part06-第9节

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that　whoever　should　effect　her　cure　should　receive　the　richest　jewel

in　the　royal　treasury。

　　When　the　owl；　who　was　dozing　in　a　corner；　heard　of　this

proclamation；　he　rolled　his　large　eyes　and　looked　more　mysterious　than

ever。

　　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃happy　the　man　that　shall　effect　that

cure；　should　he　but　know　what　to　choose　from　the　royal　treasury。〃

　　〃What　mean　you；　most　reverend　owl？〃　said　Ahmed。

　　〃Hearken；　O　prince；　to　what　I　shall　relate。　We　owls；　you　must

know；　are　a　learned　body；　and　much　given　to　dark　and　dusty　research。

During　my　late　prowling　at　night　about　the　domes　and　turrets　of

Toledo；　I　discovered　a　college　of　antiquarian　owls；　who　hold　their

meetings　in　a　great　vaulted　tower　where　the　royal　treasury　is

deposited。　Here　they　were　discussing　the　forms　and　inscriptions　and

designs　of　ancient　gems　and　jewels；　and　of　golden　and　silver

vessels；　heaped　up　in　the　treasury；　the　fashion　of　every　country　and

age；　but　mostly　they　were　interested　about　certain　relics　and

talismans　that　have　remained　in　the　treasury　since　the　time　of

Roderick　the　Goth。　Among　these　was　a　box　of　sandal…wood　secured　by

bands　of　steel　of　Oriental　workmanship；　and　inscribed　with　mystic

characters　known　only　to　the　learned　few。　This　box　and　its　inscription

had　occupied　the　college　for　several　sessions；　and　had　caused　much

long　and　grave　dispute。　At　the　time　of　my　visit　a　very　ancient　owl；

who　had　recently　arrived　from　Egypt；　was　seated　on　the　lid　of　the

box　lecturing　upon　the　inscription；　and　he　proved　from　it　that　the

coffer　contained　the　silken　carpet　of　the　throne　of　Solomon　the

wise；　which　doubtless　had　been　brought　to　Toledo　by　the　Jews　who

took　refuge　there　after　the　downfall　of　Jerusalem。〃

　　When　the　owl　had　concluded　his　antiquarian　harangue　the　prince

remained　for　a　time　absorbed　in　thought。　〃I　have　heard；〃　said　he；

〃from　the　sage　Eben　Bonabben；　of　the　wonderful　properties　of　that

talisman；　which　disappeared　at　the　fall　of　Jerusalem；　and　was　supposed

to　be　lost　to　mankind。　Doubtless　it　remains　a　sealed　mystery　to　the

Christians　of　Toledo。　If　I　can　get　possession　of　that　carpet；　my

fortune　is　secure。〃

　　The　next　day　the　prince　laid　aside　his　rich　attire；　and　arrayed

himself　in　the　simple　garb　of　an　Arab　of　the　desert。　He　dyed　his

complexion　to　a　tawny　hue；　and　no　one　could　have　recognized　in　him　the

splendid　warrior　who　had　caused　such　admiration　and　dismay　at　the

tournament。　With　staff　in　hand；　and　scrip　by　his　side；　and　a　small

pastoral　reed；　he　repaired　to　Toledo；　and　presenting　himself　at　the

gate　of　the　royal　palace；　announced　himself　as　a　candidate　for　the

reward　offered　for　the　cure　of　the　princess。　The　guards　would　have

driven　him　away　with　blows。　〃What　can　a　vagrant　Arab　like　thyself

pretend　to　do；〃　said　they；　〃in　a　case　where　the　most　learned　of　the

land　have　failed？〃　The　king；　however；　overheard　the　tumult；　and

ordered　the　Arab　to　be　brought　into　his　presence。

　　〃Most　potent　king；〃　said　Ahmed；　〃You　behold　before　you　a　Bedouin

Arab；　the　greater　part　of　whose　life　has　been　passed　in　the

solitudes　of　the　desert。　These　solitudes；　it　is　well　known；　are　the

haunts　of　demons　and　evil　spirits；　who　beset　us　poor　shepherds　in

our　lonely　watchings；　enter　into　and　possess　our　flocks　and　herds；　and

sometimes　render　even　the　patient　camel　furious；　against　these　our

counter…charm　is　music；　and　we　have　legendary　airs　handed　down　from

generation　to　generation；　that　we　chant　and　pipe；　to　cast　forth

these　evil　spirits。　I　am　of　a　gifted　line；　and　possess　this　power　in

its　fullest　force。　If　it　be　any　evil　influence　of　the　kind　that

holds　a　spell　over　thy　daughter；　I　pledge　my　head　to　free　her　from　its

sway。〃

　　The　king；　who　was　a　man　of　understanding　and　knew　the　wonderful

secrets　possessed　by　the　Arabs；　was　inspired　with　hope　by　the

confident　language　of　the　prince。　He　conducted　him　immediately　to

the　lofty　tower；　secured　by　several　doors；　in　the　summit　of　which

was　the　chamber　of　the　princess。　The　windows　opened　upon　a　terrace

with　balustrades；　commanding　a　view　over　Toledo　and　all　the

surrounding　country。　The　windows　were　darkened；　for　the　princess　lay

within；　a　prey　to　a　devouring　grief　that　refused　all　alleviation。

　　The　prince　seated　himself　on　the　terrace；　and　performed　several　wild

Arabian　airs　on　his　pastoral　pipe；　which　he　had　learnt　from　his

attendants　in　the　Generalife　at　Granada。　The　princess　continued

insensible；　and　the　doctors　who　were　present　shook　their　heads；　and

smiled　with　incredulity　and　contempt：　at　length　the　prince　laid

aside　the　reed；　and；　to　a　simple　melody；　chanted　the　amatory　verses　of

the　letter　which　had　declared　his　passion。

　　The　princess　recognized　the　strain…　a　fluttering　joy　stole　to　her

heart；　she　raised　her　head　and　listened；　tears　rushed　to　her　eyes

and　streamed　down　her　cheeks；　her　bosom　rose　and　fell　with　a　tumult　of

emotions。　She　would　have　asked　for　the　minstrel　to　be　brought　into　her

presence；　but　maiden　coyness　held　her　silent。　The　king　read　her

wishes；　and　at　his　command　Ahmed　was　conducted　into　the　chamber。　The

lovers　were　discreet：　they　but　exchanged　glances；　yet　those　glances

spoke　volumes。　Never　was　triumph　of　music　more　complete。　The　rose

had　returned　to　the　soft　cheek　of　the　princess；　the　freshness　to　her

lip；　and　the　dewy　light　to　her　languishing　eyes。

　　All　the　physicians　present　stared　at　each　other　with　astonishment。

The　king　regarded　the　Arab　minstrel　with　admiration　mixed　with　awe。

〃Wonderful　youth！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃thou　shalt　henceforth　be　the　first

physician　of　my　court；　and　no　other　prescription　will　I　take　but　thy

melody。　For　the　present　receive　thy　reward；　the　most　precious　jewel　in

my　treasury。〃

　　〃O　king；〃　replied　Ahmed；　〃I　care　not　for　silver　or　gold　or

precious　stones。　One　relic　hast　thou　in　thy　treasury；　handed　down　from

the　Moslems　who　once　owned　Toledo…　a　box　of　sandal…wood　containing　a

silken　carpet：　give　me　that　box；　and　I　am　content。〃

　　All　present　were　surprised　at　the　moderation　of　the　Arab；　and

still　more　when　the　box　of　sandal…wood　was　brought　and　the　carpet

drawn　forth。　It　was　of　fine　green　silk；　covered　with　Hebrew　and

Chaldaic　characters。　The　court　physicians　looked　at　each　other；

shrugged　their　shoulders；　and　smiled　at　the　simplicity　of　this　new

practitioner；　who　could　be　content　with　so　paltry　a　fee。

　　〃This　carpet；〃　said　the　prince；　〃once　covered　the　throne　of

Solomon　the　wise；　it　is　worthy　of　being　placed　beneath　the　feet　of

beauty。〃

　　So　saying；　he　spread　it　on　the　terrace　beneath　an　ottoman　that　had

been　brought　forth　for　the　princess；　then　seating　himself　at　her　feet…



　　〃Who；〃　said　he；　〃shall　counteract　what　is　written　in　the　book　of

fate？　Behold　the　prediction　of　the　astrologers　verified。　Know；　O　king；

that　your　daughter　and　I　long　have　loved　each　other　in　secret。

Behold　in　me　the　Pilgrim　of　Love！〃

　　These　words　were　scarcely　from　his　lips；　when　the　carpet　rose　in　the

air；　bearing　off　the　prince　and　princess。　The　king　and　the

physicians　gazed　after　it　with　open　mouths　and　straining　eyes　until　it

became　a　little　speck　on　the　white　bosom　of　a　cloud；　and　then

disappeared　in　the　blue　vault　of　heaven。

　　The　king　in　a　rage　summoned　his　treasurer。　〃How　is　this；〃　said　he；

〃that　thou　hast　suffered　an　infidel　to　get　possession　of　such　a

talisman？〃

　　〃Alas；　sir；　we　knew　not　its　nature；　nor　could　we　decipher　the

inscription　of　the　box。　If　it　be　indeed　the　carpet　of　the　throne　of

the　wise　Solomon；　it　is　possessed　of　magic　power；　and　can　transport

its　owner　from　place　to　place　through　the　air。〃

　　The　king　assembled　a　mighty　army；　and　set　off　for　Granada　in　pursuit

of　the　fugitives。　His　march　was　long　and　toilsome。　Encamping　in　the

Vega；　he　sent　a　herald　to　demand　restitution　of　his　daughter。　The　king

himself　came　forth　with　all　his　court　to　meet　him。　In　the　king　he

beheld　the　real　minstrel；　for　Ahmed　had　succeeded　to　the　throne　on　the

death　of　his　father；　and　the　beautiful　Aldegonda　was　his　sultana。

　　The　Christian　king　was　easily　pacified　when　he　found　that　his

daughter　was　suffered　to　continue　in　her　faith…　not　that　he　was

particularly　pious；　but　religion　is　always　a　point　of　pride　and

etiquette　with　princes。　Instead　of　bloody　battles；　there　was　a

succession　of　feasts　and　rejoicings；　after　which　the　king　returned

well　pleased　to　Toledo；　and　the　youthful　couple　continued　to　reign

as　happily　as　wisely；　in　the　Alhambra。

　　It　is　proper　to　add；　that　the　owl　and　the　parrot　had　severally

followed　the　prince　by　easy　stages　to　Granada；　the　former　travelling

by　night　and　stopping　at　the　various　hereditary　possessions　of　his

family；　the　latter　figuring　in　gay　circles　of　every　town　and　city　on

his　route。

　　Ahmed　gratefully　requited　the　services　which　they　had　rendered　on

his　pilgrimage。　He　appointed　the　owl　his　prime　minister；　the　parrot

his　master　of　ceremonies。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　never　was　a　realm

more　sagely　administered；　nor　a　court　conducted　with　more　ex