part10-第5章

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The　cave　has　long　been　shut　up　and　the　very　site　of　it　forgotten；

though；　according　to　tradition；　the　entrance　was　somewhere　about　where

the　stone　cross　stands　in　the　small　square　of　the　seminary　of

Carvajal；　and　this　tradition　appears　in　some　degree　corroborated　by

the　circumstances　of　the　following　story。

　　There　was　at　one　time　a　student　of　Salamanca；　Don　Vicente　by　name；

of　that　merry　but　mendicant　class；　who　set　out　on　the　road　to　learning

without　a　penny　in　pouch　for　the　journey；　and　who；　during　college

vacations；　beg　from　town　to　town　and　village　to　village　to　raise　funds

to　enable　them　to　pursue　their　studies　through　the　ensuing　term。　He

was　now　about　to　set　forth　on　his　wanderings；　and　being　somewhat

musical；　slung　on　his　back　a　guitar　with　which　to　amuse　the　villagers；

and　pay　for　a　meal　or　a　night's　lodgings。

　　As　he　passed　by　the　stone　cross　in　the　seminary　square；　he　pulled

off　his　hat　and　made　a　short　invocation　to　St。　Cyprian；　for　good　luck；

when　casting　his　eyes　upon　the　earth；　he　perceived　something　glitter

at　the　foot　of　the　cross。　On　picking　it　up；　it　proved　to　be　a　seal

ring　of　mixed　metal；　in　which　gold　and　silver　appeared　to　be

blended。　The　seal　bore　as　a　device　two　triangles　crossing　each

other；　so　as　to　form　a　star。　This　device　is　said　to　be　a　cabalistic

sign；　invented　by　King　Solomon　the　wise；　and　of　mighty　power　in　all

cases　of　enchantment；　but　the　honest　student；　being　neither　sage　nor

conjurer；　knew　nothing　of　the　matter。　He　took　the　ring　as　a　present

from　St。　Cyprian　in　reward　of　his　prayer；　slipped　it　on　his　finger；

made　a　bow　to　the　cross；　and　strumming　his　guitar；　set　off　merrily

on　his　wandering。

　　The　life　of　a　mendicant　student　in　Spain　is　not　the　most　miserable

in　the　world；　especially　if　he　has　any　talent　at　making　himself

agreeable。　He　rambles　at　large　from　village　to　village；　and　city　to

city；　wherever　curiosity　or　caprice　may　conduct　him。　The　country

curates；　who；　for　the　most　part；　have　been　mendicant　students　in　their

time；　give　him　shelter　for　the　night；　and　a　comfortable　meal；　and

often　enrich　him　with　several　quartos；　or　half…pence　in　the　morning。

As　he　presents　himself　from　door　to　door　in　the　streets　of　the　cities；

he　meets　with　no　harsh　rebuff；　no　chilling　contempt；　for　there　is　no

disgrace　attending　his　mendicity；　many　of　the　most　learned　men　in

Spain　having　commenced　their　career　in　this　manner；　but　if；　like　the

student　in　question；　he　is　a　good…looking　varlet　and　a　merry

companion；　and；　above　all；　if　he　can　play　the　guitar；　he　is　sure　of

a　hearty　welcome　among　the　peasants；　and　smiles　and　favors　from

their　wives　and　daughters。

　　In　this　way；　then；　did　our　ragged　and　musical　son　of　learning　make

his　way　over　half　the　kingdom；　with　the　fixed　determination　to　visit

the　famous　city　of　Granada　before　his　return。　Sometimes　he　was

gathered　for　the　night　into　the　fold　of　some　village　pastor；　sometimes

he　was　sheltered　under　the　humble　but　hospitable　roof　of　the

peasant。　Seated　at　the　cottage　door　with　his　guitar；　he　delighted

the　simple　folk　with　his　ditties；　or　striking　up　a　fandango　or　bolero；

set　the　brown　country　lads　and　lasses　dancing　in　the　mellow

twilight。　In　the　morning　he　departed　with　kind　words　from　host　and

hostess；　and　kind　looks　and；　peradventure；　a　squeeze　of　the　hand

from　the　daughter。

　　At　length　he　arrived　at　the　great　object　of　his　musical

vagabondizing；　the　far…famed　city　of　Granada；　and　hailed　with　wonder

and　delight　its　Moorish　towers；　its　lovely　Vega　and　its　snowy

mountains　glistering　through　a　summer　atmosphere。　It　is　needless　to

say　with　what　eager　curiosity　he　entered　its　gates　and　wandered

through　its　streets；　and　gazed　upon　its　oriental　monuments。　Every

female　face　peering　through　a　window　or　beaming　from　a　balcony　was

to　him　a　Zorayda　or　a　Zelinda；　nor　could　he　meet　a　stately　dame　on　the

Alameda　but　he　was　ready　to　fancy　her　a　Moorish　princess；　and　to

spread　his　student's　robe　beneath　her　feet。

　　His　musical　talent；　his　happy　humor；　his　youth　and　his　good　looks；

won　him　a　universal　welcome　in　spite　of　his　ragged　robes；　and　for

several　days　he　led　a　gay　life　in　the　old　Moorish　capital　and　its

environs。　One　of　his　occasional　haunts　was　the　fountain　of

Avellanos；　in　the　valley　of　the　Darro。　It　is　one　of　the　popular

resorts　of　Granada；　and　has　been　so　since　the　days　of　the　Moors；　and

here　the　student　had　an　opportunity　of　pursuing　his　studies　of

female　beauty；　a　branch　of　study　to　which　he　was　a　little　prone。

　　Here　he　would　take　his　seat　with　his　guitar；　improvise

love…ditties　to　admiring　groups　of　majos　and　majas；　or　prompt　with　his

music　the　ever　ready　dance。　He　was　thus　engaged　one　evening；　when　he

beheld　a　padre　of　the　church　advancing　at　whose　approach　every　one

touched　the　hat。　He　was　evidently　a　man　of　consequence；　he　certainly

was　a　mirror　of　good　if　not　of　holy　living…　robust　and　rosy…faced；　and

breathing　at　every　pore；　with　the　warmth　of　the　weather　and　the

exercise　of　the　walk。　As　he　passed　along　he　would　every　now　and　then

draw　a　maravedi　out　of　his　pocket　and　bestow　it　on　a　beggar；　with　an

air　of　signal　beneficence。　〃Ah；　the　blessed　father！〃　would　be　the　cry；

〃long　life　to　him；　and　may　he　soon　be　a　bishop！〃

　　To　aid　his　steps　in　ascending　the　hill　he　leaned　gently　now　and　then

on　the　arm　of　a　handmaid；　evidently　the　pet…lamb　of　this　kindest　of

pastors。　Ah；　such　a　damsel！　Andalus　from　head　to　foot：　from　the　rose

in　her　hair　to　the　fairy　shoe　and　lacework　stocking…　Andalus　in

every　movement；　in　every　undulation　of　the　body…　ripe；　melting

Andalus！　But　then　so　modest！…　so　shy！…　ever；　with　downcast　eyes；

listening　to　the　words　of　the　padre；　or；　if　by　chance　she　let　flash

a　side　glance；　it　was　suddenly　checked　and　her　eyes　once　more　cast

to　the　ground。

　　The　good　padre　looked　benignantly　on　the　company　about　the　fountain；

and　took　his　seat　with　some　emphasis　on　a　stone　bench；　while　the

handmaid　hastened　to　bring　him　a　glass　of　sparkling　water。　He　sipped

it　deliberately　and　with　a　relish；　tempering　it　with　one　of　those

spongy　pieces　of　frosted　eggs　and　sugar　so　dear　to　Spanish　epicures；

and　on　returning　the　glass　to　the　hand　of　the　damsel　pinched　her　cheek

with　infinite　loving…kindness。

　　〃Ah；　the　good　pastor！〃　whispered　the　student　to　himself；　〃what　a

happiness　would　it　be　to　be　gathered　into　his　fold　with　such　a

pet…lamb　for　a　companion！〃

　　But　no　such　good　fare　was　likely　to　befall　him。　In　vain　he　essayed

those　powers　of　pleasing　which　he　had　found　so　irresistible　with

country　curates　and　country　lasses。　Never　had　he　touched　his　guitar

with　such　skill；　never　had　he　poured　forth　more　soul…moving　ditties；

but　he　had　no　longer　a　country　curate　or　country　lass　to　deal　with。

The　worthy　priest　evidently　did　not　relish　music；　and　the　modest

damsel　never　raised　her　eyes　from　the　ground。　They　remained　but　a

short　time　at　the　fountain；　the　good　padre　hastened　their　return　to

Granada。　The　damsel　gave　the　student　one　shy　glance　in　retiring；　but

it　plucked　the　heart　out　of　his　bosom！

　　He　inquired　about　them　after　they　had　gone。　Padre　Tomas　was　one　of

the　saints　of　Granada；　a　model　of　regularity；　punctual　in　his　hour

of　rising；　his　hour　of　taking　a　paseo　for　an　appetite；　his　hours　of

eating；　his　hour　of　taking　his　siesta；　his　hour　of　playing　his　game　of

tresillo；　of　an　evening；　with　some　of　the　dames　of　the　Cathedral

circle；　his　hour　of　supping；　and　his　hour　of　retiring　to　rest；　to

gather　fresh　strength　for　another　day's　round　of　similar　duties。　He

had　an　easy　sleek　mule　for　his　riding；　a　matronly　housekeeper

skilled　in　preparing　tit…bits　for　his　table；　and　the　pet　lamb；　to

smooth　his　pillow　at　night　and　bring　him　his　chocolate　in　the　morning。

　　Adieu　now　to　the　gay；　thoughtless　life　of　the　student；　the　side

glance　of　a　bright　eye　had　been　the　undoing　of　him。　Day　and　night　he

could　not　get　the　image　of　this　most　modest　damsel　out　of　his　mind。　He

sought　the　mansion　of　the　padre。　Alas！　it　was　above　the　class