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Page 58
Pelayo, however, was visited by no such wandering of the mind; but,
wrapping himself in his mantle, slept soundly by the fountain under the
tree. At midnight, when every thing was buried in deep repose, he was
awakened from his sleep and beheld the hermit before him, with the beams
of the moon shining upon his silver hair and beard.
"This is no time," said the latter, "to be sleeping; arise and listen to
my words, and hear of the great work for which thou art chosen!"
Then Pelayo arose and seated himself on a rock, and the hermit continued
his discourse.
"Behold," said he, "the ruin of Spain is at hand! It will be delivered
into the hands of strangers, and will become a prey to the spoiler. Its
children will be slain or carried into captivity; or such as may escape
these evils, will harbor with the beasts of the forest or the eagles of
the mountain. The thorn and bramble will spring up where now are seen
the cornfield, the vine, and the olive; and hungry wolves will roam in
place of peaceful flocks and herds. But thou, my son! tarry not thou
to see these things, for thou canst not prevent them. Depart on a
pilgrimage to the sepulchre of our blessed Lord in Palestine; purify
thyself by prayer; enroll thyself in the order of chivalry, and prepare
for the great work of the redemption of thy country; for to thee it will
be given to raise it from the depth of its affliction."
Pelayo would have inquired farther into the evils thus foretold, but the
hermit rebuked his curiosity.
"Seek not to know more," said he, "than heaven is pleased to reveal.
Clouds and darkness cover its designs, and prophecy is never permitted
to lift up but in part the veil that rests upon the future."
The hermit ceased to speak, and Pelayo laid himself down again to take
repose, but sleep was a stranger to his eyes.
When the first rays of the rising sun shone upon the tops of the
mountains, the travellers assembled round the fountain beneath the tree
and made their morning's repast. Then, having received the benediction
of the hermit, they departed in the freshness of the day, and descended
along the hollow defiles leading into the interior of Spain. The good
merchant was refreshed by sleep and by his morning's meal; and when he
beheld his wife and daughter thus secure by his side, and the hackney
laden with his treasure close behind him, his heart was light in his
bosom, and he carolled a chanson as he went, and the woodlands echoed to
his song. But Pelayo rode in silence, for he revolved in his mind the
portentous words of the hermit; and the daughter of the merchant ever
and anon stole looks at him full of tenderness and admiration, and deep
sighs betrayed the agitation of her bosom.
At length they came to the foot of the mountains, where the forests and
the rocks terminated, and an open and secure country lay before the
travellers. Here they halted, for their roads were widely different.
When they came to part, the merchant and his wife were loud in thanks
and benedictions, and the good burgher would fain have given Pelayo the
largest of his sacks of gold; but the young man put it aside with a
smile. "Silver and gold," said he, "need I not, but if I have deserved
aught at thy hands, give me thy prayers, for the prayers of a good man
are above all price."
In the mean time the daughter had spoken never a word. At length she
raised her eyes, which were filled with tears, and looked timidly at
Pelayo, and her bosom throbbed; and after a violent struggle between
strong affection and virgin modesty, her heart relieved itself by words.
"Senor," said she, "I know that I am unworthy of the notice of so noble
a cavalier; but suffer me to place this ring upon a finger of that hand
which has so bravely rescued us from death; and when you regard it, you
may consider it as a memorial of your own valor, and not of one who is
too humble to be remembered by you."
With these words, she drew a ring from her finger and put it upon the
finger of Pelayo; and having done this, she blushed and trembled at her
own boldness, and stood as one abashed, with her eyes cast down upon the
earth.
Pelayo was moved at the words of the simple maiden, and at the touch of
her fair hand, and at her beauty, as she stood thus trembling and in
tears before him; but as yet he knew nothing of woman, and his heart was
free from the snares of love. "Amiga," (friend,) said he, "I accept thy
present, and will wear it in remembrance of thy goodness;" so saying, he
kissed her on the cheek.
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