nto your hands I confide the common safety. You are the protectors of
the kingdom, and, with the aid of Allah, will revenge the insults of our
religion, the deaths of our friends and relations, and the sorrows and
sufferings heaped upon our land."*

* Conde.

To every one was now assigned his separate duty. The wazir had charge
of the arms and provisions and the enrolling of the people. Muza was to
command the cavalry, to defend the gates, and to take the lead in all
sallies and skirmishings. Naim Reduan and Muhammed Aben Zayde were his
adjutants. Abdel Kerim Zegri and the other captains were to guard
the walls, and the alcaydes of the Alcazaba and of the Red Towers had
command of the fortresses.

Nothing now was heard but the din of arms and the bustle of preparation.
The Moorish spirit, quick to catch fire, was immediately in a flame, and
the populace in the excitement of the moment set at naught the power
of the Christians. Muza was in all parts of the city, infusing his
own generous zeal into the bosoms of the soldiery. The young cavaliers
rallied round him as their model; the veteran warriors regarded him with
a soldier's admiration; the vulgar throng followed him with shouts; and
the helpless part of the inhabitants, the old men and the women, hailed
him with blessings as their protector.

On the first appearance of the Christian army the principal gates of the
city had been closed and secured with bars and bolts and heavy chains:
Muza now ordered them to be thrown open. "To me and my cavaliers," said
he, "is entrusted the defence of the gates; our bodies shall be their
barriers." He stationed at each gate a strong guard chosen from his
bravest men. His horsemen were always completely armed and ready to
mount at a moment's warning: their steeds stood saddled and caparisoned
in the stables, with lance and buckler beside them. On the least
approach of the enemy a squadron of horse gathered within the gate,
ready to launch forth like the bolt from the thunder-cloud. Muza made no
empty bravado nor haughty threat; he was more terrible in deeds than
in words, and executed daring exploits beyond even the vaunt of the
vainglorious. Such was the present champion of the Moors. Had they
possessed many such warriors, or had Muza risen to power at an earlier
period of the war, the fate of Granada might have been deferred, and the
Moor for a long time have maintained his throne within the walls of the
Alhambra.