part10-第3章

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Abbad；　〃with　whom；〃　says　the　same　writer；　〃resided　fruit　and

palm…trees　and　pomegranates；　who　became　the　centre　of　eloquence　in

prose　and　verse；　every　day　of　whose　reign　was　a　solemn　festivity；

whose　history　abounds　in　generous　actions　and　heroic　deeds；　that

will　last　through　surrounding　ages　and　live　for　ever　in　the　memory

of　man！〃

　　No　place；　however；　profited　more　in　point　of　civilization　and

refinement　by　the　downfall　of　the　Western　Caliphat　than　Granada。　It

succeeded　to　Cordova　in　splendor；　while　it　surpassed　it　in　romantic

beauty　of　situation。　The　amenity　of　its　climate；　where　the　ardent

heats　of　a　southern　summer　were　tempered　by　breezes　from　snow…clad

mountains；　the　voluptuous　repose　of　its　valleys　and　the　bosky

luxuriance　of　its　groves　and　gardens　all　awakened　sensations　of

delight；　and　disposed　the　mind　to　love　and　poetry。　Hence　the　great

number　of　amatory　poets　that　flourished　in　Granada。　Hence　those

amorous　canticles　breathing　of　love　and　war；　and　wreathing

chivalrous　grace　round　the　stern　exercise　of　arms。　Those　ballads　which

still　form　the　pride　and　delight　of　Spanish　literature　are　but　the

echoes　of　amatory　and　chivalric　lays　which　once　delighted　the　Moslem

courts　of　Andalus；　and　in　which　a　modern　historian　of　Granada　pretends

to　find　the　origin　of　the　rima　Castellana　and　the　type　of　the　〃gay

science〃　of　the　troubadours。

　　Poetry　was　cultivated　in　Granada　by　both　sexes。　〃Had　Allah；〃　says

Ash…Shakandi；　〃bestowed　no　other　boon　on　Granada　than　that　of　making

it　the　birth…place　of　so　many　poetesses；　that　alone　would　be

sufficient　for　its　glory。〃

　　Among　the　most　famous　of　these　was　Hafsah；　renowned；　says　the　old

chronicler；　for　beauty；　talents；　nobility；　and　wealth。　We　have　a

mere　relic　of　her　poetry　in　some　verses；　addressed　to　her　lover；

Ahmed；　recalling　an　evening　passed　together　in　the　garden　of　Maumal。

　　〃Allah　has　given　us　a　happy　night；　such　as　he　never　vouchsafes　to

the　wicked　and　the　ignoble。　We　have　beheld　the　cypresses　of　Maumal

gently　bowing　their　heads　before　the　mountain　breeze…　the　sweet

perfumed　breeze　that　smelt　of　gillyflowers：　the　dove　murmured　her　love

among　the　trees；　the　sweet　basil　inclined　its　boughs　to　the　limpid

brook。〃

　　The　garden　of　Maumal　was　famous　among　the　Moors　for　its　rivulets；

its　fountains；　its　flowers；　and　above　all；　its　cypresses。　It　had　its

name　from　a　vizier　of　Abdallah；　grandson　of　Aben　Habuz；　and　Sultan

of　Granada。　Under　the　administration　of　this　vizier　many　of　the

noblest　public　works　were　executed。　He　constructed　an　aqueduct　by

which　water　was　brought　from　the　mountains　of　Alfacar　to　irrigate

the　hills　and　orchards　north　of　the　city。　He　planted　a　public　walk

with　cypress…trees；　and　〃made　delicious　gardens　for　the　solace　of

the　melancholy　Moors。〃　〃The　name　of　Maumal；〃　says　Alcantara；　〃ought　to

be　preserved　in　Granada　in　letters　of　gold。〃　Perhaps　it　is　as　well

preserved　by　being　associated　with　the　garden　he　planted；　and　by　being

mentioned　in　the　verses　of　Hafsah。　How　often　does　a　casual　word　from　a

poet　confer　immortality！

　　Perhaps　the　reader　may　be　curious　to　learn　something　of　the　story　of

Hafsah　and　her　lover；　thus　connected　with　one　of　the　beautiful

localities　of　Granada。　The　following　are　all　the　particulars　I　have

been　able　to　rescue　out　of　the　darkness　and　oblivion　which　have

settled　upon　the　brightest　names　and　geniuses　of　Moslem　Spain：

　　Ahmed　and　Hafsah　flourished　in　the　sixth　century　of　the　Hegira；

the　twelfth　of　the　Christian　Era。　Ahmed　was　the　son　of　the　Alcayde

of　Alcala　la　Real。　His　father　designed　him　for　public　and　military

life　and　would　have　made　him　his　lieutenant；　but　the　youth　was　of　a

poetical　temperament；　and　preferred　a　life　of　lettered　ease　in　the

delightful　abodes　of　Granada。　Here　he　surrounded　himself　by　objects　of

taste　in　the　arts；　and　by　the　works　of　the　learned；　he　divided　his

time　between　study　and　social　enjoyment。　He　was　fond　of　the　sports

of　the　field；　and　kept　horses；　hawks；　and　hounds。　He　devoted　himself

to　literature；　became　renowned　for　erudition；　and　his　compositions

in　prose　and　verse　were　extolled　for　their　beauty；　and　in　the　mouths

of　every　one。

　　Of　a　tender；　susceptible　heart；　and　extremely　sensible　to　female

charms；　he　became　the　devoted　lover　of　Hafsah。　The　passion　was　mutual；

and　for　once　the　course　of　true　love　appeared　to　run　smooth。　The

lovers　were　both　young；　equal　in　merit；　fame；　rank；　and　fortune；

enamored　of　each　other's　genius　as　well　as　person；　and　inhabiting　a

region　formed　to　be　a　realm　of　love　and　poetry。　A　poetical　intercourse

was　carried　on　between　them　that　formed　the　delight　of　Granada。　They

were　continually　interchanging　verses　and　epistles；　〃the　poetry　of

which；〃　says　the　Arabian　writer；　Al　Makkari；　〃was　like　the　language　of

doves。〃

　　In　the　height　of　their　happiness　a　change　took　place　in　the

government　of　Granada。　It　was　the　time　when　the　Almohades；　a　Berber

tribe　of　Mount　Atlas；　had　acquired　the　control　of　Moslem　Spain；　and

removed　the　seat　of　government　from　Cordova　to　Morocco。　The　Sultan

Abdelmuman　governed　Spain　through　his　Walis　and　Alcaydes；　and　his　son；

Sidi　Abu　Said；　was　made　Wali　of　Granada。　He　governed　in　his　father's

name　with　royal　state　and　splendor；　and　with　despotic　sway。　Being　a

stranger　in　the　country；　and　a　Moor　by　birth；　he　sought　to

strengthen　himself　by　drawing　round　him　popular　persons　of　the　Arab

race；　and　to　this　effect　made　Ahmed；　who　was　then　in　the　zenith　of　his

fame　and　popularity；　his　vizier。　Ahmed　would　have　declined　the　post；

but　the　Wali　was　peremptory。　Its　duties　were　irksome　to　him；　and　he

spurned　at　its　restraint。　On　a　hawking　party；　with　some　of　his　gay

companions；　he　gave　way　to　his　poetic　vein；　exulting　in　his　breaking

away　from　the　thraldom　of　a　despotic　master　like　a　hawk　from　the

jesses　of　the　falconer；　to　follow　the　soaring　impulses　of　his　soul。

　　His　words　were　repeated　to　Sidi　Abu　Said。　〃Ahmed；〃　said　the

informant；　〃spurns　at　restraint　and　scoffs　at　thy　authority。〃　The　poet

was　instantly　dismissed　from　office。　The　loss　of　an　irksome　post　was

no　grievance　to　one　of　his　joyous　temperament；　but　he　soon

discovered　the　real　cause　of　his　removal。　The　Wali　was　his　rival。　He

had　seen　and　become　enamored　of　Hafsah。　What　was　worse；　Hafsah　was

dazzled　with　the　conquest　she　had　made。

　　For　a　time　Ahmed　treated　the　matter　with　ridicule；　and　appealed　to

the　prejudice　existing　between　the　Arab　and　Moorish　races。　Sidi　Abu

Said　was　of　a　dark　olive　complexion。　〃How　canst　thou　endure　that　black

man？〃　said　he；　scornfully。　〃By　Allah；　for　twenty　dinars　I　can　buy　thee

a　better　than　he　in　the　slave　market。〃

　　The　scoff　reached　the　ears　of　Sidi　Abu　Said　and　rankled　in　his

heart。

　　At　other　times；　Ahmed　gave　way　to　grief　and　tenderness；　recalling

past　scenes　of　happiness；　reproaching　Hafsah　with　her　inconstancy；　and

warning　her　in　despairing　accents　that　she　would　be　the　cause　of　his

death。　His　words　were　unheeded。　The　idea　of　having　the　son　of　the

Sultan　for　a　lover　had　captivated　the　imagination　of　the　poetess。

　　Maddened　by　jealousy　and　despair；　Ahmed　joined　in　a　conspiracy

against　the　ruling　dynasty。　It　was　discovered；　and　the　conspirators

fled　from　Granada。　Some　escaped　to　a　castle　on　the　mountains；　Ahmed

took　refuge　in　Malaga；　where　he　concealed　himself；　intending　to　embark

for　Valencia。　He　was　discovered；　loaded　with　chains　and　thrown　into

a　dungeon；　to　abide　the　decision　of　Sidi　Abu　Said。

　　He　was　visited　in　prison　by　a　nephew；　who　has　left　on　record　an

account　of　the　interview。　The　youth　was　moved　to　tears　at　seeing　his

illustrious　relative；　late　so　prosperous　and　honored；　fettered　like

a　malefactor。

　　〃Why　dost　thou　weep？〃　said　Ahmed。　〃Are　these　tears　shed　for　me？

For　me；　who　have　enjoyed　all　that　the　world　could　give？　Weep　not　for

me。　I　have　had　my　share　of　happiness；　banqueted　on　the　daintiest　fare；

quaffed　out　of　crystal　cups；　slept　on　beds　of　down；　been　arrayed　in

the　richest　silks　and　brocades；　ridden　the　fle