part10-第7章
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deliverance。
〃I trust to a motive more powerful than friendship;〃 said the
soldier。
He pointed to a ponderous iron coffer; secured by locks inscribed
with Arabic characters。 〃That coffer;〃 said he; 〃contains countless
treasure in gold and jewels; and precious stones。 Break the magic
spell by which I am enthralled; and one half of this treasure shall be
thine。〃
〃But how am I to do it?〃
〃The aid of a Christian priest; and a Christian maid is necessary。
The priest to exorcise the powers of darkness; the damsel to touch
this chest with the seal of Solomon。 This must be done at night。 But
have a care。 This is solemn work; and not to be effected by the
carnal…minded。 The priest must be a Cristiano viejo; a model of
sanctity; and must mortify the flesh before he comes here; by a
rigorous fast of four…and…twenty hours; and as to the maiden; she must
be above reproach; and proof against temptation。 Linger not in finding
aid。 In three days my furlough is at an end; if not delivered before
midnight of the third; I shall have to mount guard for another
century。〃
〃Fear not;〃 said the student; 〃I have in my eye the very priest
and damsel you describe; but how am I to regain admission to this
tower?〃
〃The seal of Solomon will open the way for thee。〃
The student issued forth from the tower much more gayly than he
had entered。 The wall closed behind him; and remained solid as before。
The next morning he repaired boldly to the mansion of the priest; no
longer a poor strolling student; thrumming his way with a guitar;
but an ambassador from the shadowy world; with enchanted treasures
to bestow。 No particulars are told of his negotiation; excepting
that the zeal of the worthy priest was easily kindled at the idea of
rescuing an old soldier of the faith and a strong…box of King Chico
from the very clutches of Satan; and then what alms might be
dispensed; what churches built; and how many poor relatives enriched
with the Moorish treasure!
As to the immaculate handmaid; she was ready to lend her hand; which
was all that was required; to the pious work; and if a shy glance
now and then might be believed; the ambassador began to find favor
in her modest eyes。
The greatest difficulty; however; was the fast to which the good
Padre had to subject himself。 Twice he attempted it; and twice the
flesh was too strong for the spirit。 It was only on the third day that
he was enabled to withstand the temptations of the cupboard; but it
was still a question whether he would hold out until the spell was
broken。
At a late hour of the night the party groped their way up the ravine
by the light of a lantern; and bearing a basket with provisions for
exorcising the demon of hunger so soon as the other demons should be
laid in the Red Sea。
The seal of Solomon opened their way into the tower。 They found
the soldier seated on the enchanted strong…box; awaiting their
arrival。 The exorcism was performed in due style。 The damsel
advanced and touched the locks of the coffer with the seal of Solomon。
The lid flew open; and such treasures of gold and jewels and
precious stones as flashed upon the eye!
〃Here's cut and come again!〃 cried the student; exultingly; as he
proceeded to cram his pockets。
〃Fairly and softly;〃 exclaimed the soldier。 〃Let us get the coffer
out entire; and then divide。〃
They accordingly went to work with might and main; but it was a
difficult task; the chest was enormously heavy; and had been
imbedded there for centuries。 While they were thus employed the good
dominie drew on one side and made a vigorous onslaught on the
basket; by way of exorcising the demon of hunger which was raging in
his entrails。 In a little while a fat capon was devoured; and washed
down by a deep potation of Val de Penas; and; by way of grace after
meat; he gave a kind…hearted kiss to the pet lamb who waited on him。
It was quietly done in a corner; but the tell…tale walls babbled it
forth as if in triumph。 Never was chaste salute more awful in its
effects。 At the sound the soldier gave a great cry of despair; the
coffer; which was half raised; fell back in its place and was locked
once more。 Priest; student; and damsel; found themselves outside of
the tower; the wall of which closed with a thundering jar。 Alas! the
good Padre had broken his fast too soon!
When recovered from his surprise; the student would have
re…entered the tower; but learnt to his dismay that the damsel; in her
fright; had let fall the seal of Solomon; it remained within the
vault。
In a word; the cathedral bell tolled midnight; the spell was
renewed; the soldier was doomed to mount guard for another hundred
years; and there he and the treasure remain to this day… and all
because the kind…hearted Padre kissed his handmaid。 〃Ah father!
father!〃 said the student; shaking his head ruefully; as they returned
down the ravine; 〃I fear there was less of the saint than the sinner
in that kiss!〃
Thus ends the legend as far as it has been authenticated。 There is a
tradition; however; that the student had brought off treasure enough
in his pocket to set him up in the world; that he prospered in his
affairs; that the worthy Padre gave him the pet lamb in marriage; by
way of amends for the blunder in the vault; that the immaculate damsel
proved a pattern for wives as she had been for handmaids; and bore her
husband a numerous progeny; that the first was a wonder; it was born
seven months after her marriage; and though a seven months boy; was
the sturdiest of the flock。 The rest were all born in the ordinary
course of time。
The story of the enchanted soldier remains one of the popular
traditions of Granada; though told in a variety of ways; the common
people affirm that he still mounts guard on midsummer eve beside the
gigantic stone pomegranate on the Bridge of the Darro; but remains
invisible excepting to such lucky mortal as may possess the seal of
Solomon。
Notes to 〃The Enchanted Soldier〃。
Among the ancient superstitions of Spain; were those of the
existence of profound caverns in which the magic arts were taught;
either by the devil in person; or some sage devoted to his service。
One of the most famous of these caves; was at Salamanca。 Don Francisco
de Torreblanca makes mention of it in the first book of his work on
Magic。 The devil was said to play the part of Oracle there; giving
replies to those who repaired thither to propound fateful questions;
as in the celebrated cave of Trophonius。 Don Francisco; though he
records this story; does not put faith in it; he gives it however as
certain; that a Sacristan; named Clement Potosi; taught secretly the
magic arts in that cave。 Padre Feyjoo; who inquired into the matter;
reports it as a vulgar belief that the devil himself taught those arts
there; admitting only seven disciples at a time; one of whom; to be
determined by lot; was to be devoted to him body and soul for ever。
Among one of these sets of students; was a young man; son of the
Marquis de Villena; on whom; after having accomplished his studies;
the lot fell。 He succeeded; however; in cheating the devil; leaving
him his shadow instead of his body。
Don Juan de Dios; Professor of Humanities in the University in the
early part of the last century; gives the following version of the
story; extracted; as he says; from an ancient manuscript。 It will be
perceived he has marred the supernatural part of the tale; and ejected
the devil from it altogether。
As to the fable of the Cave of San Cyprian; says he; all that we
have been able to verify is; that where the stone cross stands; in the
small square or place called by the name of the Seminary of
Carvajal; there was the parochial church of San Cyprian。 A descent
of twenty steps led down to a subterranean Sacristy; spacious and
vaulted like a cave。 Here a Sacristan once taught magic; judicial
astrology; geomancy; hydromancy; pyro