part07-第11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！



delights　to　struggle　with　difficulties；　and　thrives　the　most　hardily

on　the　scantiest　soil。

　　The　change　effected　in　the　looks　and　spirits　of　the　princesses　by

this　secret　intercourse；　surprised　and　gratified　the　left…handed　king；

but　no　one　was　more　elated　than　the　discreet　Kadiga；　who　considered　it

all　owing　to　her　able　management。

　　At　length　there　was　an　interruption　in　this　telegraphic

correspondence；　for　several　days　the　cavaliers　ceased　to　make　their

appearance　in　the　glen。　The　princesses　looked　out　from　the　tower　in

vain。　In　vain　they　stretched　their　swan…like　necks　from　the　balcony；

in　vain　they　sang　like　captive　nightingales　in　their　cage：　nothing　was

to　be　seen　of　their　Christian　lovers；　not　a　note　responded　from　the

groves。　The　discreet　Kadiga　sallied　forth　in　quest　of　intelligence；

and　soon　returned　with　a　face　full　of　trouble。　〃Ah；　my　children！〃

cried　she；　〃I　saw　what　all　this　would　come　to；　but　you　would　have　your

way；　you　may　now　hang　up　your　lutes　on　the　willows。　The　Spanish

cavaliers　are　ransomed　by　their　families；　they　are　down　in　Granada；

and　preparing　to　return　to　their　native　country。〃

　　The　three　beautiful　princesses　were　in　despair　at　the　tidings。　Zayda

was　indignant　at　the　slight　put　upon　them；　in　thus　being　deserted

without　a　parting　word。　Zorayda　wrung　her　hands　and　cried；　and

looked　in　the　glass；　and　wiped　away　her　tears；　and　cried　afresh。　The

gentle　Zorahayda　leaned　over　the　balcony　and　wept　in　silence；　and

her　tears　fell　drop　by　drop　among　the　flowers　of　the　bank　where　the

faithless　cavaliers　had　so　often　been　seated。

　　The　discreet　Kadiga　did　all　in　her　power　to　soothe　their　sorrow。

〃Take　comfort；　my　children；〃　said　she；　〃this　is　nothing　when　you　are

used　to　it。　This　is　the　way　of　the　world。　Ah！　when　you　are　as　old　as　I

am；　you　will　know　how　to　value　these　men。　I'll　warrant　these　cavaliers

have　their　loves　among　the　Spanish　beauties　of　Cordova　and　Seville；

and　will　soon　be　serenading　under　their　balconies；　and　thinking　no

more　of　the　Moorish　beauties　in　the　Alhambra。　Take　comfort；　therefore；

my　children；　and　drive　them　from　your　hearts。〃

　　The　comforting　words　of　the　discreet　Kadiga　only　redoubled　the

distress　of　the　three　princesses；　and　for　two　days　they　continued

inconsolable。　On　the　morning　of　the　third；　the　good　old　woman

entered　their　apartment；　all　ruffling　with　indignation。

　　〃Who　would　have　believed　such　insolence　in　mortal　man！〃　exclaimed

she；　as　soon　as　she　could　find　words　to　express　herself；　〃but　I　am

rightly　served　for　having　connived　at　this　deception　of　your　worthy

father。　Never　talk　more　to　me　of　your　Spanish　cavaliers。〃

　　〃Why；　what　has　happened；　good　Kadiga？〃　exclaimed　the　princesses　in

breathless　anxiety。

　　〃What　has　happened？…　treason　has　happened！　or　what　is　almost　as　bad；

treason　has　been　proposed；　and　to　me；　the　most　faithful　of　subjects；

the　trustiest　of　duennas！　Yes；　my　children；　the　Spanish　cavaliers　have

dared　to　tamper　with　me；　that　I　should　persuade　you　to　fly　with　them

to　Cordova；　and　become　their　wives！〃

　　Here　the　excellent　old　woman　covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and

gave　way　to　a　violent　burst　of　grief　and　indignation。　The　three

beautiful　princesses　turned　pale　and　red；　pale　and　red；　and

trembled；　and　looked　down；　and　cast　shy　looks　at　each　other；　but

said　nothing。　Meantime；　the　old　woman　sat　rocking　backward　and　forward

in　violent　agitation；　and　now　and　then　breaking　out　into　exclamations；

〃That　ever　I　should　live　to　be　so　insulted！…　I；　the　most　faithful　of

servants！〃

　　At　length；　the　eldest　princess；　who　had　most　spirit　and　always

took　the　lead；　approached　her；　and　laying　her　hand　upon　her

shoulder；　〃Well；　mother；〃　said　she；　〃supposing　we　were　willing　to

fly　with　these　Christian　cavaliers…　is　such　a　thing　possible？〃

　　The　good　old　woman　paused　suddenly　in　her　grief；　and　looking　up；

〃Possible；〃　echoed　she；　〃to　be　sure；　it　is　possible。　Have　not　the

cavaliers　already　bribed　Hussein　Baba；　the　renegado　captain　of　the

guard；　and　arranged　the　whole　plan？　But；　then；　to　think　of　deceiving

your　father！　your　father；　who　has　placed　such　confidence　in　me！〃

Here　the　worthy　woman　gave　way　to　a　fresh　burst　of　grief；　and　began　to

rock　backward　and　forward；　and　to　wring　her　hands。

　　〃But　our　father　has　never　placed　any　confidence　in　us；〃　said　the

eldest　princess；　〃but　has　trusted　to　bolts　and　bars；　and　treated　us　as

captives。〃

　　〃Why；　that　is　true　enough；〃　replied　the　old　woman；　again　pausing

in　her　grief；　〃he　has　indeed　treated　you　most　unreasonably；　keeping

you　shut　up　here；　to　waste　your　bloom　in　a　moping　old　tower；　like

roses　left　to　wither　in　a　flower…jar。　But；　then；　to　fly　from　your

native　land！〃

　　〃And　is　not　the　land　we　fly　to；　the　native　land　of　our　mother；　where

we　shall　live　in　freedom？　And　shall　we　not　each　have　a　youthful

husband　in　exchange　for　a　severe　old　father？〃

　　〃Why；　that　again　is　all　very　true；　and　your　father；　I　must

confess；　is　rather　tyrannical：　but　what　then；〃　relapsing　into　her

grief；　〃would　you　leave　me　behind　to　bear　the　brunt　of　his　vengeance？〃

　　〃By　no　means；　my　good　Kadiga；　cannot　you　fly　with　us？〃

　　〃Very　true；　my　child；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　when　I　talked　the

matter　over　with　Hussein　Baba；　he　promised　to　take　care　of　me；　if　I

would　accompany　you　in　your　flight：　but　then；　bethink　you；　my

children；　are　you　willing　to　renounce　the　faith　of　your　father？〃

　　〃The　Christian　faith　was　the　original　faith　of　our　mother；〃　said　the

eldest　princess；　〃I　am　ready　to　embrace　it；　and　so；　I　am　sure；　are

my　sisters。〃

　　〃Right　again；〃　exclaimed　the　old　woman；　brightening　up；　〃it　was

the　original　faith　of　your　mother；　and　bitterly　did　she　lament；　on　her

death…bed；　that　she　had　renounced　it。　I　promised　her　then　to　take　care

of　your　souls；　and　I　rejoice　to　see　that　they　are　now　in　a　fair　way　to

be　saved。　Yes；　my　children；　I；　too；　was　born　a　Christian；　and　have

remained　a　Christian　in　my　heart；　and　am　resolved　to　return　to　the

faith。　I　have　talked　on　the　subject　with　Hussein　Baba；　who　is　a

Spaniard　by　birth；　and　comes　from　a　place　not　far　from　my　native　town。

He　is　equally　anxious　to　see　his　own　country；　and　to　be　reconciled

to　the　church；　and　the　cavaliers　have　promised；　that；　if　we　are

disposed　to　become　man　and　wife；　on　returning　to　our　native　land；　they

will　provide　for　us　handsomely。〃

　　In　a　word；　it　appeared　that　this　extremely　discreet　and　provident

old　woman　had　consulted　with　the　cavaliers　and　the　renegado；　and　had

concerted　the　whole　plan　of　escape。　The　eldest　princess　immediately

assented　to　it；　and　her　example；　as　usual；　determined　the　conduct　of

her　sisters。　It　is　true；　the　youngest　hesitated；　for　she　was　gentle

and　timid　of　soul；　and　there　was　a　struggle　in　her　bosom　between

filial　feeling　and　youthful　passion：　the　latter；　however；　as　usual；

gained　the　victory；　and　with　silent　tears；　and　stifled　sighs；　she

prepared　herself　for　flight。

　　The　rugged　hill　on　which　the　Alhambra　is　built　was；　in　old　times；

perforated　with　subterranean　passages；　cut　through　the　rock；　and

leading　from　the　fortress　to　various　parts　of　the　city；　and　to　distant

sally…ports　on　the　banks　of　the　Darro　and　the　Xenil。　They　had　been

constructed　at　different　times　by　the　Moorish　kings；　as　means　of

escape　from　sudden　insurrections；　or　of　secretly　issuing　forth　on

private　enterprises。　Many　of　them　are　now　entirely　lost；　while

others　remain；　partly　choked　with　rubbish；　and　partly　walled　up；

monuments　of　the　jealous　precautions　and　warlike　stratagems　of　the

Moorish　government。　By　one　of　these　passages；　Hussein　Baba　had

undertaken　to　conduct　the　princesses　to　a　sally…port　beyond　the

walls　of　the　city；　where　the　cavaliers　were　to　be　ready　with　fleet

steeds；　to　bear　the　whole　party　over　the　borders。

　　The　appointed　night　arrived：　the　tower　of　the　princesses　had　been

locked　up　as　usual；　and　the　Alhambra　was　buried　in　deep　sleep。　Towards

midnight；　the　discreet　Kadiga　listened　from　the　balcony　of　a　window

that　looked　into　the　garden。　Hussein　Baba；　the　renegado；　was　already

below；　and　gave　the　appointed　signal。　The　duenna　fastened　the　end　of　a

ladder　of　ropes　to　the　balcony；　lowered　it　into　the　garden　and

descended。　The　two　eldest　princesses　followed　her　with　beating　hearts；

but　when　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the　youngest　princess；　Zorahayda；

she　hesitated；　and　trembled。　Several　times　she　ventured　a　delicate

little　foot　upon　the　ladder；　and　as　often　drew　it　back；　while　her　poor

little　heart　fluttered　more　and　more　the　longer　she　delayed。　She

cast　a　wistful　look　back　into　the　silken　chamber；　she　had　lived　in　it；

to　be　sure；　like　a　bird　in　a　cage；　but　within　it　she　was　secure；　who

could　tell　what　dangers　might　beset　her；　should　she　flutter　forth　into

the　wide　world！　Now　she　bethought　her　of　the　gallant　Christian

lover；　and　her　little　foot　was　instantly　upon　the　ladder；　and　anon　she

thought　of　her　father；　and　shrank　back。　But　fruitless　is　the　attempt

to　describe　the　conflict　in　the　bosom　of　one　so