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At once covetous and ferocious, the Moors rivalled the Inquisition in their cruelty, and Ferdinand in their extortion. It was the dark fate of Almamen, as of most premature and heated liberators of the enslaved, to double the terrors and the evils he had sought to cure.
It might be an hour that they had thus journeyed together, when Almamen paused abruptly. "I am wearied," said he, faintly; "and, though time presses, I fear that my strength will fail me." "Mount, then, behind me," returned the Moor, after some natural hesitation: "Jew though thou art, I will brave the contamination for the sake of Leila."
"Prove to me thy power," said Boabdil, awed less by the words than by the thrilling voice and the impressive aspect of the enchanter. "Is not the king's will my law?" answered Almamen; "be his will obeyed. To-morrow night I await thee." "Where?" Almamen paused a moment, and then whispered a sentence in the king's ear: Boabdil started, and turned pale. "A fearful spot!"
Close the door these men must die!" "Mighty master!" said Ximen, calmly, "is thy servant to blame that he believed the rumour that declared thy death? These men are of our holy faith, whom I have snatched from the violence of the sacrilegious and maddened mob. No spot but this seemed safe from the popular frenzy." "Are ye Jews?" said Almamen. "Ah, yes!
"Many days since," said Isabel, awed, despite herself, by her strange position, "thy daughter left the camp for the house of God. It was her own desire. The Saviour hath received her into His fold." Had a thousand lances pierced his heart, the vigour and energy of life could scarce more suddenly have deserted Almamen.
"Alas! alas!" answered Almamen, in a sad and altered tone, "thou wilt soon know all." The sun was now sinking slowly through those masses of purple cloud which belong to Iberian skies; when, emerging from the forest, the travellers saw before them a small and lovely plain, cultivated like a garden.
"I am too old, son of Issachar, to bear arms; but our tribes are many, and our youth strong. Amid these disturbances between dog and dog " "The lion may get his own," interrupted Almamen, impetuously, "let us hope it. Hast thou heard of the new persecutions against us that the false Nazarene king has already commenced in Cordova persecutions that make the heart sick and the blood cold?"
Thou art in my power, and canst return not, save at my permission." "I have your royal word, sire, for free entrance and safe egress," answered Almamen. "Break it, and Granada is with the Moors till the Darro runs red with the blood of her heroes, and her people strew the vales as the leaves in autumn." "Art thou then thyself of the Jewish faith?" asked the king.
In the midmost sward was a rude and antique stone, resembling the altar of some barbarous and departed creed. Here Almamen abruptly halted, and muttered inaudibly to himself. "What moves thee, dark stranger?" said the Moor; "and why dost thou mutter and gaze on space?"
"By what harm," said Muza, curbing his barb, "didst thou fell the Spaniard seemingly without a blow?" "As David felled Goliath by the pebble and the sling," answered Almamen, carelessly. "Now, then, spur forward, if thou art eager to see thy Leila." The horsemen dashed over the body of the stunned and insensible Spaniard.
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