en
the war with Granada absorbed the resources and the energies of the
Crown. Columbus was present when the last Moorish king kissed the
hand of Isabella, and he saw the cross raised over the Alhambra. This
victory of Christendom was immediately followed by the expulsion of
the Jews, and then the Catholic queen gave audience to the Genoese
projector. His scheme belonged to the same order of ideas, and he was
eloquent on its religious aspect. He would make so many slaves as to
cover all expenses, and would have them baptized. He would bring home
gold enough in three years to reconquer Palestine. He had one
impressive argument which was not suggested by the situation at Court.
Toscanelli had been at Rome when envoys came from the Grand Khan,
petitioning for missionaries to instruct his people in the doctrines
of Christianity. Two such embassies were sent, but their prayer was
not attended to. Here were suppliants calling out of the darkness:
Come over and help us. It was suitable that the nation which
conquered the Moslem and banished the Jews should go on to convert the
heathen. The Spaniards would appear in the East, knowing that their
presence was desired. In reality they would come in answer to an
invitation, and might look for a welcome. Making up by their zeal for
the deficient enterprise of Rome, they might rescue the teeming
millions of Farthest Asia, and thus fulfil prophecy, as there were only
a hundred and fifty-five years to the end of the world. The
conversion of Tartary would be the crowning glory of Catholic Spain.

All this was somewhat hypothetical and vague; but nothing could be
more definite than the reward which he demanded. For it appeared that
what this forlorn adventurer required for himself was to be admiral of
the Atlantic, ranking with the constable of Castile, Viceroy with
power of life and death, in the regions to be occupied, and a large
proportion of the intended spoil. And he would accept no less. None
divined what he himself knew not, that the thing he offered in return
was dominion over half the world. Therefore, when he found that this
would not do, Columbus saddled his mule and took the road to France.
In that superb moment he showed what man he was, and the action was
more convincing than his words had been. An Aragonese official,
Santangel, found the money, the L1500 required for the expedition, and
the traveller was overtaken by an alguazil a couple of leagues away,