Mercedes of Castile

ight line is,-t

s that him, wh

anners doth d

l these humane a

ors? In whose d

only shadowes,

Lear

s that of Ferdinand and Isabella. The sun had scarce appeared, when all in the extraordinary little city of Santa Fé were afoot, and elate with triumph. The negotiations for the surrender of

is countenance, it was easy to recognize the mental suffering of Boabdil, or Abdallah, the deposed monarch. The cardinal pointed out the position occupied by Ferdinand, who, with that admixture of piety and worldly policy which were so closely interwoven in his character, had refused to enter within the walls of the conquered city, until the symbol of Christ had superseded the banners of Mahomet; and who had taken his station at some distance from the gates, with a purpose and display of humility that were suited to the particular fanaticism of the period. As the interview that occurre

occupied some time. These were hours in which the multitude covered the highways, and the adjacent fields were garnished with a living throng, all of whom kept thei

nd. Still-unless, indeed, we except the long-coveted towers of the Alhambra-she was the centre of attraction. She appeared in royal magnificence, as due to the glory of the occasion; her beauty always rendered her an object of admiration; her mildness, inflexib

y addressed as Father Pedro, by several grandees, as he made his way from the immediate presence of the queen, to a spot where the circulation was easier. He was accompanied by a youth of an air so much superior to that of most of those who did not appear that day in the saddle, that he attracted general attention. Although not more than twenty, it was evident, from his muscular frame, and embrowned but florid cheeks, that he was acquainted with exposure; and by his bearing, many thought, notwithstanding he did not appear in armor on an occasion so peculiarly military, that both his mien and his frame had been improved by familiarity with war. His attire was simple, as if he rather avoided than sought observation, but it was, nevertheless, such as

ce, and elastic, lofty tread; for, like one accustomed to be observed by inferiors, his attention was confined to such objects as amused his

expired, and the Moor is at length lowered from his pride; while the cross is elevated above the banners of the false prophet. Thou hast had ancestors, my son, who mig

turbed, even to see the Moor unhoused; for I doubt much, agreeable as t

yings; and I doubt if thou art as mindful of thy paters and confession

vingly, but with a warmth th

rmly, and then, as I come like a penitent to lay my transgressions before thee, and to seek absolution, thou fastenest thine eye on vacancy, and gazest as

rection, though he made no gesture to indicate to which particular indivi

sten the eye as if he were fresh from Paradise. Would it be exc

verty; or, if not absolutely of poverty-for he is better clad, and, seemingly, in more prosperity now, than I remember ever to have

and reverend appearance, though of simple deportment. I see nothing

is dignified countenance that one is not accust

or, or pilot-of a man accustomed to the seas-ay, he hat

He cometh of Genoa, and his name is Christoval Colon

ame, who did good service in the wars of the sout

same blood, seeing that both are derived from the identical place.

her of a weak mind, or

ain, son, that thou hast been much abroad, and little at court, or thou wouldst have known the history of this extraordinary being, at the mention of his name, which has bee

y, father, by such languag

o thee the opinions that render this being so extraordinary. Thou must know, son, it is now seven years since this man first appeared among us. He sought employment as a discoverer, pretending that, by steering out into the oc

interrupted Don Luis, laughing. "In what way could this thing be, u

is notions; but the man hath ready

n be found? Our own eyes tel

derstand, and he replies that, on the ocean, when a ship is seen from afar, her upper sails are first perceived, and that as she drawet

'st, we first perceived her upper sail, a white speck upon the water; then followed sail after sail, until we ca

h this Colon, and thin

fair surface in so heedless a manner. England, France, Burgundy, Germany, and all

see the upper sails o

were first visible. Yes, becau

largest of their sails

a, exceeding all others in that craft-though no great navigators, the English are not so surpassingly stupid. Tho

t thou sawest the smaller

not conversed with this Christoforo fo

questions, son; but

kinsman, Luis de Bobadilla, the truant nephew of the queen's favorite, the Marchioness of Moya, and as we

ee and thy career from childhood. Thou hast one merit that none will deny thee, and that is, a respect for truth; and nev

took off some of its edge; and the young man laughed, as if to

stoop to a rational discourse with me on this extraordinary s

is matter of the sails much puzzleth me, and I have often felt a desire to go from one port to another, by sea, in o

de a vagary! But set thy heart at rest, my honored kinsman and excellent instructor, for I can save thee the trouble. In all my journeyings, by sea and by land-and thou kn

thou, thinketh otherwise. He contendeth that the earth is a sphere, and that, by sa

n really propose to venture out into the broad Atlantic,

ourt to furnish him with the means. Nay, as I hear, he hath passed much m

e lower parts of it? How is it, that we have any seas at all? and if, as thou hast hinted, he deemeth the Indies

t of our churchmen are getting to believe that there is no up, or down, except as it r

ad-and that, too, with the noble member in the air? By San Francisco! thy me

her,

with no better foundation than the atmosphere. The caravels, too, must sail on their masts-and that would be rare navig

But, if thou so much deridest the opinion of this Colon, what are thine own notions of

he Moor I slew in the last sortie, whic

think it ha

and Do?a Mercedes de Valverde,

our sides of the world, which men may reach, and where they

such spot there must be, one would think. By San Fernando, himself! that would be a place to try the metal of even Don

e but two serious objections to them, one of which is, the difficulty connected with Holy Writ; and the other, the vast and incomprehensible, nay,

ed favor the

n succeed in getting to Cathay by the west, there would be great difficulty in her ever returning, since there must be, in some manner, an ascent and a descent. I must say that most men deride this Colon; and I fea

h his eye riveted on the dignified form of Columbus, who stood calmly regarding the gorgeous s

he rich and the great to furnish him with th

old to prefer

pation of a map-maker. One hour he hath passed in arguing with philosophers and in soliciting prin

ak with this Colon. I see he remaineth yonder, in the crowd, and will go and tell him that

wilt thou open the

a, the nephew of the Do?a Beatriz of Moya, and

man is so filled with the vastness of his purposes; is so much raised up with the magnitude of the results that his mind intently contemplateth, day and night; seemeth so conscious of his own powers, that even

ordinary account of this man, and only increasest the desire

I had understood, he lately went, with the intent to go elsewhere with his project

his did not occur for several minutes, the looks of Colon being riveted on the towers of the Alhambra, where, at each instant, the signal of possession was expected to appear; and Luis de Bobadilla, who, truant, and errant, and volatile, and difficult to curb, as he had proved himself to be, never forgot his illustrious birth and the conventional distinctions attached to pers

this siege, and rejoice that you are here to witness it, as I h

ss the victory of the cross; but to me it conveyeth a lesson of perseverance, and s

ce is truly necessary to salvation; and I doubt not that a fitting symbol to the same may be found in th

has been Latinized; his eye kindling with that latent fire which seems so deeply seated in the visionary and the enthusiast. "It may seem out of reason to you, to make such applications of t

is a youthful kinsman of mine, who hath been somewhat of a rover, himself, in the indulgence of a youthful fancy, that neither friends nor yet love could restrain;

h a simplicity and dignity that at once put to flight all the notions of superiority and affability with which Don Luis had intended to carry on the conversation, and which had the immediat

, perhaps, are, a most adventurous and roving spirit, and the fact tha

all-wise and beneficent designs; and it is of such as these that my own chief worldly stay and support must be found. Then, next to Father Juan Perez de Ma

ded, as it might be, with a condescending favor, by any inferior to those who could claim the blood and lineage of princes. At first he was disposed to resent the words of the stranger; then to laugh in his face; but, observing that the friar treated him with great deference, and secretly awed by the air of the reputed proj

did not fail to lead the discourse, like one entitled to it by rank, or per

e wishes of Do?a Beatriz, or to my advice, he would not have thrown aside h

er, not with any intent to render their people strangers to each other, but, doubtless, that they might meet amid the wonders with which he hath adorned the ocean, and glorify his name and power so much the more. We al

n," observed the young man, not a little embarrassed as to the

and shrugged his shoulders, as one is apt to do when he listens to any thing extravagant; but the navigator proceeded in the earnest, grave manner that appeared to belong to his character. "It is now very many years since I was engaged in that remarkable combat between the forces of my kinsman and namesake, the younger Colombo, as he was called, to distinguish him from his uncle, the ancient admiral of the same name, which took place not far north from Cape St. Vincent. On that bloody d

(if such they were), with the idle and light-minded, who mistake momentary impulses for indelible impressions, and passing vanities for the convictions that temper character. Fray Pedro, instead of smiling, or in any ma

id the friar; "but we are taught that they all lead to the

my own humble efforts to honor him. We are but instruments, and useless instrum

ding out both arms eagerly, as if to embrace some distant object in the heavens, immediatel

tower of the Alhambra. At the next instant, the banners of Castile and of St. James were unfolded from other elevated places. Then came the song of triumph, mingled with the chants of the church. Te Deum was sung, and the choirs of the royal