the birthday of the infanta-第2节

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those　who　had　the　longest　names　going　first。





A　procession　of　noble　boys；　fantastically　dressed　as　TOREADORS；

came　out　to　meet　her；　and　the　young　Count　of　Tierra…Nueva；　a

wonderfully　handsome　lad　of　about　fourteen　years　of　age；　uncovering

his　head　with　all　the　grace　of　a　born　hidalgo　and　grandee　of　Spain；

led　her　solemnly　in　to　a　little　gilt　and　ivory　chair　that　was

placed　on　a　raised　dais　above　the　arena。　　The　children　grouped

themselves　all　round；　fluttering　their　big　fans　and　whispering　to

each　other；　and　Don　Pedro　and　the　Grand　Inquisitor　stood　laughing

at　the　entrance。　　Even　the　Duchess　…　the　Camerera…Mayor　as　she　was

called　…　a　thin；　hard…featured　woman　with　a　yellow　ruff；　did　not

look　quite　so　bad…tempered　as　usual；　and　something　like　a　chill

smile　flitted　across　her　wrinkled　face　and　twitched　her　thin

bloodless　lips。



It　certainly　was　a　marvellous　bull…fight；　and　much　nicer；　the

Infanta　thought；　than　the　real　bull…fight　that　she　had　been　brought

to　see　at　Seville；　on　the　occasion　of　the　visit　of　the　Duke　of

Parma　to　her　father。　　Some　of　the　boys　pranced　about　on　richly…

caparisoned　hobby…horses　brandishing　long　javelins　with　gay

streamers　of　bright　ribands　attached　to　them；　others　went　on　foot

waving　their　scarlet　cloaks　before　the　bull；　and　vaulting　lightly

over　the　barrier　when　he　charged　them；　and　as　for　the　bull　himself；

he　was　just　like　a　live　bull；　though　he　was　only　made　of　wicker…

work　and　stretched　hide；　and　sometimes　insisted　on　running　round

the　arena　on　his　hind　legs；　which　no　live　bull　ever　dreams　of

doing。　　He　made　a　splendid　fight　of　it　too；　and　the　children　got　so

excited　that　they　stood　up　upon　the　benches；　and　waved　their　lace

handkerchiefs　and　cried　out：　　BRAVO　TORO！　　BRAVO　TORO！　just　as

sensibly　as　if　they　had　been　grown…up　people。　　At　last；　however；

after　a　prolonged　combat；　during　which　several　of　the　hobby…horses

were　gored　through　and　through；　and；　their　riders　dismounted；　the

young　Count　of　Tierra…Nueva　brought　the　bull　to　his　knees；　and

having　obtained　permission　from　the　Infanta　to　give　the　COUP　DE

GRACE；　he　plunged　his　wooden　sword　into　the　neck　of　the　animal　with

such　violence　that　the　head　came　right　off；　and　disclosed　the

laughing　face　of　little　Monsieur　de　Lorraine；　the　son　of　the　French

Ambassador　at　Madrid。



The　arena　was　then　cleared　amidst　much　applause；　and　the　dead

hobbyhorses　dragged　solemnly　away　by　two　Moorish　pages　in　yellow

and　black　liveries；　and　after　a　short　interlude；　during　which　a

French　posture…master　performed　upon　the　tightrope；　some　Italian

puppets　appeared　in　the　semi…classical　tragedy　of　SOPHONISBA　on　the

stage　of　a　small　theatre　that　had　been　built　up　for　the　purpose。

They　acted　so　well；　and　their　gestures　were　so　extremely　natural；

that　at　the　close　of　the　play　the　eyes　of　the　Infanta　were　quite

dim　with　tears。　　Indeed　some　of　the　children　really　cried；　and　had

to　be　comforted　with　sweetmeats；　and　the　Grand　Inquisitor　himself

was　so　affected　that　he　could　not　help　saying　to　Don　Pedro　that　it

seemed　to　him　intolerable　that　things　made　simply　out　of　wood　and

coloured　wax；　and　worked　mechanically　by　wires；　should　be　so

unhappy　and　meet　with　such　terrible　misfortunes。



An　African　juggler　followed；　who　brought　in　a　large　flat　basket

covered　with　a　red　cloth；　and　having　placed　it　in　the　centre　of　the

arena；　he　took　from　his　turban　a　curious　reed　pipe；　and　blew

through　it。　　In　a　few　moments　the　cloth　began　to　move；　and　as　the

pipe　grew　shriller　and　shriller　two　green　and　gold　snakes　put　out

their　strange　wedge…shaped　heads　and　rose　slowly　up；　swaying　to　and

fro　with　the　music　as　a　plant　sways　in　the　water。　　The　children；

however；　were　rather　frightened　at　their　spotted　hoods　and　quick

darting　tongues；　and　were　much　more　pleased　when　the　juggler　made　a

tiny　orange…tree　grow　out　of　the　sand　and　bear　pretty　white

blossoms　and　clusters　of　real　fruit；　and　when　he　took　the　fan　of

the　little　daughter　of　the　Marquess　de　Las…Torres；　and　changed　it

into　a　blue　bird　that　flew　all　round　the　pavilion　and　sang；　their

delight　and　amazement　knew　no　bounds。　　The　solemn　minuet；　too；

performed　by　the　dancing　boys　from　the　church　of　Nuestra　Senora　Del

Pilar；　was　charming。　　The　Infanta　had　never　before　seen　this

wonderful　ceremony　which　takes　place　every　year　at　Maytime　in　front

of　the　high　altar　of　the　Virgin；　and　in　her　honour；　and　indeed　none

of　the　royal　family　of　Spain　had　entered　the　great　cathedral　of

Saragossa　since　a　mad　priest；　supposed　by　many　to　have　been　in　the

pay　of　Elizabeth　of　England；　had　tried　to　administer　a　poisoned

wafer　to　the　Prince　of　the　Asturias。　　So　she　had　known　only　by

hearsay　of　'Our　Lady's　Dance；'　as　it　was　called；　and　it　certainly

was　a　beautiful　sight。　　The　boys　wore　old…fashioned　court　dresses

of　white　velvet；　and　their　curious　three…cornered　hats　were　fringed

with　silver　and　surmounted　with　huge　plumes　of　ostrich　feathers；

the　dazzling　whiteness　of　their　costumes；　as　they　moved　about　in

the　sunlight；　being　still　more　accentuated　by　their　swarthy　faces

and　long　black　hair。　　Everybody　was　fascinated　by　the　grave　dignity

with　which　they　moved　through　the　intricate　figures　of　the　dance；

and　by　the　elaborate　grace　of　their　slow　gestures；　and　stately

bows；　and　when　they　had　finished　their　performance　and　doffed　their

great　plumed　hats　to　the　Infanta；　she　acknowledged　their　reverence

with　much　courtesy；　and　made　a　vow　that　she　would　send　a　large　wax

candle　to　the　shrine　of　Our　Lady　of　Pilar　in　return　for　the

pleasure　that　she　had　given　her。



A　troop　of　handsome　Egyptians　…　as　the　gipsies　were　termed　in　those

days　…　then　advanced　into　the　arena；　and　sitting　down　cross…legs；

in　a　circle；　began　to　play　softly　upon　their　zithers；　moving　their

bodies　to　the　tune；　and　humming；　almost　below　their　breath；　a　low

dreamy　air。　　When　they　caught　sight　of　Don　Pedro　they　scowled　at

him；　and　some　of　them　looked　terrified；　for　only　a　few　weeks　before

he　had　had　two　of　their　tribe　hanged　for　sorcery　in　the　market…

place　at　Seville；　but　the　pretty　Infanta　charmed　them　as　she　leaned

back　peeping　over　her　fan　with　her　great　blue　eyes；　and　they　felt

sure　that　one　so　lovely　as　she　was　could　never　be　cruel　to　anybody。

So　they　played　on　very　gently　and　just　touching　the　cords　of　the

zithers　with　their　long　pointed　nails；　and　their　heads　began　to　nod

as　though　they　were　falling　asleep。　　Suddenly；　with　a　cry　so　shrill

that　all　the　children　were　startled　and　Don　Pedro's　hand　clutched

at　the　agate　pommel　of　his　dagger；　they　leapt　to　their　feet　and

whirled　madly　round　the　enclosure　beating　their　tambourines；　and

chaunting　some　wild　love…song　in　their　strange　guttural　language。

Then　at　another　signal　they　all　flung　themselves　again　to　the

ground　and　lay　there　quite　still；　the　dull　strumming　of　the　zithers

being　the　only　sound　that　broke　the　silence。　　After　that　they　had

done　this　several　times；　they　disappeared　for　a　moment　and　came

back　leading　a　brown　shaggy　bear　by　a　chain；　and　carrying　on　their

shoulders　some　little　Barbary　apes。　　The　bear　stood　upon　his　head

with　the　utmost　gravity；　and　the　wizened　apes　played　all　kinds　of

amusing　tricks　with　two　gipsy　boys　who　seemed　to　be　their　masters；

and　fought　with　tiny　swords；　and　fired　off　guns；　and　went　through　a

regular　soldier's　drill　just　like　the　King's　own　bodyguard。　　In

fact　the　gipsies　were　a　great　success。



But　the　funniest　part　of　the　whole　morning's　entertainment；　was

undoubtedly　the　dancing　of　the　little　Dwarf。　　When　he　stumbled　into

the　arena；　waddling　on　his　crooked　legs　and　wagging　his　huge

misshapen　head　from　side　to　side；　the　children　went　off　into　a　loud

shout　of　delight；　and　the　Infanta　herself　laughed　so　much　that　the

Camerera　was　obliged　to　remind　her　that　although　there　were　many

precedents　in　Spain　for　a　King's　daughter　weeping　before　her

equals；　there　were　none　for　a　Princess　of　the　blood　royal　making　so

merry　before　those　who　were　her　inferiors　in　birth。　　The　Dwarf；

however；　was　really　quite　irresistible；　and　even　at　the　Spanish

Court；　always　noted　for　its　cultivated　passion　for　the　horrible；　so

fantastic　a　little　monster　had　never　been　seen。　　It　was　his　first

appearance；　too。　　He　had　been　discovered　only　the　day　before；

running　wild　through　the　forest；　by　two　of　the　nobles　who　happened

to　have　been　hunting　in　a　remote　part　of　the　great　cork…wood　that

surrounded　the　town；　and　had　been　carried　off　by　them　to　the　Palace

as　a　surprise　for　the　Infanta；　his　father；　who　was　a　poor　charcoal…

burner；　being　but　too　well　pleased　to　get　rid　of　so　ugly　and

useless　a　child。　　Perhaps　the　most　amusing　thing　about　him　was　his

complete　unconsciousness　of　his　own　grotesque　appearance。　　Indeed

he　seemed　quite　happy　and　full　of　the　highest　spirits。　　When　the

children　laughed；　he　laughed　as　freely　and　as　joyously　as　any　of

them；　and　at　the　close　of　each　dance　he　made　them　each　the　funniest

of　bows；　smiling　and　nodding　at　the