made, and told the Cid that he would be his host on a day appointed.
And Abeniaf bedecked the gate of this garden full richly, and spread
costly carpets, and ordered the way to be strewn with rushes, and made
a great feast, and expected him all the day, but he did not come. And
when it was night he sent to say that he was sick and could not come:
and he prayed him to hold him excused. This he did to see whether they
of Valencia would murmur against him. And the sons of Aboegib and all
the people murmured greatly, and would fain in their hearts have risen
against Abeniaf, but they durst not because of the Cid, with whom they
would not fall out least he should lay waste all that was without the
walls. And they looked daily for the Almoravides, and one day they
said, Lo! now they are coming: and on the morrow they said, They are
coming not. And in this manner some days past on. And the murmur which
there had been concerning the garden died away; and then the Cid
entered it, and took possession of the whole suburb of Alcudia round
about it: and this he did peaceably, for the Moors and Christians dwelt
there together.

XIII. Now came true tidings that the host of the Almoravides, which was
at Lorca, was coming on through Murcia, and that the tarriance which
they had made had been by reason of their Captain, who had fallen sick,
but he was now healed, and they were advancing fast. And the sons of
Aboegib and great part of the people rejoiced in these tidings, and
took heart: and Abeniaf was in great fear, and he began to excuse
himself to the men of the town, and said unto them to pacify them, that
they did him wrong to complain of him for the garden which the Cid had
asked of him, inasmuch as he had only given it him to disport himself
therein for some days and take his pleasure, and that he would make him
leave it again whenever it should please them. Moreover he said, that
seeing they were displeased with what he had done, he would take no