part07-第9节

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

discreet　old　woman　awoke　at　length　to　the　mischief　she　might　be　doing。

She　had　been　accustomed　to　think　of　the　princesses　only　as　children；

but　they　had　imperceptibly　ripened　beneath　her　eye；　and　now　bloomed

before　her　three　lovely　damsels　of　the　marriageable　age。　It　is　time；

thought　the　duenna；　to　give　notice　to　the　king。

　　Mohamed　the　Left…handed　was　seated　one　morning　on　a　divan　in　a

cool　hall　of　the　Alhambra；　when　a　slave　arrived　from　the　fortress　of

Salobrena；　with　a　message　from　the　sage　Kadiga；　congratulating　him

on　the　anniversary　of　his　daughters'　birth…day。　The　slave　at　the

same　time　presented　a　delicate　little　basket　decorated　with　flowers；

within　which；　on　a　couch　of　vine　and　fig…leaves；　lay　a　peach；　an

apricot；　and　a　nectarine；　with　their　bloom　and　down　and　dewy　sweetness

upon　them；　and　all　in　the　early　stage　of　tempting　ripeness。　The

monarch　was　versed　in　the　Oriental　language　of　fruits　and　flowers；　and

rapidly　divined　the　meaning　of　this　emblematical　offering。

　　〃So；〃　said　he；　〃the　critical　period　pointed　out　by　the　astrologers

is　arrived：　my　daughters　are　at　a　marriageable　age。　What　is　to　be

done？　They　are　shut　up　from　the　eyes　of　men；　they　are　under　the　eyes

of　the　discreet　Kadiga…　all　very　good…　but　still　they　are　not　under　my

own　eye；　as　was　prescribed　by　the　astrologers：　I　must　gather　them

under　my　wing；　and　trust　to　no　other　guardianship。〃

　　So　saying；　he　ordered　that　a　tower　of　the　Alhambra　should　be

prepared　for　their　reception；　and　departed　at　the　head　of　his　guards

for　the　fortress　of　Salobrena；　to　conduct　them　home　in　person。

　　About　three　years　had　elapsed　since　Mohamed　had　beheld　his

daughters；　and　he　could　scarcely　credit　his　eyes　at　the　wonderful

change　which　that　small　space　of　time　had　made　in　their　appearance。

During　the　interval；　they　had　passed　that　wondrous　boundary　line　in

female　life　which　separates　the　crude；　unformed；　and　thoughtless

girl　from　the　blooming；　blushing；　meditative　woman。　It　is　like　passing

from　the　flat；　bleak；　uninteresting　plains　of　La　Mancha　to　the

voluptuous　valleys　and　swelling　hills　of　Andalusia。

　　Zayda　was　tall　and　finely　formed；　with　a　lofty　demeanor　and　a

penetrating　eye。　She　entered　with　a　stately　and　decided　step；　and　made

a　profound　reverence　to　Mohamed；　treating　him　more　as　her　sovereign

than　her　father。　Zorayda　was　of　the　middle　height；　with　an　alluring

look　and　swimming　gait；　and　a　sparkling　beauty；　heightened　by　the

assistance　of　the　toilette。　She　approached　her　father　with　a　smile；

kissed　his　hand；　and　saluted　him　with　several　stanzas　from　a　popular

Arabian　poet；　with　which　the　monarch　was　delighted。　Zorahayda　was

shy　and　timid；　smaller　than　her　sisters；　and　with　a　beauty　of　that

tender　beseeching　kind　which　looks　for　fondness　and　protection。　She

was　little　fitted　to　command；　like　her　elder　sister；　or　to　dazzle　like

the　second；　but　was　rather　formed　to　creep　to　the　bosom　of　manly

affection；　to　nestle　within　it；　and　be　content。　She　drew　near　to　her

father；　with　a　timid　and　almost　faltering　step；　and　would　have　taken

his　hand　to　kiss；　but　on　looking　up　into　his　face；　and　seeing　it

beaming　with　a　paternal　smile；　the　tenderness　of　her　nature　broke

forth；　and　she　threw　herself　upon　his　neck。

　　Mohamed　the　Left…handed　surveyed　his　blooming　daughters　with　mingled

pride　and　perplexity；　for　while　he　exulted　in　their　charms；　he

bethought　himself　of　the　prediction　of　the　astrologers。　〃Three

daughters！　three　daughters！〃　muttered　he　repeatedly　to　himself；　〃and

all　of　a　marriageable　age！　Here's　tempting　Hesperian　fruit；　that

requires　a　dragon　watch！〃

　　He　prepared　for　his　return　to　Granada；　by　sending　heralds　before

him；　commanding　every　one　to　keep　out　of　the　road　by　which　he　was　to

pass；　and　that　all　doors　and　windows　should　be　closed　at　the

approach　of　the　princesses。　This　done；　he　set　forth；　escorted　by　a

troop　of　black　horsemen　of　hideous　aspect；　and　clad　in　shining　armor。

　　The　princesses　rode　beside　the　king；　closely　veiled；　on　beautiful

white　palfreys；　with　velvet　caparisons；　embroidered　with　gold；　and

sweeping　the　ground；　the　bits　and　stirrups　were　of　gold；　and　the

silken　bridles　adorned　with　pearls　and　precious　stones。　The　palfreys

were　covered　with　little　silver　bells；　which　made　the　most　musical

tinkling　as　they　ambled　gently　along。　Woe　to　the　unlucky　wight；

however；　who　lingered　in　the　way　when　he　heard　the　tinkling　of　these

bells！…　the　guards　were　ordered　to　cut　him　down　without　mercy。

　　The　cavalcade　was　drawing　near　to　Granada；　when　it　overtook　on　the

banks　of　the　river　Xenil；　a　small　body　of　Moorish　soldiers　with　a

convoy　of　prisoners。　It　was　too　late　for　the　soldiers　to　get　out　of

the　way；　so　they　threw　themselves　on　their　faces　on　the　earth；

ordering　their　captives　to　do　the　like。　Among　the　prisoners　were　the

three　identical　cavaliers　whom　the　princesses　had　seen　from　the

pavilion。　They　either　did　not　understand；　or　were　too　haughty　to

obey　the　order；　and　remained　standing　and　gazing　upon　the　cavalcade　as

it　approached。

　　The　ire　of　the　monarch　was　kindled　at　this　flagrant　defiance　of

his　orders。　Drawing　his　cimeter；　and　pressing　forward；　he　was　about　to

deal　a　left…handed　blow　that　might　have　been　fatal　to；　at　least；　one

of　the　gazers；　when　the　princesses　crowded　round　him；　and　implored

mercy　for　the　prisoners；　even　the　timid　Zorahayda　forgot　her

shyness；　and　became　eloquent　in　their　behalf。　Mohamed　paused；　with

uplifted　cimeter；　when　the　captain　of　the　guard　threw　himself　at　his

feet。　〃Let　not　your　highness；〃　said　he；　〃do　a　deed　that　may　cause

great　scandal　throughout　the　kingdom。　These　are　three　brave　and

noble　Spanish　knights；　who　have　been　taken　in　battle；　fighting　like

lions；　they　are　of　high　birth；　and　may　bring　great　ransoms。〃

　　〃Enough！〃　said　the　king。　〃I　will　spare　their　lives；　but　punish　their

audacity…　let　them　be　taken　to　the　Vermilion　Towers；　and　put　to　hard

labor。〃

　　Mohamed　was　making　one　of　his　usual　left…handed　blunders。　In　the

tumult　and　agitation　of　this　blustering　scene；　the　veils　of　the

three　princesses　had　been　thrown　back；　and　the　radiance　of　their

beauty　revealed；　and　in　prolonging　the　parley；　the　king　had　given　that

beauty　time　to　have　its　full　effect。　In　those　days　people　fell　in　love

much　more　suddenly　than　at　present；　as　all　ancient　stories　make

manifest：　it　is　not　a　matter　of　wonder；　therefore；　that　the　hearts

of　the　three　cavaliers　were　completely　captured；　especially　as

gratitude　was　added　to　their　admiration；　it　is　a　little　singular；

however；　though　no　less　certain；　that　each　of　them　was　enraptured　with

a　several　beauty。　As　to　the　princesses；　they　were　more　than　ever

struck　with　the　noble　demeanor　of　the　captives；　and　cherished　in　their

breasts　all　that　they　had　heard　of　their　valor　and　noble　lineage。

　　The　cavalcade　resumed　its　march；　the　three　princesses　rode　pensively

along　on　their　tinkling　palfreys；　now　and　then　stealing　a　glance

behind　in　search　of　the　Christian　captives；　and　the　latter　were

conducted　to　their　allotted　prison　in　the　Vermilion　Towers。

　　The　residence　provided　for　the　princesses　was　one　of　the　most　dainty

that　fancy　could　devise。　It　was　in　a　tower　somewhat　apart　from　the

main　palace　of　the　Alhambra；　though　connected　with　it　by　the　wall

which　encircled　the　whole　summit　of　the　hill。　On　one　side　it　looked

into　the　interior　of　the　fortress；　and　had；　at　its　foot；　a　small

garden　filled　with　the　rarest　flowers。　On　the　other　side　it　overlooked

a　deep　embowered　ravine　separating　the　grounds　of　the　Alhambra　from

those　of　the　Generalife。　The　interior　of　the　tower　was　divided　into

small　fairy　apartments；　beautifully　ornamented　in　the　light　Arabian

style；　surrounding　a　lofty　hall；　the　vaulted　roof　of　which　rose　almost

to　the　summit　of　the　tower。　The　walls　and　the　ceilings　of　the　hall

were　adorned　with　arabesque　and　fretwork；　sparkling　with　gold　and　with

brilliant　pencilling。　In　the　centre　of　the　marble　pavement　was　an

alabaster　fountain；　set　round　with　aromatic　shrubs　and　flowers；　and

throwing　up　a　jet　of　water　that　cooled　the　whole　edifice　and　had　a

lulling　sound。　Round　the　hall　were　suspended　cages　of　gold　and

silver　wire；　containing　singing…birds　of　the　finest　plumage　or

sweetest　note。

　　The　princesses　had　been　represented　as　always　cheerful　when　in　the

castle　of　the　Salobrena；　the　king　had　expected　to　see　them

enraptured　with　the　Alhambra。　To　his　surprise；　however；　they　began

to　pine；　and　grow　melancholy；　and　dissatisfied　with　every　thing　around

them。　The　flowers　yielded　them　no　fragrance；　the　song　of　the

nightingale　disturbed　their　night's　rest；　and　they　were　out　of　all

patience　with　the　alabaster　fountain　with　its　eternal　drop…drop　and

splash…splash；　from　morning　till　night；　and　from　night　till　morning。

　　The　king；　who　was　somewhat　of　a　testy；　tyrannical　disposition；

took　this　at　first　in　high　dudgeon；　but　he　reflected　that　his

daughters　had　arriv