part07-第7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！



enough　for　a　reasonable　man…　more　is　superfluous。〃

　　〃And　I；〃　said　the　water…carrier；　〃will　bring　up　no　further　burden　to

break　the　back　of　my　poor　donkey。〃

　　Finding　commands；　threats　and　entreaties　equally　vain；　the　alcalde

turned　to　his　two　adherents。　〃Aid　me〃　said　he；　〃to　bring　up　the

coffer；　and　its　contents　shall　be　divided　between　us。〃　So　saying　he

descended　the　steps；　followed　with　trembling　reluctance　by　the

alguazil　and　the　barber。

　　No　sooner　did　the　Moor　behold　them　fairly　earthed　than　he

extinguished　the　yellow　taper；　the　pavement　closed　with　its　usual

crash；　and　the　three　worthies　remained　buried　in　its　womb。

　　He　then　hastened　up　the　different　flights　of　steps；　nor　stopped

until　in　the　open　air。　The　little　water…carrier　followed　him　as　fast

as　his　short　legs　would　permit。

　　〃What　hast　thou　done？〃　cried　Peregil；　as　soon　as　he　could　recover

breath。　〃The　alcalde　and　the　other　two　are　shut　up　in　the　vault。〃

　　〃It　is　the　will　of　Allah！〃　said　the　Moor　devoutly。

　　〃And　will　you　not　release　them？〃　demanded　the　Gallego。

　　〃Allah　forbid！〃　replied　the　Moor；　smoothing　his　beard。　〃It　is

written　in　the　book　of　fate　that　they　shall　remain　enchanted　until

some　future　adventurer　arrive　to　break　the　charm。　The　will　of　God　be

done！〃　so　saying；　he　hurled　the　end　of　the　waxen　taper　far　among　the

gloomy　thickets　of　the　glen。

　　There　was　now　no　remedy；　so　the　Moor　and　the　water…carrier　proceeded

with　the　richly　laden　donkey　toward　the　city；　nor　could　honest　Peregil

refrain　from　hugging　and　kissing　his　long…eared　fellow…laborer；　thus

restored　to　him　from　the　clutches　of　the　law；　and　in　fact；　it　is

doubtful　which　gave　the　simple　hearted　little　man　most　joy　at　the

moment；　the　gaining　of　the　treasure；　or　the　recovery　of　the　donkey。

　　The　two　partners　in　good　luck　divided　their　spoil　amicably　and

fairly；　except　that　the　Moor；　who　had　a　little　taste　for　trinketry；

made　out　to　get　into　his　heap　the　most　of　the　pearls　and　precious

stones　and　other　baubles；　but　then　he　always　gave　the　water…carrier　in

lieu　magnificent　jewels　of　massy　gold；　of　five　times　the　size；　with

which　the　latter　was　heartily　content。　They　took　care　not　to　linger

within　reach　of　accidents；　but　made　off　to　enjoy　their　wealth

undisturbed　in　other　countries。　The　Moor　returned　to　Africa；　to　his

native　city　of　Tangiers；　and　the　Gallego；　with　his　wife；　his　children；

and　his　donkey；　made　the　best　of　his　way　to　Portugal。　Here；　under

the　admonition　and　tuition　of　his　wife；　he　became　a　personage　of

some　consequence；　for　she　made　the　worthy　little　man　array　his　long

body　and　short　legs　in　doublet　and　hose；　with　a　feather　in　his　hat　and

a　sword　by　his　side；　and　laying　aside　his　familiar　appellation　of

Peregil；　assume　the　more　sonorous　title　of　Don　Pedro　Gil：　his

progeny　grew　up　a　thriving　and　merry…hearted；　though　short　and

bandy…legged　generation；　while　Senora　Gil；　befringed；　belaced；　and

betasselled　from　her　head　to　her　heels；　with　glittering　rings　on　every

finger；　became　a　model　of　slattern　fashion　and　finery。

　　As　to　the　alcalde　and　his　adjuncts；　they　remained　shut　up　under

the　great　Tower　of　the　Seven　Floors；　and　there　they　remain　spell…bound

at　the　present　day。　Whenever　there　shall　be　a　lack　in　Spain　of　pimping

barbers；　sharking　alguazils；　and　corrupt　alcaldes；　they　may　be

sought　after；　but　if　they　have　to　wait　until　such　time　for　their

deliverance；　there　is　danger　of　their　enchantment　enduring　until

doomsday。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Tower　of　Las　Infantas。



　　IN　AN　evening's　stroll　up　a　narrow　glen；　overshadowed　by　fig

trees；　pomegranates；　and　myrtles；　which　divides　the　lands　of　the

fortress　from　those　of　the　Generalife；　I　was　struck　with　the

romantic　appearance　of　a　Moorish　tower　in　the　outer　wall　of　the

Alhambra；　rising　high　above　the　tree…tops；　and　catching　the　ruddy　rays

of　the　setting　sun。　A　solitary　window　at　a　great　height　commanded　a

view　of　the　glen；　and　as　I　was　regarding　it；　a　young　female　looked

out；　with　her　head　adorned　with　flowers。　She　was　evidently　superior　to

the　usual　class　of　people　inhabiting　the　old　towers　of　the　fortress；

and　this　sudden　and　picturesque　glimpse　of　her　reminded　me　of　the

descriptions　of　captive　beauties　in　fairy　tales。　These　fanciful

associations　were　increased　on　being　informed　by　my　attendant　Mateo；

that　this　was　the　Tower　of　the　Princesses　（la　Torre　de　las

Infantas）；　so　called；　from　having　been；　according　to　tradition；　the

residence　of　the　daughters　of　the　Moorish　kings。　I　have　since

visited　the　tower。　It　is　not　generally　shown　to　strangers；　though　well

worthy　attention；　for　the　interior　is　equal；　for　beauty　of

architecture；　and　delicacy　of　ornament；　to　any　part　of　the　palace。　The

elegance　of　the　central　hall；　with　its　marble　fountain；　its　lofty

arches；　and　richly　fretted　dome；　the　arabesques　and　stucco…work　of　the

small　but　well…proportioned　chambers；　though　injured　by　time　and

neglect；　all　accord　with　the　story　of　its　being　anciently　the　abode　of

royal　beauty。

　　The　little　old　fairy　queen　who　lives　under　the　staircase　of　the

Alhambra；　and　frequents　the　evening　tertulias　of　Dame　Antonia；　tells

some　fanciful　traditions　about　three　Moorish　princesses；　who　were　once

shut　up　in　this　tower　by　their　father；　a　tyrant　king　of　Granada；　and

were　only　permitted　to　ride　out　at　night　about　the　hills；　when　no

one　was　permitted　to　come　in　their　way　under　pain　of　death。　They

still；　according　to　her　account；　may　be　seen　occasionally　when　the

moon　is　in　the　full；　riding　in　lonely　places　along　the　mountain

side；　on　palfreys　richly　caparisoned　and　sparkling　with　jewels；　but

they　vanish　on　being　spoken　to。

　　But　before　I　relate　any　thing　further　respecting　these　princesses；

the　reader　may　be　anxious　to　know　something　about　the　fair

inhabitant　of　the　tower　with　her　head　dressed　with　flowers；　who　looked

out　from　the　lofty　window。　She　proved　to　be　the　newly…married　spouse

of　the　worthy　adjutant　of　invalids；　who；　though　well　stricken　in

years；　had　had　the　courage　to　take　to　his　bosom　a　young　and　buxom

Andalusian　damsel。　May　the　good　old　cavalier　be　happy　in　his　choice；

and　find　the　Tower　of　the　Princesses　a　more　secure　residence　for

female　beauty　than　it　seems　to　have　proved　in　the　time　of　the　Moslems；

if　we　may　believe　the　following　legend！

　　　　　　　　　　　　Legend　of　the　Three　Beautiful　Princesses。



　　IN　OLD　times　there　reigned　a　Moorish　king　in　Granada；　whose　name　was

Mohamed；　to　which　his　subjects　added　the　appellation　of　El　Hayzari；　or

〃The　Left…handed。〃　Some　say　he　was　so　called　on　account　of　his　being

really　more　expert　with　his　sinister　than　his　dexter　hand；　others；

because　he　was　prone　to　take　every　thing　by　the　wrong　end；　or　in　other

words；　to　mar　wherever　he　meddled。　Certain　it　is；　either　through

misfortune　or　mismanagement；　he　was　continually　in　trouble：　thrice　was

he　driven　from　his　throne；　and；　on　one　occasion；　barely　escaped　to

Africa　with　his　life；　in　the　disguise　of　a　fisherman。*　Still　he　was　as

brave　as　he　was　blundering；　and　though　left…handed；　wielded　his

cimeter　to　such　purpose；　that　he　each　time　re…established　himself　upon

his　throne　by　dint　of　hard　fighting。　Instead；　however；　of　learning

wisdom　from　adversity；　he　hardened　his　neck；　and　stiffened　his　left

arm　in　wilfulness。　The　evils　of　a　public　nature　which　he　thus

brought　upon　himself　and　his　kingdom　may　be　learned　by　those　who

will　delve　into　the　Arabian　annals　of　Granada；　the　present　legend

deals　but　with　his　domestic　policy。



　　*　The　reader　will　recognize　the　sovereign　connected　with　the

fortunes　of　the　Abencerrages。　His　story　appears　to　be　a　little

fictionized　in　the　legend。



　　As　this　Mohamed　was　one　day　riding　forth　with　a　train　of　his

courtiers；　by　the　foot　of　the　mountain　of　Elvira；　he　met　a　band　of

horsemen　returning　from　a　foray　into　the　land　of　the　Christians。

They　were　conducting　a　long　string　of　mules　laden　with　spoil；　and　many

captives　of　both　sexes；　among　whom　the　monarch　was　struck　with　the

appearance　of　a　beautiful　damsel；　richly　attired；　who　sat　weeping　on　a

low　palfrey；　and　heeded　not　the　consoling　words　of　a　duenna　who　rode

beside　her。

　　The　monarch　was　struck　with　her　beauty；　and；　on　inquiring　of　the

captain　of　the　troop；　found　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　alcayde

of　a　frontier　fortress；　that　had　been　surprised　and　sacked　in　the

course　of　the　foray。　Mohamed　claimed　her　as　his　royal　share　of　the

booty；　and　had　her　conveyed　to　his　harem　in　the　Alhambra。　There

every　thing　was　devised　to　soothe　her　melancholy；　and　the　monarch；

more　and　more　enamored；　sought　to　make　her　his　queen。　The　Spanish　maid

at　first　repulsed　his　addresses…　he　was　an　infidel…　he　was　the　open

foe　of　her　country…　what　was　worse；　he　was　stricken　in　years！

　　The　monarch；　finding　his　assiduities　of　no　avail；　determined　to

enlist　in　his　favor　the　duenna；　who　had　been　captured　with　the　lady。

She　was　an　Andalusian　by　birth；　whose　Christian　name　is　forgotten；

being　mentioned　in　Moorish　legends　by　no