part05-第7节

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accustomed　to　magnificence。　She　received　every　thing　as　a　homage　due

to　her　rank；　or　rather　to　her　beauty；　for　beauty　is　more　lofty　in

its　exactions　even　than　rank。　Nay；　she　seemed　to　take　a　secret

pleasure　in　exciting　the　monarch　to　expenses　that　made　his　treasury

shrink；　and　then　treating　his　extravagant　generosity　as　a　mere

matter　of　course。　With　all　his　assiduity　and　munificence；　also；　the

venerable　lover　could　not　flatter　himself　that　he　had　made　any

impression　on　her　heart。　She　never　frowned　on　him；　it　is　true；　but

then　she　never　smiled。　Whenever　he　began　to　plead　his　passion；　she

struck　her　silver　lyre。　There　was　a　mystic　charm　in　the　sound。　In　an

instant　the　monarch　began　to　nod；　a　drowsiness　stole　over　him；　and

he　gradually　sank　into　a　sleep；　from　which　he　awoke　wonderfully

refreshed；　but　perfectly　cooled　for　the　time　of　his　passion。　This

was　very　baffling　to　his　suit；　but　then　these　slumbers　were

accompanied　by　agreeable　dreams；　which　completely　inthralled　the

senses　of　the　drowsy　lover；　so　he　continued　to　dream　on；　while　all

Granada　scoffed　at　his　infatuation；　and　groaned　at　the　treasures

lavished　for　a　song。

　　At　length　a　danger　burst　on　the　head　of　Aben　Habuz；　against　which

his　talisman　yielded　him　no　warning。　An　insurrection　broke　out　in

his　very　capital：　his　palace　was　surrounded　by　an　armed　rabble；　who

menaced　his　life　and　the　life　of　his　Christian　paramour。　A　spark　of

his　ancient　warlike　spirit　was　awakened　in　the　breast　of　the

monarch。　At　the　head　of　a　handful　of　his　guards　he　sallied　forth；

put　the　rebels　to　flight；　and　crushed　the　insurrection　in　the　bud。

　　When　quiet　was　again　restored；　he　sought　the　astrologer；　who　still

remained　shut　up　in　his　hermitage；　chewing　the　bitter　cud　of

resentment。

　　Aben　Habuz　approached　him　with　a　conciliatory　tone。　〃O　wise　son　of

Abu　Ayub；〃　said　he；　〃well　didst　thou　predict　dangers　to　me　from　this

captive　beauty：　tell　me　then；　thou　who　art　so　quick　at　foreseeing

peril；　what　I　should　do　to　avert　it。〃

　　〃Put　from　thee　the　infidel　damsel　who　is　the　cause。〃

　　〃Sooner　would　I　part　with　my　kingdom；〃　cried　Aben　Habuz。

　　〃Thou　art　in　danger　of　losing　both；〃　replied　the　astrologer。

　　〃Be　not　harsh　and　angry；　O　most　profound　of　philosophers；　consider

the　double　distress　of　a　monarch　and　a　lover；　and　devise　some　means　of

protecting　me　from　the　evils　by　which　I　am　menaced。　I　care　not　for

grandeur；　I　care　not　for　power；　I　languish　only　for　repose；　would　that

I　had　some　quiet　retreat　where　I　might　take　refuge　from　the　world；　and

all　its　cares；　and　pomps；　and　troubles；　and　devote　the　remainder　of　my

days　to　tranquillity　and　love。〃

　　The　astrologer　regarded　him　for　a　moment；　from　under　his　bushy

eyebrows。

　　〃And　what　wouldst　thou　give；　if　I　could　provide　thee　such　a

retreat？〃

　　〃Thou　shouldst　name　thy　own　reward；　and　whatever　it　might　be；　if

within　the　scope　of　my　power；　as　my　soul　liveth；　it　should　be　thine。〃

　　〃Thou　hast　heard；　O　king；　of　the　garden　of　Irem；　one　of　the

prodigies　of　Arabia　the　happy。〃

　　〃I　have　heard　of　that　garden；　it　is　recorded　in　the　Koran；　even　in

the　chapter　entitled　'The　Dawn　of　Day。'　I　have；　moreover；　heard

marvellous　things　related　of　it　by　pilgrims　who　had　been　to　Mecca；　but

I　considered　them　wild　fables；　such　as　travellers　are　wont　to　tell　who

have　visited　remote　countries。〃

　　〃Discredit　not；　O　king；　the　tales　of　travellers；〃　rejoined　the

astrologer；　gravely；　〃for　they　contain　precious　rarities　of

knowledge　brought　from　the　ends　of　the　earth。　As　to　the　palace　and

garden　of　Irem；　what　is　generally　told　of　them　is　true；　I　have　seen

them　with　mine　own　eyes…　listen　to　my　adventure；　for　it　has　a

bearing　upon　the　object　of　your　request。

　　〃In　my　younger　days；　when　a　mere　Arab　of　the　desert；　I　tended　my

father's　camels。　In　traversing　the　desert　of　Aden；　one　of　them　strayed

from　the　rest；　and　was　lost。　I　searched　after　it　for　several　days；　but

in　vain；　until；　wearied　and　faint；　I　laid　myself　down　at　noontide；　and

slept　under　a　palm…tree　by　the　side　of　a　scanty　well。　When　I　awoke；

I　found　myself　at　the　gate　of　a　city。　I　entered；　and　beheld　noble

streets；　and　squares；　and　market…places；　but　all　were　silent　and

without　an　inhabitant。　I　wandered　on　until　I　came　to　a　sumptuous

palace　with　a　garden　adorned　with　fountains　and　fishponds；　and

groves　and　flowers；　and　orchards　laden　with　delicious　fruit；　but　still

no　one　was　to　be　seen。　Upon　which；　appalled　at　this　loneliness；　I

hastened　to　depart；　and；　after　issuing　forth　at　the　gate　of　the

city；　I　turned　to　look　upon　the　place；　but　it　was　no　longer　to　be

seen；　nothing　but　the　silent　desert　extended　before　my　eyes。

　　〃In　the　neighborhood　I　met　with　an　aged　dervise；　learned　in　the

traditions　and　secrets　of　the　land；　and　related　to　him　what　had

befallen　me。　'This；'　said　he；　'is　the　far…famed　garden　of　Irem；　one　of

the　wonders　of　the　desert。　It　only　appears　at　times　to　some　wanderer

like　thyself；　gladdening　him　with　the　sight　of　towers　and　palaces

and　garden　walls　overhung　with　richly…laden　fruit…trees；　and　then

vanishes；　leaving　nothing　but　a　lonely　desert。　And　this　is　the　story

of　it。　In　old　times；　when　this　country　was　inhabited　by　the　Addites；

King　Sheddad；　the　son　of　Ad；　the　great　grandson　of　Noah；　founded

here　a　splendid　city。　When　it　was　finished；　and　he　saw　its　grandeur；

his　heart　was　puffed　up　with　pride　and　arrogance；　and　he　determined　to

build　a　royal　palace；　with　gardens　which　should　rival　all　related　in

the　Koran　of　the　celestial　paradise。　But　the　curse　of　heaven　fell　upon

him　for　his　presumption。　He　and　his　subjects　were　swept　from　the

earth；　and　his　splendid　city；　and　palace；　and　gardens；　were　laid　under

a　perpetual　spell；　which　hides　them　from　human　sight；　excepting　that

they　are　seen　at　intervals；　by　way　of　keeping　his　sin　in　perpetual

remembrance。'

　　〃This　story；　O　king；　and　the　wonders　I　had　seen；　ever　dwelt　in　my

mind；　and　in　after　years；　when　I　had　been　in　Egypt；　and　was

possessed　of　the　book　of　knowledge　of　Solomon　the　wise；　I　determined

to　return　and　revisit　the　garden　of　Irem。　I　did　so；　and　found　it

revealed　to　my　instructed　sight。　I　took　possession　of　the　palace　of

Sheddad；　and　passed　several　days　in　his　mock　paradise。　The　genii　who

watch　over　the　place；　were　obedient　to　my　magic　power；　and　revealed　to

me　the　spells　by　which　the　whole　garden　had　been；　as　it　were；　conjured

into　existence；　and　by　which　it　was　rendered　invisible。　Such　a

palace　and　garden；　O　king；　can　I　make　for　thee；　even　here；　on　the

mountain　above　thy　city。　Do　I　not　know　all　the　secret　spells？　and　am　I

not　in　possession　of　the　book　of　knowledge　of　Solomon　the　wise？〃

　　〃O　wise　son　of　Abu　Ayub！〃　exclaimed　Aben　Habuz；　trembling　with

eagerness；　〃thou　art　a　traveller　indeed；　and　hast　seen　and　learned

marvellous　things！　Contrive　me　such　a　paradise；　and　ask　any　reward；

even　to　the　half　of　my　kingdom。〃

　　〃Alas！〃　replied　the　other；　〃thou　knowest　I　am　an　old　man；　and　a

philosopher；　and　easily　satisfied；　all　the　reward　I　ask　is　the　first

beast　of　burden；　with　its　load；　which　shall　enter　the　magic　portal

of　the　palace。〃

　　The　monarch　gladly　agreed　to　so　moderate　a　stipulation；　and　the

astrologer　began　his　work。　On　the　summit　of　the　hill；　immediately

above　his　subterranean　hermitage；　he　caused　a　great　gateway　or

barbican　to　be　erected；　opening　through　the　centre　of　a　strong　tower。

　　There　was　an　outer　vestibule　or　porch；　with　a　lofty　arch；　and　within

it　a　portal　secured　by　massive　gates。　On　the　key…stone　of　the　portal

the　astrologer；　with　his　own　hand；　wrought　the　figure　of　a　huge　key；

and　on　the　key…stone　of　the　outer　arch　of　the　vestibule；　which　was

loftier　than　that　of　the　portal；　he　carved　a　gigantic　hand。　These　were

potent　talismans；　over　which　he　repeated　many　sentences　in　an

unknown　tongue。

　　When　this　gateway　was　finished　he　shut　himself　up　for　two　days　in

his　astrological　hall；　engaged　in　secret　incantations；　on　the　third　he

ascended　the　hill；　and　passed　the　whole　day　on　its　summit。　At　a　late

hour　of　the　night　he　came　down；　and　presented　himself　before　Aben

Habuz。

　　〃At　length；　O　king；〃　said　he；　〃my　labor　is　accomplished。　On　the

summit　of　the　hill　stands　one　of　the　most　delectable　palaces　that　ever

the　head　of　man　devised；　or　the　heart　of　man　desired。　It　contains

sumptuous　halls　and　galleries；　delicious　gardens；　cool　fountains；

and　fragrant　baths；　in　a　word；　the　whole　mountain　is　converted　into

a　paradise。　Like　the　garden　of　Irem；　it　is　protected　by　a　mighty

charm；　which　hides　it　from　the　view　and　search　of　mortals；　excepting

such　as　possess　the　secret　of　its　talismans。〃

　　〃Enough！〃　cried　Aben　Habuz；　joyfully；　〃to…morrow　morning　with　the

first　light　we　will　ascend　and　take　possession。〃

　　The　happy　monarch　slept　but　little　that　night。　Scarcely　had　the　rays

of　the　sun　begun　to　play　about　the　snowy　summit　of　the　Sierra

Nevada；　when　he　mounted　his　steed；　and；　accompanied　only　by　a　few

chosen　attendants；　ascended　a　steep　and　narrow　road　leadin