part06-第8节

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in　the　neighboring　mountains　there　is　a　cave；　and　in　that　cave　there

is　an　iron　table；　and　on　that　table　there　lies　a　suit　of　magic

armor；　and　beside　that　table　there　stands　a　spell…bound　steed；　which

have　been　shut　up　there　for　many　generations。〃

　　The　prince　stared　with　wonder；　while　the　owl；　blinking　his　huge

round　eyes；　and　erecting　his　horns；　proceeded。

　　〃Many　years　since；　I　accompanied　my　father　to　these　parts　on　a

tour　of　his　estates；　and　we　sojourned　in　that　cave；　and　thus　became

I　acquainted　with　the　mystery。　It　is　a　tradition　in　our　family　which　I

have　heard　from　my　grandfather；　when　I　was　yet　but　a　very　little

owlet；　that　this　armor　belonged　to　a　Moorish　magician；　who　took　refuge

in　this　cavern　when　Toledo　was　captured　by　the　Christians；　and　died

here；　leaving　his　steed　and　weapons　under　a　mystic　spell；　never　to

be　used　but　by　a　Moslem；　and　by　him　only　from　sunrise　to　mid…day。　In

that　interval；　whoever　uses　them　will　overthrow　every　opponent。〃

　　〃Enough；　let　us　seek　this　cave！〃　exclaimed　Ahmed。

　　Guided　by　his　legendary　mentor；　the　prince　found　the　cavern；　which

was　in　one　of　the　wildest　recesses　of　those　rocky　cliffs　which　rise

around　Toledo；　none　but　the　mousing　eye　of　an　owl　or　an　antiquary

could　have　discovered　the　entrance　to　it。　A　sepulchral　lamp　of

everlasting　oil　shed　a　solemn　light　through　the　place。　On　an　iron

table　in　the　centre　of　the　cavern　lay　the　magic　armor；　against　it

leaned　the　lance；　and　beside　it　stood　an　Arabian　steed；　caparisoned

for　the　field；　but　motionless　as　a　statue。　The　armor　was　bright　and

unsullied　as　it　had　gleamed　in　days　of　old；　the　steed　in　as　good

condition　as　if　just　from　the　pasture；　and　when　Ahmed　laid　his　hand

upon　his　neck；　he　pawed　the　ground　and　gave　a　loud　neigh　of　joy　that

shook　the　walls　of　the　cavern。　Thus　amply　provided　with　〃horse　and

rider　and　weapon　to　wear；〃　the　prince　determined　to　defy　the　field

in　the　impending　tourney。

　　The　eventful　morning　arrived。　The　lists　for　the　combat　were　prepared

in　the　vega；　or　plain；　just　below　the　cliff…built　walls　of　Toledo；

where　stages　and　galleries　were　erected　for　the　spectators；　covered

with　rich　tapestry；　and　sheltered　from　the　sun　by　silken　awnings。

All　the　beauties　of　the　land　were　assembled　in　those　galleries；

while　below　pranced　plumed　knights　with　their　pages　and　esquires；

among　whom　figured　conspicuously　the　princes　who　were　to　contend　in

the　tourney。　All　the　beauties　of　the　land；　however；　were　eclipsed　when

the　princess　Aldegonda　appeared　in　the　royal　pavilion；　and　for　the

first　time　broke　forth　upon　the　gaze　of　an　admiring　world。　A　murmur　of

wonder　ran　through　the　crowd　at　her　transcendent　loveliness；　and　the

princes　who　were　candidates　for　her　hand；　merely　on　the　faith　of　her

reported　charms；　now　felt　tenfold　ardor　for　the　conflict。

　　The　princess；　however；　had　a　troubled　look。　The　color　came　and

went　from　her　cheek；　and　her　eye　wandered　with　a　restless　and

unsatisfied　expression　over　the　plumed　throng　of　knights。　The　trumpets

were　about　sounding　for　the　encounter；　when　the　herald　announced　the

arrival　of　a　strange　knight；　and　Ahmed　rode　into　the　field。　A　steel

helmet　studded　with　gems　rose　above　his　turban；　his　cuirass　was

embossed　with　gold；　his　cimeter　and　dagger　were　of　the　workmanship

of　Fez；　and　flamed　with　precious　stones。　A　round　shield　was　at　his

shoulder；　and　in　his　hand　he　bore　the　lance　of　charmed　virtue。　The

caparison　of　his　Arabian　steed　was　richly　embroidered　and　swept　the

ground；　and　the　proud　animal　pranced　and　snuffed　the　air；　and

neighed　with　joy　at　once　more　beholding　the　array　of　arms。　The　lofty

and　graceful　demeanor　of　the　prince　struck　every　eye；　and　when　his

appellation　was　announced；　〃the　Pilgrim　of　Love；〃　a　universal

flutter　and　agitation　prevailed　among　the　fair　dames　in　the　galleries。

　　When　Ahmed　presented　himself　at　the　lists；　however；　they　were　closed

against　him：　none　but　princes；　he　was　told；　were　admitted　to　the

contest。　He　declared　his　name　and　rank。　Still　worse！…　he　was　a　Moslem；

and　could　not　engage　in　a　tourney　where　the　hand　of　a　Christian

princess　was　the　prize。

　　The　rival　princes　surrounded　him　with　haughty　and　menacing

aspects；　and　one　of　insolent　demeanor　and　herculean　frame　sneered　at

his　light　and　youthful　form；　and　scoffed　at　his　amorous　appellation。

The　ire　of　the　prince　was　roused。　He　defied　his　rival　to　the

encounter。　They　took　distance；　wheeled；　and　charged；　and　at　the

first　touch　of　the　magic　lance；　the　brawny　scoffer　was　tilted　from　his

saddle。　Here　the　prince　would　have　paused；　but　alas！　he　had　to　deal

with　a　demoniac　horse　and　armor；　once　in　action　nothing　could

control　them。　The　Arabian　steed　charged　into　the　thickest　of　the

throng；　the　lance　overturned　every　thing　that　presented；　the　gentle

prince　was　carried　pell…mell　about　the　field；　strewing　it　with　high

and　low；　gentle　and　simple；　and　grieving　at　his　own　involuntary

exploits。　The　king　stormed　and　raged　at　this　outrage　on　his　subjects

and　his　guests。　He　ordered　out　all　his　guards…　they　were　unhorsed　as

fast　as　they　came　up。　The　king　threw　off　his　robes；　grasped　buckler

and　lance；　and　rode　forth　to　awe　the　stranger　with　the　presence　of

majesty　itself　Alas！　majesty　fared　no　better　than　the　vulgar；　the

steed　and　lance　were　no　respecters　of　persons；　to　the　dismay　of　Ahmed；

he　was　borne　full　tilt　against　the　king；　and　in　a　moment　the　royal

heels　were　in　the　air；　and　the　crown　was　rolling　in　the　dust。

　　At　this　moment　the　sun　reached　the　meridian；　the　magic　spell　resumed

its　power；　the　Arabian　steed　scoured　across　the　plain；　leaped　the

barrier；　plunged　into　the　Tagus；　swam　its　raging　current；　bore　the

prince　breathless　and　amazed　to　the　cavern；　and　resumed　his　station；

like　a　statue；　beside　the　iron　table。　The　prince　dismounted　right

gladly；　and　replaced　the　armor；　to　abide　the　further　decrees　of

fate。　Then　seating　himself　in　the　cavern；　he　ruminated　on　the

desperate　state　to　which　this　demoniac　steed　and　armor　had　reduced

him。　Never　should　he　dare　to　show　his　face　at　Toledo　after

inflicting　such　disgrace　upon　its　chivalry；　and　such　an　outrage　on　its

king。　What；　too；　would　the　princess　think　of　so　rude　and　riotous　an

achievement？　Full　of　anxiety；　he　sent　forth　his　winged　messengers　to

gather　tidings。　The　parrot　resorted　to　all　the　public　places　and

crowded　resorts　of　the　city；　and　soon　returned　with　a　world　of　gossip。

　　All　Toledo　was　in　consternation。　The　princess　had　been　borne　off

senseless　to　the　palace；　the　tournament　had　ended　in　confusion；

every　one　was　talking　of　the　sudden　apparition；　prodigious　exploits；

and　strange　disappearance　of　the　Moslem　knight。　Some　pronounced　him

a　Moorish　magician；　others　thought　him　a　demon　who　had　assumed　a　human

shape；　while　others　related　traditions　of　enchanted　warriors　hidden　in

the　caves　of　the　mountains；　and　thought　it　might　be　one　of　these；

who　had　made　a　sudden　irruption　from　his　den。　All　agreed　that　no

mere　ordinary　mortal　could　have　wrought　such　wonders；　or　unhorsed　such

accomplished　and　stalwart　Christian　warriors。

　　The　owl　flew　forth　at　night　and　hovered　about　the　dusky　city；

perching　on　the　roofs　and　chimneys。　He　then　wheeled　his　flight　up　to

the　royal　palace；　which　stood　on　a　rocky　summit　of　Toledo；　and　went

prowling　about　its　terraces　and　battlements；　eavesdropping　at　every

cranny；　and　glaring　in　with　his　big　goggling　eyes　at　every　window

where　there　was　a　light；　so　as　to　throw　two　or　three　maids　of　honor

into　fits。　It　was　not　until　the　gray　dawn　began　to　peer　above　the

mountains　that　he　returned　from　his　mousing　expedition；　and　related　to

the　prince　what　he　had　seen。

　　〃As　I　was　prying　about　one　of　the　loftiest　towers　of　the　palace；〃

said　he；　〃I　beheld　through　a　casement　a　beautiful　princess。　She　was

reclining　on　a　couch　with　attendants　and　physicians　around　her；　but

she　would　none　of　their　ministry　and　relief　When　they　retired　I　beheld

her　draw　forth　a　letter　from　her　bosom；　and　read　and　kiss　it；　and　give

way　to　loud　lamentations；　at　which；　philosopher　as　I　am；　I　could　but

be　greatly　moved。〃

　　The　tender　heart　of　Ahmed　was　distressed　at　these　tidings。　〃Too　true

were　thy　words；　O　sage　Eben　Bonabben；〃　cried　he；　〃care　and　sorrow

and　sleepless　nights　are　the　lot　of　lovers。　Allah　preserve　the

princess　from　the　blighting　influence　of　this　thing　called　love！〃

　　Further　intelligence　from　Toledo　corroborated　the　report　of　the　owl。

The　city　was　a　prey　to　uneasiness　and　alarm。　The　princess　was　conveyed

to　the　highest　tower　of　the　palace；　every　avenue　to　which　was　strongly

guarded。　In　the　mean　time　a　devouring　melancholy　had　seized　upon

her；　of　which　no　one　could　divine　the　cause…　she　refused　food　and

turned　a　deaf　ear　to　every　consolation。　The　most　skilful　physicians

had　essayed　their　art　in　vain；　it　was　thought　some　magic　spell　had

been　practised　upon　her；　and　the　king　made　proclamation；　declaring

that　whoever　should　effect　her　cure　should　receive　the　richest　jewel

in　the　royal