part02-第4节

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sacred　Scriptures…　〃There　was　under　his　feet　as　it　were　a　paved　work

of　a　sapphire　stone〃　（Exod。　xxiv。　10）；　and　again；　〃Behold　I　will　lay

thy　stones　with　fair　colors；　and　lay　thy　foundations　with

sapphires。〃　（Isaiah　liv。　11。）

　　These　glazed　or　porcelain　tiles　were　introduced　into　Spain　at　an

early　date　by　the　Moslems。　Some　are　to　be　seen　among　the　Moorish　ruins

which　have　been　there　upwards　of　eight　centuries。　Manufactures　of　them

still　exist　in　the　peninsula；　and　they　are　much　used　in　the　best

Spanish　houses；　especially　in　the　southern　provinces；　for　paving　and

lining　the　summer　apartments。

　　The　Spaniards　introduced　them　into　the　Netherlands　when　they　had

possession　of　that　country。　The　people　of　Holland　adopted　them　with

avidity；　as　wonderfully　suited　to　their　passion　for　household

cleanliness；　and　thus　these　Oriental　inventions；　the　azulejos　of　the

Spanish；　the　az…zulaj　of　the　Arabs；　have　come　to　be　commonly　known

as　Dutch　tiles。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Important　Negotiations。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Author　Succeeds　to　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Throne　of　Boabdil。



　　THE　DAY　was　nearly　spent　before　we　could　tear　ourselves　from　this

region　of　poetry　and　romance　to　descend　to　the　city　and　return　to

the　forlorn　realities　of　a　Spanish　posada。　In　a　visit　of　ceremony　to

the　Governor　of　the　Alhambra；　to　whom　we　had　brought　letters；　we　dwelt

with　enthusiasm　on　the　scenes　we　had　witnessed；　and　could　not　but

express　surprise　that　he　should　reside　in　the　city　when　he　had　such

a　paradise　at　his　command。　He　pleaded　the　inconvenience　of　a　residence

in　the　palace　from　its　situation　on　the　crest　of　a　hill；　distant

from　the　seat　of　business　and　the　resorts　of　social　intercourse。　It

did　very　well　for　monarchs；　who　often　had　need　of　castle　walls　to

defend　them　from　their　own　subjects。　〃But　senores；〃　added　he；　smiling；

〃if　you　think　a　residence　there　so　desirable；　my　apartments　in　the

Alhambra　are　at　your　service。〃

　　It　is　a　common　and　almost　indispensable　point　of　politeness　in　a

Spaniard；　to　tell　you　his　house　is　yours。…　〃Esta　casa　es　siempre　a

la　disposicion　de　Vm。〃　〃This　house　is　always　at　the　command　of　your

Grace。〃　In　fact；　any　thing　of　his　which　you　admire；　is　immediately

offered　to　you。　It　is　equally　a　mark　of　good　breeding　in　you　not　to

accept　it；　so　we　merely　bowed　our　acknowledgments　of　the　courtesy　of

the　Governor　in　offering　us　a　royal　palace。　We　were　mistaken；　however。

The　Governor　was　in　earnest。　〃You　will　find　a　rambling　set　of　empty；

unfurnished　rooms；〃　said　he；　〃but　Tia　Antonia；　who　has　charge　of　the

palace；　may　be　able　to　put　them　in　some　kind　of　order；　and　to　take

care　of　you　while　you　are　there。　If　you　can　make　any　arrangement

with　her　for　your　accommodation；　and　are　content　with　scanty　fare　in　a

royal　abode；　the　palace　of　King　Chico　is　at　your　service。〃

　　We　took　the　Governor　at　his　word；　and　hastened　up　the　steep　Calle　de

los　Gomeres；　and　through　the　Great　Gate　of　Justice；　to　negotiate

with　Dame　Antonia；　doubting　at　times　if　this　were　not　a　dream；　and

fearing　at　times　that　the　sage　Duena　of　the　fortress　might　be　slow

to　capitulate。　We　knew　we　had　one　friend　at　least　in　the　garrison；　who

would　be　in　our　favor；　the　bright…eyed　little　Dolores；　whose　good

graces　we　had　propitiated　on　our　first　visit；　and　who　hailed　our

return　to　the　palace　with　her　brightest　looks。

　　All；　however；　went　smoothly。　The　good　Tia　Antonia　had　a　little

furniture　to　put　in　the　rooms；　but　it　was　of　the　commonest　kind。　We

assured　her　we　could　bivouac　on　the　floor。　She　could　supply　our　table；

but　only　in　her　own　simple　way…　we　wanted　nothing　better。　Her　niece；

Dolores；　would　wait　upon　us　and　at　the　word　we　threw　up　our　hats　and

the　bargain　was　complete。

　　The　very　next　day　we　took　up　our　abode　in　the　palace；　and　never

did　sovereigns　share　a　divided　throne　with　more　perfect　harmony。

Several　days　passed　by　like　a　dream；　when　my　worthy　associate；　being

summoned　to　Madrid　on　diplomatic　duties；　was　compelled　to　abdicate；

leaving　me　sole　monarch　of　this　shadowy　realm。　For　myself；　being　in

a　manner　a　haphazard　loiterer　about　the　world　and　prone　to　linger　in

its　pleasant　places；　here　have　I　been　suffering　day　by　day　to　steal

away　unheeded；　spellbound；　for　aught　I　know；　in　this　old　enchanted

pile。　Having　always　a　companionable　feeling　for　my　reader；　and　being

prone　to　live　with　him　on　confidential　terms；　I　shall　make　it　a

point　to　communicate　to　him　my　reveries　and　researches　during　this

state　of　delicious　thraldom。　If　they　have　the　power　of　imparting　to

his　imagination　any　of　the　witching　charms　of　the　place；　he　will　not

repine　at　lingering　with　me　for　a　season　in　the　legendary　halls　of　the

Alhambra。

　　At　first　it　is　proper　to　give　him　some　idea　of　my　domestic

arrangements；　they　are　rather　of　a　simple　kind　for　the　occupant　of　a

regal　palace；　but　I　trust　they　will　be　less　liable　to　disastrous

reverses　than　those　of　my　royal　predecessors。

　　My　quarters　are　at　one　end　of　the　Governor's　apartment；　a　suite　of

empty　chambers；　in　front　of　the　palace；　looking　out　upon　the　great

esplanade　called　la　plaza　de　los　algibes　（the　place　of　the

cisterns）；　the　apartment　is　modern；　but　the　end　opposite　to　my

sleeping…room　communicates　with　a　cluster　of　little　chambers；　partly

Moorish；　partly　Spanish；　allotted　to　the　chatelaine　Dona　Antonia　and

her　family。　In　consideration　of　keeping　the　palace　in　order；　the

good　dame　is　allowed　all　the　perquisites　received　from　visitors；　and

all　the　produce　of　the　gardens；　excepting　that　she　is　expected　to

pay　an　occasional　tribute　of　fruits　and　flowers　to　the　Governor。　Her

family　consists　of　a　nephew　and　niece；　the　children　of　two　different

brothers。　The　nephew；　Manuel　Molina；　is　a　young　man　of　sterling

worth　and　Spanish　gravity。　He　had　served　in　the　army；　both　in　Spain

and　the　West　Indies；　but　is　now　studying　medicine　in　the　hope　of　one

day　or　other　becoming　physician　to　the　fortress；　a　post　worth　at　least

one　hundred　and　forty　dollars　a　year。　The　niece　is　the　plump　little

black…eyed　Dolores　already　mentioned；　and　who；　it　is　said；　will　one

day　inherit　all　her　aunt's　possessions；　consisting　of　certain　petty

tenements　in　the　fortress；　in　a　somewhat　ruinous　condition　it　is　true；

but　which；　I　am　privately　assured　by　Mateo　Ximenes；　yield　a　revenue　of

nearly　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　so　that　she　is　quite　an

heiress　in　the　eyes　of　the　ragged　son　of　the　Alhambra。　I　am　also

informed　by　the　same　observant　and　authentic　personage；　that　a　quiet

courtship　is　going　on　between　the　discreet　Manuel　and　his

bright…eyed　cousin；　and　that　nothing　is　wanting　to　enable　them　to　join

their　hands　and　expectations　but　his　doctor's　diploma；　and　a

dispensation　from　the　Pope　on　account　of　their　consanguinity。

　　The　good　dame　Antonia　fulfils　faithfully　her　contract　in　regard　to

my　board　and　lodging；　and　as　I　am　easily　pleased；　I　find　my　fare

excellent；　while　the　merry…hearted　little　Dolores　keeps　my　apartment

in　order；　and　officiates　as　handmaid　at　meal…times。　I　have　also　at

my　command　a　tall；　stuttering；　yellow…haired　lad；　named　Pepe；　who

works　in　the　gardens；　and　would　fain　have　acted　as　valet；　but；　in

this；　he　was　forestalled　by　Mateo　Ximenes；　〃the　son　of　the

Alhambra。〃　This　alert　and　officious　wight　has　managed；　somehow　or

other；　to　stick　by　me　ever　since　I　first　encountered　him　at　the

outer　gate　of　the　fortress；　and　to　weave　himself　into　all　my　plans；

until　he　has　fairly　appointed　and　installed　himself　my　valet；

cicerone；　guide；　guard；　and　historio…graphic　squire；　and　I　have　been

obliged　to　improve　the　state　of　his　wardrobe；　that　he　may　not　disgrace

his　various　functions；　so　that　he　has　cast　his　old　brown　mantle；　as

a　snake　does　his　skin；　and　now　appears　about　the　fortress　with　a　smart

Andalusian　hat　and　jacket；　to　his　infinite　satisfaction；　and　the　great

astonishment　of　his　comrades。　The　chief　fault　of　honest　Mateo　is　an

over…anxiety　to　be　useful。　Conscious　of　having　foisted　himself　into　my

employ；　and　that　my　simple　and　quiet　habits　render　his　situation　a

sinecure；　he　is　at　his　wit's　ends　to　devise　modes　of　making　himself

important　to　my　welfare。　I　am；　in　a　manner；　the　victim　of　his

officiousness；　I　cannot　put　my　foot　over　the　threshold　of　the

palace；　to　stroll　about　the　fortress；　but　he　is　at　my　elbow；　to

explain　every　thing　I　see；　and　if　I　venture　to　ramble　among　the

surrounding　hills；　he　insists　upon　attending　me　as　a　guard；　though　I

vehemently　suspect　he　would　be　more　apt　to　trust　to　the　length　of

his　legs　than　the　strength　of　his　arms；　in　case　of　attack。　After

all；　however；　the　poor　fellow　is　at　times　an　amusing　companion；　he

is　simple…minded；　and　of　infinite　good　humor；　with　the　loquacity　and

gossip　of　a　village　barber；　and　knows　all　the　small…talk　of　the

place　and　its　environs；　but　what　he　chiefly　values　himself　on；　is

his　stock　of　local　information；　having　the　most　marvellous　stories

to　relate　of　every　tower；　and　vault；　and　gateway　of　the　fortress；　in

all　of