ily appeased.

The marchioness of Cadiz, with the forethought of a loving wife,
had despatched her major-domo with the army with a large supply of
provisions. Tables were immediately spread beneath the tents, where the
marques gave a banquet to the duke and the cavaliers who had accompanied
him, and nothing but hilarity prevailed in this late scene of suffering
and death.

A garrison of fresh troops was left in Alhama, and the veterans who had
so valiantly captured and maintained it returned to their homes burdened
with precious booty. The marques and duke, with their confederate
cavaliers, repaired to Antiquera, where they were received with great
distinction by the king, who honored the marques of Cadiz with signal
marks of favor. The duke then accompanied his late enemy, but now
most zealous and grateful friend, the marques of Cadiz, to his town of
Marchena, where he received the reward of his generous conduct in
the thanks and blessings of the marchioness. The marques celebrated a
sumptuous feast in honor of his guest; for a day and night his palace
was thrown open and was the scene of continual revel and festivity. When
the duke departed for his estates at St. Lucar the marques attended him
for some distance on his journey, and when they separated it was as the
parting scene of brothers. Such was the noble spectacle exhibited to the
chivalry of Spain by these two illustrious rivals. Each reaped universal
renown from the part he had performed in the campaign--the marques from
having surprised and captured one of the most important and formidable
fortresses of the kingdom of Granada, and the duke from having subdued
his deadliest foe by a great act of magnanimity.

CHAPTER IX.

EVENTS AT GRANADA, AND RISE OF THE MOORISH KING, BOABDIL EL CHICO.

The Moorish king, Abul Hassan, returned, baffled and disappointed, from
before the walls of Alhama, and was received with groans and smothered
execrations by the people of Granada. The prediction of the santon was
in every mouth, and appeared to be rapidly fulfilling, for the enemy was
already strongly fortified in Alhama, in the very heart of the kingdom.
At the same time, the nobles who had secretly conspired to depose the
old king and elevate his son Boabdil to the throne had matured their
plans in concert with the prince, who had been joined in Guadix by hosts
of adherents. An opportunity soon presented to carry their plans into
operation.

Muley Abul Hassan h