Don Alonso’s soldiers, delighted to find a house elegantly furnished, thought of nothing but plundering it; for himself, who wished for nothing but an opportunity of signalizing himself, he examined the house from top to bottom, sword in hand, with five or six of his followers, breaking open every door, to see if there were any other Moors prepared to oppose him. Passing thus from room to room, he at length came to the last, at the door of which he heard a loud shriek from within, and at the same time perceived five women, four of whom, all in tears, and almost senseless with fear, threw themselves at his feet, imploring him to save their honour and their lives; but the fifth, who by her air and majestic appearance was evidently the mistress of the rest, instead of kneeling with the others, held a poniard in her hand with a determined countenance. “Stop!” said she, in the Castilian language, upon Don Alonso’s approaching her, “this dagger shall protect me from any one who presumes to touch me.” No sooner did Don Alonso behold the face of the lady who addressed him in these courageous terms, than he was quite captivated by her beauty, and felt the emotions that love creates in a heart for the first time subjected to its dominion: already enraptured by his rising passion, he raised the visor of his helmet, sheathed his sword, and told the lady, in the most mild and respectful manner, that she need not be apprehensive of any violence from one who felt extremely concerned at the alarm he had caused her, but at the same time he felt most truly happy that fate had conducted him into her presence, to save her from the misfortunes that threatened her; he entreated her, therefore, to confide herself to his protection, and to accompany him at once, for fear of the fury of the soldiers, who, not being accustomed on such occasions as these to acknowledge any controul, might put it out of his power to preserve her from their outrages. At these words, the truth of which she but too well felt, she accepted his proffered assistance; upon which he desired his followers to take care of the other women, and let them carry away with them whatever they wished; after which he offered his hand to his captive, who, in spite of her uneasiness, was somewhat divested of her fears by the attention and appearance of the young cavalier; armed as he was, to behold his beautiful face, and his long hair which flowed in curls over his cuirass, he had more the appearance of a beautiful girl than of a soldier. This charming Moor, who, without exception, was the most engaging beauty in the kingdom of Granada, was named Daraxa; she was the daughter of the governor; and having learnt that the Moors had been driven back into the suburbs, she had endeavoured to regain the town, but finding the gates closed, had been obliged to return to this garden.