Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 27, 2025
As he spoke, he dropped several broad pieces into the breast of the Jew, whose ghastly features gave forth a yet more ghastly smile, as he received the gift, and mumbled forth, "Charitable young man! generous, benevolent, excellent young man!" "Now then," said Muza, "tell me you belong to this house Leila, the maiden within tell me of her is she well?"
"The banner is in the hands of the infidel all is lost!" They swept by him, and stopped not till they gained the gates. But still a small and devoted remnant of the Moorish cavaliers remained to shed a last glory over defeat itself. With Muza, their soul and centre, they fought every atom of ground: it was, as the chronicler expresses it, as if they grasped the soil with their arms.
But he especially resisted the admission to his solitude, demanded by his mother, implored by his faithful Amine, and sorrowfully urged by Muza: those most loved, or most respected, were, above all, the persons from whom he most shrank. Almamen was heard of no more. It was believed that he had perished in the battle.
"Thou hast done with me, young warrior? Pleasant dreams to thee under the new moon thou hadst best retire to thy bed. Farewell! bless thy charity to the poor old man!" Muza heard him not; he remained motionless for some moments; and then with a heavy sigh as that of one who has gained the mastery of himself after a bitter struggle, the said half aloud, "Allah be with thee, Leila!
A small group of the peasants dependent on the convent loitered reverently round the threshold; pushing through them, as one frantic, Almamen entered the chapel and disappeared. A minute elapsed. Muza was at the door; but the Moor paused irresolutely, ere he dismounted. "What is the ceremony?" he asked of the peasants. "A nun is about to take the vows," answered one of them.
"I do; and am prepared for what I have foreseen." The queen grew pale, but continued silent. Muza resumed "Lord of the faithful!" said he, "if yestermorn I had acted otherwise, it would have been to the ruin of thy throne and our common race. The fierce Zegris suspected and learned my capture. They summoned the troops they delivered me, it is true.
A cry of alarm, of indignation, of terror, was heard within. Muza no longer delayed: he gave his steed to the bystanders, pushed aside the heavy curtain that screened the threshold and was within the chapel. By the altar gathered a confused and disordered group the sisterhood, with their abbess. Round the consecrated rail flocked the spectators, breathless and amazed.
Muza, the tale is done; wilt thou visit with me this enchanted chamber, and see if the hour be come?" "Commander of the faithful," said Muza, "the story is dread and awful. But pardon thy friend wert thou alone, or was the santon Almamen thy companion?" "Why the question?" said Boabdil, evasively, and slightly colouring.
He summoned to his side Hernando del Pulgar, and bade him, with a troop of the most adventurous and practised horsemen, advance towards the Moorish cavalry, and endeavour to draw the fiery valour of Muza away from the main army.
"Now, by the Kaaba!" said Muza, and his brow became dark, "another such word and the hoofs of my steed shall trample the breath of blasphemy from thy body." "I would defy thee to the death," answered Almamen, disdainfully; "but I reserve the bravest of the Moors to witness a deed worthy of the descendant of Jephtha. But hist! I hear hoofs."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking