part07-第3节

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over　the　gossip　of　the　fortress；　and　question　every　water…carrier　that

arrives　about　the　news　of　the　city；　and　make　long　comments　on　every

thing　they　hear　and　see。　Not　an　hour　of　the　day　but　loitering

housewives　and　idle　maid…servants　may　be　seen；　lingering　with

pitcher　on　head；　or　in　hand；　to　hear　the　last　of　the　endless　tattle　of

these　worthies。

　　Among　the　water…carriers　who　once　resorted　to　this　well；　there　was　a

sturdy；　strong…backed；　bandy…legged　little　fellow；　named　Pedro　Gil；

but　called　Peregil　for　shortness。　Being　a　water…carrier；　he　was　a

Gallego；　or　native　of　Galicia；　of　course。　Nature　seems　to　have

formed　races　of　men；　as　she　has　of　animals；　for　different　kinds　of

drudgery。　In　France　the　shoeblacks　are　all　Savoyards；　the　porters　of

hotels　all　Swiss；　and　in　the　days　of　hoops　and　hair…powder　in　England；

no　man　could　give　the　regular　swing　to　a　sedan…chair　but　a

bog…trotting　Irishman。　So　in　Spain；　the　carriers　of　water　and

bearers　of　burdens　are　all　sturdy　little　natives　of　Galicia。　No　man

says；　〃Get　me　a　porter；〃　but；　〃Call　a　Gallego。〃

　　To　return　from　this　digression；　Peregil　the　Gallego　had　begun

business　with　merely　a　great　earthen　jar　which　he　carried　upon　his

shoulder；　by　degrees　he　rose　in　the　world；　and　was　enabled　to　purchase

an　assistant　of　a　correspondent　class　of　animals；　being　a　stout

shaggy…haired　donkey。　On　each　side　of　this　his　long…eared

aide…de…camp；　in　a　kind　of　pannier；　were　slung　his　water…jars；　covered

with　fig…leaves　to　protect　them　from　the　sun。　There　was　not　a　more

industrious　water…carrier　in　all　Granada；　nor　one　more　merry　withal。

The　streets　rang　with　his　cheerful　voice　as　he　trudged　after　his

donkey；　singing　forth　the　usual　summer　note　that　resounds　through

the　Spanish　towns：　〃Quien　quiere　agua…　agua　mas　fria　que　la　nieve？〃…

〃Who　wants　water…　water　colder　than　snow？　Who　wants　water　from　the

well　of　the　Alhambra；　cold　as　ice　and　clear　as　crystal？〃　When　he

served　a　customer　with　a　sparkling　glass；　it　was　always　with　a

pleasant　word　that　caused　a　smile；　and　if；　perchance；　it　was　a

comely　dame　or　dimpling　damsel；　it　was　always　with　a　sly　leer　and　a

compliment　to　her　beauty　that　was　irresistible。　Thus　Peregil　the

Gallego　was　noted　throughout　all　Granada　for　being　one　of　the

civilest；　pleasantest；　and　happiest　of　mortals。

　　Yet　it　is　not　he　who　sings　loudest　and　jokes　most　that　has　the

lightest　heart。　Under　all　this　air　of　merriment；　honest　Peregil　had

his　cares　and　troubles。　He　had　a　large　family　of　ragged　children　to

support；　who　were　hungry　and　clamorous　as　a　nest　of　young　swallows；

and　beset　him　with　their　outcries　for　food　whenever　he　came　home　of　an

evening。　He　had　a　helpmate；　too；　who　was　any　thing　but　a　help　to

him。　She　had　been　a　village　beauty　before　marriage；　noted　for　her

skill　at　dancing　the　bolero　and　rattling　the　castanets；　and　she

still　retained　her　early　propensities；　spending　the　hard　earnings　of

honest　Peregil　in　frippery；　and　laying　the　very　donkey　under

requisition　for　junketing　parties　into　the　country　on　Sundays；　and

saints'　days；　and　those　innumerable　holidays　which　are　rather　more

numerous　in　Spain　than　the　days　of　the　week。　With　all　this　she　was　a

little　of　a　slattern；　something　more　of　a　lie…abed；　and；　above　all；

a　gossip　of　the　first　water；　neglecting　house；　household；　and　every

thing　else；　to　loiter　slipshod　in　the　houses　of　her　gossip　neighbors。

　　He；　however；　who　tempers　the　wind　to　the　shorn　lamb；　accommodates

the　yoke　of　matrimony　to　the　submissive　neck。　Peregil　bore　all　the

heavy　dispensations　of　wife　and　children　with　as　meek　a　spirit　as

his　donkey　bore　the　water…jars；　and；　however　he　might　shake　his　ears

in　private；　never　ventured　to　question　the　household　virtues　of　his

slattern　spouse。

　　He　loved　his　children　too　even　as　an　owl　loves　its　owlets；　seeing　in

them　his　own　image　multiplied　and　perpetuated；　for　they　were　a　sturdy；

long…backed；　bandy…legged　little　brood。　The　great　pleasure　of　honest

Peregil　was；　whenever　he　could　afford　himself　a　scanty　holiday；　and

had　a　handful　of　marevedis　to　spare；　to　take　the　whole　litter　forth

with　him；　some　in　his　arms；　some　tugging　at　his　skirts；　and　some

trudging　at　his　heels；　and　to　treat　them　to　a　gambol　among　the

orchards　of　the　Vega；　while　his　wife　was　dancing　with　her　holiday

friends　in　the　Angosturas　of　the　Darro。

　　It　was　a　late　hour　one　summer　night；　and　most　of　the

water…carriers　had　desisted　from　their　toils。　The　day　had　been

uncommonly　sultry；　the　night　was　one　of　those　delicious　moonlights；

which　tempt　the　inhabitants　of　southern　climes　to　indemnify　themselves

for　the　heat　and　inaction　of　the　day；　by　lingering　in　the　open　air；

and　enjoying　its　tempered　sweetness　until　after　midnight。　Customers

for　water　were　therefore　still　abroad。　Peregil；　like　a　considerate；

painstaking　father；　thought　of　his　hungry　children。　〃One　more

journey　to　the　well；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃to　earn　a　Sunday's

puchero　for　the　little　ones。〃　So　saying；　he　trudged　manfully　up　the

steep　avenue　of　the　Alhambra；　singing　as　he　went；　and　now　and　then

bestowing　a　hearty　thwack　with　a　cudgel　on　the　flanks　of　his　donkey；

either　by　way　of　cadence　to　the　song；　or　refreshment　to　the　animal；

for　dry　blows　serve　in　lieu　of　provender　in　Spain　for　all　beasts　of

burden。

　　When　arrived　at　the　well；　he　found　it　deserted　by　every　one　except　a

solitary　stranger　in　Moorish　garb；　seated　on　a　stone　bench　in　the

moonlight。　Peregil　paused　at　first　and　regarded　him　with　surprise；　not

unmixed　with　awe；　but　the　Moor　feebly　beckoned　him　to　approach。　〃I

am　faint　and　ill；〃　said　he；　〃aid　me　to　return　to　the　city；　and　I

will　pay　thee　double　what　thou　couldst　gain　by　thy　jars　of　water。〃

　　The　honest　heart　of　the　little　water…carrier　was　touched　with

compassion　at　the　appeal　of　the　stranger。　〃God　forbid；〃　said　he；　〃that

I　should　ask　fee　or　reward　for　doing　a　common　act　of　humanity。〃　He

accordingly　helped　the　Moor　on　his　donkey；　and　set　off　slowly　for

Granada；　the　poor　Moslem　being　so　weak　that　it　was　necessary　to　hold

him　on　the　animal　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　earth。

　　When　they　entered　the　city；　the　water…carrier　demanded　whither　he

should　conduct　him。　〃Alas！〃　said　the　Moor；　faintly；　〃I　have　neither

home　nor　habitation；　I　am　a　stranger　in　the　land。　Suffer　me　to　lay

my　head　this　night　beneath　thy　roof；　and　thou　shalt　be　amply　repaid。〃

　　Honest　Peregil　thus　saw　himself　unexpectedly　saddled　with　an　infidel

guest；　but　he　was　too　humane　to　refuse　a　night's　shelter　to　a　fellow

being　in　so　forlorn　a　plight；　so　he　conducted　the　Moor　to　his

dwelling。　The　children；　who　had　sallied　forth　open…mouthed　as　usual　on

hearing　the　tramp　of　the　donkey；　ran　back　with　affright；　when　they

beheld　the　turbaned　stranger；　and　hid　themselves　behind　their

mother。　The　latter　stepped　forth　intrepidly；　like　a　ruffling　hen

before　her　brood　when　a　vagrant　dog　approaches。

　　〃What　infidel　companion；〃　cried　she；　〃is　this　you　have　brought

home　at　this　late　hour；　to　draw　upon　us　the　eyes　of　the　Inquisition？〃

　　〃Be　quiet；　wife；〃　replied　the　Gallego；　〃here　is　a　poor　sick

stranger；　without　friend　or　home；　wouldst　thou　turn　him　forth　to

perish　in　the　streets？〃

　　The　wife　would　still　have　remonstrated；　for　although　she　lived　in

a　hovel　she　was　a　furious　stickler　for　the　credit　of　her　house；　the

little　water…carrier；　however；　for　once　was　stiff…necked；　and

refused　to　bend　beneath　the　yoke。　He　assisted　the　poor　Moslem　to

alight；　and　spread　a　mat　and　a　sheep…skin　for　him；　on　the　ground；　in

the　coolest　part　of　the　house；　being　the　only　kind　of　bed　that　his

poverty　afforded。

　　In　a　little　while　the　Moor　was　seized　with　violent　convulsions；

which　defied　all　the　ministering　skill　of　the　simple　water…carrier。

The　eye　of　the　poor　patient　acknowledged　his　kindness。　During　an

interval　of　his　fits　he　called　him　to　his　side；　and　addressing　him

in　a　low　voice；　〃My　end；〃　said　he；　〃I　fear　is　at　hand。　If　I　die；　I

bequeath　you　this　box　as　a　reward　for　your　charity〃：　so　saying；　he

opened　his　albornoz；　or　cloak；　and　showed　a　small　box　of　sandalwood；

strapped　round　his　body。　〃God　grant；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　worthy

little　Gallego；　〃that　you　may　live　many　years　to　enjoy　your

treasure；　whatever　it　may　be。〃　The　Moor　shook　his　head；　he　laid　his

hand　upon　the　box；　and　would　have　said　something　more　concerning　it；

but　his　convulsions　returned　with　increasing　violence；　and　in　a　little

while　he　expired。

　　The　water…carrier's　wife　was　now　as　one　distracted。　〃This　comes；〃

said　she；　〃of　your　foolish　good　nature；　always　running　into　scrapes　to

oblige　others。　What　will　become　of　us　when　this　corpse　is　found　in　our

house？　We　shall　be　sent　to　prison　as　murderers；　and　if　we　escape

with　our　lives；　shall　be　ruined　by　notaries　and　alguazils。〃

　　Poor　Peregil　was　in　equal　tribulation；　and　almost　repented　himself

of　having　done　a　good　deed。　At　length　a　thought　struck　him。　〃It　is　not

yet　day；〃　said　he；　〃I　can　convey　the　dead　body　out　of　the　city；　and

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