part08-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



fortress；　and　think　on　the　hint　I　dropped　about　stopping　up　the

entrances　to　the　mountain。〃

　　Here　ended　the　scene。　The　prisoner　was　conducted　to　a　strong　dungeon

in　the　Vermilion　Tower；　the　Arabian　steed　was　led　to　his

excellency's　stable；　and　the　trooper's　sack　was　deposited　in　his

excellency's　strong　box。　To　the　latter；　it　is　true；　the　friar　made

some　demur；　questioning　whether　the　sacred　relics；　which　were

evidently　sacrilegious　spoils；　should　not　be　placed　in　custody　of

the　church；　but　as　the　governor　was　peremptory　on　the　subject；　and　was

absolute　lord　in　the　Alhambra；　the　friar　discreetly　dropped　the

discussion；　but　determined　to　convey　intelligence　of　the　fact　to　the

church　dignitaries　in　Granada。

　　To　explain　these　prompt　and　rigid　measures　on　the　part　of　old

Governor　Manco；　it　is　proper　to　observe；　that　about　this　time　the

Alpuxarra　mountains　in　the　neighborhood　of　Granada　were　terribly

infested　by　a　gang　of　robbers；　under　the　command　of　a　daring　chief

named　Manuel　Borasco；　who　were　accustomed　to　prowl　about　the

country；　and　even　to　enter　the　city　in　various　disguises；　to　gain

intelligence　of　the　departure　of　convoys　of　merchandise；　or　travellers

with　well…lined　purses；　whom　they　took　care　to　waylay　in　distant　and

solitary　passes　of　the　road。　These　repeated　and　daring　outrages　had

awakened　the　attention　of　government；　and　the　commanders　of　the

various　posts　had　received　instructions　to　be　on　the　alert；　and　to

take　up　all　suspicious　stragglers。　Governor　Manco　was　particularly

zealous　in　consequence　of　the　various　stigmas　that　had　been　cast

upon　his　fortress；　and　he　now　doubted　not　he　had　entrapped　some

formidable　desperado　of　this　gang。

　　In　the　mean　time　the　story　took　wind；　and　became　the　talk；　not

merely　of　the　fortress；　but　of　the　whole　city　of　Granada。　It　was

said　that　the　noted　robber　Manuel　Borasco；　the　terror　of　the

Alpuxarras；　had　fallen　into　the　clutches　of　old　Governor　Manco；　and

been　cooped　up　by　him　in　a　dungeon　of　the　Vermilion　Tower；　and　every

one　who　had　been　robbed　by　him　flocked　to　recognize　the　marauder。

The　Vermilion　Tower；　as　is　well　known；　stands　apart　from　the

Alhambra　on　a　sister　hill；　separated　from　the　main　fortress　by　the

ravine　down　which　passes　the　main　avenue。　There　were　no　outer　walls；

but　a　sentinel　patrolled　before　the　tower。　The　window　of　the　chamber

in　which　the　soldier　was　confined　was　strongly　grated；　and　looked　upon

a　small　esplanade。　Here　the　good　folks　of　Granada　repaired　to　gaze

at　him；　as　they　would　at　a　laughing　hyena；　grinning　through　the　cage

of　a　menagerie。　Nobody；　however；　recognized　him　for　Manuel　Borasco；

for　that　terrible　robber　was　noted　for　a　ferocious　physiognomy；　and

had　by　no　means　the　good…humored　squint　of　the　prisoner。　Visitors　came

not　merely　from　the　city；　but　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　but

nobody　knew　him；　and　there　began　to　be　doubts　in　the　minds　of　the

common　people　whether　there　might　not　be　some　truth　in　his　story。　That

Boabdil　and　his　army　were　shut　up　in　the　mountain；　was　an　old

tradition　which　many　of　the　ancient　inhabitants　had　heard　from　their

fathers。　Numbers　went　up　to　the　mountain　of　the　sun；　or　rather　of

St。　Elena；　in　search　of　the　cave　mentioned　by　the　soldier；　and　saw　and

peeped　into　the　deep　dark　pit；　descending；　no　one　knows　how　far；

into　the　mountain；　and　which　remains　there　to　this　day…　the　fabled

entrance　to　the　subterranean　abode　of　Boabdil。

　　By　degrees　the　soldier　became　popular　with　the　common　people。　A

freebooter　of　the　mountains　is　by　no　means　the　opprobrious　character

in　Spain　that　a　robber　is　in　any　other　country：　on　the　contrary；　he　is

a　kind　of　chivalrous　personage　in　the　eyes　of　the　lower　classes。　There

is　always　a　disposition；　also；　to　cavil　at　the　conduct　of　those　in

command；　and　many　began　to　murmur　at　the　high…handed　measures　of　old

Governor　Manco；　and　to　look　upon　the　prisoner　in　the　light　of　a

martyr。

　　The　soldier；　moreover；　was　a　merry；　waggish　fellow；　that　had　a

joke　for　every　one　who　came　near　his　window；　and　a　soft　speech　for

every　female。　He　had　procured　an　old　guitar　also；　and　would　sit　by　his

window　and　sing　ballads　and　love…ditties　to　the　delight　of　the　women

of　the　neighborhood；　who　would　assemble　on　the　esplanade　in　the

evening　and　dance　boleros　to　his　music。　Having　trimmed　off　his　rough

beard；　his　sunburnt　face　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　fair；　and

the　demure　handmaid　of　the　governor　declared　that　his　squint　was

perfectly　irresistible。　This　kind…hearted　damsel　had　from　the　first

evinced　a　deep　sympathy　in　his　fortunes；　and　having　in　vain　tried　to

mollify　the　governor；　had　set　to　work　privately　to　mitigate　the

rigor　of　his　dispensations。　Every　day　she　brought　the　prisoner　some

crumbs　of　comfort　which　had　fallen　from　the　governor's　table；　or

been　abstracted　from　his　larder；　together　with；　now　and　then；　a

consoling　bottle　of　choice　Val　de　Penas；　or　rich　Malaga。

　　While　this　petty　treason　was　going　on；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　old

governor's　citadel；　a　storm　of　open　war　was　brewing　up　among　his

external　foes。　The　circumstance　of　a　bag　of　gold　and　jewels　having

been　found　upon　the　person　of　the　supposed　robber；　had　been

reported；　with　many　exaggerations；　in　Granada。　A　question　of

territorial　jurisdiction　was　immediately　started　by　the　governor's

inveterate　rival；　the　captain…general。　He　insisted　that　the　prisoner

had　been　captured　without　the　precincts　of　the　Alhambra；　and　within

the　rules　of　his　authority。　He　demanded　his　body　therefore；　and　the

spolia　opima　taken　with　him。　Due　information　having　been　carried

likewise　by　the　friar　to　the　grand　inquisitor　of　the　crosses　and

rosaries；　and　other　relics　contained　in　the　bag；　he　claimed　the

culprit　as　having　been　guilty　of　sacrilege；　and　insisted　that　his

plunder　was　due　to　the　church；　and　his　body　to　the　next　auto…da…fe。

The　feuds　ran　high；　the　governor　was　furious；　and　swore；　rather　than

surrender　his　captive；　he　would　hang　him　up　within　the　Alhambra；　as

a　spy　caught　within　the　purlieus　of　the　fortress。

　　The　captain…general　threatened　to　send　a　body　of　soldiers　to

transfer　the　prisoner　from　the　Vermilion　Tower　to　the　city。　The

grand　inquisitor　was　equally　bent　upon　dispatching　a　number　of　the

familiars　of　the　Holy　Office。　Word　was　brought　late　at　night　to　the

governor　of　these　machinations。　〃Let　them　come；〃　said　he；　〃they'll

find　me　beforehand　with　them；　he　must　rise　bright　and　early　who

would　take　in　an　old　soldier。〃　He　accordingly　issued　orders　to　have

the　prisoner　removed；　at　daybreak；　to　the　donjon　keep　within　the　walls

of　the　Alhambra。　〃And　d'ye　hear；　child；〃　said　he　to　his　demure

handmaid；　〃tap　at　my　door；　and　wake　me　before　cock…crowing；　that　I　may

see　to　the　matter　myself。〃

　　The　day　dawned；　the　cock　crowed；　but　nobody　tapped　at　the　door　of

the　governor。　The　sun　rose　high　above　the　mountain…tops；　and　glittered

in　at　his　casement；　ere　the　governor　was　awakened　from　his　morning

dreams　by　his　veteran　corporal；　who　stood　before　him　with　terror

stamped　upon　his　iron　visage。

　　〃He's　off！　he's　gone！〃　cried　the　corporal；　gasping　for　breath。

　　〃Who's　off…　who's　gone？〃

　　〃The　soldier…　the　robber…　the　devil；　for　aught　I　know；　his　dungeon

is　empty；　but　the　door　locked：　no　one　knows　how　he　has　escaped　out

of　it。〃

　　〃Who　saw　him　last？〃

　　〃Your　handmaid；　she　brought　him　his　supper。〃

　　〃Let　her　be　called　instantly。〃

　　Here　was　new　matter　of　confusion。　The　chamber　of　the　demure　damsel

was　likewise　empty；　her　bed　had　not　been　slept　in：　she　had　doubtless

gone　off　with　the　culprit；　as　she　had　appeared；　for　some　days　past；　to

have　frequent　conversations　with　him。

　　This　was　wounding　the　old　governor　in　a　tender　part；　but　he　had

scarce　time　to　wince　at　it；　when　new　misfortunes　broke　upon　his

view。　On　going　into　his　cabinet　he　found　his　strong　box　open；　the

leather　purse　of　the　trooper　abstracted；　and　with　it；　a　couple　of

corpulent　bags　of　doubloons。

　　But　how；　and　which　way　had　the　fugitives　escaped？　An　old　peasant　who

lived　in　a　cottage　by　the　road…side；　leading　up　into　the　Sierra；

declared　that　he　had　heard　the　tramp　of　a　powerful　steed　just　before

daybreak；　passing　up　into　the　mountains。　He　had　looked　out　at　his

casement；　and　could　just　distinguish　a　horseman；　with　a　female

seated　before　him。

　　〃Search　the　stables！〃　cried　Governor　Manco。　The　stables　were

searched；　all　the　horses　were　in　their　stalls；　excepting　the　Arabian

steed。　In　his　place　was　a　stout　cudgel　tied　to　the　manger；　and　on　it　a

label　bearing　these　words；　〃A　gift　to　Governor　Manco；　from　an　Old

Soldier。〃