part10-第9章

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Mateo　on　each　side　of　the　tartana；　and　the　old　invalids　behind。

　　At　some　little　distance　to　the　north　of　Granada；　the　road

gradually　ascends　the　hills；　here　I　alighted　and　walked　up　slowly　with

Manuel；　who　took　this　occasion　to　confide　to　me　the　secret　of　his

heart　and　of　all　those　tender　concerns　between　himself　and　Dolores；

with　which　I　had　been　already　informed　by　the　all　knowing　and　all

revealing　Mateo　Ximenes。　His　doctor's　diploma　had　prepared　the　way　for

their　union；　and　nothing　more　was　wanting　but　the　dispensation　of

the　Pope；　on　account　of　their　consanguinity。　Then；　if　he　could　get　the

post　of　Medico　of　the　fortress；　his　happiness　would　be　complete！　I

congratulated　him　on　the　judgment　and　good　taste　he　had　shown　in　his

choice　of　a　helpmate；　invoked　all　possible　felicity　on　their　union；

and　trusted　that　the　abundant　affections　of　the　kind…hearted　little

Dolores　would　in　time　have　more　stable　objects　to　occupy　them　than

recreant　cats　and　truant　pigeons。


　　It　was　indeed　a　sorrowful　parting　when　I　took　leave　of　these　good

people　and　saw　them　slowly　descend　the　hills；　now　and　then　turning

round　to　wave　me　a　last　adieu。　Manuel；　it　is　true；　had　cheerful

prospects　to　console　him；　but　poor　Mateo　seemed　perfectly　cast　down。

It　was　to　him　a　grievous　fall　from　the　station　of　prime　minister　and

historiographer；　to　his　old　brown　cloak　and　his　starveling　mystery

of　ribbon…weaving；　and　the　poor　devil；　notwithstanding　his

occasional　officiousness；　had；　somehow　or　other；　acquired　a　stronger

hold　on　my　sympathies　than　I　was　aware　of。　It　would　have　really　been　a

consolation　in　parting；　could　I　have　anticipated　the　good　fortune　in

store　for　him；　and　to　which　I　had　contributed；　for　the　importance　I

had　appeared　to　give　to　his　tales　and　gossip　and　local　knowledge；

and　the　frequent　companionship　in　which　I　had　indulged　him　in　the

course　of　my　strolls；　had　elevated　his　idea　of　his　own

qualifications　and　opened　a　new　career　to　him；　and　the　son　of　the

Alhambra　has　since　become　its　regular　and　well…paid　cicerone；　insomuch

that　I　am　told　he　has　never　been　obliged　to　resume　the　ragged　old

brown　cloak　in　which　I　first　found　him。

　　Towards　sunset　I　came　to　where　the　road　wound　into　the　mountains；

and　here　I　paused　to　take　a　last　look　at　Granada。　The　hill　on　which

I　stood　commanded　a　glorious　view　of　the　city；　the　Vega；　and　the

surrounding　mountains。　It　was　at　an　opposite　point　of　the　compass　from

La　cuesta　de　las　lagrimas　（the　hill　of　tears）　noted　for　the　〃last　sigh

of　the　Moor。〃　I　now　could　realize　something　of　the　feelings　of　poor

Boabdil　when　he　bade　adieu　to　the　paradise　he　was　leaving　behind；

and　beheld　before　him　a　rugged　and　sterile　road　conducting　him　to

exile。

　　The　setting　sun　as　usual　shed　a　melancholy　effulgence　on　the　ruddy

towers　of　the　Alhambra。　I　could　faintly　discern　the　balconied　window

of　the　Tower　of　Comares；　where　I　had　indulged　in　so　many　delightful

reveries。　The　bosky　groves　and　gardens　about　the　city　were　richly

gilded　with　the　sunshine；　the　purple　haze　of　a　summer　evening　was

gathering　over　the　Vega；　every　thing　was　lovely；　but　tenderly　and

sadly　so；　to　my　parting　gaze。

　　〃I　will　hasten　from　this　prospect；〃　thought　I；　〃before　the　sun　is

set。　I　will　carry　away　a　recollection　of　it　clothed　in　all　its

beauty。〃

　　With　these　thoughts　I　pursued　my　way　among　the　mountains。　A　little

further　and　Granada；　the　Vega；　and　the　Alhambra；　were　shut　from　my

view；　and　thus　ended　one　of　the　pleasantest　dreams　of　a　life；　which

the　reader　perhaps　may　think　has　been　but　too　much　made　up　of　dreams。



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