upon his feet and said, Friends and kinsmen and vassals, praised be God
and holy Mary Mother, all the good which I have in the world I have
here in Valencia; with hard labour I won the city, and hold it for my
heritage, and for nothing less than death will I leave it. My daughters
and my wife shall see me fight, they shall see with their own eyes our
manner of living in this land, and how we get our bread. We will go out
against the Moors and give them battle, and God who hath thus far shown
favour unto us will still continue to be our helper. When they heard
this they cried out with one accord that they would do his bidding, and
go out with him and fight under his banner, for certain they were that
by his good fortune the Moors would be overthrown.

XVIII. On the morrow the Cid took Dona Ximena by the hand, and her
daughters with her, and made them go up upon the highest tower of the
Alcazar, and they looked toward the sea and saw the great power of the
Moors, how they came on and drew nigh, and began to pitch their tents
round about Valencia, beating their tambours and with great uproar. And
Ximena's heart failed her, and she asked the Cid if peradventure God
would deliver him from these enemies. Fear not, honoured woman, said
he; you are but lately arrived, and they come to bring you a present,
which shall help marry your daughters. Fear not, for you shall see me
fight by the help of God and holy Mary Mother; my heart kindles because
you are here! The more Moors the more gain! The tambours sounded now
with a great alarum, and the sun was shining. Cheer up, said my Cid;
this is a glorious day. But Ximena was seized with such fear as if her
heart would have broken; she and her daughters had never been in such
fear since the day that they were born. Then the good Cid Campeador
stroked his beard and said, Fear not, all this is for your good. Before
fifteen days are over, if it please God, those tambours shall be laid
before you, and shall be sounded for your pleasure, and then they shall