"It would have done your excellency's heart good, being an old
soldier, to have seen such grand provision for war. Then, in other
caverns, there were long rows of horsemen armed to the teeth, with
lances raised and banners unfurled, all ready for the field; but
they all sat motionless in their saddles like so many statues. In
other halls were warriors sleeping on the ground beside their
horses, and foot-soldiers in groups ready to fall into the ranks.
All were in old-fashioned Moorish dresses and armor.
"Well, your excellency, to cut a long story short, we at length
entered an immense cavern, or I may say palace, of grotto work, the
walls of which seemed to be veined with gold and silver, and to
sparkle with diamonds and sapphires and all kinds of precious
stones. At the upper end sat a Moorish king on a golden throne, with
his nobles on each side, and a guard of African blacks with drawn
cimeters. All the crowd that continued to flock in, and amounted to
thousands and thousands, passed one by one before his throne, each
paying homage as he passed. Some of the multitude were dressed in
magnificent robes, without stain or blemish and sparkling with jewels;
others in burnished and enamelled armor; while others were in
mouldered and mildewed garments, and in armor all battered and
dented and covered with rust.
"I had hitherto held my tongue, for your excellency well knows it is
not for a soldier to ask many questions when on duty, but I could keep
silent no longer.
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