"Pray, Señor, do not deny me this only comfort; I wish particularly to sing at this moment."
"Thy reasons?"
"Because I always sing when I am afraid; there is nothing so efficacious as a song to drive away fear."
"In sooth, such singing as thine would drive away the very devil. But why shouldst thou fear?"
"Under favor, Don Lope," replied the valet, "methinks fear ought to be the most natural sensation at the present moment."
"Darest thou talk of fear, poltroon!" said Gomez Arias.
"By our Lady of the Pillar," ejaculated Roque, "such talk befits both time and place. Are we not in hourly danger of encountering a set of most fierce murderous-looking ladrones?"[25]
"Well, and if that were really the case, we have but to defend ourselves manfully. By the soul of the Cid, I would make very light work of a host of such ruffians."
"Well, my honored master," returned the valet, "but be pleased to consider that this is not our only danger, for I trow we are now in the mountains of Alpujarras, where those accursed and rebellious Moors hold dominion. A plague on the infidel dogs! Are they not continually on the watch to spring upon straggling and unwary Christians, and when they do surprise them—"
"Peace, fool, peace!" impatiently interrupted Gomez Arias, "This is not the Alpujarras. Forgettest thou that when we left Guadix two days since, we pursued quite a different route?"