part01-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



alameda。

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

and　we　found　it　quite　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　the　place；

the　inhabitants　of　which　seem　still　to　retain　the　bold；　fiery　spirit

of　the　olden　time。　The　hostess　was　a　young　and　handsome　Andalusian

widow；　whose　trim　basquina　of　black　silk；　fringed　with　bugles；　set　off

the　play　of　a　graceful　form　and　round　pliant　limbs。　Her　step　was

firm　and　elastic；　her　dark　eye　was　full　of　fire；　and　the　coquetry　of

her　air；　and　varied　ornaments　of　her　person；　showed　that　she　was

accustomed　to　be　admired。

　　She　was　well　matched　by　a　brother；　nearly　about　her　own　age；　they

were　perfect　models　of　the　Andalusian　majo　and　maja。　He　was　tall；


vigorous；　and　well…formed；　with　a　clear　olive　complexion；　a　dark

beaming　eye；　and　curling　chestnut　whiskers　that　met　under　his　chin。　He

was　gallantly　dressed　in　a　short　green　velvet　jacket；　fitted　to　his

shape；　profusely　decorated　with　silver　buttons；　with　a　white

handkerchief　in　each　pocket。　He　had　breeches　of　the　same；　with　rows　of

buttons　from　the　hips　to　the　knees；　a　pink　silk　handkerchief　round　his

neck；　gathered　through　a　ring；　on　the　bosom　of　a　neatly…plaited　shirt；

a　sash　round　the　waist　to　match；　bottinas；　or　spatterdashes；　of　the

finest　russet　leather；　elegantly　worked；　and　open　at　the　calf　to

show　his　stockings　and　russet　shoes；　setting　off　a　well…shaped　foot。

　　As　he　was　standing　at　the　door；　a　horseman　rode　up　and　entered

into　low　and　earnest　conversation　with　him。　He　was　dressed　in　a

similar　style；　and　almost　with　equal　finery…　a　man　about　thirty；

square…built；　with　strong　Roman　features；　handsome；　though　slightly

pitted　with　the　small…pox；　with　a　free；　bold；　and　somewhat　daring　air。

His　powerful　black　horse　was　decorated　with　tassels　and　fanciful

trappings；　and　a　couple　of　broad…mouthed　blunderbusses　hung　behind　the

saddle。　He　had　the　air　of　one　of　those　contrabandistas　I　have　seen

in　the　mountains　of　Ronda；　and　evidently　had　a　good　understanding　with

the　brother　of　mine　hostess；　nay；　if　I　mistake　not；　he　was　a　favored

admirer　of　the　widow。　In　fact；　the　whole　inn　and　its　inmates　had

something　of　a　contrabandista　aspect；　and　a　blunderbuss　stood　in　a

corner　beside　the　guitar。　The　horseman　I　have　mentioned　passed　his

evening　in　the　posada；　and　sang　several　bold　mountain　romances　with

great　spirit。　As　we　were　at　supper；　two　poor　Asturians　put　in　in

distress；　begging　food　and　a　night's　lodging。　They　had　been　waylaid　by

robbers　as　they　came　from　a　fair　among　the　mountains；　robbed　of　a

horse；　which　carried　all　their　stock　in　trade；　stripped　of　their

money；　and　most　of　their　apparel；　beaten　for　having　offered

resistance；　and　left　almost　naked　in　the　road。　My　companion；　with　a

prompt　generosity　natural　to　him；　ordered　them　a　supper　and　a　bed；　and

gave　them　a　sum　of　money　to　help　them　forward　towards　their　home。

　　As　the　evening　advanced；　the　dramatis　personae　thickened。　A　large

man；　about　sixty　years　of　age；　of　powerful　frame；　came　strolling　in；

to　gossip　with　mine　hostess。　He　was　dressed　in　the　ordinary　Andalusian

costume；　but　had　a　huge　sabre　tucked　under　his　arm；　wore　large

moustaches；　and　had　something　of　a　lofty　swaggering　air。　Every　one

seemed　to　regard　him　with　great　deference。

　　Our　man　Sancho　whispered　to　us　that　he　was　Don　Ventura　Rodriguez；

the　hero　and　champion　of　Loxa；　famous　for　his　prowess　and　the　strength

of　his　arm。　In　the　time　of　the　French　invasion　he　surprised　six

troopers　who　were　asleep：　he　first　secured　their　horses；　then　attacked

them　with　his　sabre；　killed　some；　and　took　the　rest　prisoners。　For

this　exploit　the　king　allows　him　a　peseta　（the　fifth　of　a　duro；　or

dollar）　per　day；　and　has　dignified　him　with　the　title　of　Don。

　　I　was　amused　to　behold　his　swelling　language　and　demeanor。　He　was

evidently　a　thorough　Andalusian；　boastful　as　brave。　His　sabre　was

always　in　his　hand　or　under　his　arm。　He　carries　it　always　about　with

him　as　a　child　does　her　doll；　calls　it　his　Santa　Teresa；　and　says；

〃When　I　draw　it；　the　earth　trembles〃　（〃tiembla　la　tierra〃）。

　　I　sat　until　a　late　hour　listening　to　the　varied　themes　of　this

motley　group；　who　mingled　together　with　the　unreserve　of　a　Spanish

posada。　We　had　contrabandista　songs；　stories　of　robbers；　guerilla

exploits；　and　Moorish　legends。　The　last　were　from　our　handsome

landlady；　who　gave　a　poetical　account　of　the　infiernos；　or　infernal

regions　of　Loxa；　dark　caverns；　in　which　subterranean　streams　and

waterfalls　make　a　mysterious　sound。　The　common　people　say　that　there

are　money…coiners　shut　up　there　from　the　time　of　the　Moors；　and　that

the　Moorish　kings　kept　their　treasures　in　those　caverns。

　　I　retired　to　bed　with　my　imagination　excited　by　all　that　I　had

seen　and　heard　in　this　old　warrior　city。　Scarce　had　I　fallen　asleep

when　I　was　aroused　by　a　horrid　din　and　uproar；　that　might　have

confounded　the　hero　of　La　Mancha　himself　whose　experience　of　Spanish

inns　was　a　continual　uproar。　It　seemed　for　a　moment　as　if　the　Moors

were　once　more　breaking　into　the　town；　or　the　infiernos　of　which

mine　hostess　talked　had　broken　loose。　I　sallied　forth　half　dressed

to　reconnoiter。　It　was　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　charivari　to

celebrate　the　nuptials　of　an　old　man　with　a　buxom　damsel。　Wishing

him　joy　of　his　bride　and　his　serenade；　I　returned　to　my　more　quiet

bed；　and　slept　soundly　until　morning。

　　While　dressing；　I　amused　myself　in　reconnoitering　the　populace

from　my　window。　There　were　groups　of　fine…looking　young　men　in　the

trim　fanciful　Andalusian　costume；　with　brown　cloaks；　thrown　about　them

in　true　Spanish　style；　which　cannot　be　imitated；　and　little　round　majo

hats　stuck　on　with　a　peculiar　knowing　air。　They　had　the　same

galliard　look　which　I　have　remarked　among　the　dandy　mountaineers　of

Ronda。　Indeed；　all　this　part　of　Andalusia　abounds　with　such

game…looking　characters。　They　loiter　about　the　towns　and　villages；

seem　to　have　plenty　of　time　and　plenty　of　money：　〃horse　to　ride　and

weapon　to　wear。〃　Great　gossips；　great　smokers；　apt　at　touching　the

guitar；　singing　couplets　to　their　maja　belles；　and　famous　dancers　of

the　bolero。　Throughout　all　Spain　the　men；　however　poor；　have　a

gentleman…like　abundance　of　leisure；　seeming　to　consider　it　the

attribute　of　a　true　cavaliero　never　to　be　in　a　hurry；　but　the

Andalusians　are　gay　as　well　as　leisurely；　and　have　none　of　the　squalid

accompaniments　of　idleness。　The　adventurous　contraband　trade　which

prevails　throughout　these　mountain　regions；　and　along　the　maritime

borders　of　Andalusia；　is　doubtless　at　the　bottom　of　this　galliard

character。

　　In　contrast　to　the　costume　of　these　groups　was　that　of　two

long…legged　Valencians　conducting　a　donkey；　laden　with　articles　of

merchandise；　their　musket　slung　crosswise　over　his　back　ready　for

action。　They　wore　round　jackets　（jalecos）；　wide　linen　bragas　or

drawers　scarce　reaching　to　the　knees　and　looking　like　kilts；　red　fajas

or　sashes　swathed　tightly　round　their　waists；　sandals　of　espartal　or

bass　weed；　colored　kerchiefs　round　their　heads　somewhat　in　the　style

of　turbans　but　leaving　the　top　of　the　head　uncovered；　in　short；

their　whole　appearance　having　much　of　the　traditional　Moorish　stamp。

　　On　leaving　Loxa　we　were　joined　by　a　cavalier；　well　mounted　and

well　armed；　and　followed　on　foot　by　an　escopetero　or　musketeer。　He

saluted　us　courteously；　and　soon　let　us　into　his　quality。　He　was　chief

of　the　customs；　or　rather；　I　should　suppose；　chief　of　an　armed　company

whose　business　it　is　to　patrol　the　roads　and　look　out　for

contrabandistas。　The　escopetero　was　one　of　his　guards。　In　the　course

of　our　morning's　ride　I　drew　from　him　some　particulars　concerning

the　smugglers；　who　have　risen　to　be　a　kind　of　mongrel　chivalry　in

Spain。　They　come　into　Andalusia；　he　said；　from　various　parts；　but

especially　from　La　Mancha；　sometimes　to　receive　goods；　to　be

smuggled　on　an　appointed　night　across　the　line　at　the　plaza　or

strand　of　Gibraltar；　sometimes　to　meet　a　vessel；　which　is　to　h