Patrañas; or, Spanish Stories, Legendary and Traditional
Page 37
A year and a day had passed away, and Count Lozano was quite forgotten,when all Burgos was set rejoicing at the deliverance which a youngknight had effected over the Moors.
The king was keeping high court, when one day the venerable DonDiego came before him, bringing the standards which the young knight,his son Rodrigo, had taken. He told of how he had overcome hardshipand peril, had cleared the roads of marauders, had fought his way upto Celin, the Moorish King of Merida, had called him to meet him insingle combat, had overcome him, and set free five Christian kingswhom he held in cruel chains.
The narrative was received with joyful acclamations, the trumpetssounded, and, at a sign from the king, admission was given to theyouthful hero, who threw himself at the monarch's feet. Fernandoraised him in his arms, and presented him with honour to his court. Hispardon was assured, and old Don Diego was radiant with joy.
Suddenly, however, there was a commotion in the assembly; Ximenademanded audience of the king. She had come to ask whether anyamount of honourable service could neutralize a sentence of deathincurred--and if not, why was Rodrigo treated with honour, insteadof being imprisoned as a criminal?
Now, Fernando could have explained to her the motives on which he hadacted--could have bid her remember how it was Conde Lozano who hadcalled down on himself the retribution he had suffered--could havepointed out the dangers that surrounded the kingdom, and the needin which it stood of men of fearless mind, such as Rodrigo; but,with the wisdom of a Solomon, he took a line which was better thanargument. "If such is your will, maiden," he replied, "I have nothingto say. You are the only living representative of the deceased Conde:if you maintain your charge against him, it is not for me to withstandit. Guards, lead Don Rodrigo to prison!"
Don Diego, with all his fortitude, could not keep himself from fallingon his son's neck in an agony of despair. Rodrigo himself was shakenby his father's grief. And all the nobles gave signs of compassionat the misfortune of one so young and brave.
Ximena had kept herself proud and erect while the gladsome welcome hadsounded in her ears as an injury to Conde Lozano's memory. But whenshe saw the scene of mourning around her, despair took possession ofher too, and she fell into Urraca the Infanta's arms.
"It is because you would not take my advice, and look at him,"whispered Urraca. "Had you looked on his noble face, you never couldhave done it."
"I knew it, and therefore I dared not look," she replied.
"Look at him now," pleaded Urraca.
The guards were leading him out, and his head was bent to the ground;but at that moment their eyes met, and both felt that he must not die.
That night he was in his prison. She could not rest in her chamber:the guard had respect for her orders, for she was an earl's daughter,and he let her stand behind an arch where she could hear him talkingwith his faithful esquire.
"Think no more of Ximena," said the esquire: "she loves you not."
"Nay, say not so," he answered. "Wrong her not. I know she loved me,and she could not change; therefore she loves me yet. As she was to mewhen I encountered the Conde, so was I to her when she denounced meto the king; and in what she has done to honour her father's memory,she has shown her true nobility."
"It may be very grand," said the esquire, "but it is yet hard youshould have to die."
"Hard! Of what use would life be to me if Ximena will not be mine? Ihave only one use for it; and if she requires it of me, it is a joyto yield it up at her behest."
When Ximena heard him express so much devotion for her, and judge herso justly and tenderly, she could bear to hear no more, lest her tearsshould betray her. She withdrew to her chamber, but could not sleep;but when her tired eyelids, weary with watching, closed, there seemedto come a sweet, soft voice, as of an angel, which spoke of pardonand forgiveness, and of mercy more sweet than justice. And before hereyes there floated visions of terrible Moorish hordes encompassingher native land, spreading fire and sword over its smiling plains;and there rode out against them a single youth, clad in bright armour,and wherever he raised his flashing sword the ranks of the enemy gaveway and fled before him.
And when the morning light came in, and chased these phantasms away,she rose and went to the king, and asked the liberation of him whosecondemnation she had sought yesterday.
Then the king saw that his stratagem had answered well, and that hehad done right to trust to her woman's heart. So he ordered Rodrigo tobe brought forth, and pronounced him free. And then he joined theirhands and gave them to each other, and told them they were worthy ofeach other, for each had preferred a father's honour before the loveof their own heart; and now it was his royal will that they shouldforget the past, and live for each other in the future.