Moriella

After this Vellido took the King apart and said to him, If it please you, Sir, let us ride together alone; we will go round Zamora, and see the trenches which you have ordered to be made; and I will show unto you the postern which is called the Queen's, by which we may enter the town, for it is never closed.

When it is night you shall give me a hundred knights who are hidalgos, well armed, and we will go on foot, and the Zamorans because they are weak with famine and misery, will let us conquer them, and we will enter and open the gate, and keep it open till all your host shall have entered in; and thus shall we win the town of Zamora.

The King believed what he said, and they took horse and went riding round the town, and the King looked at the trenches, and that traitor showed him the postern whereof he had spoken.

And after they had ridden round the town the King had need to alight upon the side of the Douro and go apart; now he carried in his hand a light hunting spear which was gilded over, even such as the Kings from whom he was descended were wont to bear; and he gave this to Vellido to hold it while he went aside, to cover his feet.

And Vellido Dolfos, when he saw him in that guise, took the hunting spear and thrust it between his shoulders, so that it went through him and came out at his breast.

And when he had stricken him he turned the reins and rode as fast as he could toward the postern; this was not the first treason which he had committed, for he had killed the Count Don Nuno treacherously.

Now it chanced that the Cid saw him riding thus, and asked him wherefore he fled, and he would not answer; and then the Cid understood that he had done some treason, and his heart misgave him that he had slain the King; and he called in haste for his horse, but while they were bringing it, Vellido had ridden far away; and the Cid being eager to follow him, took only his lance and did not wait to have his spurs buckled on.

And he followed him to the postern and had well nigh overtaken him, but Vellido got in; and then the Cid said in his anger, Cursed be the knight who ever gets on horseback without his spurs.

Now in all the feats of the Cid never was fault found in him save only in this, that he did not enter after Vellido into the town; but he did not fail to do this for cowardice, neither for fear of death, or of imprisonment; but because he thought that peradventure this was a device between him and the King, and that he fled by the King's command; for certes, if he had known that the King was slain, there was nothing which would have prevented him from entering the town, and slaying the traitor in the streets, thereright.