al a right coward at heart, which he had
shown in many places when he was among feats of arms. And the Cid
was sorry when he came unto him, though he would not let him perceive
this; for he knew he was not fit to be of his company. Howbeit he
thought that since he was come, he would make him brave, whether he
would or not.

When the Cid began to war upon the town, and sent parties against it
twice and thrice a day, for the Cid was alway upon the alert, there
was fighting and tourneying every day. One day it fell out that the
Cid and his kinsmen and friends and vassals were engaged in a great
encounter, and this Martin Pelaez was well armed; and when he saw that
the Moors and Christians were at it, he fled and betook himself to his
lodging, and there hid himself till the Cid returned to dinner. And
the Cid saw what Martin Pelaez did, and when he had conquered the
Moors he returned to his lodging to dinner. Now it was the custom of
the Cid to eat at a high table, seated on his bench, at the head. And
Don Alvar Fanez, and Pero Bermudez, and other precious knights, ate in
another part, at high tables, full honorably, and none other knights
whatsoever dared take their seats with them, unless they were such as
deserved to be there; and the others who were not so approved in arms
ate upon _estrados_, at tables with cushions. This was the order in
the house of the Cid, and every one knew the place where he was to
sit at meat, and every one strove all he could to gain the honor
of sitting at the table of Don Alvar Fanez and his companions, by
strenuously behaving himself in all feats of arms; and thus the honor
of the Cid was advanced.

Martin Pelaez, thinking none had seen his badness, washed his hands
in turn with the other knights, and would have taken his place among
them. And the Cid went unto him, and took him by the hand and said,
"You are not such a one as deserves to sit with these, for they are
worth more than you or than me; but I will have you with me:" and he
seated him with himself at table. And he, for lack of understanding,
thought that the Cid did this to honor him above all the others. On
the morrow the Cid and his company rode towards Valencia, and the
Moors came out to the tourney; and Martin Pelaez went out well armed,
and was among the foremost who charged the Moors, and when he was in
among them he turned the reins, and went back to his lodging; and
the Cid took heed to all that he did, and saw that thou