this?" he cried, with a voice of thunder; "what
are your intents?"

"To capitulate," answered one more hardy than the rest, "and save our
lives by a timely submission."

"Villain!" exclaimed el Negro, fiercely, "thou at least shall not enjoy
the reward of thy cowardice!" And raising his arm, with a ponderous blow
of his scymitar, he cleaved the head of the traitor down to the very
shoulder, and the body rolled heavily on the ground. His companions
stood aghast in speechless horror, whilst el Negro, his lips curling
with ire, and casting around a glance of defiance and contempt--"Go," he
exclaimed, "go, unworthy Moors, and abandon a cause which you have not
the courage to sustain. Go, and live like slaves, since ye know not how
to die like men. Senseless, pitiful cowards! Was it for this then that
you forced me to be your leader? Was it for this that I abandoned
Granada, leaving there, at the mercy of the Christians, all my dearest
friends, and severing the tenderest ties that bind man to existence? Go,
and accept the proffered pardon. I will remain alone, to shew our
countrymen of the Alpujarras, that at Lanjaron there was at least _one_
true man--one who knew how to die in the execution of his duty."

He said, and snatching the sacred standard, ascended rapidly to the
summit of the battlements, and placed himself by the three heads, which,
from their exposure to the sun and wind, had already begun to decay, and
presented a most ghastly and loathsome spectacle. The revolted garrison
threw open the gates of the castle to their enemies, whilst el Negro,
abandoned by all his companions, continued gloomily pacing the
battlements. The Christians, respecting his resolute conduct, and
willing to save his life, sent a herald to invite him once more to
surrender, declaring he had done his duty, and death alone would be the
consequence of his further resistance. He received the message with a
sneer, in which contempt was blended with sadness and despair; then
taking the presented _adarga_,[24] the acceptation of which was a
signification of peace, he threw it disdainfully on the ground, and
trampled it under his feet.

"Carry this answer to him who sent thee!" and folding his arms, he
resumed his melancholy walk.

The Christians now took possession of the castle, and el Negro
tranquilly beheld their approach. El Alcayde de los Donceles, willing to
make a last effort to save him, cried out as he advanced--"Yield thee,
Moor-