part08-第4节

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with　black。　The　windows　were　closed　to　exclude　the　light　of　day：　a

number　of　yellow　wax　tapers　in　silver　sconces　diffused　a　lugubrious

light；　and　dimly　revealed　the　figures　of　mutes　in　mourning　dresses；

and　courtiers　who　glided　about　with　noiseless　step　and　woebegone

visage。　In　the　midst　of　a　funeral　bed　or　bier；　his　hands　folded　on　his

breast；　and　the　tip　of　his　nose　just　visible；　lay　extended　this

would…be…buried　monarch。

　　The　queen　entered　the　chamber　in　silence；　and　pointing　to　a

footstool　in　an　obscure　corner；　beckoned　to　Jacinta　to　sit　down　and

commence。

　　At　first　she　touched　her　lute　with　a　faltering　hand；　but　gathering

confidence　and　animation　as　she　proceeded；　drew　forth　such　soft　aerial

harmony；　that　all　present　could　scarce　believe　it　mortal。　As　to　the

monarch；　who　had　already　considered　himself　in　the　world　of　spirits；

he　set　it　down　for　some　angelic　melody　or　the　music　of　the　spheres。　By

degrees　the　theme　was　varied；　and　the　voice　of　the　minstrel

accompanied　the　instrument。　She　poured　forth　one　of　the　legendary

ballads　treating　of　the　ancient　glories　of　the　Alhambra　and　the

achievements　of　the　Moors。　Her　whole　soul　entered　into　the　theme；

for　with　the　recollections　of　the　Alhambra　was　associated　the　story　of

her　love。　The　funeral　chamber　resounded　with　the　animating　strain。

It　entered　into　the　gloomy　heart　of　the　monarch。　He　raised　his　head

and　gazed　around：　he　sat　up　on　his　couch；　his　eye　began　to　kindle…

at　length；　leaping　upon　the　floor；　he　called　for　sword　and　buckler。

　　The　triumph　of　music；　or　rather　of　the　enchanted　lute；　was　complete；

the　demon　of　melancholy　was　cast　forth；　and；　as　it　were；　a　dead　man

brought　to　life。　The　windows　of　the　apartment　were　thrown　open；　the

glorious　effulgence　of　Spanish　sunshine　burst　into　the　late　lugubrious

chamber；　all　eyes　sought　the　lovely　enchantress；　but　the　lute　had

fallen　from　her　hand；　she　had　sunk　upon　the　earth；　and　the　next　moment

was　clasped　to　the　bosom　of　Ruyz　de　Alarcon。

　　The　nuptials　of　the　happy　couple　were　celebrated　soon　afterwards

with　great　splendor；　and　the　Rose　of　the　Alhambra　became　the

ornament　and　delight　of　the　court。　〃But　hold…　not　so　fast〃…　I　hear　the

reader　exclaim；　〃this　is　jumping　to　the　end　of　a　story　at　a　furious

rate！　First　let　us　know　how　Ruyz　de　Alarcon　managed　to　account　to

Jacinta　for　his　long　neglect？〃　Nothing　more　easy；　the　venerable；

time…honored　excuse；　the　opposition　to　his　wishes　by　a　proud；

pragmatical　old　father：　besides；　young　people；　who　really　like　one

another；　soon　come　to　an　amicable　understanding；　and　bury　all　past

grievances　when　once　they　meet。

　　But　how　was　the　proud　pragmatical　old　father　reconciled　to　the

match？

　　Oh！　as　to　that；　his　scruples　were　easily　overcome　by　a　word　or　two

from　the　queen；　especially　as　dignities　and　rewards　were　showered　upon

the　blooming　favorite　of　royalty。　Besides；　the　lute　of　Jacinta；　you

know；　possessed　a　magic　power；　and　could　control　the　most　stubborn

head　and　hardest　breast。

　　And　what　came　of　the　enchanted　lute？

　　Oh；　that　is　the　most　curious　matter　of　all；　and　plainly　proves　the

truth　of　the　whole　story。　That　lute　remained　for　some　time　in　the

family；　but　was　purloined　and　carried　off；　as　was　supposed；　by　the

great　singer　Farinelli；　in　pure　jealousy。　At　his　death　it　passed

into　other　hands　in　Italy；　who　were　ignorant　of　its　mystic　powers；　and

melting　down　the　silver；　transferred　the　strings　to　an　old　Cremona

fiddle。　The　strings　still　retain　something　of　their　magic　virtues。　A

word　in　the　reader's　ear；　but　let　it　go　no　further…　that　fiddle　is　now

bewitching　the　whole　world…　it　is　the　fiddle　of　Paganini！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Veteran。



　　AMONG　the　curious　acquaintances　I　made　in　my　rambles　about　the

fortress；　was　a　brave　and　battered　old　colonel　of　Invalids；　who　was

nestled　like　a　hawk　in　one　of　the　Moorish　towers。　His　history；　which

he　was　fond　of　telling；　was　a　tissue　of　those　adventures；　mishaps；　and

vicissitudes　that　render　the　life　of　almost　every　Spaniard　of　note

as　varied　and　whimsical　as　the　pages　of　Gil　Blas。

　　He　was　in　America　at　twelve　years　of　age；　and　reckoned　among　the

most　signal　and　fortunate　events　of　his　life；　his　having　seen

General　Washington。　Since　then　he　had　taken　a　part　in　all　the　wars

of　his　country；　he　could　speak　experimentally　of　most　of　the　prisons

and　dungeons　of　the　Peninsula；　had　been　lamed　of　one　leg；　crippled

in　his　hands；　and　so　cut　up　and　carbonadoed　that　he　was　a　kind　of

walking　monument　of　the　troubles　of　Spain；　on　which　there　was　a　scar

for　every　battle　and　broil；　as　every　year　of　captivity　was　notched

upon　the　tree　of　Robinson　Crusoe。　The　greatest　misfortune　of　the　brave

old　cavalier；　however；　appeared　to　have　been　his　having　commanded　at

Malaga　during　a　time　of　peril　and　confusion；　and　been　made　a　general

by　the　inhabitants；　to　protect　them　from　the　invasion　of　the　French。

This　had　entailed　upon　him　a　number　of　just　claims　upon　government；

that　I　feared　would　employ　him　until　his　dying　day　in　writing　and

printing　petitions　and　memorials；　to　the　great　disquiet　of　his　mind；

exhaustion　of　his　purse；　and　penance　of　his　friends；　not　one　of　whom

could　visit　him　without　having　to　listen　to　a　mortal　document　of

half　an　hour　in　length；　and　to　carry　away　half　a　dozen　pamphlets　in

his　pocket。　This；　however；　is　the　case　throughout　Spain；　every　where

you　meet　with　some　worthy　wight　brooding　in　a　corner；　and　nursing　up

some　pet　grievance　and　cherished　wrong。　Besides；　a　Spaniard　who　has

a　lawsuit；　or　a　claim　upon　government；　may　be　considered　as

furnished　with　employment　for　the　remainder　of　his　life。

　　I　visited　the　veteran　in　his　quarters　in　the　upper　part　of　the　Torre

del　Vino；　or　Wine　Tower。　His　room　was　small　but　snug；　and　commanded

a　beautiful　view　of　the　Vega。　It　was　arranged　with　a　soldier's

precision。　Three　muskets　and　a　brace　of　pistols；　all　bright　and

shining；　were　suspended　against　the　wall；　with　a　sabre　and　a　cane

hanging　side　by　side；　and　above　them；　two　cocked　hats；　one　for　parade；

and　one　for　ordinary　use。　A　small　shelf；　containing　some　half　dozen

books；　formed　his　library；　one　of　which；　a　little　old　mouldy　volume　of

philosophical　maxims；　was　his　favorite　reading。　This　he　thumbed　and

pondered　over　day　by　day；　applying　every　maxim　to　his　own　particular

case；　provided　it　had　a　little　tinge　of　wholesome　bitterness；　and

treated　of　the　injustice　of　the　world。

　　Yet　he　was　social　and　kind…hearted；　and　provided　he　could　be

diverted　from　his　wrongs　and　his　philosophy；　was　an　entertaining

companion。　I　like　these　old　weather…beaten　sons　of　fortune；　and

enjoy　their　rough　campaigning　anecdotes。　In　the　course　of　my　visits　to

the　one　in　question；　I　learnt　some　curious　facts　about　an　old　military

commander　of　the　fortress；　who　seems　to　have　resembled　him　in　some

respects；　and　to　have　had　similar　fortunes　in　the　wars。　These

particulars　have　been　augmented　by　inquiries　among　some　of　the　old

inhabitants　of　the　place；　particularly　the　father　of　Mateo　Ximenes；　of

whose　traditional　stories　the　worthy　I　am　about　to　introduce　to　the

reader；　was　a　favorite　hero。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Governor　and　the　Notary。



　　IN　FORMER　times　there　ruled；　as　governor　of　the　Alhambra；　a

doughty　old　cavalier；　who；　from　having　lost　one　arm　in　the　wars；　was

commonly　known　by　the　name　of　el　Gobernador　Manco；　or　〃the　one…armed

governor。〃　He　in　fact　prided　himself　upon　being　an　old　soldier；　wore

his　mustaches　curled　up　to　his　eyes；　a　pair　of　campaigning　boots；

and　a　Toledo　as　long　as　a　spit；　with　his　pocket　handkerchief　in　the

basket…hilt。

　　He　was；　moreover；　exceedingly　proud　and　punctilious；　and　tenacious

of　all　his　privileges　and　dignities。　Under　his　sway　the　immunities

of　the　Alhambra；　as　a　royal　residence　and　domain；　were　rigidly

exacted。　No　one　was　permitted　to　enter　the　fortress　with　firearms；

or　even　with　a　sword　or　staff；　unless　he　were　of　a　certain　rank；　and

every　horseman　was　obliged　to　dismount　at　the　gate；　and　lead　his　horse

by　the　bridle。　Now　as　the　hill　of　the　Alhambra　rises　from　the　very

midst　of　the　city　of　Granada；　being；　as　it　were；　an　excrescence　of　the

capital；　it　must　at　all　times　be　somewhat　irksome　to　the

captain…general；　who　commands　the　province；　to　have　thus　an　imperium

in　imperio；　a　petty　independent　post　in　the　very　centre　of　his

domains。　It　was　rendered　the　more　galling；　in　the　present　instance；

from　the　irritable　jealousy　of　the　old　governor；　that　took　fire　on　the

least　question　of　authority　and　jurisdiction；　and　from　the　loose

vagrant　character　of　the　people　who　had　gradually　nestled　themselves

within　the　fortress；　as　in　a　sanctuary；　and　thence　carried　on　a　system

of　roguery　and　depredation　at　the　expense　of　the　honest　inhabitants　of

the　city。

　　Thus　there　was　a　perpetual　feud　and　heart…burning　between　the

captain…general　and　the　governor；　the　more　virulent　on　the　part　of　the

latter；　inasmuch　as　the　smallest　of　two　neighboring　potentates　is

always