(English version)
Over the roofs, a silent shadow shifted dizzily. Down, through the dark and cobbled streets, a cold perspiration covered the forehead of a man who hastily run with the terror inundated his eyes. Darkness was just partially broken by oil lamps that timidly illuminated the facades of some houses, since that night the moon didn´t gift its enchanted light. With the heart about coming out from his chest, the man fled across Santa Cruz´ maze of alleys reaching Mrs. Elvira´s square finding what he was looking for, a bustling place where getting lost as an improvised refuge, and that way, being able of eluding his pursuer. The rejoicing of a proposal, facilitated the nocturnal runner a priceless subterfuge to pass unperceived. He followed the retinue across the alleys on the way to the cathedral, passing in front of the door where that Jew in love with a Christian nobleman, to whom, scared of being killed, revealed the secret plan that her father plotted with others in order to revolt against the Christian oppression, contributing to their arrest and execution. Being regretful for the consequence of that act, buried in shame her days requesting that after her death, her head was placed over the door of her house as a payment for the betrayal which tormented her life.
In that moment, the celebration was interrupted due to a terrific female shout, when a blood trail violently came from the carotid of who believed was saved amongst the crowd.
A circle was opened among the people and someone brought an oil lamp closer to illuminate the body, next to it a hooded figure that, absolutely calm, whispered some words while slid with mercy his fingers over the victim´ eyelids to cover his already, dilated pupils. He looked up the sorrowful crowd from the gloomy den that his hood provided to his vivacious eyes, and then one of the witness exclaimed:
—Murderer! —But they had barely walked two steps on the direction to the attacker, when he fled from the siege running with an amazing agility over the wall and jumping to a window, which gave him the thrust enough to disappear over the roofs facing the astonishment of all who assisted such a marvel.
That night, on the streets of Seville, a body of a Christian lied in front of the beautiful Susona´s house, with her sinister skull more macabre than ever dominating the lintel of the door splashed of scarlet.
Pepe Gallego
(Translated by Ariadna B. Alonso)
<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"><img alt="Licencia Creative Commons" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br /><span xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" property="dct:title">"Misericordia" (English)</span> por <a xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" href="http://pedrofernandezworks.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/misericordia_27.html" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">Pepe Gallego</a> se distribuye bajo una <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivar 4.0 Internacional</a>.
Sobre los tejados, una silenciosa sombra se desplazaba vertiginosamente. Abajo, por las oscuras y empedradas calles, el sudor frío perlaba la frente de un hombre que corría atropelladamente con el terror anegándole los ojos. Las tinieblas solo eran parcialmente quebradas por candiles de aceite que alumbraban tímidamente las fachadas de algunas casas, pues aquella noche la luna no regalaba su embrujador haz de luz. Con el corazón a punto de salirle del pecho, el individuo huía por el laberinto de callejones del Barrio de Santa Cruz logrando alcanzar la Plaza de Doña Elvira hallando lo que buscaba, un lugar bullicioso con personas entre las que mezclarse haciendo de ellas un improvisado amparo, y de ese modo poder despistar a su perseguidor. La algarabía de una pedida de mano, facilitó al sofocado corredor nocturno un subterfugio impagable entre el que pasar desapercibido. Siguió a la comitiva a través de las callejuelas en dirección a la catedral, pasando ante la puerta de aquella judía enamorada de un noble cristiano, a quien por miedo a que fuese asesinado, reveló el plan secreto que su padre urdía junto a otros elegidos para sublevarse contra la opresión cristiana, propiciando que fuesen apresados y ejecutados. Arrepentida al ver la consecuencia del acto, enterró en vergüenza sus días pidiendo que al llegarle la muerte, colocaran su cabeza sobre la puerta de entrada a la casa como pago de la traición que atormentó su vida.
En aquel preciso instante, la festividad se rompió con un terrorífico grito femenino, cuando un reguero de sangre emanó violentamente de la carótida del que se pensaba a salvo entre la multitud. Un círculo se abrió entre el gentío y alguien arrimó un candil para iluminar al caído, junto al que se encontraba una figura encapuchada que, con suma tranquilidad, murmuró unas palabras mientras deslizaba con misericordia sus dedos sobre los párpados de la víctima para cubrir las ya dilatadas pupilas. Se alzó mirando a los compungidos presentes desde la lóbrega guarida que la capucha proporcionaba a sus vivaces ojos, y entonces uno de los testigos gritó:
—¡Al asesino! —pero apenas les dio tiempo a dar dos pasos en dirección al agresor, cuando este escapó del asedio corriendo con una agilidad pasmosa por la pared y saltando a una ventana, que le propinó el impulso necesario para desaparecer por los tejados ante el asombro de los asistentes a tal prodigio.
Aquella noche, en las calles de Sevilla yacía el cadáver de un cristiano ante la casa de la bella Susona, con su siniestra calavera más macabra que nunca presidiendo el dintel de la puerta salpicado de escarlata.
Pepe Gallego
<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"><img alt="Licencia Creative Commons" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br /><span xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" property="dct:title">"Misericordia"</span> por <a xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" href="http://pedrofernandezworks.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/misericordia.html" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">Pepe Gallego</a> se distribuye bajo una <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivar 4.0 Internacional</a>.
Over the roofs, a silent shadow shifted dizzily. Down, through the dark and cobbled streets, a cold perspiration covered the forehead of a man who hastily run with the terror inundated his eyes. Darkness was just partially broken by oil lamps that timidly illuminated the facades of some houses, since that night the moon didn´t gift its enchanted light. With the heart about coming out from his chest, the man fled across Santa Cruz´ maze of alleys reaching Mrs. Elvira´s square finding what he was looking for, a bustling place where getting lost as an improvised refuge, and that way, being able of eluding his pursuer. The rejoicing of a proposal, facilitated the nocturnal runner a priceless subterfuge to pass unperceived. He followed the retinue across the alleys on the way to the cathedral, passing in front of the door where that Jew in love with a Christian nobleman, to whom, scared of being killed, revealed the secret plan that her father plotted with others in order to revolt against the Christian oppression, contributing to their arrest and execution. Being regretful for the consequence of that act, buried in shame her days requesting that after her death, her head was placed over the door of her house as a payment for the betrayal which tormented her life.
