part05-第4节

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which　seems　to　me　to　characterize　every　thing　in　Spain；　and　especially

in　its　southern　provinces。　The　hidden　wealth　is　always　laid　under

magic　spell；　and　secured　by　charm　and　talisman。　Sometimes　it　is

guarded　by　uncouth　monsters　or　fiery　dragons；　sometimes　by　enchanted

Moors；　who　sit　by　it　in　armor；　with　drawn　swords；　but　motionless　as

statues；　maintaining　a　sleepless　watch　for　ages。

　　The　Alhambra　of　course；　from　the　peculiar　circumstances　of　its

history；　is　a　strong…hold　for　popular　fictions　of　the　kind；　and

various　relics；　digged　up　from　time　to　time；　have　contributed　to

strengthen　them。　At　one　time　an　earthen　vessel　was　found　containing

Moorish　coins　and　the　skeleton　of　a　cock；　which；　according　to　the

opinion　of　certain　shrewd　inspectors；　must　have　been　buried　alive。

At　another　time　a　vessel　was　dug　up　containing　a　great　scarabaeus　or

beetle　of　baked　clay；　covered　with　Arabic　inscriptions；　which　was

pronounced　a　prodigious　amulet　of　occult　virtues。　In　this　way　the　wits

of　the　ragged　brood　who　inhabit　the　Alhambra　have　been　set

wool…gathering；　until　there　is　not　a　hall；　nor　tower；　nor　vault；　of

the　old　fortress；　that　has　not　been　made　the　scene　of　some

marvellous　tradition。　Having；　I　trust；　in　the　preceding　papers　made

the　reader　in　some　degree　familiar　with　the　localities　of　the

Alhambra；　I　shall　now　launch　out　more　largely　into　the　wonderful

legends　connected　with　it；　and　which　I　have　diligently　wrought　into

shape　and　form；　from　various　legendary　scraps　and　hints　picked　up　in

the　course　of　my　perambulations；　in　the　same　manner；　that　an　antiquary

works　out　a　regular　historical　document　from　a　few　scattered　letters

of　an　almost　defaced　inscription。

　　If　any　thing　in　these　legends　should　shock　the　faith　of　the

over…scrupulous　reader；　he　must　remember　the　nature　of　the　place；

and　make　due　allowances。　He　must　not　expect　here　the　same　laws　of

probability　that　govern　commonplace　scenes　and　everyday　life；　he

must　remember　that　he　treads　the　halls　of　an　enchanted　palace；　and

that　all　is　〃haunted　ground。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　House　of　the　Weathercock。



　　ON　THE　brow　of　the　lofty　hill　of　the　Albaycin；　the　highest　part　of

Granada；　and　which　rises　from　the　narrow　valley　of　the　Darro；　directly

opposite　to　the　Alhambra；　stands　all　that　is　left　of　what　was　once　a

royal　palace　of　the　Moors。　it　has；　in　fact；　fallen　into　such

obscurity；　that　it　cost　me　much　trouble　to　find　it；　though　aided　in　my

researches；　by　the　sagacious　and　all…knowing　Mateo　Ximenes。　This

edifice　has　borne　for　centuries　the　name　of　〃The　House　of　the

Weathercock〃　（La　Casa　del　Gallo　de　Viento）；　from　a　bronze　figure　on

one　of　its　turrets；　in　ancient　times；　of　a　warrior　on　horseback；　and

turning　with　every　breeze。　This　weathercock　was　considered　by　the

Moslems　of　Granada　a　portentous　talisman。　According　to　some

traditions；　it　bore　the　following　Arabic　inscription：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Calet　et　Bedici　Aben　Habuz；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quidat　ehahet　Lindabuz。



Which　has　been　rendered　into　Spanish：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Dice　el　sabio　Aben　Habuz；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Que　asi　se　defiende　el　Andaluz。



And　into　English：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　this　way；　says；　Aben　Habuz　the　wise；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Andaluz　guards　against　surprise。



　　This　Aben　Habuz；　according　to　some　of　the　old　Moorish　chronicles；

was　a　captain　in　the　invading　army　of　Taric；　one　of　the　conquerors

of　Spain；　who　left　him　as　Alcayde　of　Granada。　He　is　supposed　to　have

intended　this　effigy　as　a　perpetual　warning　to　the　Moslems　of　Andaluz；

that；　surrounded　by　foes；　their　safety　depended　upon　their　being

always　on　their　guard　and　ready　for　the　field。

　　Others；　among　whom　is　the　Christian　historian　Marmol；　affirms　〃Badis

Aben　Habus〃　to　have　been　a　Moorish　sultan　of　Granada；　and　that　the

weathercock　was　intended　as　a　perpetual　admonition　of　the

instability　of　Moslem　power；　bearing　the　following　words　in　Arabic：

　　〃Thus　Ibn　Habus　al　Badise　predicts　Andalus　shall　one　day　vanish

and　pass　away。〃

　　Another　version　of　this　portentous　inscription　is　given　by　a

Moslem　historian；　on　the　authority　of　Sidi　Hasan；　a　faquir　who

flourished　about　the　time　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　and　who　was

present　at　the　taking　down　of　the　weathercock；　when　the　old　Kassaba

was　undergoing　repairs。

　　〃I　saw　it；〃　says　the　venerable　faquir；　〃with　my　own　eyes；　it　was

of　a　heptagonal　shape；　and　had　the　following　inscription　in　verse：



　　　　　　　The　palace　at　fair　Granada　presents　a　talisman。

　　　　　　　The　horseman；　though　a　solid　body；　turns　with　every　wind。



This　to　a　wise　man　reveals　a　mystery：　In　a　little　while　comes　a

calamity　to　ruin　both　the　palace　and　its　owner。〃

　　In　effect　it　was　not　long　after　this　meddling　with　the　portentous

weathercock　that　the　following　event　occurred。　As　old　Muley　Abul

Hassan；　the　king　of　Granada；　was　seated　under　a　sumptuous　pavilion；

reviewing　his　troops　who　paraded　before　him　in　armor　of　polished

steel；　and　gorgeous　silken　robes；　mounted　on　fleet　steeds；　and

equipped　with　swords；　spears　and　shields；　embossed　with　gold　and

silver；　suddenly　a　tempest　was　seen　hurrying　from　the　south…west。　In　a

little　while；　black　clouds　overshadowed　the　heavens　and　burst　forth

with　a　deluge　of　rain。　Torrents　came　roaring　down　from　the

mountains；　bringing　with　them　rocks　and　trees；　the　Darro　overflowed

its　banks；　mills　were　swept　away；　bridges　destroyed；　gardens　laid

waste；　the　inundation　rushed　into　the　city；　undermining　houses；

drowning　their　inhabitants；　and　overflowing　even　the　square　of　the

Great　Mosque。　The　people　rushed　in　affright　to　the　mosques　to

implore　the　mercy　of　Allah；　regarding　this　uproar　of　the　elements　as

the　harbinger　of　dreadful　calamities；　and；　indeed；　according　to　the

Arabian　historian；　Al　Makkari；　it　was　but　a　type　and　prelude　of　the

direful　war　which　ended　in　the　downfall　of　the　Moslem　kingdom　of

Granada。

　　I　have　thus　given　historic　authorities；　sufficient　to　show　the

portentous　mysteries　connected　with　the　House　of　the　Weathercock；

and　its　talismanic　horseman。

　　I　now　proceed　to　relate　still　more　surprising　things　about　Aben

Habuz　and　his　palace；　for　the　truth　of　which；　should　any　doubt　be

entertained；　I　refer　the　dubious　reader　to　Mateo　Ximenes　and　his

fellow…historiographers　of　the　Alhambra。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Legend　of　the　Arabian　Astrologer。



　　IN　OLD　times；　many　hundred　years　ago；　there　was　a　Moorish　king　named

Aben　Habuz；　who　reigned　over　the　kingdom　of　Granada。　He　was　a

retired　conqueror；　that　is　to　say；　one　who　having　in　his　more　youthful

days　led　a　life　of　constant　foray　and　depredation；　now　that　he　was

grown　feeble　and　superannuated；　〃languished　for　repose；〃　and　desired

nothing　more　than　to　live　at　peace　with　all　the　world；　to　husband

his　laurels；　and　to　enjoy　in　quiet　the　possessions　he　had　wrested　from

his　neighbors。

　　It　so　happened；　however；　that　this　most　reasonable　and　pacific　old

monarch　had　young　rivals　to　deal　with；　princes　full　of　his　early

passion　for　fame　and　fighting；　and　who　were　disposed　to　call　him　to

account　for　the　scores　he　had　run　up　with　their　fathers。　Certain

distant　districts　of　his　own　territories；　also；　which　during　the

days　of　his　vigor　he　had　treated　with　a　high　hand；　were　prone；　now

that　he　languished　for　repose；　to　rise　in　rebellion　and　threaten　to

invest　him　in　his　capital。　Thus　he　had　foes　on　every　side；　and　as

Granada　is　surrounded　by　wild　and　craggy　mountains；　which　hide　the

approach　of　an　enemy；　the　unfortunate　Aben　Habuz　was　kept　in　a

constant　state　of　vigilance　and　alarm；　not　knowing　in　what　quarter

hostilities　might　break　out。

　　It　was　in　vain　that　he　built　watchtowers　on　the　mountains；　and

stationed　guards　at　every　pass　with　orders　to　make　fires　by　night

and　smoke　by　day；　on　the　approach　of　an　enemy。　His　alert　foes；

baffling　every　precaution；　would　break　out　of　some　unthought…of

defile；　ravage　his　lands　beneath　his　very　nose；　and　then　make　off　with

prisoners　and　booty　to　the　mountains。　Was　ever　peaceable　and　retired

conqueror　in　a　more　uncomfortable　predicament？

　　While　Aben　Habuz　was　harassed　by　these　perplexities　and

molestations；　an　ancient　Arabian　physician　arrived　at　his　court。　His

gray　beard　descended　to　his　girdle；　and　he　had　every　mark　of　extreme

age；　yet　he　had　travelled　almost　the　whole　way　from　Egypt　on　foot；

with　no　other　aid　than　a　staff；　marked　with　hieroglyphics。　His　fame

had　preceded　him。　His　name　was　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub；　he　was　said　to

have　lived　ever　since　the　days　of　Mahomet；　and　to　be　son　of　Abu

Ayub；　the　last　of　the　companions　of　the　Prophet。　He　had；　when　a　child；

followed　the　conquering　army　of　Amru　into　Egypt；　where　he　had　remained

many　years　studying　the　dark　sciences；　and　particularly　magic；　among

the　Egyptian　priests。

　　It　was；　moreover；　said　that　he　had　found　out　the　secret　of

prolonging　life；　by　means　of　which　he　had　arrived　to　the　great　age

of　upwards　of　two　centuries；　though；　as　he　did　not　discover　the　secret

until　well　stricken　in　y