part06-第1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！






　　　　　　　　　　　　　Note　to　〃The　Arabian　Astrologer〃



　　Al　Makkari；　in　his　history　of　the　Mahommedan　dynasties　in　Spain；

cites　from　another　Arabian　writer　an　account　of　a　talismanic　effigy

somewhat　similar　to　the　one　in　the　foregoing　legend。

　　In　Cadiz；　says　he；　there　formerly　stood　a　square　tower　upwards　of

one　hundred　cubits　high；　built　of　huge　blocks　of　stone；　fastened

together　with　clamps　of　brass。　On　the　top　was　the　figure　of　a　man；

holding　a　staff　in　his　right　hand；　his　face　turned　to　the　Atlantic；

and　pointing　with　the　forefinger　of　his　left　hand　to　the　Straits　of

Gibraltar。　It　was　said　to　have　been　set　up　in　ancient　times　by　the

Gothic　kings　of　Andalus；　as　a　beacon　or　guide　to　navigators。　The

Moslems　of　Barbary　and　Andalus　considered　it　a　talisman　which

exercised　a　spell　over　the　seas。　Under　its　guidance；　swarms　of

piratical　people　of　a　nation；　called　Majus；　appeared　on　the　coast　in

large　vessels　with　a　square　sail　in　the　bow；　and　another　in　the　stern。

They　came　every　six　or　seven　years；　captured　every　thing　they　met　with

on　the　sea；　guided　by　the　statue；　they　passed　through　the　Straits　into

the　Mediterranean；　landed　on　the　coasts　of　Andalus；　laid　every　thing

waste　with　fire　and　sword；　and　sometimes　carried　their　depredations　on

the　opposite　coasts　even　as　far　as　Syria。

　　At　length；　it　came　to　pass　in　the　time　of　the　civil　wars；　a　Moslem

Admiral　who　had　taken　possession　of　Cadiz；　hearing　that　the　statue

on　top　of　the　tower　was　of　pure　gold；　had　it　lowered　to　the　ground　and

broken　to　pieces；　when　it　proved　to　be　of　gilded　brass。　With　the

destruction　of　the　idol；　the　spell　over　the　sea　was　at　an　end。　From

that　time　forward；　nothing　more　was　seen　of　the　piratical　people　of

the　ocean；　excepting　that　two　of　their　barks　were　wrecked　on　the

coast；　one　at　Marsu…l…Majus　（the　port　of　the　Majus）；　the　other　close

to　the　promontory　of　Al…Aghan。

　　The　maritime　invaders　mentioned　by　Al　Makkari　must　have　been　the

Northmen。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Visitors　to　the　Alhambra。



　　FOR　NEARLY　three　months　had　I　enjoyed　undisturbed　my　dream　of

sovereignty　in　the　Alhambra：　a　longer　term　of　quiet　than　had　been

the　lot　of　many　of　my　predecessors。　During　this　lapse　of　time　the

progress　of　the　season　had　wrought　the　usual　change。　On　my　arrival　I

had　found　every　thing　in　the　freshness　of　May；　the　foliage　of　the

trees　was　still　tender　and　transparent；　the　pomegranate　had　not　yet

shed　its　brilliant　crimson　blossoms；　the　orchards　of　the　Xenil　and　the

Darro　were　in　full　bloom；　the　rocks　were　hung　with　wild　flowers；　and

Granada　seemed　completely　surrounded　by　a　wilderness　of　roses；　among

which　innumerable　nightingales　sang；　not　merely　in　the　night；　but

all　day　long。

　　Now　the　advance　of　summer　had　withered　the　rose　and　silenced　the

nightingale；　and　the　distant　country　began　to　look　parched　and

sunburnt；　though　a　perennial　verdure　reigned　immediately　round　the

city　and　in　the　deep　narrow　valleys　at　the　foot　of　the　snow…capped

mountains。

　　The　Alhambra　possesses　retreats　graduated　to　the　heat　of　the

weather；　among　which　the　most　peculiar　is　the　almost　subterranean

apartment　of　the　baths。　This　still　retains　its　ancient　Oriental

character；　though　stamped　with　the　touching　traces　of　decline。　At

the　entrance；　opening　into　a　small　court　formerly　adorned　with

flowers；　is　a　hall；　moderate　in　size；　but　light　and　graceful　in

architecture。　It　is　overlooked　by　a　small　gallery　supported　by

marble　pillars　and　Morisco　arches。　An　alabaster　fountain　in　the　centre

of　the　pavement　still　throws　up　a　jet　of　water　to　cool　the　place。　On

each　side　are　deep　alcoves　with　raised　platforms；　where　the　bathers；

after　their　ablutions；　reclined　on　cushions；　soothed　to　voluptuous

repose　by　the　fragrance　of　the　perfumed　air　and　the　notes　of　soft

music　from　the　gallery。　Beyond　this　hall　are　the　interior　chambers；

still　more　retired；　the　sanctum　sanctorum　of　female　privacy；　for

here　the　beauties　of　the　Harem　indulged　in　the　luxury　of　the　baths。

A　soft　mysterious　light　reigns　through　the　place；　admitted　through

small　apertures　（lumbreras）　in　the　vaulted　ceiling。　The　traces　of

ancient　elegance　are　still　to　be　seen；　and　the　alabaster　baths　in

which　the　sultanas　once　reclined。　The　prevailing　obscurity　and　silence

have　made　these　vaults　a　favorite　resort　of　bats；　who　nestle　during

the　day　in　the　dark　nooks　and　corners；　and　on　being　disturbed；　flit

mysteriously　about　the　twilight　chambers；　heightening；　in　an

indescribable　degree；　their　air　of　desertion　and　decay。

　　In　this　cool　and　elegant；　though　dilapidated　retreat；　which　had

the　freshness　and　seclusion　of　a　grotto；　I　passed　the　sultry　hours

of　the　day　as　summer　advanced；　emerging　towards　sunset；　and　bathing；

or　rather　swimming；　at　night　in　the　great　reservoir　of　the　main　court。

In　this　way　I　was　enabled　in　a　measure　to　counteract　the　relaxing

and　enervating　influence　of　the　climate。

　　My　dream　of　absolute　sovereignty；　however；　came　at　length　to　an　end。

I　was　roused　one　morning　by　the　report　of　fire…arms；　which

reverberated　among　the　towers　as　if　the　castle　had　been　taken　by

surprise。　On　sallying　forth；　I　found　an　old　cavalier　with　a　number

of　domestics；　in　possession　of　the　Hall　of　Ambassadors。　He　was　an

ancient　count　who　had　come　up　from　his　palace　in　Granada　to　pass　a

short　time　in　the　Alhambra　for　the　benefit　of　purer　air；　and　who；

being　a　veteran　and　inveterate　sportsman；　was　endeavoring　to　get　an

appetite　for　his　breakfast　by　shooting　at　swallows　from　the　balconies。

It　was　a　harmless　amusement；　for　though；　by　the　alertness　of　his

attendants　in　loading　his　pieces；　he　was　enabled　to　keep　up　a　brisk

fire；　I　could　not　accuse　him　of　the　death　of　a　single　swallow。　Nay；

the　birds　themselves　seemed　to　enjoy　the　sport；　and　to　deride　his　want

of　skill；　skimming　in　circles　close　to　the　balconies；　and　twittering

as　they　darted　by。

　　The　arrival　of　this　old　gentleman　changed　essentially　the　aspect

of　affairs；　but　caused　no　jealousy　nor　collision。　We　tacitly　shared

the　empire　between　us；　like　the　last　kings　of　Granada；　excepting

that　we　maintained　a　most　amicable　alliance。　He　reigned　absolute

over　the　Court　of　the　Lions　and　its　adjacent　halls；　while　I　maintained

peaceful　possession　of　the　regions　of　the　baths　and　the　little

garden　of　Lindaraxa。　We　took　our　meals　together　under　the　arcades　of

the　court；　where　the　fountains　cooled　the　air；　and　bubbling　rills

ran　along　the　channels　of　the　marble　pavement。

　　In　the　evenings　a　domestic　circle　would　gather　about　the　worthy

old　cavalier。　The　countess；　his　wife　by　a　second　marriage；　would

come　up　from　the　city　accompanied　by　her　step…daughter　Carmen；　an　only

child；　a　charming　little　being；　still　in　her　girlish　years。　Then　there

were　always　some　of　his　official　dependents；　his　chaplain；　his　lawyer；

his　secretary；　his　steward；　and　other　officers　and　agents　of　his

extensive　possessions；　who　brought　him　up　the　news　or　gossip　of　the

city；　and　formed　his　evening　party　of　tresillo　or　ombre。　Thus　he

held　a　kind　of　domestic　court；　where　each　one　paid　him　deference；

and　sought　to　contribute　to　his　amusement；　without；　however；　any

appearance　of　servility；　or　any　sacrifice　of　self…respect。　In　fact；

nothing　of　the　kind　was　exacted　by　the　demeanor　of　the　count；　for

whatever　may　be　said　of　Spanish　pride；　it　rarely　chills　or

constrains　the　intercourse　of　social　or　domestic　life。　Among　no　people

are　the　relations　between　kindred　more　unreserved　and　cordial；　or

between　superior　and　dependent　more　free　from　haughtiness　on　the　one

side；　and　obsequiousness　on　the　other。　In　these　respects　there　still

remains　in　Spanish　life；　especially　in　the　provinces；　much　of　the

vaunted　simplicity　of　the　olden　time。

　　The　most　interesting　member　of　this　family　group；　in　my　eyes；　was

the　daughter　of　the　count；　the　lovely　little　Carmen；　she　was　but　about

sixteen　years　of　age；　and　appeared　to　be　considered　a　mere　child；

though　the　idol　of　the　family；　going　generally　by　the　child…like；

but　e