Ozmin

“ Although this melancholy appearance admitted of different interpretations, Ozmin, through some remains of hope, explained it in his own favor; and felt a secret pleasure on that account, of which refined lovers only are susceptible. While he was thus occupied in observing Daraxa with attention, the shouts of the spectators at seeing the second bull turned out, much stronger and more vicious than the first, obliged him, at length, to withdraw his attention, which had been so long fixed on her balcony. ”

“ Ozmin was soon informed of all this by his mistress, who warned him of the delicate situation in which he stood; that he ought not to abuse the credulous passion of Elvira, nor could he, she trusted, be capable of betraying his faithful Daraxa; that in love the slightest appearances cause anxiety; and that when one person is in possession of the heart, she ought to be the sole object of all its desires. ”

“ So bold and surprising an action excited the admiration of the whole Court, and of all the people; the place re-echoed with shouts of applause and acclamations; nothing was to be heard for a full quarter of an hour, but, long live the Knight of the Blue Scarf, the strongest and bravest man of the age. While the valour of Ozmin was being thus proclaimed and celebrated, the timid Daraxa, whom the first sight of the bull had filled with the most dreadful apprehensions for her lover, was still so confounded, that she thought she saw the animal all in fury before her ”

“ What consolation for our lovers to have found means to establish an intercourse by letter, and even to see each other occasionally! Daraxa would gladly have walked alone in the palace gardens, that she might have conversed more freely with Ozmin; but it was too great a risk. They must both have been inevitably lost if any person had discovered them. Besides which, the sight of Ozmin had made so much impression on Elvira, that she never left her friend, and talked of nothing but the cavalier who had sung so finely. ”

“ In the mean time, Ozmin and Orviedo, having at length escaped from the crowd of people that had followed them, regained their inn; and having disarmed themselves, they returned to the place of sports, where the amorous Ozmin, pressing through the throng, placed himself under the balcony of the beautiful Moor. As he was now but plainly dressed, nobody took him for a man of any consequence notwithstanding his noble mien. Daraxa, who felt assured that he would not fail to appear again{161} before her, was looking all around for him ”

“ He had, however, nothing to apprehend; for suspicious and mistrustful as the old man was, he could distinguish nothing but the labourer in Ambrosio; and this false mason left his work at the regular time with the others, having had no other gratification during the whole of the day, than that of seeing his mistress pass him with Don Rodrigo, who was his rival. How much patience is necessary in love, although the most violent of all passions! Ozmin knew this already but too well. ”

“ To complete the misfortune, the beast, more enraged than ever, would not quit his victim, but was preparing to return to the charge; but Ozmin, from a generous feeling worthy of the warriors of those times, did not hesitate to fly to the assistance of his rival, notwithstanding what had just passed between them. With the very stick that he had wrenched from Don Alonso, he goaded the bull so severely, that he turned all his fury against him, and bent his head with the intention of goring him with his horns. ”

“ If the two ladies, Don Lewis, and Don Rodrigo, were thus uneasy, Ozmin was not without his share. He was not one who was easily alarmed; but his rival’s last words to him seemed to deserve{236} some attention, in order to prevent, if possible, any ill that might accrue to him. He had no weapon but a poniard, with which it was not possible to defend himself against thirty servants that were employed in the family, should they attempt to attack him. ”

“ Ozmin yielded to his reasonings, and determined to observe Daraxa attentively; at the same time, to shew her the difference between his rivals and himself, and to signalize himself by his strength and dexterity in the presence of the whole of the Catholic Court, he resolved to enter the lists at the combat of bulls. He enjoined Orviedo to prepare every thing that would be necessary for that exercise, invented by the Moors, and at which Ozmin was universally acknowledged to be the most expert in their nation. ”

“ On the other side of the wall was another ladder by which they descended into the street, and which was guarded by five or six stout footmen well armed, who had been kept in readiness to throw themselves into the garden on the first signal. Ozmin, judging from this that his generous friend was not a man of common rank, requested to be informed to whom he was so much obliged. But the unknown gentleman answered that he would explain this to him at his house. “As you are a stranger,” added he, “you cannot be aware what sort of a man Don Lewis is, of whom, I assure you, you cannot be too cautious. ”

“ With this view, he advanced towards her balcony, to be the more observed by her, and while he stood thus in expectation{164} of the animal’s approach, he perceived Ozmin, who now remained alone on that spot, fear having dispersed the crowd which had before surrounded him. Daraxa had in vain endeavoured, by signs, to prevail on him to follow them, or at least to get upon a scaffolding hard by; her tears had not been able to overcome his resolution; the conqueror of the bull of Tarita, would have considered it dishonorable to have shewn himself afraid of any other. ”

“ Conceive, if possible, the agreeable surprise of Ozmin, when he saw Daraxa enter his chamber with Don Alonso, and learnt what she had just achieved for him. His joy could only be equalled by that of his mistress, whose heart overflowed with rapturous emotion which she could not otherwise express than by the tears that flowed in torrents from her eyes. Zuniga partook of the pleasure of the lovers, and embraced his friend as sincerely as though he had not been his rival. His friendship mingled with his love. ”

“ Don Lewis desired him to{203} lay by his apron, take leave of his present master, and to wait upon him the next day, when he should be provided with every thing necessary for the cultivation of his flower garden.
Ozmin was now no longer, therefore, a mason, but a gardener to the Marquis de Padilla, who, on his arrival next day, began by prescribing to him the line of conduct which he was to observe, if he hoped to be retained for any length of time in his family. He desired him to entertain the greatest respect for the ladies, and to avoid any sort of intercourse with the female servants. ”

“ As for Ozmin, his grief is not to be described; but soon after his return to{142} Granada, having learned that the Christians, who had entered the suburbs of Baza with the Moors, had been obliged to abandon the town, he felt somewhat re-animated, and resolved to try his fate a third time. But just as he was ready to set out, Orviedo, his faithful squire, arrived from that city, charged with a packet from the Governor for the King, and a letter for Ozmin, in which he was made acquainted with the misfortune which had befallen his Daraxa. ”

“ Glory may be every where acquired; and many might be found, if sought for, who would willingly resign all pretensions to glory, and share the distresses of an unfortunate woman, in preference to serving all the monarchs upon earth.”
Anxious as Ozmin was to render himself serviceable to his country, he was unable to resist Daraxa’s persuasive remonstrances; and the lover, on this occasion, gained the victory over the hero in him. The Court set forward for the army; and the beautiful Moor was received by the Marquis de Padilla with as much honour as if she had been the Queen herself. ”

“ Ridiculous as such an undertaking appeared to Ozmin, he was too much enamoured of Daraxa to reject this opportunity of seeing her. He accepted the employment, dressed himself like a workman, and followed Orviedo, who said to the master-mason, “Senor Maestro de obra, this is my comrade Ambrosio, an unfortunate soldier, who after having{195} been four years a prisoner among the Moors, is reduced to labour for his subsistence.” The bargain was soon struck, and Ambrosio hired to begin his work the next morning. ”

“ Daraxa, can you, who know my heart, do me such an injustice? you, who so well know my virtuous sentiments as well as my abhorrence of infidelity.” “I would willingly believe,” answered Daraxa, wiping away her tears, “that I am to blame for being thus mistrustful; but I love you, Ozmin, and I cannot reflect without pain on your attentions to Elvira: you would not have gone so far, had they been equally painful to you. When I consider their effects, I am still more alarmed; Elvira is more positive than ever that she shall overcome your resistance by her perseverance. ”

“ I can by no means suffer so brave a man to expose his life for my sake.” “No, no,” replied the unknown, “do not imagine that I will leave you to perish, when I may render you assistance. I have two good pistols, one of{249} which is at your service, and I will fight at your side; or, if you wish me to retire, you must accompany me.” “I believe,” said Ozmin, “that it will be the wiser way. We shall get no great honour in employing our valour against such rascals. But how can we quit the garden?” ”

“ What words can express the affliction of the beautiful Moor? The idea of the ignominious treatment that was preparing for her dear Ozmin almost drove her mad. In the midst of her despair she met Don Lewis, at his return from the palace, where he had spent the whole of the morning. She cast upon him a furious and piercing look, and said, with{273} such transport as sufficiently evinced the disorder of her mind: “Barbarian! are you now satisfied? Unjust and cowardly Judges have consented without shame to gratify your resentment at the expence of innocence. ”

“ What had become of Ozmin all this while? As soon as he perceived that Elvira had taken flight at the report of the fire-arms which had interrupted their conversation, and which he found had not been levelled at him, he retreated precipitately from the gallery with the intention of taking shelter in an arbour, where he determined to sell his life dearly, if attacked. But a man who followed close behind him obliged him to stop,{248} saying: “Signor Don Jaymé, you have need of assistance; accept, therefore, of mine: it is you for whom they are searching ”

“ Are they only come here to see the sports? Dare they not enter? Are they afraid of the bull’s horns? Do they carry a lance only to lend it to some cavalier more worthy to do honour to himself with it?”
These railleries, so usual among the common people, who spare nobody on such occasions, were heard by Ozmin and Orviedo with contempt; all they attended to was the issue of the combat of the bull which was then in the square. ”

“ The wheelbarrow was in perpetual motion; and as in carrying the stones along he was obliged to pass frequently under{199} the windows of Daraxa’s apartment, he began to sing a pastoral song in the Moorish language. The masons considered him a lively fellow, who had been a long time prisoner among the Infidels, and were not surprised at hearing him sing one of their songs. But Laida heard him from her chamber; and curious to know what man it could be who was singing one of the songs of her country so well, went down into the garden, and recognized Ozmin. ”

“ The sports began, as usual, by the combat of bulls; they turned loose one at first, who not being one of the most savage, was quickly brought to the ground.
Our two Moors were already at the place; they kept on the outside of the{150} square, among many other persons on horseback, to see how the Christians managed these diversions. It need not be asked whether Ozmin looked about impatiently for his mistress, whom he soon distinguished ”

“ Finally she went to a friendly sorceress of our land named Glinda the Good, who heard the story and at once presented Ozma a magic carpet, which would continually unroll beneath our feet and so make a comfortable path for us to cross the desert. As soon as she had received the carpet our gracious Ruler ordered me to assemble our army, which I did. You behold in these bold warriors the pick of all the finest soldiers of Oz; and, if we are obliged to fight the Nome King, every officer as well as the private, will battle fiercely unto death. ”

“ But, search as they might, in no place could they find a funny ornament that might be the transformation of the Tin Woodman.
"Only one thing can be done," said Ozma, at last, "and that is to return to the Nome King and oblige him to tell us what has become of our friend."
"Perhaps he won't," suggested Billina.
"He must," returned Ozma, firmly. "The King has not treated us honestly, for under the mask of fairness and good nature he entrapped us all, and we would have been forever enchanted had not our wise and clever friend, the yellow hen, found a way to save us." ”

“ The Munchkin king entertained them at his palace that night, and in the morning they set out for the Emerald City, travelling over a road of yellow brick that led straight to the jewel-studded gates. Everywhere the people turned out to greet their beloved Ozma and to hail joyfully the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, who were popular favorites. Dorothy, too, remembered some of the people, who had befriended her on the occasion of her first visit to Oz, and they were well pleased to see the little Kansas girl again, and showered her with compliments and good wishes. ”