part01-第6章

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the　old　man　some　of　the　ample　fragments　of　our　repast；　on　condition；

however；　that　he　should　sit　down　and　make　a　meal。

　　He　accordingly　took　his　seat　at　some　little　distance　from　us；　and

began　to　eat　slowly；　and　with　a　sobriety　and　decorum　that　would　have

become　a　hidalgo。　There　was　altogether　a　measured　manner　and　a　quiet

self…possession　about　the　old　man；　that　made　me　think　that　he　had　seen

better　days；　his　language　too；　though　simple；　had　occasionally

something　picturesque　and　almost　poetical　in　the　phraseology。　I　set

him　down　for　some　broken…down　cavalier。　I　was　mistaken；　it　was　nothing

but　the　innate　courtesy　of　a　Spaniard；　and　the　poetical　turn　of

thought　and　language　often　to　be　found　in　the　lowest　classes　of　this

clear…witted　people。　For　fifty　years；　he　told　us；　he　had　been　a

shepherd；　but　now　he　was　out　of　employ　and　destitute。　〃When　I　was　a

young　man；〃　said　he；　〃nothing　could　harm　or　trouble　me；　I　was　always

well；　always　gay；　but　now　I　am　seventy…nine　years　of　age；　and　a

beggar；　and　my　heart　begins　to　fail　me。〃

　　Still　he　was　not　a　regular　mendicant：　it　was　not　until　recently　that

want　had　driven　him　to　this　degradation；　and　he　gave　a　touching

picture　of　the　struggle　between　hunger　and　pride；　when　abject

destitution　first　came　upon　him。　He　was　returning　from　Malaga

without　money；　he　had　not　tasted　food　for　some　time；　and　was

crossing　one　of　the　great　plains　of　Spain；　where　there　were　but　few

habitations。　When　almost　dead　with　hunger；　he　applied　at　the　door　of　a

venta　or　country　inn。　〃Perdon　usted　por　Dios；　hermano！〃　（〃Excuse　us；

brother；　for　God's　sake！〃）　was　the　reply…　the　usual　mode　in　Spain　of

refusing　a　beggar。

　　〃I　turned　away；〃　said　he；　〃with　shame　greater　than　my　hunger；　for　my

heart　was　yet　too　proud。　I　came　to　a　river　with　high　banks；　and

deep；　rapid　current；　and　felt　tempted　to　throw　myself　in：　'What　should

such　an　old；　worthless；　wretched　man　as　I　live　for？'　But　when　I　was　on

the　brink　of　the　current；　I　thought　on　the　blessed　Virgin；　and

turned　away。　I　travelled　on　until　I　saw　a　country…seat　at　a　little

distance　from　the　road；　and　entered　the　outer　gate　of　the

court…yard。　The　door　was　shut；　but　there　were　two　young　senoras　at　a

window。　I　approached　and　begged。　'Perdon　usted　por　Dios；　hermano！'…

and　the　window　closed。

　　〃I　crept　out　of　the　court…yard；　but　hunger　overcame　me；　and　my　heart

gave　way：　I　thought　my　hour　at　hand；　so　I　laid　myself　down　at　the

gate；　commended　myself　to　the　Holy　Virgin；　and　covered　my　head　to　die。

In　a　little　while　afterwards　the　master　of　the　house　came　home。　Seeing

me　lying　at　his　gate；　he　uncovered　my　head；　had　pity　on　my　gray　hairs；

took　me　into　his　house；　and　gave　me　food。　So；　senores；　you　see　that

one　should　always　put　confidence　in　the　protection　of　the　Virgin。〃

　　The　old　man　was　on　his　way　to　his　native　place；　Archidona；　which　was

in　full　view　on　its　steep　and　rugged　mountain。　He　pointed　to　the　ruins

of　its　castle。　〃That　castle；〃　he　said；　〃was　inhabited　by　a　Moorish

king　at　the　time　of　the　wars　of　Granada。　Queen　Isabella　invaded　it

with　a　great　army；　but　the　king　looked　down　from　his　castle　among

the　clouds；　and　laughed　her　to　scorn！　Upon　this　the　Virgin　appeared　to

the　queen；　and　guided　her　and　her　army　up　a　mysterious　path　in　the

mountains；　which　had　never　before　been　known。　When　the　Moor　saw　her

coming；　he　was　astonished；　and　springing　with　his　horse　from　a

precipice；　was　dashed　to　pieces！　The　marks　of　his　horse's　hoofs；〃　said

the　old　man；　〃are　to　be　seen　in　the　margin　of　the　rock　to　this　day。

And　see；　senores；　yonder　is　the　road　by　which　the　queen　and　her　army

mounted：　you　see　it　like　a　ribbon　up　the　mountain's　side；　but　the

miracle　is；　that；　though　it　can　be　seen　at　a　distance；　when　you　come

near　it　disappears！〃

　　The　ideal　road　to　which　he　pointed　was　undoubtedly　a　sandy　ravine　of

the　mountain；　which　looked　narrow　and　defined　at　a　distance；　but

became　broad　and　indistinct　on　an　approach。

　　As　the　old　man's　heart　warmed　with　wine　and　wassail；　he　went　on　to

tell　us　a　story　of　the　buried　treasure　left　under　the　castle　by　the

Moorish　king。　His　own　house　was　next　to　the　foundations　of　the　castle。

The　curate　and　notary　dreamed　three　times　of　the　treasure；　and　went　to

work　at　the　place　pointed　out　in　their　dreams。　His　own　son…in…law

heard　the　sound　of　their　pickaxes　and　spades　at　night。　What　they　found

nobody　knows；　they　became　suddenly　rich；　but　kept　their　own　secret。

Thus　the　old　man　had　once　been　next　door　to　fortune；　but　was　doomed

never　to　get　under　the　same　roof。

　　I　have　remarked　that　the　stories　of　treasure　buried　by　the　Moors；　so

popular　throughout　Spain；　are　most　current　among　the　poorest　people。

Kind　nature　consoles　with　shadows　for　the　lack　of　substantials。　The

thirsty　man　dreams　of　fountains　and　running　streams；　the　hungry　man　of

banquets；　and　the　poor　man　of　heaps　of　hidden　gold：　nothing

certainly　is　more　opulent　than　the　imagination　of　a　beggar。

　　Our　afternoon's　ride　took　us　through　a　steep　and　rugged　defile　of

the　mountains；　called　Puerto　del　Rey；　the　Pass　of　the　King；　being

one　of　the　great　passes　into　the　territories　of　Granada；　and　the　one

by　which　King　Ferdinand　conducted　his　army。　Towards　sunset　the　road；

winding　round　a　hill；　brought　us　in　sight　of　the　famous　little

frontier　city　of　Loxa；　which　repulsed　Ferdinand　from　its　walls。　Its

Arabic　name　implies　〃guardian；〃　and　such　it　was　to　the　vega　of

Granada；　being　one　of　its　advanced　guards。　It　was　the　strong…hold　of

that　fiery　veteran；　old　Ali　Atar；　father…in…law　of　Boabdil；　and　here

it　was　that　the　latter　collected　his　troops；　and　sallied　forth　on　that

disastrous　foray　which　ended　in　the　death　of　the　old　alcayde　and　his

own　captivity。　From　its　commanding　position　at　the　gate；　as　it　were；

of　this　mountain　pass；　Loxa　has　not　unaptly　been　termed　the　key　of

Granada。　It　is　wildly　picturesque；　built　along　the　face　of　an　arid

mountain。　The　ruins　of　a　Moorish　alcazar　or　citadel　crown　a　rocky

mound　which　rises　out　of　the　centre　of　the　town。　The　river　Xenil

washes　its　base；　winding　among　rocks；　and　groves；　and　gardens；　and

meadows；　and　crossed　by　a　Moorish　bridge。　Above　the　city　all　is　savage

and　sterile；　below　is　the　richest　vegetation　and　the　freshest　verdure。

A　similar　contrast　is　presented　by　the　river；　above　the　bridge　it　is

placid　and　grassy；　reflecting　groves　and　gardens；　below　it　is　rapid；

noisy　and　tumultuous。　The　Sierra　Nevada；　the　royal　mountains　of

Granada；　crowned　with　perpetual　snow；　form　the　distant　boundary　to

this　varied　landscape；　one　of　the　most　characteristic　of　romantic

Spain。

　　Alighting　at　the　entrance　of　the　city；　we　gave　our　horses　to

Sancho　to　lead　them　to　the　inn；　while　we　strolled　about　to　enjoy　the

singular　beauty　of　the　environs。　As　we　crossed　the　bridge　to　a　fine

alameda；　or　public　walk；　the　bells　tolled　the　hour　of　oration。　At

the　sound　the　wayfarers；　whether　on　business　or　pleasure；　paused；　took

off　their　hats；　crossed　themselves；　and　repeated　their　evening　prayer…

a　pious　custom　still　rigidly　observed　in　retired　parts　of　Spain。

Altogether　it　was　a　solemn　and　beautiful　evening　scene；　and　we

wandered　on　as　the　evening　gradually　closed；　and　the　new　moon　began　to

glitter　between　the　high　elms　of　the　alameda。

　　We　were　roused　from　this　quiet　state　of　enjoyment　by　the　voice　of

our　trusty　squire　hailing　us　from　a　distance。　He　came　up　to　us；　out　of

breath。　〃Ah；　senores；〃　cried　he；　〃el　pobre　Sancho　no　es　nada　sin　Don

Quixote。〃　（〃Ah；　senores；　poor　Sancho　is　nothing　without　Don　Quixote。〃）

He　had　been　alarmed　at　our　not　coming　to　the　inn；　Loxa　was　such　a　wild

mountain　place；　full　of　contrabandistas；　enchanters；　and　infiernos；　he

did　not　well　know　what　might　have　happened；　and　set　out　to　seek　us；

inquiring　after　us　of　every　person　he　met；　until　he　traced　us　across

the　bridge；　and；　to　his　great　joy；　caught　sight　of　us　strolling　in　the

alameda。

　　The　inn　to　which　he　conducted　us　was　called　the　Corona；　or　Crown；

and　we　found　it　quite　in　keeping