part07-第8节

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

being　mentioned　in　Moorish　legends　by　no　other　appellation　than　that

of　the　discreet　Kadiga…　and　discreet　in　truth　she　was；　as　her　whole

history　makes　evident。　No　sooner　had　the　Moorish　king　held　a　little

private　conversation　with　her；　than　she　saw　at　once　the　cogency　of　his

reasoning；　and　undertook　his　cause　with　her　young　mistress。

　　〃Go　to；　now！〃　cried　she；　〃what　is　there　in　all　this　to　weep　and　wail

about？　Is　it　not　better　to　be　mistress　of　this　beautiful　palace；

with　all　its　gardens　and　fountains；　than　to　be　shut　up　within　your

father's　old　frontier　tower？　As　to　this　Mohamed　being　an　infidel；　what

is　that　to　the　purpose？　You　marry　him；　not　his　religion：　and　if　he

is　waxing　a　little　old；　the　sooner　will　you　be　a　widow；　and　mistress

of　yourself；　at　any　rate；　you　are　in　his　power；　and　must　either　be　a

queen　or　a　slave。　When　in　the　hands　of　a　robber；　it　is　better　to

sell　one's　merchandise　for　a　fair　price；　than　to　have　it　taken　by　main

force。〃

　　The　arguments　of　the　discreet　Kadiga　prevailed。　The　Spanish　lady

dried　her　tears；　and　became　the　spouse　of　Mohamed　the　Left…handed；　she

even　conformed；　in　appearance；　to　the　faith　of　her　royal　husband；

and　her　discreet　duenna　immediately　became　a　zealous　convert　to　the

Moslem　doctrines：　it　was　then　the　latter　received　the　Arabian　name

of　Kadiga；　and　was　permitted　to　remain　in　the　confidential　employ　of

her　mistress。

　　In　due　process　of　time　the　Moorish　king　was　made　the　proud　and　happy

father　of　three　lovely　daughters；　all　born　at　a　birth：　he　could　have

wished　they　had　been　sons；　but　consoled　himself　with　the　idea　that

three　daughters　at　a　birth　were　pretty　well　for　a　man　somewhat

stricken　in　years；　and　left…handed！

　　As　usual　with　all　Moslem　monarchs；　he　summoned　his　astrologers　on

this　happy　event。　They　cast　the　nativities　of　the　three　princesses；

and　shook　their　heads。　〃Daughters；　O　king！〃　said　they；　〃are　always

precarious　property；　but　these　will　most　need　your　watchfulness　when

they　arrive　at　a　marriageable　age；　at　that　time　gather　them　under　your

wings；　and　trust　them　to　no　other　guardianship。〃

　　Mohamed　the　Left…handed　was　acknowledged　to　be　a　wise　king　by　his

courtiers；　and　was　certainly　so　considered　by　himself。　The

prediction　of　the　astrologers　caused　him　but　little　disquiet；　trusting

to　his　ingenuity　to　guard　his　daughters　and　outwit　the　Fates。

　　The　three…fold　birth　was　the　last　matrimonial　trophy　of　the　monarch；

his　queen　bore　him　no　more　children；　and　died　within　a　few　years；

bequeathing　her　infant　daughters　to　his　love；　and　to　the　fidelity　of

the　discreet　Kadiga。

　　Many　years　had　yet　to　elapse　before　the　princesses　would　arrive　at

that　period　of　danger…　the　marriageable　age：　〃It　is　good；　however；

to　be　cautious　in　time；〃　said　the　shrewd　monarch；　so　he　determined

to　have　them　reared　in　the　royal　castle　of　Salobrena。　This　was　a

sumptuous　palace；　incrusted；　as　it　were；　in　a　powerful　Moorish

fortress　on　the　summit　of　a　hill　overlooking　the　Mediterranean　sea。　It

was　a　royal　retreat；　in　which　the　Moslem　monarchs　shut　up　such　of

their　relatives；　as　might　endanger　their　safety；　allowing　them　all

kinds　of　luxuries　and　amusements；　in　the　midst　of　which　they　passed

their　lives　in　voluptuous　indolence。

　　Here　the　princesses　remained；　immured　from　the　world；　but　surrounded

by　enjoyment；　and　attended　by　female　slaves　who　anticipated　their

wishes。　They　had　delightful　gardens　for　their　recreation；　filled

with　the　rarest　fruits　and　flowers；　with　aromatic　groves　and

perfumed　baths。　On　three　sides　the　castle　looked　down　upon　a　rich

valley；　enamelled　with　all　kinds　of　culture；　and　bounded　by　the　lofted

Alpuxarra　mountains；　on　the　other　side　it　overlooked　the　broad　sunny

sea。

　　In　this　delicious　abode；　in　a　propitious　climate；　and　under　a

cloudless　sky；　the　three　princesses　grew　up　into　wondrous　beauty；　but；

though　all　reared　alike；　they　gave　early　tokens　of　diversity　of

character。　Their　names　were　Zayda；　Zorayda；　and　Zorahayda；　and　such

was　their　order　of　seniority；　for　there　had　been　precisely　three

minutes　between　their　births。

　　Zayda；　the　eldest；　was　of　an　intrepid　spirit；　and　took　the　lead　of

her　sisters　in　every　thing；　as　she　had　done　in　entering　into　the

world。　She　was　curious　and　inquisitive；　and　fond　of　getting　at　the

bottom　of　things。

　　Zorayda　had　a　great　feeling　for　beauty；　which　was　the　reason；　no

doubt；　of　her　delighting　to　regard　her　own　image　in　a　mirror　or　a

fountain；　and　of　her　fondness　for　flowers；　and　jewels；　and　other

tasteful　ornaments。

　　As　to　Zorahayda；　the　youngest；　she　was　soft　and　timid；　and　extremely

sensitive；　with　a　vast　deal　of　disposable　tenderness；　as　was　evident

from　her　number　of　pet…flowers；　and　pet…birds；　and　pet…animals；　all　of

which　she　cherished　with　the　fondest　care。　Her　amusements；　too；　were

of　a　gentle　nature；　and　mixed　up　with　musing　and　reverie。　She　would

sit　for　hours　in　a　balcony；　gazing　on　the　sparkling　stars　of　a

summer's　night；　or　on　the　sea　when　lit　up　by　the　moon；　and　at　such

times；　the　song　of　a　fisherman；　faintly　heard　from　the　beach；　or　the

notes　of　a　Moorish　flute　from　some　gliding　bark；　sufficed　to　elevate

her　feelings　into　ecstasy。　The　least　uproar　of　the　elements；

however；　filled　her　with　dismay；　and　a　clap　of　thunder　was　enough　to

throw　her　into　a　swoon。

　　Years　rolled　on　smoothly　and　serenely；　the　discreet　Kadiga；　to

whom　the　princesses　were　confided；　was　faithful　to　her　trust；　and

attended　them　with　unremitting　care。

　　The　castle　of　Salobrena；　as　has　been　said；　was　built　upon　a　hill

on　the　seacoast。　One　of　the　exterior　walls　straggled　down　the

profile　of　the　hill；　until　it　reached　a　jutting　rock　overhanging　the

sea；　with　a　narrow　sandy　beach　at　its　foot；　laved　by　the　rippling

billows。　A　small　watchtower　on　this　rock　had　been　fitted　up　as　a

pavilion；　with　latticed　windows　to　admit　the　sea…breeze。　Here　the

princesses　used　to　pass　the　sultry　hours　of　mid…day。

　　The　curious　Zayda　was　one　day　seated　at　a　window　of　the　pavilion；　as

her　sisters；　reclining　on　ottomans；　were　taking　the　siesta　or　noontide

slumber。　Her　attention　was　attracted　to　a　galley　which　came　coasting

along；　with　measured　strokes　of　the　oar。　As　it　drew　near；　she　observed

that　it　was　filled　with　armed　men。　The　galley　anchored　at　the　foot

of　the　tower：　a　number　of　Moorish　soldiers　landed　on　the　narrow　beach；

conducting　several　Christian　prisoners。　The　curious　Zayda　awakened　her

sisters；　and　all　three　peeped　cautiously　through　the　close　jalousies

of　the　lattice　which　screened　them　from　sight。　Among　the　prisoners

were　three　Spanish　cavaliers；　richly　dressed。　They　were　in　the

flower　of　youth；　and　of　noble　presence；　and　the　lofty　manner　in

which　they　carried　themselves；　though　loaded　with　chains　and

surrounded　with　enemies；　bespoke　the　grandeur　of　their　souls。　The

princesses　gazed　with　intense　and　breathless　interest。　Cooped　up　as

they　had　been　in　this　castle　among　female　attendants；　seeing　nothing

of　the　male　sex　but　black　slaves；　or　the　rude　fishermen　of　the

sea…coast；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　the　appearance　of　three

gallant　cavaliers；　in　the　pride　of　youth　and　manly　beauty；　should

produce　some　commotion　in　their　bosom。

　　〃Did　ever　nobler　being　tread　the　earth　than　that　cavalier　in

crimson？〃　cried　Zayda；　the　eldest　of　the　sisters。　〃See　how　proudly

he　bears　himself；　as　though　all　around　him　were　his　slaves！〃

　　〃But　notice　that　one　in　green！〃　exclaimed　Zorayda。　〃What　grace！　what

elegance！　what　spirit！〃

　　The　gentle　Zorahayda　said　nothing；　but　she　secretly　gave

preference　to　the　cavalier　in　blue。

　　The　princesses　remained　gazing　until　the　prisoners　were　out　of

sight；　then　heaving　long…drawn　sighs；　they　turned　round；　looked　at

each　other　for　a　moment；　and　sat　down；　musing　and　pensive；　on　their

ottomans。

　　The　discreet　Kadiga　found　them　in　this　situation；　they　related

what　they　had　seen；　and　even　the　withered　heart　of　the　duenna　was

warmed。　〃Poor　youths！〃　exclaimed　she；　〃I'll　warrant　their　captivity

makes　many　a　fair　and　high…born　lady's　heart　ache　in　their　native

land！　Ah　my　children；　you　have　little　idea　of　the　life　these　cavaliers

lead　in　their　own　country。　Such　prankling　at　tournaments！　such

devotion　to　the　ladies！　such　courting　and　serenading！〃

　　The　curiosity　of　Zayda　was　fully　aroused；　she　was　insatiable　in

her　inquiries；　and　drew　from　the　duenna　the　most　animated　pictures

of　the　scenes　of　her　youthful　days　and　native　land。　The　beautiful

Zorayda　bridled　up；　and　slyly　regarded　herself　in　a　mirror；　when　the

theme　turned　upon　the　charms　of　the　Spanish　ladies；　while　Zorahayda

suppressed　a　struggling　sigh　at　the　mention　of　moonlight　serenades。

　　Every　day　the　curious　Zayda　renewed　her　inquiries；　and　every　day　the

sage　duenna　repeated　her　stories；　which　were　listened　to　with　profound

interest；　though　with　frequent　sighs；　by　her　gentle　auditors。　The

discreet　old　woman　awoke　at　length　to　the　mis