, 1859-08-19
THE APosTAcY.


Of this earth Of ours as the sun shines on in his
course. II there had been no God in heaven, or q
demon ofessental malignityhad wrested from him
his sceptre Of sovereignty, scarcely could darker
deeds have been done. Peace, truth, and virtue
were smitten down, exterminated, in Gothic
Spain, in retribution for her crimes. Violence,
falsehood, and wrong were dominant alone. But
at length there came reckoning day, though It
tarried long; and while It tarried that land, full
oiientimes, was purified with baptisms Of tears
and blood.
A noble warrior, who, with his valiant com
peers, had refuged in the Asturias after they
had well maintained their countrys cause in un-
successful conflict with the invaders, passed
from his fathers land with brave and faithful
train 10 do battle for the cross beyond the boun-
daries Of the Pyrenees, whittier the hosts Of the
Mahometan invaders were fastening on. II was
Alonzo, the daring chief Of AURA. His country
had become field Of blood; and from among
the myriads sweltering in the slaughter, AlOnzo
had risen up. Thrice, since the terrible over
throw Of his native city, he had been left as dead
on fields Of murdcTous conflict, and thrice he
had been restored, and again, beneath the ban
ners Of the cross, led on the fearless band Of
Goths. But for lost Spain there was now no
hope. No valor can achieve the work Of years.
The very population was extnguished. There
seemed an unseen avenging hand stretched over
that fair peninsular, executing wrath for crimes
unconicsSed or unatoned. In the caves and the
mountains alone there fingered q scattered seed,
destined in future time to spring up and bear
| fruit an hundred iOld; but now oil was desolatel
dark desert years were allotted. Even the
tide Of the Saracen conquest was checked in its
advance beyond the Pyrenees, as If only to roll
back its billows to settle in Spain, as in their
proper channcll
When the chief Of Aquitania, with the victor
iOus leader Of the Franks, gave battle to the in
fdels at Tours, Alonzo was there. Years had
passed, long long years since the deadly deluge
was set in upon his country, yet; untired by
constant war with the enemies Of his faith, and
deeply imbucd by long habit with the relentless
yalOr VI an age untaught in arts Of mercy, Alonzo
hastened to the battle with fresh and enthusi-
aslic zeal and on that dreadful field three hun
dred thousand men were offered up-a huge
sacrifice Qor such Il seemed) to atone for desc.
lated Spain. Even AlonzO's arm was weary Of
the slaughter-his hand had stiifened round his
sword.hilt glued there with Moorish gore. Again
his brow was flushed with conqucror's pride.
But twas enough.
Alonzo, with new and unwontcd exultation
uprising in his breast was returning once again
70 his countrys mountAin-caVes through many
. Pyrenean pass and defilc, with but one faith.
ful soldier (rather his cOmrade than his Vassal
now) Al his side. Night had closed round them;
yet they paused not 70 rest, though weary and
faint Il was calm and solitary night, such as
had power to sOothe the veterans breast
For long time silence chained their tongues,
while they rode slowly on, AlOnzo and his at.
tendant Thoughts that warriors may not cher
ish were beginning to crowd thickly and fast
upon the veterans softening mind. Having ad-
vanced farther than his comrade, he was alone,
and halted for his coming up. He was startled
with the near-clattering sound Of horsemen-
perhaps q troop Of mountain banditti, pursuing
or pursued He paused Again he listened;
and il seemed to die away, gradually and more
gradually, till Il was heard no more, As the attend.
ant rode up 10 AlOnzo.
"HurtzwAnn," cried the chief "heard you
that noise Of horsemenp"
al did," replied the soldier; "a noise Of rob
bers at their nightly work; but it was not near
to us, as IN truth 4 seemed; for in these echo
ing valleys, and most Of all at this still hour,
sounds from ahr Gan on the ear distinctly, as If
the causes could not be far distant But let US
not 60 through this valley till the morning. Ne
thinks ! saw q light glimmering Ear down the
deep Tavine, as We entered on this pass; and
there, too, stopped before holy cross fixed
firmly In the mountain side, which have ro-
meubered well these many years, as have
passed these valleys" He would have ceased;
but encouraged by his chiefs attentive look, he
continued: "NO man has ever known the hand
that placed there that cTucihx; but Heaven
hath guarded It well, or the inlidels had rooted il
up ere this. But let US follow up that light saw.
We shall be safe; for evil men would never
choose their dwelling near the holy cross and
have heard shat in these parts hermit has his
cave, and Il might serve US well for resting
place until the morrow"
AlOnzo, oveFweaSied, was not n pleased to
resign himself TO the guidance Of faithful Hurtz-
wann. But short time had elapsed ere they
were descended TO the spot where first the glim.
mering light had been seen. They stood still
man voice was distinctly audible. "Surely,"
said tho chief "that sound cannot be far dis
tant" Again they listened, and again those
tones were heard yet more plainly. Alonzo's car
caught the familiar accents-'twas his own ma
tive etongue-'twas the voice ofprayer and penitent
confession; they hastcned to pursue the sound ere
It should cease but Il ceased almost instantly.
Hurtzwann," said the Chief 1--WE will not
pass from this place tonight, but make strict
search in every avenue Of this dark valley; for
doubtless We have countryman near US, and,
II | err not a holy reclgse man, who hath offered
up mlny prayer for Spain and her good cause
and we will not depart till we have taught him
that Heaven hath not been deaf TO all those
prayers-tn we have gladdened his heart with
the tidings Of tho vengeance we have dealt out
| TO the InlidCls"
Scarcely had Alonzo ceased, when he perceiv-
ed 6guro in the distance, which seemed (al-
though tho night was darIx) slowly and alone ad-
vaneing towards them. Instantly they rode for
ward. It was indeed an aged man, who was
but little dismAycd BY the dark looks and voices
Of the hoFsemen who accosted him. His with
cred totterng limbs seemed with difficulty 10 sus-
tain him; and at frequSht intervals he stopped
and leaned, restngly, upon his thick short staff,
breathing hst, and trembling beneath The weight
Of years