part03-第2章

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holiday　glee　of　urchins　just　let　loose　from　school。　To　entrap　these

birds　in　their　giddy　circlings；　with　hooks　baited　with　flies；　is　one

of　the　favorite　amusements　of　the　ragged　〃sons　of　the　Alhambra；〃

who；　with　the　good…for…nothing　ingenuity　of　arrant　idlers；　have　thus

invented　the　art　of　angling　in　the　sky。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Hall　of　Ambassadors。



　　IN　ONE　of　my　visits　to　the　old　Moorish　chamber；　where　the　good　Tia

Antonia　cooks　her　dinner　and　receives　her　company；　I　observed　a

mysterious　door　in　one　corner；　leading　apparently　into　the　ancient

part　of　the　edifice。　My　curiosity　being　aroused；　I　opened　it；　and

found　myself　in　a　narrow；　blind　corridor；　groping　along　which　I　came

to　the　head　of　a　dark　winding　staircase；　leading　down　an　angle　of

the　Tower　of　Comares。　Down　this　staircase　I　descended　darkling；

guiding　myself　by　the　wall　until　I　came　to　a　small　door　at　the　bottom；

throwing　which　open；　I　was　suddenly　dazzled　by　emerging　into　the

brilliant　antechamber　of　the　Hall　of　Ambassadors；　with　the　fountain　of

the　Court　of　the　Alberca　sparkling　before　me。　The　antechamber　is

separated　from　the　court　by　an　elegant　gallery；　supported　by　slender

columns　with　spandrels　of　open　work　in　the　Morisco　style。　At　each

end　of　the　antechamber　are　alcoves；　and　its　ceiling　is　richly　stuccoed

and　painted。　Passing　through　a　magnificent　portal　I　found　myself　in

the　far…famed　Hall　of　Ambassadors；　the　audience　chamber　of　the

Moslem　monarchs。　It　is　said　to　be　thirty…seven　feet　square；　and

sixty　feet　high；　occupies　the　whole　interior　of　the　Tower　of

Comares；　and　still　bears　the　traces　of　past　magnificence。　The　walls

are　beautifully　stuccoed　and　decorated　with　Morisco　fancifulness；

the　lofty　ceiling　was　originally　of　the　same　favorite　material；　with

the　usual　frostwork　and　pensile　ornaments　or　stalactites；　which；

with　the　embellishments　of　vivid　coloring　and　gilding；　must　have

been　gorgeous　in　the　extreme。　Unfortunately　it　gave　way　during　an

earthquake；　and　brought　down　with　it　an　immense　arch　which　traversed

the　hall。　It　was　replaced　by　the　present　vault　or　dome　of　larch　or

cedar；　with　intersecting　ribs；　the　whole　curiously　wrought　and

richly　colored；　still　Oriental　in　its　character；　reminding　one　of

〃those　ceilings　of　cedar　and　vermilion　that　we　read　of　in　the　prophets

and　the　Arabian　Nights。〃*



　　*　Urquhart's　Pillars　of　Hercules。



　　From　the　great　height　of　the　vault　above　the　windows　the　upper

part　of　the　hall　is　almost　lost　in　obscurity；　yet　there　is　a

magnificence　as　well　as　solemnity　in　the　gloom；　as　through　it　we

have　gleams　of　rich　gilding　and　the　brilliant　tints　of　the　Moorish

pencil。

　　The　royal　throne　was　placed　opposite　the　entrance　in　a　recess；　which

still　bears　an　inscription　intimating　that　Yusef　I　（the　monarch　who

completed　the　Alhambra）　made　this　the　throne　of　his　empire。　Every

thing　in　this　noble　hall　seems　to　have　been　calculated　to　surround　the

throne　with　impressive　dignity　and　splendor；　there　was　none　of　the

elegant　voluptuousness　which　reigns　in　other　parts　of　the　palace。

The　tower　is　of　massive　strength；　domineering　over　the　whole　edifice

and　overhanging　the　steep　hillside。　On　three　sides　of　the　Hall　of

Ambassadors　are　windows　cut　through　the　immense　thickness　of　the

walls；　and　commanding　extensive　prospects。　The　balcony　of　the

central　window　especially　looks　down　upon　the　verdant　valley　of　the

Darro；　with　its　walks；　its　groves；　and　gardens。　To　the　left　it

enjoys　a　distant　prospect　of　the　Vega；　while　directly　in　front　rises

the　rival　height　of　the　Albaycin；　with　its　medley　of　streets；　and

terraces；　and　gardens；　and　once　crowned　by　a　fortress　that　vied　in

power　with　the　Alhambra。　〃Ill　fated　the　man　who　lost　all　this！〃

exclaimed　Charles　V；　as　he　looked　forth　from　this　window　upon　the

enchanting　scenery　it　commands。

　　The　balcony　of　the　window　where　this　royal　exclamation　was　made；　has

of　late　become　one　of　my　favorite　resorts。　I　have　just　been　seated

there；　enjoying　the　close　of　a　long　brilliant　day。　The　sun；　as　he　sank

behind　the　purple　mountains　of　Alhama；　sent　a　stream　of　effulgence

up　the　valley　of　the　Darro；　that　spread　a　melancholy　pomp　over　the

ruddy　towers　of　the　Alhambra；　while　the　Vega；　covered　with　a　slight

sultry　vapor　that　caught　the　setting　ray；　seemed　spread　out　in　the

distance　like　a　golden　sea。　Not　a　breath　of　air　disturbed　the

stillness　of　the　hour；　and　though　the　faint　sound　of　music　and

merriment　now　and　then　rose　from　the　gardens　of　the　Darro；　it　but

rendered　more　impressive　the　monumental　silence　of　the　pile　which

overshadowed　me。　It　was　one　of　those　hours　and　scenes　in　which

memory　asserts　an　almost　magical　power；　and；　like　the　evening　sun

beaming　on　these　mouldering　towers；　sends　back　her　retrospective

rays　to　light　up　the　glories　of　the　past。

　　As　I　sat　watching　the　effect　of　the　declining　daylight　upon　this

Moorish　pile；　I　was　led　into　a　consideration　of　the　light；　elegant；

and　voluptuous　character；　prevalent　throughout　its　internal

architecture；　and　to　contrast　it　with　the　grand　but　gloomy　solemnity

of　the　Gothic　edifices　reared　by　the　Spanish　conquerors。　The　very

architecture　thus　bespeaks　the　opposite　and　irreconcilable　natures

of　the　two　warlike　people　who　so　long　battled　here　for　the　mastery

of　the　peninsula。　By　degrees；　I　fell　into　a　course　of　musing　upon

the　singular　fortunes　of　the　Arabian　or　Morisco…Spaniards；　whose　whole

existence　is　as　a　tale　that　is　told；　and　certainly　forms　one　of　the

most　anomalous　yet　splendid　episodes　in　history。　Potent　and　durable　as

was　their　dominion；　we　scarcely　know　how　to　call　them。　They　were　a

nation　without　a　legitimate　country　or　name。　A　remote　wave　of　the

great　Arabian　inundation；　cast　upon　the　shores　of　Europe；　they　seem　to

have　all　the　impetus　of　the　first　rush　of　the　torrent。　Their　career　of

conquest；　from　the　rock　of　Gibraltar　to　the　cliffs　of　the　Pyrenees；

was　as　rapid　and　brilliant　as　the　Moslem　victories　of　Syria　and　Egypt。

Nay；　had　they　not　been　checked　on　the　plains　of　Tours；　all　France；　all

Europe；　might　have　been　overrun　with　the　same　facility　as　the

empires　of　the　East；　and　the　crescent　at　this　day　have　glittered　on

the　fanes　of　Paris　and　London。

　　Repelled　within　the　limits　of　the　Pyrenees；　the　mixed　hordes　of　Asia

and　Africa；　that　formed　this　great　irruption；　gave　up　the　Moslem

principle　of　conquest；　and　sought　to　establish　in　Spain　a　peaceful　and

permanent　dominion。　As　conquerors；　their　heroism　was　only　equalled

by　their　moderation；　and　in　both；　for　a　time；　they　excelled　the

nations　with　whom　they　contended。　Severed　from　their　native　homes；

they　loved　the　land　given　them　as　they　supposed　by　Allah；　and　strove

to　embellish　it　with　every　thing　that　could　administer　to　the

happiness　of　man。　Laying　the　foundations　of　their　power　in　a　system　of

wise　and　equitable　laws；　diligently　cultivating　the　arts　and　sciences；

and　promoting　agriculture；　manufactures；　and　commerce；　they

gradually　formed　an　empire　unrivalled　for　its　prosperity　by　any　of　the

empires　of　Christendom；　and　diligently　drawing　round　them　the　graces

and　refinements　which　marked　the　Arabian　empire　in　the　East；　at　the

time　of　its　greatest　civilization；　they　diffused　the　light　of　Oriental

knowledge；　through　the　Western　regions　of　benighted　Europe。

　　The　cities　of　Arabian　Spain　became　the　resort　of　Christian　artisans；

to　instruct　themselves　in　the　useful　arts。　The　universities　of　Toledo；

Cordova；　Seville；　and　Granada；　were　sought　by　the　pale　student　from

other　lands　to　acquaint　himself　with　the　sciences　of　the　Arabs；　and

the　treasured　lore　of　antiquity；　the　lovers　of　the　gay　science；

resorted　to　Cordova　and　Granada；　to　imbibe　the　poetry　and　music　of　the

East；　and　the　steel…clad　warriors　of　the　North　hastened　thither　to

accomplish　themselves　in　the　graceful　exercises　and　courteous　usages

of　chivalry。

　　If　the　Moslem　monuments　in　Spain；　if　the　Mosque　of　Cordova；　the

Alcazar　of　Seville；　and　the　Alhambra　of　Granada；　still　bear

inscri