敌阵的士兵的特别奖。
“事情是这样的：阿尔及尔的国王乌查利是一个凶狠而又幸运的海盗。他打败了马尔他的旗舰，并迫使它投降。那艘舰上只有三个人活了下来，而且遍体鳞伤。我和同伴们所在的胡安·安德雷亚旗舰前去营救马尔他的旗舰。我做了在这种情况下应该做的事情，跃上了敌舰。可敌舰突然转向，结果我的士兵们没有来得及跟上我。我孤身陷敌，无法抵御那么多人的敌人，浑身负了很多伤，最后被他们俘虏了。你们大概听说了，大人们，乌查利的整个舰队逃跑了，而我却成了他们的俘虏。在众人欢乐的时候，我独自悲伤；众人获得自由的时候，我却成了俘虏。那天有一万五千名基督徒，在土耳其的舰只中间划着小船获得了他们渴望的自由。
“我被带到君士坦丁堡。我的主人由于克尽职守，并且把马尔他的军旗带了回来以显示他的勇气，被土耳其素丹①谢里姆任命为海军统帅。第二年，也就是七二年，我在纳瓦里诺的一艘三灯船上做划船手的时候，发现我们失去了在那个港口将土耳其的舰队全部俘获的机会。因为那个地方的所有海陆士兵都断定我们会从那个港口向他们进攻，已经把衣服和鞋收拾好，准备在我们攻克港口的时候就从陆地上逃走。他们对我们的海军竟是如此惧怕！可是老天却偏不作美，这并不是我们侥幸的过错或疏忽，而是由于基督徒们的罪过，老天让我们总是受到惩罚。实际上，乌查利一直龟缩在莫东，那是纳瓦里诺附近的一个岛。乌查利把人都赶到陆地上，在海港口岸修筑工事，一直到唐胡安②回来。
①素丹即土耳其君主。
②西班牙人习惯如此称呼胡安·德奥斯特里亚。%%%“唐胡安返程途中俘获了一艘‘猎物号’军舰，那艘舰是由著名的海盗巴瓦罗哈的一个儿子指挥的。俘获它的是那不勒斯的一艘‘母狼号’军舰，由号称‘战地闪电’、‘士兵之父’的圣克鲁斯的侯爵、战无不胜的幸运舰长唐阿尔瓦罗指挥。我还想说说俘获‘猪物号’过程中的事情。巴瓦罗哈的那个儿子太残忍了，他虐待俘虏，所以那些划船的俘虏就在‘母狼号’向他们的船接近，要夺取他们的船的时候，同时放下了船桨，抓住坐在指挥台上高喊‘快划’的船长，从船尾逐排地①向船头传递，边传还边咬他，不等传过桅杆，船长就魂归西天了。我说过，待人残忍，触犯众怒。
①划桨的俘虏是分为前后许多排锁在座位上的。
“我们又回到了君士坦丁堡。第二年，也就是七三年，听说唐胡安大人攻占了突尼斯，征服了土耳其的王国，把它交由穆莱·哈米达统治。有世界上最残忍又最勇敢的摩尔人穆莱·哈米达在那儿，土耳其人要重新恢复统治的希望就破灭了。土耳其素丹对这个损失痛心不已，便动用了土耳其人的全部智慧，同威尼斯人讲和。而威尼斯人求和心更切。又过了一年，也就是七四年，土耳其素丹向戈利达要塞和突尼斯附近唐胡安只建了一半的要塞发动了进攻。这段时间，我一直在船上做划船手，根本没有获得自由的希望，至少没有被营救的希望，当时我已决意不把我的任何不幸消息告诉父亲。
“戈利达最后终于失守了，堡垒也失守了，总共有七万五千名土耳其雇佣军以及来自整个非洲的四十万摩尔人和阿拉伯人向它们进攻。如此庞大数量的军队，而且装备精良，再加上那么多的苦役犯，他们只须用手撮土，就足以把戈利达和那个堡垒盖上。戈利达首先失守。在此之前，一直以为它是坚不可摧的。不过，它并不是由于守卫者的失职才失守的，他们已经尽了自己的全部所能。就像后来事实证明的那样，在那块沙地上建立掩体太容易了。一般的沙地，挖两拃深就会遇到水，可土耳其人在那儿挖了两尺深也没碰到水，因此他们得以用很多沙袋建起了高层工事，可以居高临下地射击，任何人也抵御不了。
“人们普遍认为，我们的士兵不应该困守在戈利达，而应该主动出击，迎战登陆的敌人。说这种话的人对这类事很少经历过，因而说起话来相去甚远。我们在戈利达和那个堡垒只有不到七千名士兵。数量如此少，即使装备再好，也不可能跑到工事外去，对付数量如此之多的敌人。而且他们得不到及时的援助，特别是他们受到如此之多的顽固敌人的包围，怎么能不失守呢？不过很多人认为，我也这么认为，这是天助西班牙，让他们扫平这个罪恶的滋生地，这个贪得无厌、巧取豪夺、消耗了无尽钱财的要塞。他们毫无意义地把钱挥霍掉，把钱都用来为那个战无不胜的卡洛斯五世树碑立传，似乎真有必要让他英名永存，而且那些石头真能让他英名永存似的。那座堡垒也失守了，不过守卫堡垒的士兵进行了英勇顽强的战斗。土耳其人发动了二十二次总攻，死了二万五千多人，才一点一点地占领了堡垒。活着的守军不过三百人，而且都是负了伤才被俘的，这更证明了他们都已经竭尽全力，而且斗志旺盛，忠实地守卫了自己的阵地。在那个滨海湖中央有个由巴伦西亚英勇的著名战士唐胡安·萨诺格拉负责的小堡垒，它也被占领了。
“戈利达的指挥官唐佩德罗·普埃尔托·卡雷罗被俘虏了，他已经尽了全力来守卫戈利达。失守对他的打击太大了，在被押往君士坦丁堡的路上，他郁郁而死。堡垒的指挥官卡布里奥·塞韦略是米兰了不起的工程师、英勇的战士，也被俘了。在这两个地方还牺牲了不少重要人物，其中有一个是帕甘·德奥里亚，他是圣胡安骑士团的武士，生性豪爽。他和著名的胡安·安德烈亚·德奥里亚是亲兄弟。最惨的就是他死在他所信任的几个阿拉伯人手里。那几个人见堡垒已经失守，就提议他换上摩尔人的衣服，然后把他送到塔巴尔卡，那是采珊瑚的热那亚人在海边的一个住所。结果那几个阿拉伯人把他的头割了下来，交给了土耳其军队的指挥官。这里验证了我们西班牙的一句俗话：‘背叛乐了别人，毁了自己。’据说因为他们没有献上活的德奥里亚，土耳其军队的指挥官下令把那几个阿拉伯人也绞死了。
“在堡垒里的西班牙人当中，有一个叫唐佩德罗·德阿吉拉尔，我不知道他是安达卢西亚哪个地方的人。他是堡垒的旗手，是个很重要又很机灵的战士，而且特别擅长作诗。我提到他是因为他曾与我在同一条船上同一排座位，为同一个船老大划船。我们离开港口之前，他按照墓志铭的形式写了两首十四行诗。一首献给戈利达，另一首献给堡垒。我完全可以把这两首诗念出来，我已经把它们背下来了。我相信你们会喜欢这两首诗。”
当俘虏提到唐佩德罗·德阿吉拉尔这个名字时，费尔南多看了他的几个同伴一眼，三个人都会意地笑了一下。提到十四行诗时，其中一人说：
“您先别往下说了，我请求您告诉我，您提到的那位唐佩德罗·德阿吉拉尔后来怎么样了。”
“我所知道的是，”俘虏回答说，“他在君士坦丁堡待了两年，后来扮成阿尔巴尼亚人同一个希腊间谍逃走了。我不知道他是否获得了自由。不过我觉得他已经获得了自由。因为一年后我在君士坦丁堡见到了那个希腊人，可是没来得及问他们那次逃跑后的情况。”
“他的确获得了自由。”那个人说，“那个唐佩德罗是我兄弟，现在就在我们家乡，生活得既愉快又富裕，已经结了婚，有三个孩子。”
“这全靠上帝恩赐，”俘虏说，“依我看，世界上再没有比重新获得自由更令人高兴的事情了。”
“而且，”那个人说，“我还知道我兄弟做的那两首十四行诗。”
“那就请您念念吧，”俘虏说，“您肯定比我记得准确。”
“好，”那人说，“先来看他凭吊戈利达的那一首吧。”
收听单词发音 |
1
profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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misers
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| 守财奴，吝啬鬼( miser的名词复数 ) | |
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4
prodigality
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| n.浪费，挥霍 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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6
advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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lavishness
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| n.浪费，过度 | |
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parsimonious
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| adj.吝啬的，质量低劣的 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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patrimony
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| n.世袭财产，继承物 | |
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13
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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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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aphorisms
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| 格言，警句( aphorism的名词复数 ) | |
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16
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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17
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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18
defrauding
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| v.诈取，骗取( defraud的现在分词 ) | |
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19
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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21
embarking
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| 乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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24
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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25
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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27
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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28
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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29
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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30
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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32
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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33
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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34
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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disabused
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| v.去除…的错误想法( disabuse的过去式和过去分词 )；使醒悟 | |
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37
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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38
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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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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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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fetters
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| n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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43
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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45
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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46
oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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kits
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| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
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49
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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50
chastise
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| vt.责骂，严惩 | |
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51
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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52
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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53
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54
prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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55
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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56
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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57
reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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58
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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59
moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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60
munitions
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| n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品 | |
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61
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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62
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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63
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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66
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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67
devourer
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| 吞噬者 | |
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68
moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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69
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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70
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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71
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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72
lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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73
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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74
fortresses
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| 堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
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75
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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76
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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78
sonnets
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| n.十四行诗( sonnet的名词复数 ) | |
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79
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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