part07-第4节

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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

bury　it　in　the　sands　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil。　No　one　saw　the　Moor

enter　our　dwelling；　and　no　one　will　know　any　thing　of　his　death。〃

　　So　said；　so　done。　The　wife　aided　him；　they　rolled　the　body　of　the

unfortunate　Moslem　in　the　mat　on　which　he　had　expired；　laid　it

across　the　ass；　and　Peregil　set　out　with　it　for　the　banks　of　the

river。

　　As　ill　luck　would　have　it；　there　lived　opposite　to　the　water…carrier

a　barber　named　Pedrillo　Pedrugo；　one　of　the　most　prying；　tattling；　and

mischief…making　of　his　gossip　tribe。　He　was　a　weasel…faced；

spider…legged　varlet；　supple　and　insinuating；　the　famous　barber　of

Seville　could　not　surpass　him　for　his　universal　knowledge　of　the

affairs　of　others；　and　he　had　no　more　power　of　retention　than　a　sieve。

It　was　said　that　he　slept　but　with　one　eye　at　a　time；　and　kept　one　ear

uncovered；　so　that；　even　in　his　sleep；　he　might　see　and　hear　all

that　was　going　on。　Certain　it　is；　he　was　a　sort　of　scandalous

chronicle　for　the　quid…nuncs　of　Granada；　and　had　more　customers　than

all　the　rest　of　his　fraternity。

　　This　meddlesome　barber　heard　Peregil　arrive　at　an　unusual　hour　at

night；　and　the　exclamations　of　his　wife　and　children。　His　head　was

instantly　popped　out　of　a　little　window　which　served　him　as　a

look…out；　and　he　saw　his　neighbor　assist　a　man　in　Moorish　garb　into

his　dwelling。　This　was　so　strange　an　occurrence；　that　Pedrillo　Pedrugo

slept　not　a　wink　that　night。　Every　five　minutes　he　was　at　his

loophole；　watching　the　lights　that　gleamed　through　the　chinks　of　his

neighbor's　door；　and　before　daylight　he　beheld　Peregil　sally　forth

with　his　donkey　unusually　laden。

　　The　inquisitive　barber　was　in　a　fidget；　he　slipped　on　his　clothes；

and；　stealing　forth　silently；　followed　the　water…carrier　at　a

distance；　until　he　saw　him　dig　a　hole　in　the　sandy　bank　of　the

Xenil；　and　bury　something　that　had　the　appearance　of　a　dead　body。

　　The　barber　hied　him　home；　and　fidgeted　about　his　shop；　setting　every

thing　upside　down；　until　sunrise。　He　then　took　a　basin　under　his

arm；　and　sallied　forth　to　the　house　of　his　daily　customer　the　alcalde。

　　The　alcalde　was　just　risen。　Pedrillo　Pedrugo　seated　him　in　a

chair；　threw　a　napkin　round　his　neck；　put　a　basin　of　hot　water　under

his　chin；　and　began　to　mollify　his　beard　with　his　fingers。

　　〃Strange　doings！〃　said　Pedrugo；　who　played　barber　and　newsmonger

at　the　same　time…　〃Strange　doings！　Robbery；　and　murder；　and　burial　all

in　one　night！〃

　　〃Hey！…　how！…　what　is　that　you　say？〃　cried　the　alcalde。

　　〃I　say；〃　replied　the　barber；　rubbing　a　piece　of　soap　over　the　nose

and　mouth　of　the　dignitary；　for　a　Spanish　barber　disdains　to　employ

a　brush…　〃I　say　that　Peregil　the　Gallego　has　robbed　and　murdered　a

Moorish　Mussulman；　and　buried　him；　this　blessed　night。　Maldita　sea

la　noche…　accursed　be　the　night　for　the　same！〃

　　〃But　how　do　you　know　all　this？〃　demanded　the　alcalde。

　　〃Be　patient；　senor；　and　you　shall　hear　all　about　it；〃　replied

Pedrillo；　taking　him　by　the　nose　and　sliding　a　razor　over　his　cheek。

He　then　recounted　all　that　he　had　seen；　going　through　both

operations　at　the　same　time；　shaving　his　beard；　washing　his　chin；

and　wiping　him　dry　with　a　dirty　napkin；　while　he　was　robbing；

murdering；　and　burying　the　Moslem。

　　Now　it　so　happened　that　this　alcalde　was　one　of　the　most

overbearing；　and　at　the　same　time　most　griping　and　corrupt　curmudgeons

in　all　Granada。　It　could　not　be　denied；　however；　that　he　set　a　high

value　upon　justice；　for　he　sold　it　at　its　weight　in　gold。　He

presumed　the　case　in　point　to　be　one　of　murder　and　robbery；

doubtless　there　must　be　a　rich　spoil；　how　was　it　to　be　secured　into

the　legitimate　hands　of　the　law？　for　as　to　merely　entrapping　the

delinquent…　that　would　be　feeding　the　gallows；　but　entrapping　the

booty…　that　would　be　enriching　the　judge；　and　such；　according　to　his

creed；　was　the　great　end　of　justice。　So　thinking；　he　summoned　to　his

presence　his　trustiest　alguazil…　a　gaunt；　hungry…looking　varlet；　clad；

according　to　the　custom　of　his　order；　in　the　ancient　Spanish　garb：　a

broad　black　beaver　turned　up　at　its　sides；　a　quaint　ruff；　a　small

black　cloak　dangling　from　his　shoulders；　rusty　black　under…clothes

that　set　off　his　spare　wiry　frame；　while　in　his　hand　he　bore　a　slender

white　wand；　the　dreaded　insignia　of　his　office。　Such　was　the　legal

bloodhound　of　the　ancient　Spanish　breed；　that　he　put　upon　the　traces

of　the　unlucky　water…carrier；　and　such　was　his　speed　and　certainty；

that　he　was　upon　the　haunches　of　poor　Peregil　before　he　had　returned

to　his　dwelling；　and　brought　both　him　and　his　donkey　before　the

dispenser　of　justice。

　　The　alcalde　bent　upon　him　one　of　the　most　terrific　frowns。　〃Hark　ye；

culprit！〃　roared　he；　in　a　voice　that　made　the　knees　of　the　little

Gallego　smite　together…　〃hark　ye；　culprit！　there　is　no　need　of　denying

thy　guilt；　every　thing　is　known　to　me。　A　gallows　is　the　proper

reward　for　the　crime　thou　hast　committed；　but　I　am　merciful；　and

readily　listen　to　reason。　The　man　that　has　been　murdered　in　thy

house　was　a　Moor；　an　infidel；　the　enemy　of　our　faith。　It　was　doubtless

in　a　fit　of　religious　zeal　that　thou　hast　slain　him。　I　will　be

indulgent；　therefore；　render　up　the　property　of　which　thou　hast　robbed

him；　and　we　will　hush　the　matter　up。〃

　　The　poor　water…carrier　called　upon　all　the　saints　to　witness　his

innocence；　alas！　not　one　of　them　appeared；　and　if　they　had；　the

alcalde　would　have　disbelieved　the　whole　calendar。　The　water…carrier

related　the　whole　story　of　the　dying　Moor　with　the　straightforward

simplicity　of　truth；　but　it　was　all　in　vain。　〃Wilt　thou　persist　in

saying；〃　demanded　the　judge；　〃that　this　Moslem　had　neither　gold　nor

jewels；　which　were　the　object　of　thy　cupidity？〃

　　〃As　I　hope　to　be　saved；　your　worship；〃　replied　the　water…carrier；

〃he　had　nothing　but　a　small　box　of　sandalwood　which　he　bequeathed　to

me　in　reward　for　my　services。〃

　　〃A　box　of　sandalwood！　a　box　of　sandalwood！〃　exclaimed　the　alcalde；

his　eyes　sparkling　at　the　idea　of　precious　jewels。　〃And　where　is

this　box？　where　have　you　concealed　it？〃

　　〃An'　it　please　your　grace；〃　replied　the　water…carrier；　〃it　is　in　one

of　the　panniers　of　my　mule；　and　heartily　at　the　service　of　your

worship。〃

　　He　had　hardly　spoken　the　words；　when　the　keen　alguazil　darted　off；

and　reappeared　in　an　instant　with　the　mysterious　box　of　sandalwood。

The　alcalde　opened　it　with　an　eager　and　trembling　hand；　all　pressed

forward　to　gaze　upon　the　treasure　it　was　expected　to　contain；　when；　to

their　disappointment；　nothing　appeared　within；　but　a　parchment　scroll；

covered　with　Arabic　characters；　and　an　end　of　a　waxen　taper。

　　When　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　the　conviction　of　a

prisoner；　justice；　even　in　Spain；　is　apt　to　be　impartial。　The　alcalde；

having　recovered　from　his　disappointment；　and　found　that　there　was

really　no　booty　in　the　case；　now　listened　dispassionately　to　the

explanation　of　the　water…carrier；　which　was　corroborated　by　the

testimony　of　his　wife。　Being　convinced；　therefore；　of　his　innocence；

he　discharged　him　from　arrest；　nay　more；　he　permitted　him　to　carry　off

the　Moor's　legacy；　the　box　of　sandalwood　and　its　contents；　as　the

well…merited　reward　of　his　humanity；　but　he　retained　his　donkey　in

payment　of　costs　and　charges。

　　Behold　the　unfortunate　little　Gallego　reduced　once　more　to　the

necessity　of　being　his　own　water…carrier；　and　trudging　up　to　the

well　of　the　Alhambra　with　a　great　earthen　jar　upon　his　shoulder。

　　As　he　toiled　up　the　hill　in　the　heat　of　a　summer　noon；　his　usual

good　humor　forsook　him。　〃Dog　of　an　alcalde！〃　would　he　cry；　〃to　rob　a

poor　man　of　the　means　of　his　subsistence；　of　the　best　friend　he　had　in

the　world！〃　And　then　at　the　remembrance　of　the　beloved　companion　of

his　labors；　all　the　kindness　of　his　nature　would　break　forth。　〃Ah；

donkey　of　my　heart！〃　would　he　exclaim；　resting　his　burden　on　a

stone；　and　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow…　〃Ah；　donkey　of　my　heart！

I　warrant　me　thou　thinkest　of　thy　old　master！　I　warrant　me　thou

missest　the　water…jars…　poor　beast。〃

　　To　add　to　his　afflictions；　his　wife　received　him；　on　his　return

home；　with　whimperings　and　repinings；　she　had　clearly　the

vantage…ground　of　him；　having　warned　him　not　to　commit　the　egregious

act　of　hospitality　which　had　brought　on　him　all　these　misfortunes；

and；　like　a　knowing　woman；　she　took　every　occasion　to　throw　her

superior　sagacity　in　his　teeth。　If　her　children　lacked　food；　or　needed

a　new　garment；　she　could　answer　with　a　sneer…　〃Go　to　your　father…　he

is　heir　to　King　Chico　of　the　Alhambra：　ask　him　to　help　you　out　of

the　Moor's　strongbox。〃

　　Was　ever　poor　mortal　so　soundly　punished　for　having　done　a　good

action？　The　unlucky　Peregil　was　grieved　in　flesh　and　spirit；　but　still

he　bore　meekly　with　the　railings　of　his　spouse。　At　length；　one

evening；　when；　after　a　hot　day's　toil；　she　taunt