CHAPTER XXX.
While these occurrences were transpiring, Don Amador de Leste, in searchof the knight, had rambled through the streets, and following, verynaturally, the only path with which he was acquainted, soon foundhimself issuing from that gate by which he had entered from Tlascala.The domination of the Spaniards had interrupted many of the civil, aswell as the religious, regulations of the Cholulans; and, with theirfreedom, departed that necessity and habit of vigilance, which hadformerly thronged their portals with watchmen. No Indian guards,therefore, were found at the gate; and the precautions of the generalhad not carried his sentinels to this neglected and seemingly securequarter. The neophyte passed into the fields, and though hopeless, intheir solitudes, of discovering the retreat of the penitent, was seducedto prolong his walk by the beauty of the night and by the many pensivethoughts to which it gave birth. How many times his reflections carriedhim back to the land of his nativity, to the surges that washed the HolyLand, to the trenches of Rhodes to the shores of Granada, need not behere related, nor, if he gave many sighs to the strange sorrow andstranger destiny of his kinsman, is it fitting such emotions should berecorded. He wandered about, lost in his musings, until made sensible,by the elevation of the moon, that he had trespassed upon the hour ofmidnight. Roused by this discovery from his reveries, he returned uponhis path, and had arrived within view of the gate, when he was arrestedby the sudden appearance of four men, running towards him at a rapidgait, and presenting to his vision the figures of Indian warriors. Nosooner had these fugitives approached near enough to perceive an armedcavalier intercepting the road, than they paused, uttering many quickand, to him, incomprehensible exclamations. But, though he understoodnot their language, he was admonished, by their actions, of thenecessity of drawing his sword and defending himself from attack; forthe foremost, hesitating no longer than to give instructions to hisfollowers, instantly advanced upon him, flourishing a heavy axe ofobsidian. Somewhat surprised at the audacity of this naked barbarian,but in no wise daunted at the number of his supporters, the cavalierlifted his trusty Bilboa, fully resolved to teach him such a lesson aswould cause him to remember his temerity for ever; but, almost at thesame moment, his wrath vanished, for he perceived, in this assailant,the young ambassador of the preceding evening; and, remembering thewords of De Morla, he felt reluctant to injure one of the princes of theunhappy house of Montezuma.
"Prince!" said he, elevating his voice, but forgetting his want of aninterpreter, "drop thy sword, and pass by in peace; for _I_ have not yetdeclared war against thy people, and I am loath to strike thee."
But the valiant youth, misconceiving or disregarding both words andgestures, only approached with the more determination, and swung hisbulky weapon over his head, as if in the act of smiting, when one of hisfollowers, exclaiming eagerly, "Ho, Quauhtimotzin! forbear!" sprangbefore him, and revealed to Don Amador the countenance of the MoorAbdalla.
"Thou art safe, senor!" cried the Almogavar, "and heaven be thanked forthis chance, that shows thee I have not forgotten thy benefits!"
The assurance of Abdalla was presently confirmed; for the young prince,seeing the action of the Moor, lowered his weapon, and merely surveyingthe cavalier with an earnest look, passed by him on his course, and wasfollowed by the two others. Meanwhile Don Amador, regarding theAlmogavar, said,--
"I know not, good Sidi,--notwithstanding this present service, for whichI thank thee,--not so much because thou hast stepped between me anddanger, (for, it must be apparent to thee, I could, with great ease,have defended myself from such feeble assailants,) but because thou hastfreed me from the necessity of hurting this poor prince;--I say,notwithstanding all this, Abdalla, I know not whether I should not nowbe bound to detain thee, and compel thee to return to the general; forit is not unknown to me, that thou art, at this moment, a deserter andtraitor."
"Senor!" said the Moor, withdrawing a step, as if fearing lest thecavalier would be as good as his word, "my treason is against mymisfortunes, and I desert only from injustice; and if my noble lordknows thus much, he knows also, that to detain me, would be to give meto the gallows."
"I am not certain," said Don Amador, "that my intercession would notsave thy life; unless thou hast been guilty of more crimes than I haveheard."
"Guilty of nothing but misfortune!" said the Moor, earnestly; "guilty ofnothing but the crimes of others, and of griefs, which are reckonedagainst me for sins!--"
"Guilty," said the cavalier, gravely, "of treating in secret with thesebarbarians, who are esteemed the enemies of thy Christian friends; andguilty of seducing into the same crime thy countrymen, the Moriscos; oneof whom, I am persuaded, did but now pass me with the Indians, and oneof whom, also, hath charged thee with tempting him."
"Senor," said Abdalla, hurriedly, "I cannot now defend myself from thesecharges, for I hear my enemies in pursuit."
"And guilty," added Don Amador, with severity, "as I think, of desertingthine own flesh and blood,--thy poor and friendless boy, Abdalla!"
The Almogavar flung himself at the feet of the cavalier, saying,wildly,--
"My flesh and blood! and friendless indeed! unless thou wilt continue toprotect him. Senor, for the love of heaven, for the sake of the motherwho bore you, be kind and true to my boy! Swear thou wilt protect himfrom malice and wrong; for it was his humanity to thy kinsman, theknight, that has robbed him of his father."
"Dost thou confess, thou wert about to steal him from his protector?Now, by heavens, Moor, this is but an infidel's ingratitude!"
"Senor!" said Abdalla, "you reproached me for forsaking him; and now youcensure me for striving not to forsake him! But the sin is mine, notJacinto's. I commanded him to follow me, senor; and he would have obeyedme, had he not found thy knight Calavar swooning among the ruins. Hetarried to give him succour, and thus was lost; for the soldiers cameupon him."
"Is this so, indeed? My kinsman left swooning! Thou wert but a knave,not to tell me this before."
"The knight is safe--he has robbed me of my child," said Abdalla,throwing himself before the neophyte. "Go not, senor, till thou hastpromised to requite his humanity with the truest protection."
"Surely he shall have that, without claiming it."
"Ay, but promise me! swear it to me!" cried the Moor, eagerly. "DonHernan will be awroth with him. The cavaliers will call him mineaccomplice."
"They will do the boy no wrong," said Amador; "and I know not why thoushouldst ask me the superfluity of an oath."
"Senor, I am a father, and my child is in a danger of which thou knowestnot! For the love of God, give me thy vows thou wilt not suffer my childto be wronged!"
"I promise thee this; but acquaint me with this new and unknown peril.If it be the danger of an accusation of witchcraft, I can resolve thee,that that is not regarded by the general."
"Senor, my pursuers are nigh at hand," cried Abdalla, "and I must fly! Agreat danger besets Jacinto, and thou canst preserve him. Swear to me,thou wilt not wrong him, and suffer me to depart."
"Wrong him!" said the cavalier. "Thou art beside thyself.--Yet, as itdoes appear to me, that the soldiers are approaching us, I will givethee this very unreasonable solace.--I swear to thee very devoutly,that, while heaven leaves me my sword and arm, and the power to protect,no one shall, in any way, or by any injustice, harm or wrong the boyJacinto."
"I will remember thy promise, and thee!" cried the Almogavar, seizinghis hand and kissing it.
"Tarry, Abdalla. Reflect;--thou rushest on many dangers. Return, and Iwill intercede for thy pardon."
But the Moor, running with great speed after his companions, was almostalready out of sight; and Don Amador, musing, again turned his facetowards Cholula.
"If I meet these soldiers," he soliloquized, "I must, in honour,acquaint them with the path of the Moor; whereby Abdalla may becaptured, and put to death on the spot. I am resolute, I cannot, byutterly concealing my knowledge of this event, maintain the character ofa just and honest gentleman; yet, it appears to me
, my duty only compelsme to carry my information to the general. This will I do, and byavoiding the pursuers, preserve the obligations of humanity to thefugitive, without any forfeit of mine honour."
Thus pondering, and walking a little from the path, until the pursuershad passed him, he returned to the quarters.