historic girls-第21节

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was　about　over。　Under　the　relentless　measures　of　Ferdinand　and

Isabella；　with　whose　story　all　American　children；　at　least；

should　be　familiar；　the　last　Moorish　stronghold　had　fallen；　in

the　very　year　in　which　Columbus　discovered　America；　and　Spain；

from　the　Pyrenees　to　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar；　acknowledged　the

mastership　of　its　Christian　sovereigns。



But　the　centuries　of　warfare　that　had　made　the　Spaniards　a　fierce

and　warlike　race；　had　also　filled　Spain　with　frowning　castles　and

embattled　towns。　And　such　an　embattled　town　was　this　same　city　of

Avila；　in　which；　in　1525；　lived　the　stern　and　pious　old　grandee；

Don　Alphonso　Sanchez　de　Cepeda；　his　sentimental　and

romance…loving　wife；　the　Donna　Beatrix；　and　their　twelve　sturdy

and　healthy　children。



Religious　warfare；　as　it　is　the　most　bitter　and　relentless　of

strifes；　is　also　the　most　brutal。　It　turns　the　natures　of　men　and

women　into　quite　a　different　channel　from　the　one　in　which　the

truths　they　are　fighting　for　would　seek　to　lead　them；　and　of　all

relentless　and　brutal　religious　wars；　few　have　been　more　bitter

than　the　one　that　for　fully　five　hundred　years　had　wasted　the

land　of　Spain。



To　battle　for　the　Cross；　to　gain　renown　in　fights　against　the

Infidelsas　the　Moors　were　then　called；to　〃obtain　martyrdom〃

among　the　followers　of　Mohammedthese　were　reckoned　by　the

Christians　of　crusading　days　as　the　highest　honor　that　life　could

bring　or　death　bestow。　It　is　no　wonder；　therefore；　that　in　a

family；　the　father　of　which　had　been　himself　a　fighter　of

Infidels；　and　the　mother　a　reader　and　dreamer　of　all　the　romantic

stories　that　such　conflicts　create；　the　children　also　should　be

full　of　that　spirit　of　hatred　toward　a　conquered　foe　that　came

from　so　bitter　and　long…continuing　a　warfare。



Don　Alphonso's　religion　had　little　in　it　of　cheerfulness　and

love。　It　was　of　the　stern　and　pitiless　kind　that　called　for

sacrifice　and　penance；　and　all　those　uncomfortable　and

unnecessary　forms　by　which　too　many　good　people；　even　in　this

more　enlightened　day；　think　to　ease　their　troubled　consciences；

or　to　satisfy　the　fancied　demands　of　the　Good　Father；　who　really

requires　none　of　these　foolish　and　most　unpleasant

self…punishments。



But　such　a　belief　was　the　rule　in　Don　Alphonso's　day；　and　when　it

could　lay　so　strong　a　hold　upon　grown　men　and　women；　it　would；　of

course；　be　likely　to　work　in　peculiar　ways　with　thoughtful　and

conscientious　children；　who；　understanding　little　of　the　real

meaning　of　sacrifice　and　penance；　felt　it　their　duty　to　do

something　as　proof　of　their　belief。



So　it　came　about　that　little　ten…year…old　Theresa；　one　of　the

numerous　girls　of　the　Cepeda　family；　thought　as　deeply　of　these

things　as　her　small　mind　was　capable。　She　was　of　a　peculiarly

sympathetic；　romantic；　and　conscientious　nature；　and　she　felt　it

her　duty　to　do　something　to　show　her　devotion　to　the　faith　for

which　her　father　had　fought　so　valiantly；　and　which　the　nuns　and

priests；　who　were　her　teachers；　so　vigorously　impressed　upon　her。



She　had　been　taught　that　alike　the　punishment　or　the　glory　that

must　follow　her　life　on　earth　were　to　last　forever。　Forever！　this

was　a　word　that　even　a　thoughtful　little　maiden　like　Theresa

could　not　comprehend。　So　she　sought　her　mother。



〃Forever？　how　long　is　forever；　mother　mine？〃　she　asked。



But　the　Donna　Beatrix　was　just　then　too　deeply　interested　in　the

tragic　story　of　the　two　lovers；　Calixto　and　Melibea；　in　the　Senor

Fernando　de　Rojas'　tear…compelling　story；　to　be　able　to　enter

into　the　discussion　of　so　deep　a　question。



〃Forever；〃　she　said；　looking　up　from　the　thick　and　crabbed

black…letter　pages；　〃why　forever　is　forever；　childalways。　Pray

do　not　trouble　me　with　such　questions；　just　as　I　am　in　the　midst

of　this　beautiful　death…scene　too。〃



The　little　girl　found　she　could　gain　no　knowledge　from　this

source；　and　she　feared　to　question　her　stern　and　bigoted　old

father。　So　she　sought　her　favorite　brother　Pedroa　bright　little

fellow　of　seven；　who　adored　and　thoroughly　believed　in　his　sister

Theresa。



To　Pedro；　then；　Theresa　confided　her　belief　that；　if　forever　was

so　long　a　time　as　〃always；〃　it　would　be　most　unpleasant　to　suffer

〃always；〃　if　by　any　chance　they　should　do　any　thing　wrong。　It

would　be　far　better；　so　argued　this　little　logician；　to　die　now

and　end　the　problem；　than　to　live　and　run　so　great　a　risk。　She

told　him；　too；　that；　as　they　knew　from　their　mother's　tales；　the

most　beautiful；　the　most　glorious　way　to　die　was　as　a　martyr

among　the　infidel　Moors。　So　she　proposed　to　Pedro　that　she　and　he

should　not　say　a　word　to　any　one；　but　just　start　off　at　once　as

crusaders　on　their　own　accounts；　and　lose　their　lives　but　save

their　souls　as　martyrs　among　the　Moors。



The　suggestion　had　all　the　effect　of　novelty　to　the　little　Pedro；

and　while　he　did　not　altogether　relish　the　idea　of　losing　his

life　among　the　Moors；　still　the　possibility　of　a　change　presented

itself　with　all　the　attractions　that　the　thought　of　trying

something　new　always　has　for　children。　Besides；　he　had　great

respect　for　his　sister's　judgment。



〃Well；　let　us　be　crusaders；〃　he　said；　〃and　perhaps　we　need　not　be

martyrs；　sister。　I　don't　think　that　would　be　so　very　pleasant；　do

you？　Who　knows；　perhaps　we　may　be　victorious　crusaders　and

conquer　the　Infidels　just　as　did　Ruy　Diaz　the　Cid。＇1＇　See　here；

Theresa；　I　have　my　sword　and　you　can　take　your　cross；　and　we　can

have　such　a　nice　crusade；　and　may　be　the　infidel　Moors　will　run

away　from　us　just　as　they　did　from　the　Cid　and　leave　us　their

cities　and　their　gold　and　treasure？　Don't　you　remember　what

mother　read　us；　how　the　Cid　won　Castelon；　with　its　silver　and　its

gold？〃



＇1＇　The　Cid　was　the　great　hero　of　Spanish　romance。　The　stories　of

his　valor　have　been　the　joy　of　Spaniards；　old　and　young；　for

centuries。　Cid　is　a　corruption　of　the　Moorish　word　seyd　or　said；

and　means　master。





And　the　little　fellow　spouted　most　valiantly　this　portion　of　the

famous　poem　of　the　exploits　of　the　Cid　（the　Poema　del　Cid）；　with

the　martial　spirit　of　which　stirring　rhyme　his　romantic　mother

had　filled　her　children：



　　Smite；　smite；　my　knights；　for　mercy's　sakeon　boldly　to　the　　　　

　war；

　　I　am　Ruy　Diaz　of　Bivar；　the　Cid　Campeador！

　　Three　hundred　lances　then　were　couched；　with　pennons

　　　　　　streaming　gay；

　　Three　hundred　shields　were　pierced　throughno　steel　the

　　　　　　shock　might　stay；

　　Three　hundred　hauberks　were　torn　off　in　that　encounter　sore；

　　Three　hundred　snow…white　pennons　were　crimson…dyed　in

　　　　　　gore；

　　Three　hundred　chargers　wandered　loosetheir　lords　were

　　　　　　overthrown；

　　The　Christians　cry　'St。　James　for　Spain！'　the　Moormen

　　　　　　cry　'Mahoun！'　〃





Theresa　applauded　her　little　brother's　eloquent　recitation；　and

thought　him　a　very　smart　boy；　but　she　said　rather　sadly：　〃I　fear

me　it　will　not　be　that　way；　my　Pedro；　for　martyrdom　means；　as

mother　has　told　us；　the　giving　up　of　our　life　rather　than　bow　to

the　false　faith　of　the　Infidel；　and　thus　to　save　our　souls　and

have　a　crown　of　glory。〃



〃The　crown　would　be　very　nice；　I　suppose；　sister；〃　said　practical

young　Pedro；　〃especially　if　it　was　all　so　fine　as　the　one　they

say　the　young　King　Carlos＇1＇　wearsEmperor；　too；　now；　is　he　not？

Could　we　be　emperors；　too；　sister；　if　we　were　martyrs；　and　had

each　a　crown？　But　we　must　be　crusaders　first；　I　suppose。　Come；

let　us　go　at　once。〃



＇1＇　King　Charles　the　Fifth　was　at　this　time　King　of　Spain；　and

had　just　been　elected　Emperor　of　Germany。





The　road　from　granite…walled　Avila　to　the　south　is　across　a　wild

and　desolate　waste；　frowned　down　upon　on　either　hand　by　the

savage　crests　of　the　grim　sierras　of　the　Guadarrama。　It　winds

along　gorges　and　ravines　and　rocky　river…beds；　and　has　always

been；　even　in　the　days　of　Spanish　power　and　glory；　about　as

untamed　and　savagely　picturesque　a　road　as　one　could　well

imagine。



Along　this　hard　and　desolate　road；　only　a　few　days　after　their

determination　had　been　reached；　to　start　upon　a　crusade　the

brother　and　sister　plodded。　Theresa　carried　her　crucifix；　and

Pedro　his　toy　sword；　while　in　a　little　wallet　at　his　side　were　a

few　bits　of　food　taken　from　the　home　larder。　This　stock　of　food

had；　of　course；　been　taken　without　the　knowledge　of　the　mother；

who　knew　nothing　of　their　crusade；　and　this；　therefore；　furnished

for　Theresa　another　sin；　for　which　she　must　do　penance；　and

another　reason　for　the　desired　martyrdom。



They　had　really　only　proceeded　a　few　miles　into　the　mountains

beyond　Avila；　but　already　their　sturdy　little　legs　were　tired；

and　their　stout　little　backs　were　sore。　Pedro　thought　crusading

not　such　very　great　fun　after　all；　be　was　always　hungry　and

thirsty；　and　Theresa　would　only　let　him　take　a　bite　once　in　a

while。



〃Don't　you　suppose　there　is　a　Moorish　castle　somewhere　around

here　that　we　could　capture；　and　so　get　plenty　to　eat？〃　he