part07-第12节

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

to　describe　the　conflict　in　the　bosom　of　one　so　young　and　tender　and

loving；　but　so　timid；　and　so　ignorant　of　the　world。

　　In　vain　her　sisters　implored；　the　duenna　scolded；　and　the　renegado

blasphemed　beneath　the　balcony；　the　gentle　little　Moorish　maid　stood

doubting　and　wavering　on　the　verge　of　elopement；　tempted　by　the

sweetness　of　the　sin；　but　terrified　at　its　perils。

　　Every　moment　increased　the　danger　of　discovery。　A　distant　tramp

was　heard。　〃The　patrols　are　walking　their　rounds；〃　cried　the　renegado；

〃if　we　linger；　we　perish。　Princess；　descend　instantly；　or　we　leave

you。〃

　　Zorahayda　was　for　a　moment　in　fearful　agitation；　then　loosening

the　ladder　of　ropes；　with　desperate　resolution；　she　flung　it　from

the　balcony。

　　〃It　is　decided！〃　cried　she；　〃flight　is　now　out　of　my　power！　Allah

guide　and　bless　ye；　my　dear　sisters！〃

　　The　two　eldest　princesses　were　shocked　at　the　thoughts　of　leaving

her　behind；　and　would　fain　have　lingered；　but　the　patrol　was

advancing；　the　renegado　was　furious；　and　they　were　hurried　away　to　the

subterraneous　passage。　They　groped　their　way　through　a　fearful

labyrinth；　cut　through　the　heart　of　the　mountain；　and　succeeded　in

reaching；　undiscovered；　an　iron　gate　that　opened　outside　of　the　walls。

The　Spanish　cavaliers　were　waiting　to　receive　them；　disguised　as

Moorish　soldiers　of　the　guard；　commanded　by　the　renegado。

　　The　lover　of　Zorahayda　was　frantic；　when　he　learned　that　she　had

refused　to　leave　the　tower；　but　there　was　no　time　to　waste　in

lamentations。　The　two　princesses　were　placed　behind　their　lovers；

the　discreet　Kadiga　mounted　behind　the　renegado；　and　they　all　set

off　at　a　round　pace　in　the　direction　of　the　Pass　of　Lope；　which

leads　through　the　mountains　towards　Cordova。

　　They　had　not　proceeded　far　when　they　heard　the　noise　of　drums　and

trumpets　from　the　battlements　of　the　Alhambra。

　　〃Our　flight　is　discovered！〃　said　the　renegado。

　　〃We　have　fleet　steeds；　the　night　is　dark；　and　we　may　distance　all

pursuit；〃　replied　the　cavaliers。

　　They　put　spurs　to　their　horses；　and　scoured　across　the　Vega。　They

attained　the　foot　of　the　mountain　of　Elvira；　which　stretches　like　a

promontory　into　the　plain。　The　renegado　paused　and　listened。　〃As　yet；〃

said　he；　〃there　is　no　one　on　our　traces；　we　shall　make　good　our　escape

to　the　mountains。〃　While　he　spoke；　a　light　blaze　sprang　up　on　the

top　of　the　watchtower　of　the　Alhambra。

　　〃Confusion！〃　cried　the　renegado；　〃that　bale　fire　will　put　all　the

guards　of　the　passes　on　the　alert。　Away！　away！　Spur　like　mad…　there　is

no　time　to　be　lost。〃

　　Away　they　dashed…　the　clattering　of　their　horses'　hoofs　echoed

from　rock　to　rock；　as　they　swept　along　the　road　that　skirts　the

rocky　mountain　of　Elvira。　As　they　galloped　on；　the　bale　fire　of　the

Alhambra　was　answered　in　every　direction；　light　after　light　blazed

on　the　atalayas；　or　watchtowers　of　the　mountains。

　　〃Forward！　forward！〃　cried　the　renegado；　with　many　an　oath；　〃to　the

bridge…　to　the　bridge；　before　the　alarm　has　reached　there！〃

　　They　doubled　the　promontory　of　the　mountains；　and　arrived　in　sight

of　the　famous　Bridge　of　Pinos；　that　crosses　a　rushing　stream　often

dyed　with　Christian　and　Moslem　blood。　To　their　confusion；　the　tower　on

the　bridge　blazed　with　lights　and　glittered　with　armed　men。　The

renegado　pulled　up　his　steed；　rose　in　his　stirrups　and　looked　about

him　for　a　moment；　then　beckoning　to　the　cavaliers；　he　struck　off

from　the　road；　skirted　the　river　for　some　distance；　and　dashed　into

its　waters。　The　cavaliers　called　upon　the　princesses　to　cling　to　them；

and　did　the　same。　They　were　borne　for　some　distance　down　the　rapid

current；　the　surges　roared　round　them；　but　the　beautiful　princesses

clung　to　their　Christian　knights；　and　never　uttered　a　complaint。　The

cavaliers　attained　the　opposite　bank　in　safety；　and　were　conducted

by　the　renegado；　by　rude　and　unfrequented　paths；　and　wild　barrancos；

through　the　heart　of　the　mountains；　so　as　to　avoid　all　the　regular

passes。　In　a　word；　they　succeeded　in　reaching　the　ancient　city　of

Cordova；　where　their　restoration　to　their　country　and　friends　was

celebrated　with　great　rejoicings；　for　they　were　of　the　noblest

families。　The　beautiful　princesses　were　forthwith　received　into　the

bosom　of　the　Church；　and；　after　being　in　all　due　form　made　regular

Christians；　were　rendered　happy　wives。

　　In　our　hurry　to　make　good　the　escape　of　the　princesses　across　the

river；　and　up　the　mountains；　we　forgot　to　mention　the　fate　of　the

discreet　Kadiga。　She　had　clung　like　a　cat　to　Hussein　Baba　in　the

scamper　across　the　Vega；　screaming　at　every　bound；　and　drawing　many　an

oath　from　the　whiskered　renegado；　but　when　he　prepared　to　plunge　his

steed　into　the　river；　her　terror　knew　no　bounds。　〃Grasp　me　not　so

tightly；〃　cried　Hussein　Baba；　〃hold　on　by　my　belt　and　fear　nothing。〃

She　held　firmly　with　both　hands　by　the　leathern　belt　that　girded　the

broad…backed　renegado；　but　when　he　halted　with　the　cavaliers　to　take

breath　on　the　mountain　summit；　the　duenna　was　no　longer　to　be　seen。

　　〃What　has　become　of　Kadiga？〃　cried　the　princesses　in　alarm。

　　〃Allah　alone　knows！〃　replied　the　renegado；　〃my　belt　came　loose

when　in　the　midst　of　the　river；　and　Kadiga　was　swept　with　it　down

the　stream。　The　will　of　Allah　be　done！　but　it　was　an　embroidered　belt；

and　of　great　price。〃

　　There　was　no　time　to　waste　in　idle　regrets；　yet　bitterly　did　the

princesses　bewail　the　loss　of　their　discreet　counsellor。　That

excellent　old　woman；　however；　did　not　lose　more　than　half　of　her

nine　lives　in　the　water：　a　fisherman；　who　was　drawing　his　nets　some

distance　down　the　stream；　brought　her　to　land；　and　was　not　a　little

astonished　at　his　miraculous　draught。　What　further　became　of　the

discreet　Kadiga；　the　legend　does　not　mention；　certain　it　is　that　she

evinced　her　discretion　in　never　venturing　within　the　reach　of

Mohamed　the　Left…handed。

　　Almost　as　little　is　known　of　the　conduct　of　that　sagacious　monarch

when　he　discovered　the　escape　of　his　daughters；　and　the　deceit

practised　upon　him　by　the　most　faithful　of　servants。　It　was　the　only

instance　in　which　he　had　called　in　the　aid　of　counsel；　and　he　was

never　afterwards　known　to　be　guilty　of　a　similar　weakness。　He　took

good　care；　however；　to　guard　his　remaining　daughter；　who　had　no

disposition　to　elope：　it　is　thought；　indeed；　that　she　secretly

repented　having　remained　behind：　now　and　then　she　was　seen　leaning

on　the　battlements　of　the　tower；　and　looking　mournfully　towards　the

mountains　in　the　direction　of　Cordova；　and　sometimes　the　notes　of

her　lute　were　heard　accompanying　plaintive　ditties；　in　which　she　was

said　to　lament　the　loss　of　her　sisters　and　her　lover；　and　to　bewail

her　solitary　life。　She　died　young；　and；　according　to　popular　rumor；

was　buried　in　a　vault　beneath　the　tower；　and　her　untimely　fate　has

given　rise　to　more　than　one　traditionary　fable。



　　The　following　legend；　which　seems　in　some　measure　to　spring　out　of

the　foregoing　story；　is　too　closely　connected　with　high　historic　names

to　be　entirely　doubted。　The　Count's　daughter；　and　some　of　her　young

companions；　to　whom　it　was　read　in　one　of　the　evening　tertulias；

thought　certain　parts　of　it　had　much　appearance　of　reality；　and

Dolores；　who　was　much　more　versed　than　they　in　the　improbable　truths

of　the　Alhambra；　believed　every　word　of　it。