University of Virginia Library

11. XI.

The unlooked-for reappearance of the fugitive startled
the grave assembly, and brought a new and unmixed
delight to the brother. It was his hope that Egiza now
came, with a returning sense of duty, to redeem his
pledges to the people; but the words of the fugitive
soon undeceived him as he related the true cause of his
return. The warriors sprang instantly to arms.

“We are betrayed!” cried Eudon; “it is the Jew who
has betrayed us.”

Pelayo was silent; he could make no answer, for
the absence of Melchior was no less matter of surprise
to him than it was of fear to them. But, though he said
nothing, he drew his good sword, and led the way to
the entrance, the nobles following. He found Egiza
beside him, and in that moment the brothers exchanged
a glance of mutual sorrow and of mutual forgiveness.
They went forward together.

“Britarmin!” said Pelayo to the Bascone, as they
reached the spot where the sentinel was stationed, “thou
hast thy maule, Britarmin?”

“Ay!” said the Bascone, with a hoarse laugh, waving
it in air.

“Thou shalt have work for thy teeth, Bascone! Follow

me closely, and strike, as I show thee, against my
enemies and thine.”

The Bascone gnashed his teeth together until the
foam gathered about his lips, but he made no other reply,
nor did Pelayo deign him any other speech. The
nobles pressed their way forward, and when they reached
the entrance of the cavern they heard war-cries, and
the clang and clash of a battle in the distance.

“By Hercules! but this is strange. What may this
mean?” said Pelayo. “If there be a foe, my lords,
there is also a friend; or it may be that the enemy has
quarrelled among themselves, failing to compass us.
Let us set on, and help the game to an ending. It hath
manfully enough begun.”

Thus speaking, Pelayo hurried forward, Egiza still
beside him, and the fierce Bascone champing with his
teeth at every stride in his progress. The nobles followed
close; but, before they reached the scene of combat,
they were encountered by fugitives. A few questions,
briefly answered, soon put Pelayo in possession of
the truth. The force of Edacer had been overtaken by
the venerable but valiant Hebrew, Melchior, aided by a
band of Hebrews whom he had brought along with him
from the camp of Abimelech. That brave young Jewish
warrior came with him; and, though few in numbers
and wanting in arms—for the great body of the Hebrews
were still to be provided—yet, with a chosen band, he
had hastened on to the rescue of the chiefs whom Edacer
would have environed in the cave. While the latter
pursued Egiza, his scattered force was set upon by the
advancing troop of Melchior and Abimelech. Thus assailed,
the advantage for the moment lay with the assailants.
But Edacer had not overrated his own courage
and prowess when he uttered his vain boast to Amri.
He was not confounded, though surprised by his assailants.
With stentorian voice he arrested the pursuit
which his men were urging after Egiza, and soon rallied

them around him. With his heavy anlace wielded above
his head, he uttered the war-cry of the city, and

“Cordova, Cordova!” was echoed in a voice that
struck terror into the hearts of many tried warriors
among the Hebrew; for then they knew that they were
now to encounter the entire force of that city. But the
cry gave no apprehension to Melchior and Abimelech.
The latter spoke cheeringly to his men, many of whom
he addressed by name; while, wielding his heavy steel
maule as if it were a reed, the former bore forward
through the press, to encounter the fierce Edacer himself.

“The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” cried the
patriarch—“for the Lion of Judah—my people—for
the Temple and the City. Strike down the oppressor—
strike for the lost freedom—for the pride and the power
—for the home and the glory long departed!”

And bravely did the Jews fight; but their arms were
wanting to the martial practices of the time, and they
stood not long before the close array and the unshrinking
muscle of the bands of Edacer. Melchior and Abimelech
were almost fighting alone, when the war-cry of
Pelayo rang above the vale in which they battled like
the sudden clang of a trumpet from the hill-tops.

“Pelayo—a Pelayo to the rescue!” was the cry;
and, in an instant after, the warlike prince drove his
heavy weapon between the two contending chiefs, Melchior
and Edacer, and opposed a fresh arm to that of
the Gothic governor. The wrath of Edacer knew no
bounds when he found himself opposed by the man
whom he had hoped to entrap, without fighting, in the cavern;
particularly, too, as, from the increasing weight of
blows around him, he discovered that the strife was now
one of greater peril than it had been when none but the
unpractised Hebrews were arrayed against him. But
his wrath and his blows were equally ineffectual against
his new opponent, and the strokes of Pelayo fell too thick

and heavy for him to withstand. He gave back slowly,
but still bravely fighting; and Pelayo, as his foe sank
back, taunted him with a playful scorn.

“Thou art slow, my Lord of Cordova, thou art slow;
thou canst guard ably, but thou dost not strike. My
arm is not yet warmed by thy fury, and when I would
press thee thou givest me no such press in return as
they say thou bestowest upon the green women of the
city. Am I less worthy of thy clasp than they, that
thou shrinkest away from my approach? Perhaps I am
not so winning. Say—is't not so, Lord Edacer?”

“Thy arm is fresh, Pelayo, else thou hadst not spoken
thus lightly of the blows from mine. Perchance by
this time thou hadst not spoken at all.”

“Ha! ha! Thy song is but a sad one, Cordova!”
exclaimed Pelayo, as he forbore to press farther upon
Edacer, who defended himself stoutly, and was now
supported by his soldiers, who made his person a gathering
point. Pelayo, at the same time, heard other
clamours approaching them from the distance, and
dreaded lest his people, who were now scattered in several
and desultory combats, might be cut off by newly-advancing
enemies. He forbore, therefore, the pursuit
of his particular foe, and commanded his own men together.
But Edacer, who saw his object, and whose
quick ears had also heard the sounds of approaching
succour, resolved not to let his prey so easily escape.
He thought, if he could keep Pelayo at bay until the
succour which he looked for could reach him, that he
should then be sure to overcome him. When, therefore,
the prince forbore to press him, and sought to direct
his attention to the lords who were contending on every
hand with individual foes, Edacer advanced upon him.

“Thy mood grows warmer, my Lord of Cordova,
but I cannot spare thee farther play!” said Pelayo, in a
lively voice.

“Britarmin!” he cried aloud, as he parried with ease

the now repeated strokes of Edacer. The Bascone,
who had that moment crushed a Gothic soldier with
his maule, replied at the elbow of Pelayo. The prince
adroitly pressed his weapon blade against that of his adversary,
until Edacer, following the inclination of the
elastic steel, was brought round full in the face of the
Bascone. Pelayo then springing aside, left the two new
opponents confronted, exclaiming, as he did so, to his
follower,

“Now, Britarmin, use thy teeth upon thy enemy.
He is the governor of a city, and thy maule cannot too
freely play about his head for thy safety or his own
honour.”

The Bascone grinned and struck. Edacer, chafed
and doubly angered to lose his particular prey, and to
be left contending with a hind, shouted indignantly to
Pelayo, but the prince gave him little heed.

“Speak to thy Hebrews, Melchior—the foe gather
around us. We must strike boldly, and upon a single
point, or they hem us in.”

Pelayo then gave his commands, in quick stern accents,
to the men around him, his friends and followers.

“Forbear to press upon them, my lords—we have
brief space of time even for victory. Back there, Egiza;
would you lose us all, my brother, in your rashness?—
back there, and follow me. Melchior, to the left—I
know the path. Forbear, Britarmin, let thy teeth have
rest.”

Thus rapidly commanding, Pelayo surveyed the field,
and was as promptly obeyed by his followers. But the
fierce Edacer was not willing that he should so escape.
His succour was rapidly approaching, and he encouraged
the men around him to new efforts. He would have
led them, but the dogged Britarmin clung to him with
bulldog tenacity; and, though Edacer was fully a match
for him, yet he could not shake himself free from the assailant.
When the commands of Pelayo reached the

ears of the Bascone, they found the sturdy follower unwilling
to yield a momentary advantage which he had
gained, and it was only when several of the Gothic soldiers
gathered to the assistance of Edacer that he was
made to obey his master's orders. But his desire was
not now so easy of execution, and the blows of many
assailants rang about his ears, preventing the possibility
of escape by his own valour. Pelayo beheld his predicament.

“One blow more, men—one shout, one stroke, and
we are safe—we must save our teeth—we must save
our sleeper. Ho! Pelayo, Pelayo, and close ranks for
Spain!”

Thus shouting, Pelayo led the way. The charge was
like the first rush of a tempest. The foe gave back
before it, and but a single man confronted Britarmin.
The Bascone turned all his fury upon that one, but he
was Edacer, and the maule of the Bascone swung idly
in the empty air. Pelayo thrust the rude warrior aside.

“Ho! Cordova, thou hast too long lingered—Ho!
for Spain—Ho! for victory—Pelayo strikes, Edacer—
one, two—thou shalt know the blows of Pelayo.”

And with every word the swift strokes came so fast,
that they proved beyond the skill of Edacer effectually
to ward. One blow, stunning, but not deadly, took
effect upon the head of the Gothic governor, and he
sunk heavily to the ground just as the re-enforcement
was ascending up the hill to his relief. Coolly and conqueringly,
even as he fled, Pelayo directed the retreat of
his little and desultory band, ready for the foe the while,
and defying his pursuit. They descended the valley,
and ascended to a higher hill, which looked upon the
scene of the recent combat. There they halted, having
the advantage of position, in order to deliberate upon
their next movements.