part10-第6章

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

houses　accessible　to　a　strolling　student　like　himself。　The　worthy

padre　had　no　sympathy　with　him；　he　had　never　been　Estudiante

sopista；　obliged　to　sing　for　his　supper。　He　blockaded　the　house　by

day；　catching　a　glance　of　the　damsel　now　and　then　as　she　appeared　at　a

casement；　but　these　glances　only　fed　his　flame　without　encouraging　his

hope。　He　serenaded　her　balcony　at　night；　and　at　one　time　was　flattered

by　the　appearance　of　something　white　at　a　window。　Alas；　it　was　only

the　nightcap　of　the　padre。

　　Never　was　lover　more　devoted；　never　damsel　more　shy：　the　poor

student　was　reduced　to　despair。　At　length　arrived　the　eve　of　St。　John；

when　the　lower　classes　of　Granada　swarm　into　the　country；　dance　away

the　afternoon；　and　pass　midsummer's　night　on　the　banks　of　the　Darro

and　the　Xenil。　Happy　are　they　who　on　this　eventful　night　can　wash

their　faces　in　those　waters　just　as　the　Cathedral　bell　tells　midnight；

for　at　that　precise　moment　they　have　a　beautifying　power。　The　student；

having　nothing　to　do；　suffered　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　the

holiday…seeking　throng　until　he　found　himself　in　the　narrow　valley

of　the　Darro；　below　the　lofty　hill　and　ruddy　towers　of　the　Alhambra。

The　dry　bed　of　the　river；　the　rocks　which　border　it；　the　terraced

gardens　which　overhang　it　were　alive　with　variegated　groups；　dancing

under　the　vines　and　fig…trees　to　the　sound　of　the　guitar　and

castanets。

　　The　student　remained　for　some　time　in　doleful　dumps；　leaning　against

one　of　the　huge　misshapen　stone　pomegranates　which　adorn　the　ends　of

the　little　bridge　over　the　Darro。　He　cast　a　wistful　glance　upon　the

merry　scene；　where　every　cavalier　had　his　dame；　or；　to　speak　more

appropriately；　every　Jack　his　Jill；　sighed　at　his　own　solitary

state；　a　victim　to　the　black　eye　of　the　most　unapproachable　of

damsels；　and　repined　at　his　ragged　garb；　which　seemed　to　shut　the　gate

of　hope　against　him。

　　By　degrees　his　attention　was　attracted　to　a　neighbor　equally

solitary　with　himself　This　was　a　tall　soldier；　of　a　stern　aspect　and

grizzled　beard；　who　seemed　posted　as　a　sentry　at　the　opposite

pomegranate。　His　face　was　bronzed　by　time；　he　was　arrayed　in　ancient

Spanish　armor；　with　buckler　and　lance；　and　stood　immovable　as　a

statue。　What　surprised　the　student　was；　that　though　thus　strangely

equipped；　he　was　totally　unnoticed　by　the　passing　throng；　albeit

that　many　almost　brushed　against　him。

　　〃This　is　a　city　of　old…time　peculiarities；〃　thought　the　student；

〃and　doubtless　this　is　one　of　them　with　which　the　inhabitants　are

too　familiar　to　be　surprised。〃　His　own　curiosity；　however；　was

awakened；　and　being　of　a　social　disposition；　he　accosted　the　soldier。

　　〃A　rare　old　suit　of　armor　that　which　you　wear；　comrade。　May　I　ask

what　corps　you　belong　to？〃

　　The　soldier　gasped　out　a　reply　from　a　pair　of　jaws　which　seemed　to

have　rusted　on　their　hinges。

　　〃The　royal　guard　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella。〃

　　〃Santa　Maria！　Why；　it　is　three　centuries　since　that　corps　was　in

service。〃

　　〃And　for　three　centuries　have　I　been　mounting　guard。　Now　I　trust

my　tour　of　duty　draws　to　a　close。　Dost　thou　desire　fortune？〃

　　The　student　held　up　his　tattered　cloak　in　reply。

　　〃I　understand　thee。　If　thou　hast　faith　and　courage；　follow　me；　and

thy　fortune　is　made。〃

　　〃Softly；　comrade；　to　follow　thee　would　require　small　courage　in

one　who　has　nothing　to　lose　but　life　and　an　old　guitar；　neither　of

much　value；　but　my　faith　is　of　a　different　matter；　and　not　to　be　put

in　temptation。　If　it　be　any　criminal　act　by　which　I　am　to　mend　my

fortune；　think　not　my　ragged　cloak　will　make　me　undertake　it。〃

　　The　soldier　turned　on　him　a　look　of　high　displeasure。　〃My　sword；〃

said　he；　〃has　never　been　drawn　but　in　the　cause　of　the　faith　and　the

throne。　I　am　a　Cristiano　viejo；　trust　in　me　and　fear　no　evil。〃

　　The　student　followed　him　wondering。　He　observed　that　no　one　heeded

their　conversation；　and　that　the　soldier　made　his　way　through　the

various　groups　of　idlers　unnoticed；　as　if　invisible。

　　Crossing　the　bridge；　the　soldier　led　the　way　by　a　narrow　and　steep

path　past　a　Moorish　mill　and　aqueduct；　and　up　the　ravine　which

separates　the　domains　of　the　Generalife　from　those　of　the　Alhambra。

The　last　ray　of　the　sun　shone　upon　the　red　battlements　of　the

latter；　which　beetled　far　above；　and　the　convent　bells　were

proclaiming　the　festival　of　the　ensuing　day。　The　ravine　was

overshadowed　by　fig…trees；　vines；　and　myrtles；　and　the　outer　towers

and　walls　of　the　fortress。　It　was　dark　and　lonely；　and　the

twilight…loving　bats　began　to　flit　about。　At　length　the　soldier　halted

at　a　remote　and　ruined　tower；　apparently　intended　to　guard　a　Moorish

aqueduct。　He　struck　the　foundation　with　the　but…end　of　his　spear。　A

rumbling　sound　was　heard；　and　the　solid　stones　yawned　apart；　leaving

an　opening　as　wide　as　a　door。

　　〃Enter　in　the　name　of　the　Holy　Trinity；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃and　fear

nothing。〃　The　student's　heart　quaked；　but　he　made　the　sign　of　the

cross；　muttered　his　Ave　Maria；　and　followed　his　mysterious　guide

into　a　deep　vault　cut　out　of　the　solid　rock　under　the　tower；　and

covered　with　Arabic　inscriptions。　The　soldier　pointed　to　a　stone

seat　hewn　along　one　side　of　the　vault。　〃Behold；〃　said　he；　〃my　couch

for　three　hundred　years。〃　The　bewildered　student　tried　to　force　a

joke。　〃By　the　blessed　St。　Anthony；〃　said　he；　〃but　you　must　have

slept　soundly；　considering　the　hardness　of　your　couch。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary；　sleep　has　been　a　stranger　to　these　eyes；　incessant

watchfulness　has　been　my　doom。　Listen　to　my　lot。　I　was　one　of　the

royal　guards　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　but　was　taken　prisoner　by

the　Moors　in　one　of　their　sorties；　and　confined　a　captive　in　this

tower。　When　preparations　were　made　to　surrender　the　fortress　to　the

Christian　sovereigns；　I　was　prevailed　upon　by　Alfaqui；　a　Moorish

priest；　to　aid　him　in　secreting　some　of　the　treasures　of　Boabdil　in

this　vault。　I　was　justly　punished　for　my　fault。　The　Alfaqui　was　an

African　necromancer；　and　by　his　infernal　arts　cast　a　spell　upon　me…　to

guard　his　treasures。　Something　must　have　happened　to　him；　for　he　never

returned；　and　here　have　I　remained　ever　since；　buried　alive。　Years　and

years　have　rolled　away；　earthquakes　have　shaken　this　hill；　I　have

heard　stone　by　stone　of　the　tower　above　tumbling　to　the　ground；　in　the

natural　operation　of　time；　but　the　spell…bound　walls　of　this　vault　set

both　time　and　earthquakes　at　defiance。

　　〃Once　every　hundred　years；　on　the　festival　of　St。　John；　the

enchantment　ceases　to　have　thorough　sway；　I　am　permitted　to　go　forth

and　post　myself　upon　the　bridge　of　the　Darro；　where　you　met　me；

waiting　until　some　one　shall　arrive　who　may　have　power　to　break　this

magic　spell。　I　have　hitherto　mounted　guard　there　in　vain。　I　walk　as　in

a　cloud；　concealed　from　mortal　sight。　You　are　the　first　to　accost　me

for　now　three　hundred　years。　I　behold　the　reason。　I　see　on　your　finger

the　seal…ring　of　Solomon　the　wise；　which　is　proof　against　all

enchantment。　With　you　it　remains　to　deliver　me　from　this　awful

dungeon；　or　to　leave　me　to　keep　guard　here　for　another　hundred　years。〃

　　The　student　listened　to　this　tale　in　mute　wonderment。　He　had　heard

many　tales　of　treasure　shut　up　under　strong　enchantment　in　the

vaults　of　the　Alhambra；　but　had　treated　them　as　fables。　He　now　felt

the　value　of　the　seal…ring；　which　had；　in　a　manner；　been　given　to

him　by　St。　Cyprian。　Still；　though　armed　by　so　potent　a　talisman；　it

was　an　awful　thing　to　find　himself　tete…a…tete　in　such　a　place　with　an

enchanted　soldier；　who；　according　to　the　laws　of　nature；　ought　to　have

been　quietly　in　his　grave　for　nearly　three　centuries。

　　A　personage　of　this　kind；　however；　was　quite　out　of　the　ordinary

run；　and　not　to　be　trifled　with；　and　he　assured　him　he　might　rely　upon

his　friendship　and　good　will　to　do　every　thing　in　his　power　for　his

deliverance。

　　〃I　trust　to　a　motive　more　powerful　than　friendship；〃　said　the

soldier。