The Lay of the Cid Part 22

They lamented much at parting. Daughters and sire wept sore, So also wept the cavaliers of the Cid Campeador.

"Thou, cousin, Felez Munoz, now hark to this aright.

Thou shalt go by Molina, and there shalt lie one night, And greet fair the Morisco Avengalvon my friend; That he may most fair reception to my sons-in-law extend.

Tell him I send my daughters to the lands of Carrion, In all their needs his courtesy as beseemeth shall be shown.

Let him ward them to Medina for the love he beareth me.

For all that he cloth for them I will give him a rich fee."

They parted then, as when the nail out of the flesh is torn.

He turned back to Valencia who in happy hour was born.

And now the Heirs of Carrion have fettled them to fare.

Saint Mary of Alvarrazin, their halting-place was there.

From thence the Heirs of Carrion plied furiously the spur.

Ho! in Molina with the Moor Avengalvon they were.

The Morisco when he heard it in his heart was well content, And forth with great rejoicings to welcome them he went.

Ah, G.o.d! how well he served them in what e 'er their joy might be!

The next day in the morning to horse with them got he.

He bade two hundred hors.e.m.e.n for escort forth to ride.

They crossed the mountains of Luzon (so are they signified), And the Vale of Arbujuelo to the Jalon they came.

The place where they found lodging, Ansarera is its name.

Unto the daughters of the Cid, the Moor fair presents gave, And to either Heir of Carrion beside a charger brave.

For the love he bore the Campeador, all this for them he wrought.

They looked upon the riches that the Moor with him had brought And then together treason did the brothers twain concert.

"Since the daughters of the Campeador we shortly shall desert, If but we might do unto death Aengalvon the Moor, The treasure he possesses for ourselves we should secure Safe as our wealth in Carrion those goods we will maintain.

And ne'er will the Cid Campeador avenge on us the stain."

While they of Carrion this shame complotted each with each, In the midst a Moor o'erheard them, that could of Latin speech.

He kept no secret. With it to Avengalvon he ran: "Thou art my lord. Be wary of these persons, Castellan.

I heard the heirs of Carrion that plotted death for thee."

CXXVII.

This same Avengalvon the Moor, a gallant man was he He got straightway on horseback with servitors ten score.

He brandished high his weapons, he came the Heirs before.

And the two Heirs with what he said but little pleased they are: "If for his sake I forebore not, my lord Cid of Bivar, I would do such deeds upon you as through all the world should ring,

And then to the true Campeador his daughters would I bring.

And unto Carrion never should you enter from that day.

CXXVIII.

What I have done against you, ho! Heirs of Carrion, say, For without guile I served you, and lo, my death ye plot.

For wicked men and traitors I will leave you on the spot.

Dame Sol and Dame Elvira with your good leave I go; For of these men of Carrion I rate the fame but low.

G.o.d will it and command it, who is Lord of all the Earth.

That the Campeador hereafter of this match have joy and mirth."

That thing the Moor has told them, and back he turned him there.

When he crossed over thee Jalon, weapon he waved in air.

He returned unto Molina like a man of prudent heart.

And now from Ansarera did Carrion's Heirs depart; And they began thereafter to travel day and night.

And they let Atienza on the left, a craggy height.

The forest of Miedes, now have they overpa.s.sed, And on through Montes Claros they p.r.i.c.ked forward spurring fast.

And then pa.s.sed Griza on the left that Alamos did found.

There be the caves where Elpha he imprisoned underground.

And they left San Estevan, on their right that lay afar.

Within the woods of Corpes, the Heirs of Carrion are.

And high the hills are wooded, to the clouds the branches sweep, And savage are the creatures that roundabout them creep; And there upon a bower with a clear spring they light And there the Heirs of Carrion bade that their tent be pight.

There with their men about them, that night they lay at rest.

With their wives clasped to their bosom their affection they protest, But ill the twain fulfilled it, when the dawn came up the East.

They bade put goods a plenty on the back of every beast.

Where they at night found lodging, now have they struck the tent.

The people of their household far on before them went.

Of the two Heirs of Carrion so the commandment ran, That none behind should linger, a woman or a man.

But Dame Sol and Dame Elvira their wives shall tarry still, With whom it is their pleasure to dally to their fill.

The others have departed. They four are left alone.

Great evil had been plotted by the Heirs of Carrion.

"Dame Sol and Dame Elvira, ye may take this for true: Here in the desert wildwood shall a mock be made of you.

Today is our departure, we will leave you here behind.

And in the lands of Carrion no portion shall you find.

Let them hasten with these tidings to the Cid Campeador.

Thus, the matter of the lion, we avenge ourselves therefor."

Their furs and their mantles, from the ladies they have whipped.

In their s.h.i.+fts and their tunics they left the ladies stripped.

With spur on heel before them those wicked traitors stand, And saddle-girths both stout and strong they have taken in the hand.

When the ladies had beheld it, then out spake Sol the dame: "Don Diego, don Ferrando, we beeech you in G.o.d's name.

You have two swords about you, that for strength and edge are known.

And one they call Colada, the other is Tizon.

Strike off our heads together, and martyrs we shall die.

The Moriscos and the Christians against this deed shall cry.

It stands not with our deserving that we should suffer thus.

So evil an example, then do not make of us.

Unto our own abas.e.m.e.nt, if you scourge us, you consent, That men will bring against you in parle and parliament."

Naught profits it the ladies, however hard they pray.

And now the Heirs of Carrion upon them 'gan to lay.

With the buckled girths they scourged them in fas.h.i.+on unbeseen, And exceeding was their anguish from the sharp spurs and keen.

They rent the s.h.i.+fts and wounded the bodies of the two, And forth upon the tunics the clear blood trickled through.

In their very hearts the ladies have felt that agony.

What a fair fortune were it, if G.o.d's will it might be, Had then appeared before them the Cid the Campeador.

Powerless were the ladies, and the brothers scourged them sore.

Their s.h.i.+fts and their sullies throughout the blood did stain.

Of scourging the two ladies wearied the brothers twain,

Which man should smite most fiercely they had vied each with each.

Dame Sol and Dame Elvira had no longer power of speech.

Within the wood of Corpes for dead they left the pair.