part05-第8节

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chosen　attendants；　ascended　a　steep　and　narrow　road　leading　up　the

hill。　Beside　him；　on　a　white　palfrey；　rode　the　Gothic　princess；　her

whole　dress　sparkling　with　jewels；　while　round　her　neck　was

suspended　her　silver　lyre。　The　astrologer　walked　on　the　other　side

of　the　king；　assisting　his　steps　with　his　hieroglyphic　staff；　for　he

never　mounted　steed　of　any　kind。

　　Aben　Habuz　looked　to　see　the　towers　of　the　palace　brightening

above　him；　and　the　imbowered　terraces　of　its　gardens　stretching

along　the　heights；　but　as　yet　nothing　of　the　kind　was　to　be

descried。　〃That　is　the　mystery　and　safeguard　of　the　place；〃　said　the

astrologer；　〃nothing　can　be　discerned　until　you　have　passed　the

spell…bound　gateway；　and　been　put　in　possession　of　the　place。〃

　　As　they　approached　the　gateway；　the　astrologer　paused；　and　pointed

out　to　the　king　the　mystic　hand　and　key　carved　upon　the　portal　of

the　arch。　〃These；〃　said　he；　〃are　the　talismans　which　guard　the

entrance　to　this　paradise。　Until　yonder　hand　shall　reach　down　and

seize　that　key；　neither　mortal　power　nor　magic　artifice　can　prevail

against　the　lord　of　this　mountain。〃

　　While　Aben　Habuz　was　gazing；　with　open　mouth　and　silent　wonder；　at

these　mystic　talismans；　the　palfrey　of　the　princess　proceeded；　and

bore　her　in　at　the　portal；　to　the　very　centre　of　the　barbican。

　　〃Behold；〃　cried　the　astrologer；　〃my　promised　reward；　the　first

animal　with　its　burden　which　should　enter　the　magic　gateway。〃

　　Aben　Habuz　smiled　at　what　he　considered　a　pleasantry　of　the

ancient　man；　but　when　he　found　him　to　be　in　earnest；　his　gray　beard

trembled　with　indignation。

　　〃Son　of　Abu　Ayub；〃　said　he；　sternly；　〃what　equivocation　is　this？

Thou　knowest　the　meaning　of　my　promise：　the　first　beast　of　burden；

with　its　load；　that　should　enter　this　portal。　Take　the　strongest

mule　in　my　stables；　load　it　with　the　most　precious　things　of　my

treasury；　and　it　is　thine；　but　dare　not　raise　thy　thoughts　to　her

who　is　the　delight　of　my　heart。〃

　　〃What　need　I　of　wealth；〃　cried　the　astrologer；　scornfully；　〃have　I

not　the　book　of　knowledge　of　Solomon　the　wise；　and　through　it　the

command　of　the　secret　treasures　of　the　earth？　The　princess　is　mine

by　right；　thy　royal　word　is　pledged：　I　claim　her　as　my　own。〃

　　The　princess　looked　down　haughtily　from　her　palfrey；　and　a　light

smile　of　scorn　curled　her　rosy　lip　at　this　dispute　between　two

gray…beards；　for　the　possession　of　youth　and　beauty。　The　wrath　of

the　monarch　got　the　better　of　his　discretion。　〃Base　son　of　the

desert；〃　cried　he；　〃thou　may'st　be　master　of　many　arts；　but　know　me

for　thy　master；　and　presume　not　to　juggle　with　thy　king。〃

　　〃My　master！　my　king！〃　echoed　the　astrologer。　〃The　monarch　of　a

molehill　to　claim　sway　over　him　who　possesses　the　talismans　of

Solomon！　Farewell；　Aben　Habuz；　reign　over　thy　petty　kingdom；　and　revel

in　thy　paradise　of　fools；　for　me；　I　will　laugh　at　thee　in　my

philosophic　retirement。〃

　　So　saying　he　seized　the　bridle　of　the　palfrey；　smote　the　earth

with　his　staff；　and　sank　with　the　Gothic　princess　through　the　centre

of　the　barbican。　The　earth　closed　over　them；　and　no　trace　remained

of　the　opening　by　which　they　had　descended。

　　Aben　Habuz　was　struck　dumb　for　a　time　with　astonishment。

Recovering　himself；　he　ordered　a　thousand　workmen　to　dig；　with　pickaxe

and　spade；　into　the　ground　where　the　astrologer　had　disappeared。

They　digged　and　digged；　but　in　vain；　the　flinty　bosom　of　the　hill

resisted　their　implements；　or　if　they　did　penetrate　a　little　way；

the　earth　filled　in　again　as　fast　as　they　threw　it　out。　Aben　Habuz

sought　the　mouth　of　the　cavern　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　leading　to　the

subterranean　palace　of　the　astrologer；　but　it　was　nowhere　to　be　found。

Where　once　had　been　an　entrance；　was　now　a　solid　surface　of　primeval

rock。　With　the　disappearance　of　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub　ceased　the

benefit　of　his　talismans。　The　bronze　horseman　remained　fixed；　with　his

face　turned　toward　the　hill；　and　his　spear　pointed　to　the　spot　where

the　astrologer　had　descended；　as　if　there　still　lurked　the　deadliest

foe　of　Aben　Habuz。

　　From　time　to　time　the　sound　of　music；　and　the　tones　of　a　female

voice；　could　be　faintly　heard　from　the　bosom　of　the　hill；　and　a

peasant　one　day　brought　word　to　the　king；　that　in　the　preceding

night　he　had　found　a　fissure　in　the　rock；　by　which　he　had　crept　in；

until　he　looked　down　into　a　subterranean　hall；　in　which　sat　the

astrologer；　on　a　magnificent　divan；　slumbering　and　nodding　to　the

silver　lyre　of　the　princess；　which　seemed　to　hold　a　magic　sway　over

his　senses。

　　Aben　Habuz　sought　the　fissure　in　the　rock；　but　it　was　again

closed。　He　renewed　the　attempt　to　unearth　his　rival；　but　all　in

vain。　The　spell　of　the　hand　and　key　was　too　potent　to　be

counteracted　by　human　power。　As　to　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　the

site　of　the　promised　palace　and　garden；　it　remained　a　naked　waste；

either　the　boasted　elysium　was　hidden　from　sight　by　enchantment；　or

was　a　mere　fable　of　the　astrologer。　The　world　charitably　supposed

the　latter；　and　some　used　to　call　the　place　〃The　King's　Folly；〃

while　others　named　it　〃The　Fool's　Paradise。〃

　　To　add　to　the　chagrin　of　Aben　Habuz；　the　neighbors　whom　he　had

defied　and　taunted；　and　cut　up　at　his　leisure　while　master　of　the

talismanic　horseman；　finding　him　no　longer　protected　by　magic　spell；

made　inroads　into　his　territories　from　all　sides；　and　the　remainder　of

the　life　of　the　most　pacific　of　monarchs　was　a　tissue　of　turmoils。

　　At　length　Aben　Habuz　died；　and　was　buried。　Ages　have　since　rolled

away。　The　Alhambra　has　been　built　on　the　eventful　mountain；　and　in

some　measure　realizes　the　fabled　delights　of　the　garden　of　Irem。　The

spell…bound　gateway　still　exists　entire；　protected　no　doubt　by　the

mystic　hand　and　key；　and　now　forms　the　Gate　of　Justice；　the　grand

entrance　to　the　fortress。　Under　that　gateway；　it　is　said；　the　old

astrologer　remains　in　his　subterranean　hall；　nodding　on　his　divan；

lulled　by　the　silver　lyre　of　the　princess。

　　The　old　invalid　sentinels　who　mount　guard　at　the　gate　hear　the

strains　occasionally　in　the　summer　nights；　and；　yielding　to　their

soporific　power；　doze　quietly　at　their　posts。　Nay；　so　drowsy　an

influence　pervades　the　place；　that　even　those　who　watch　by　day　may

generally　be　seen　nodding　on　the　stone　benches　of　the　barbican；　or

sleeping　under　the　neighboring　trees；　so　that　in　fact　it　is　the

drowsiest　military　post　in　all　Christendom。　All　this；　say　the

ancient　legends；　will　endure　from　age　to　age。　The　princess　will　remain

captive　to　the　astrologer；　and　the　astrologer；　bound　up　in　magic

slumber　by　the　princess；　until　the　last　day；　unless　the　mystic　hand

shall　grasp　the　fated　key；　and　dispel　the　whole　charm　of　this

enchanted　mountain。