University of Virginia Library

10. X.

The three, Melchior, Pelayo, and Adoniakim, met
in secret conference.

“Thy brother—the young Prince Egiza,” said Melchior
to Pelayo,—“thou shouldst have brought him;
thou didst promise it.”

“I did,” was the reply of Pelayo; and his brow was
gloomy as he spoke, and the words came sternly through
his clinched teeth: “I did promise thee his presence,
Melchior, yet have brought him not. Speak not of him
now, I pray thee.”

“He does not shrink from us?—he doth not refuse?”

“He doth not, but he loiters: he hath been a laggard—too
much a laggard, in this matter, Melchior; it
chafes me when I speak it.”

“Wherefore this,—doth he avoid connexion with the
Hebrew?”

“No!”

“Perhaps he will not hold himself bound to the
pledge which thou hast made—”

“He shall!” was the stern response of Pelayo, interrupting

the speech of Melchior,—“he shall! It is not
this that keeps him from our councils: it is his weakness,
an evil weakness. Thou shalt know all hereafter:
to other business now.”

“'Tis well,—even as thou sayest, Pelayo.”

Pelayo then spoke:—

“I have done much since the last night, and my
captains meet with me to-morrow, at this hour, in the
Cave of Wamba. Thou shouldst be there.”

“I will.”

“Who wilt thou bring else?” demanded Pelayo.

“But two: a brave youth of Merida—a strong and
fearless spirit, who will lead a chosen band of Israelites
to the battle, and with a heart brave as any in thy
service.”

“A Hebrew, he?” inquired Pelayo.

“Of my own tribe. I know him well, my prince.
Do not misdoubt the Hebrew valour always. He will
fight nobly.”

“Thou shouldst know, Melchior. Thy valour, like
thy judgment, is approved. I know it. What other
comes with thee?”

“But this old man, Adoniakim—a father of the Hebrew.
His word is a power among our people which
shall move them like a tempest.”

“What name does the youth bear of whose valour
thou hast spoken?”

“Abimelech.”

“Forget not that he comes. My soul rejoices in the
brave spirit; and, let him but approve himself, Pelayo
will not know he is a Hebrew. I will leave thee now,
since, before morning, I must seek the Lord Oppas.”

“What of the weapons of war, Prince Pelayo?”

“Convey them as thou canst, in secrecy, to the Cave
of Wamba: then shall we distribute them to the chiefs
who meet with us. But be not rash,—move them not
all at once, but in small number.”

Much more was said, between the parties, needful to
the preparations and purposes of the conspiracy, before
Pelayo left the conference. When he did so, he found
the boy Lamech, who preceded him to them entrance,
which he opened for the departure of the prince. The
hand of Pelayo rested gently on the head of the youth,
as he spoke to him thus:

“Thy limbs should be at rest now, on a soft couch,
Lamech,—they are too feeble and too slender to sustain
thee in a watch and labours like to these. Thou wilt
grow weary, and then sickness will come to thee; for
even mine, which are stronger and older, might not bear
with such toils, but that a sleepless feeling within my
heart sustains and impels them thus.”

Pelayo little knew how strong was the feeling in that
boy's heart also, which sustained and strengthened his
otherwise feeble limbs.

“Go now to thy rest, Lamech; and, though a Jew,
I will not chide if thou namest Pelayo in thy prayers to
the Hebrew God whom thou servest. The prayers
must be of avail from a young and faithful heart such as
thine.”

He pressed the hand of the maiden-page as he bade
her good-night, and the touch went like so much spiritfire
into the veins, even to the very core, of her young
and devoted heart. She watched from the door along
the path upon which he had gone, and her eye seemed
endued with a strength beyond humanity to see him, far,
far away in the dim street, though but few stars shone
out from the heavens. She turned away and closed the
door when she could no longer behold him; and then,
for the first time, did her limbs feel weary for sleep.