part10-第6节

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nothing。〃　The　student's　heart　quaked；　but　he　made　the　sign　of　the

cross；　muttered　his　Ave　Maria；　and　followed　his　mysterious　guide

into　a　deep　vault　cut　out　of　the　solid　rock　under　the　tower；　and

covered　with　Arabic　inscriptions。　The　soldier　pointed　to　a　stone

seat　hewn　along　one　side　of　the　vault。　〃Behold；〃　said　he；　〃my　couch

for　three　hundred　years。〃　The　bewildered　student　tried　to　force　a

joke。　〃By　the　blessed　St。　Anthony；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　must　have

slept　soundly；　considering　the　hardness　of　your　couch。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary；　sleep　has　been　a　stranger　to　these　eyes；　incessant

watchfulness　has　been　my　doom。　Listen　to　my　lot。　I　was　one　of　the

royal　guards　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　but　was　taken　prisoner　by

the　Moors　in　one　of　their　sorties；　and　confined　a　captive　in　this

tower。　When　preparations　were　made　to　surrender　the　fortress　to　the

Christian　sovereigns；　I　was　prevailed　upon　by　Alfaqui；　a　Moorish

priest；　to　aid　him　in　secreting　some　of　the　treasures　of　Boabdil　in

this　vault。　I　was　justly　punished　for　my　fault。　The　Alfaqui　was　an

African　necromancer；　and　by　his　infernal　arts　cast　a　spell　upon　me…　to

guard　his　treasures。　Something　must　have　happened　to　him；　for　he　never

returned；　and　here　have　I　remained　ever　since；　buried　alive。　Years　and

years　have　rolled　away；　earthquakes　have　shaken　this　hill；　I　have

heard　stone　by　stone　of　the　tower　above　tumbling　to　the　ground；　in　the

natural　operation　of　time；　but　the　spell…bound　walls　of　this　vault　set

both　time　and　earthquakes　at　defiance。

　　〃Once　every　hundred　years；　on　the　festival　of　St。　John；　the

enchantment　ceases　to　have　thorough　sway；　I　am　permitted　to　go　forth

and　post　myself　upon　the　bridge　of　the　Darro；　where　you　met　me；

waiting　until　some　one　shall　arrive　who　may　have　power　to　break　this

magic　spell。　I　have　hitherto　mounted　guard　there　in　vain。　I　walk　as　in

a　cloud；　concealed　from　mortal　sight。　You　are　the　first　to　accost　me

for　now　three　hundred　years。　I　behold　the　reason。　I　see　on　your　finger

the　seal…ring　of　Solomon　the　wise；　which　is　proof　against　all

enchantment。　With　you　it　remains　to　deliver　me　from　this　awful

dungeon；　or　to　leave　me　to　keep　guard　here　for　another　hundred　years。〃

　　The　student　listened　to　this　tale　in　mute　wonderment。　He　had　heard

many　tales　of　treasure　shut　up　under　strong　enchantment　in　the

vaults　of　the　Alhambra；　but　had　treated　them　as　fables。　He　now　felt

the　value　of　the　seal…ring；　which　had；　in　a　manner；　been　given　to

him　by　St。　Cyprian。　Still；　though　armed　by　so　potent　a　talisman；　it

was　an　awful　thing　to　find　himself　tete…a…tete　in　such　a　place　with　an

enchanted　soldier；　who；　according　to　the　laws　of　nature；　ought　to　have

been　quietly　in　his　grave　for　nearly　three　centuries。

　　A　personage　of　this　kind；　however；　was　quite　out　of　the　ordinary

run；　and　not　to　be　trifled　with；　and　he　assured　him　he　might　rely　upon

his　friendship　and　good　will　to　do　every　thing　in　his　power　for　his

deliverance。

　　〃I　trust　to　a　motive　more　powerful　than　friendship；〃　said　the

soldier。

　　He　pointed　to　a　ponderous　iron　coffer；　secured　by　locks　inscribed

with　Arabic　characters。　〃That　coffer；〃　said　he；　〃contains　countless

treasure　in　gold　and　jewels；　and　precious　stones。　Break　the　magic

spell　by　which　I　am　enthralled；　and　one　half　of　this　treasure　shall　be

thine。〃

　　〃But　how　am　I　to　do　it？〃

　　〃The　aid　of　a　Christian　priest；　and　a　Christian　maid　is　necessary。

The　priest　to　exorcise　the　powers　of　darkness；　the　damsel　to　touch

this　chest　with　the　seal　of　Solomon。　This　must　be　done　at　night。　But

have　a　care。　This　is　solemn　work；　and　not　to　be　effected　by　the

carnal…minded。　The　priest　must　be　a　Cristiano　viejo；　a　model　of

sanctity；　and　must　mortify　the　flesh　before　he　comes　here；　by　a

rigorous　fast　of　four…and…twenty　hours；　and　as　to　the　maiden；　she　must

be　above　reproach；　and　proof　against　temptation。　Linger　not　in　finding

aid。　In　three　days　my　furlough　is　at　an　end；　if　not　delivered　before

midnight　of　the　third；　I　shall　have　to　mount　guard　for　another

century。〃

　　〃Fear　not；〃　said　the　student；　〃I　have　in　my　eye　the　very　priest

and　damsel　you　describe；　but　how　am　I　to　regain　admission　to　this

tower？〃

　　〃The　seal　of　Solomon　will　open　the　way　for　thee。〃

　　The　student　issued　forth　from　the　tower　much　more　gayly　than　he

had　entered。　The　wall　closed　behind　him；　and　remained　solid　as　before。

　　The　next　morning　he　repaired　boldly　to　the　mansion　of　the　priest；　no

longer　a　poor　strolling　student；　thrumming　his　way　with　a　guitar；

but　an　ambassador　from　the　shadowy　world；　with　enchanted　treasures

to　bestow。　No　particulars　are　told　of　his　negotiation；　excepting

that　the　zeal　of　the　worthy　priest　was　easily　kindled　at　the　idea　of

rescuing　an　old　soldier　of　the　faith　and　a　strong…box　of　King　Chico

from　the　very　clutches　of　Satan；　and　then　what　alms　might　be

dispensed；　what　churches　built；　and　how　many　poor　relatives　enriched

with　the　Moorish　treasure！

　　As　to　the　immaculate　handmaid；　she　was　ready　to　lend　her　hand；　which

was　all　that　was　required；　to　the　pious　work；　and　if　a　shy　glance

now　and　then　might　be　believed；　the　ambassador　began　to　find　favor

in　her　modest　eyes。

　　The　greatest　difficulty；　however；　was　the　fast　to　which　the　good

Padre　had　to　subject　himself。　Twice　he　attempted　it；　and　twice　the

flesh　was　too　strong　for　the　spirit。　It　was　only　on　the　third　day　that

he　was　enabled　to　withstand　the　temptations　of　the　cupboard；　but　it

was　still　a　question　whether　he　would　hold　out　until　the　spell　was

broken。

　　At　a　late　hour　of　the　night　the　party　groped　their　way　up　the　ravine

by　the　light　of　a　lantern；　and　bearing　a　basket　with　provisions　for

exorcising　the　demon　of　hunger　so　soon　as　the　other　demons　should　be

laid　in　the　Red　Sea。

　　The　seal　of　Solomon　opened　their　way　into　the　tower。　They　found

the　soldier　seated　on　the　enchanted　strong…box；　awaiting　their

arrival。　The　exorcism　was　performed　in　due　style。　The　damsel

advanced　and　touched　the　locks　of　the　coffer　with　the　seal　of　Solomon。

The　lid　flew　open；　and　such　treasures　of　gold　and　jewels　and

precious　stones　as　flashed　upon　the　eye！

　　〃Here's　cut　and　come　again！〃　cried　the　student；　exultingly；　as　he

proceeded　to　cram　his　pockets。

　　〃Fairly　and　softly；〃　exclaimed　the　soldier。　〃Let　us　get　the　coffer

out　entire；　and　then　divide。〃

　　They　accordingly　went　to　work　with　might　and　main；　but　it　was　a

difficult　task；　the　chest　was　enormously　heavy；　and　had　been

imbedded　there　for　centuries。　While　they　were　thus　employed　the　good

dominie　drew　on　one　side　and　made　a　vigorous　onslaught　on　the

basket；　by　way　of　exorcising　the　demon　of　hunger　which　was　raging　in

his　entrails。　In　a　little　while　a　fat　capon　was　devoured；　and　washed

down　by　a　deep　potation　of　Val　de　Penas；　and；　by　way　of　grace　after

meat；　he　gave　a　kind…hearted　kiss　to　the　pet　lamb　who　waited　on　him。

It　was　quietly　done　in　a　corner；　but　the　tell…tale　walls　babbled　it

forth　as　if　in　triumph。　Never　was　chaste　salute　more　awful　in　its

effects。　At　the　sound　the　soldier　gave　a　great　cry　of　despair；　the

coffer；　which　was　half　raised；　fell　back　in　its　place　and　was　locked

once　more。　Priest；　student；　and　damsel；　found　themselves　outside　of

the　tower；　the　wall　of　which　closed　with　a　thundering　jar。　Alas！　the

good　Padre　had　broken　his　fast　too　soon！

　　When　recovered　from　his　surprise；　the　student　would　have

re…entered　the　tower；　but　learnt　to　his　dismay　that　the　damsel；　in　her

fright；　had　let　fall　the　seal　of　Solomon；　it　remained　within　the

vault。

　　In　a　word；　the　cathedral　bell　tolled　midnight；　the　spell　was

renewed；　the　soldier　was　doomed　to　mount　guard　for　another　hundred

years；　and　there　he　and　the　treasure　remain　to　this　day…　and　all

because　the　kind…hearted　Padre　kissed　his　handmaid。　〃Ah　father！

father！〃　said　the　student；　shaking　his　head　ruefully；　as　they　returned

down　the　ravine；　〃I　fear　there　was　less　of　the　saint　than　the　sinner

in　that　kiss！〃



　　Thus　ends　the　legend　as　far　as　it　has　been　authenticated。　There　is　a

tradition；　however；　that　the　student　had　brought　off　treasure　enough

in　his　pocket　to　set　him　up　in　the　world；　that　he　prospered　in　his

affairs；　that　the　worthy　Padre　gave　him　the　pet　lamb　in　marriage；　by

way　of　amends　for　the　blunder　in　the　vault；　that　the　immaculate　damsel

proved　a　pattern　for　wives　as　she　had　been　for　handmaids；　and　bore　her

husband　a　numerous　progeny；　that　the　first　was　a　wonder；　it　was　born

seven　months　after　her　marriage；　and　though　a　seven　months　boy；　was

the　sturdiest　of　the　flock。　The　rest　were　all　born　in　the　ordinary

course　of　time。

　　The　story　of　the　enchanted　soldier　remains　one　of　the　popular

traditions　of　Granada；　though　told　in　a　variety　of　ways；　the　common

people　affirm　that　he　still　mounts　guard　on　midsummer　eve　beside　the

gigantic　stone　pomegranate　on　the　Bridge　of　the　Darro；　but　remains

invisible　excepting　to　such　lucky　mortal　as　may　possess　the　seal　of

Solomon。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　Notes　to　〃The　Enchanted　Soldie