thy religion?"

"I renounce all ties to them, either of blood or religion," replied the
Moor; "my mother was a Christian captive; her country shall henceforth
be my country, and her faith my faith."*

* Cura de los Palacios.

The doubts of Don Gutiere were not dispelled by this profession of
mongrel Christianity. "Granting the sincerity of thy conversion," said
he, "art thou under no obligations of gratitude or duty to the alcayde
of the fortress thou wouldst betray?"

The eyes of the Moor flashed fire at the words; he gnashed his teeth
with fury. "The alcayde," cried he, "is a dog! He has deprived my
brother of his just share of booty; he has robbed me of my merchandise,
treated me worse than a Jew when I murmured at his injustice, and
ordered me to be thrust forth ignominiously from his walls. May the
curse of God fall upon my head if I rest content until I have full
revenge!" "Enough," said Don Gutiere: "I trust more to thy revenge than
thy religion."

The good clavero called a council of his officers. The knights of
Calatrava were unanimous for the enterprise--zealous to appease the
manes of their slaughtered comrades. Don Gutiere reminded them of
the state of the garrison, enfeebled by their late loss and scarcely
sufficient for the defence of the walls. The cavaliers replied that
there was no achievement without risk, and that there would have been
no great actions recorded in history had there not been daring spirits
ready to peril life to gain renown.

Don Gutiere yielded to the wishes of his knights, for to have resisted
any further might have drawn on him the imputation of timidity: he
ascertained by trusty spies that everything in Zalea remained in the
usual state, and he made all the requisite arrangements for the attack.

When the appointed night arrived all the cavaliers were anxious to
engage in the enterprise, but the individuals were decided by lot. They
set out under the guidance of the Moor, and when they had arrived in the
vicinity of Zalea they bound his hands behind his back, and their
leader pledged his knightly word to strike him dead on the first sign of
treachery. He then bade him to lead the way.

It was near midnight when they reached the walls of the fortress. They
passed silently along until they found themselves below the citadel.
Here their guide made a low and preconcerted signal: it was answered
from above, and a cord let down from the wall. The knights attached
to it