The National tribune., 1899-05-18

add the greater ones of shielding m,
feeble child from stripes, from ruin, ant
perhaps death This have not forgotten
this can l never forget. The name o
Spaniard is a curse on my ears: | nat
thy people, and, when God gives me help
I-.siii slay, even TO the last man! but re
member, that thou art my beneiactor, ant
the beneiactor Oh MY child.
| and doSt thou think" said the neo
phyte, that these oily words will blin'
me to thy baSeness' or that they can de
ceive me into belief, when thy action!
have so foully belied them' Cursed ar
| thou, mt55cleving Moor, an migrate ant
apnstate; and, had ] no cause, in mine
own person, to know thy periidy, it should
be enough to b)azon thy vil!ainy, tina
serted the standard of Christ, and th'
arms of Spain, to enlist in the ranks
| their pagan foeSi"
The standard of Christ" said the Moor
with emphasis, waves not over tho
heads Of the Spnniards, but the ban
ner Of II fiend. bloody, unjust, End ac
cursed, whom they call by his holy name
and who bids them TO defile and destroy
while the i:edeemer prociaimeth only goot
will and peace to all men. Have Thy good
heart ard thy strong mind been so dc
luded' CaESt thou, i'll truth, believe, ina
these oDJreSSorS OF q harmless people
these siayers, who raise the cross o
heaven on the place OF blood, and call Il
God for approval, when their hands are
smoking with the blood Of his creatures
are the followers of Christ the peaceful
CnriSt the Just, Christ the holy These
friends whom thou hast followed are moi
Christians; and God, whom they traduce
and belle in all their actions, has given
them over to the punishment OF hypo-
critics and blasphemers, TO Sufierings mis-
cradle and unparalleled, 10 deaths dread
ful and mem,-able May it be accom-
piiShed, ,-Amenn'
"Dost thou speak this TO me. vile Almo-
gayari cf my friends and countrymen'
DoSt thou curse them thus IN my pres
cnce, most unworthy aDoStateW
"Sorrovful be their doom, and quickly
may il come upon them!" cried Abdali;t,
with fnr,ciOus feryor, 'ior what are they,
that ii SHOULD not be JUST and what am |,
that | should not pray that 1T be accom-
piished' | remember the days OF GTana-
da, | remember the sack OF the Alham-
bra, | remember the slaughter OF the
AlpujarFas. and | have not forgotten the
mourning exileS, driven from those green
hills, to die among the sands OF Africa,
the cline Of their fathers, but TO them Il
land Of strangers, | remember me how
the lowly we're given 10 the Scourge, ana
the princely to the fires of Inquisitors,-
our children 10 spears. our wives to raw
oiiers and murderers,-Cursed be they
that did these things, even TO the last
generationH
The cavalier was amazed and con!ound-
ed at the vehement and lofty Indignation
of the Mo-iScO; and as the form OF Ab-
dou!-alSidi swelled with wrath, and his
countenance darlsened under the gloomy
rec election, he seemed to Don Amador
rather like one Of those mountain princes,
who had dafied the conqucrorS, to the
last, among the Alpuiarras, than q poor
herdsma: OF Fez, deriving his itnowledge,
:. tlh \, tIIry n,oi
exileS. His embarrassment was also IN
creased by a secret consciousness thdt
the Moor had cause for his hate and has
dcnunciations. He answered him, how
ever, with a severe voice:
an these ills and suficrines, thou hadSt
no part, unless .iroti mast lied to ne; hav-I
ing been q child Of the desert, afar from
the sufferers of Granada"
81 lied TO thee. then" said Abdalla,
elcvating his figure, and regarding the
C ivalier with proud tranquility. Prom
the beginning to the end, waS | a chief
among the nlourners and rebelS,-the first
to strike. as | am now the last 10 curse,
the oopresSO-,--a child OF the desert only
when had no more to suffer among the
AlpuiarraS; and thou maySt know, now,
that my fury is as deep as it Is Just,
the poor Abdalia is no Almogavar OF Bar
barry, but a Zegri OF Granada
"A Zegri Of Granada" cried Don Anna
dor, with surprise.
"a Zegri of Granada, and prince
among Zegris,' said the Moor, with
more stately look, though with voice OF
the deepest sorrow; zone whose fathers
have given kings TO the Alhambra, but
who hath lived to see his child ii menial
in the house of his foe, and both child
and father leagued with, and lost among.
the inidels oil a stranSe land, in a world
unknown"
81 thought, by heaven" said the cava-
lier, cycling the apostate with II look al
most Of respect, that that courage OF
thine in the pirate rover, did argue thee
to be somewhat above the stamp OF
common boor; and, therefore, but more
especially in regard of thy boy, did give
thee consideration myself, and enforce it,
as well as | could, 10 be yielded by others.
But, by the faith which thou Urofessast,
Sir Zegri be thou ignOble or regal in thy
condition, have not forgotten that, by
the blow which has made me fas il seems
to me ! ann thy prisoner, thou hast shown
thyself unworthy OF nobility; and ! tell
thee again, with disgust and indignation,
that thou hast done the act OF ii base and
most villainous caiti1l'
"Dost thou still say so'" replied the
Zegri, mildly. 81 have acknowledged that
no gratitude can repay thy efactions;
this do | still confess; and yet have |
done all to requite thee. Thou lookest
on me with amazement. What is my
CRIME, noble DeHt1dctOrf
What is thy crime' Art thou be
too'-Slave of an migrate, didst
thou not, when / was already overpow-
cred, smite me down with thine own
weaponi"
81 did, d,-heaven be thanked" said the
Moor, devoutly.
"Dost thou acknowledge it, and thank
heaven, too2" said The incensed cavalier.
81 acknowledge it, and thank heaven"
said Abdalla, firmly. "Th0u saidst, thou
vert already overpowered. Vert thou not
in the hands of the Me xicans, beyond all
hope OF rescue"'
doubtless, ] was" replied the neo-
phyte; "for Cortcz was afar, and Alvarado
full three spears length behind. Never
thcless, ! did not despair of maintaining
the fight, until my friends came up 10 my
relief"
Thou vert a captive" cried the Zegri,
impetuously,-"a living captive in the
hands Of Mexicans! Dost thou know the
fate OF a prisoner in such hands,"
"By my faith" said Don Amador, 81
have heard they put their prisoners to
the torture"
"They sacrifice them to the gods" cried
the Moor. "And the DEATH" he contin-
ued, his swarthy visage whitening with
horror, "the death is of such torment and
terror as thou canSt not conceive; but l
can, for | have seen it! Now hear me: l
saw my benefactOr captive, and | knew
his life would end on the stone of sacri-
flee, offered up, like that of beast, to
false and fiendish gods! / say, | saw
thee thus; l knew this should be thy
doom; and | did all that my gratitude
taught me to save thee. | struck thee