Day after day he issued out against
these infidels, and did nought but slay and slay. He took no plunder
as other knights did, but left that to his followers; he uttered no
war-cry, as was the manner of chivalry, and he gave no quarter, insomuch
that the "silent knight" became the dread of all the Paynims of Granada
and Andalusia, and more fell by his lance than by that of any the most
clamorous captains of the troops in arms against them. Thus the tide of
battle turned, and the Arab historian, El Makary, recounts how, at
the great battle of Al Akab, called by the Spaniards Las Navas, the
Christians retrieved their defeat at Alarcos, and absolutely killed
half a milllion of Mahometans. Fifty thousand of these, of course, Don
Wilfrid took to his own lance; and it was remarked that the melancholy
warrior seemed somewhat more easy in spirits after that famous feat of
arms.
CHAPTER VII.
THE END OF THE PERFORMANCE.
In a short time the terrible Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe had killed off
so many of the Moors, that though those unbelieving miscreants poured
continual reinforcements into Spain from Barbary, they could make no
head against the Christian forces, and in fact came into battle quite
discouraged at the notion of meeting the dreadful silent knight.
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