part06-第2章

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

but　endearing　appellation　of　la　Nina。　Her　form　had　not　yet　attained

full　maturity　and　development；　but　possessed　already　the　exquisite

symmetry　and　pliant　grace　so　prevalent　in　this　country。　Her　blue　eyes；

fair　complexion；　and　light　hair；　were　unusual　in　Andalusia；　and　gave　a

mildness　and　gentleness　to　her　demeanor　in　contrast　to　the　usual

fire　of　Spanish　beauty；　but　in　unison　with　the　guileless　and　confiding

innocence　of　her　manners。　She　had　at　the　same　time　the　innate

aptness　and　versatility　of　her　fascinating　countrywomen。　Whatever

she　undertook　to　do　she　did　well　and　apparently　without　effort。　She

sang；　played　the　guitar　and　other　instruments；　and　danced　the

picturesque　dances　of　her　country　to　admiration；　but　never　seemed　to

seek　admiration。　Every　thing　was　spontaneous；　prompted　by　her　own

gay　spirits　and　happy　temper。

　　The　presence　of　this　fascinating　little　being　spread　a　new　charm

about　the　Alhambra；　and　seemed　to　be　in　unison　with　the　place。　While

the　count　and　countess；　with　the　chaplain　or　secretary；　were　playing

their　game　of　tresillo　under　the　vestibule　of　the　Court　of　Lions；　she；

attended　by　Dolores；　who　acted　as　her　maid　of　honor；　would　sit　by

one　of　the　fountains；　and　accompanying　herself　on　the　guitar；　would

sing　some　of　those　popular　romances　which　abound　in　Spain；　or；　what

was　still　more　to　my　taste；　some　traditional　ballad　about　the　Moors。

　　Never　shall　I　think　of　the　Alhambra　without　remembering　this

lovely　little　being；　sporting　in　happy　and　innocent　girlhood　in　its

marble　halls；　dancing　to　the　sound　of　the　Moorish　castanets；　or

mingling　the　silver　warbling　of　her　voice　with　the　music　of　its

fountains。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Relics　and　Genealogies。



　　IF　I　HAD　been　pleased　and　interested　by　the　count　and　his　family；　as

furnishing　a　picture　of　a　Spanish　domestic　life；　I　was　still　more　so

when　apprised　of　historical　circumstances　which　linked　them　with　the

heroic　times　of　Granada。　In　fact；　in　this　worthy　old　cavalier；　so

totally　unwarlike；　or　whose　deeds　in　arms　extended；　at　most；　to　a

war　on　swallows　and　martlets；　I　discovered　a　lineal　descendant　and

actual　representative　of　Gonsalvo　of　Cordova；　〃the　Grand　Captain；〃　who

won　some　of　his　brightest　laurels　before　the　walls　of　Granada；　and　was

one　of　the　cavaliers　commissioned　by　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　to

negotiate　the　terms　of　surrender；　nay；　more；　the　count　was　entitled；

did　he　choose　it；　to　claim　remote　affinity　with　some　of　the　ancient

Moorish　princes；　through　a　scion　of　his　house；　Don　Pedro　Venegas；

surnamed　the　Tornadizo；　and　by　the　same　token；　his　daughter；　the

fascinating　little　Carmen；　might　claim　to　be　rightful　representative

of　the　princess　Cetimerien　or　the　beautiful　Lindaraxa。*



　　*　Lest　this　should　be　deemed　a　mere　stretch　of　fancy；　the　reader

is　referred　to　the　following　genealogy；　derived　by　the　historian

Alcantara；　from　an　Arabian　manuscript；　on　parchment；　in　the　archives

of　the　marquis　of　Corvera。　It　is　a　specimen　of　the　curious

affinities　between　Christians　and　Moslems；　produced　by　capture　and

intermarriages；　during　the　Moorish　wars。　From　Aben　Hud；　the　Moorish

king；　the　conqueror　of　the　Almohades；　was　descended　in　right　line

Cid　Yahia　Abraham　Alnagar；　prince　of　Almeria；　who　married　a　daughter

of　King　Bermejo。　They　had　three　children；　commonly　called　the

Cetimerian　Princes。　1st。　Yusef　ben　Alhamar；　who　for　a　time　usurped　the

throne　of　Granada。　2d。　The　Prince　Nasar；　who　married　the　celebrated

Lindaraxa。　3d。　The　Princess　Cetimerien；　who　married　Don　Pedro　Venegas；

captured　by　the　Moors　in　his　boyhood；　a　younger　son　of　the　House　of

Luque；　of　which　house　the　old　count　was　the　present　head。



　　Understanding　from　the　count　that　he　had　some　curious　relics　of

the　Conquest；　preserved　in　his　family　archives；　I　accompanied　him

early　one　morning　down　to　his　palace　in　Granada　to　examine　them。　The

most　important　of　these　relics　was　the　sword　of　the　Grand　Captain；　a

weapon　destitute　of　all　ostentatious　ornament；　as　the　weapons　of　great

generals　are　apt　to　be；　with　a　plain　hilt　of　ivory　and　a　broad　thin

blade。　It　might　furnish　a　comment　on　hereditary　honors；　to　see　the

sword　of　the　grand　captain　legitimately　declined　into　such　feeble

hands。

　　The　other　relics　of　the　Conquest　were　a　number　of　espingardas　or

muskets　of　unwieldy　size　and　ponderous　weight；　worthy　to　rank　with

those　enormous　two…edged　swords　preserved　in　old　armories；　which

look　like　relics　from　the　days　of　the　giants。

　　Besides　other　hereditary　honors；　I　found　the　old　count　was　Alferez

mayor；　or　grand　standard…bearer；　in　which　capacity　he　was　entitled

to　bear　the　ancient　standard　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　on　certain

high　and　solemn　occasions；　and　to　wave　it　over　their　tombs。　I　was

shown　also　the　caparisons　of　velvet；　sumptuously　embroidered　with　gold

and　silver；　for　six　horses；　with　which　he　appeared　in　state　when　a　new

sovereign　was　to　be　proclaimed　in　Granada　and　Seville；　the　count

mounting　one　of　the　horses；　and　the　other　five　being　led　by　lackeys　in

rich　liveries。

　　I　had　hoped　to　find　among　the　relics　and　antiquities　of　the

count's　palace；　some　specimens　of　the　armor　and　weapons　of　the　Moors

of　Granada；　such　as　I　had　heard　were　preserved　as　trophies　by　the

descendants　of　the　Conquerors；　but　in　this　I　was　disappointed。　I　was

the　more　curious　in　this　particular；　because　an　erroneous　idea　has

been　entertained　by　many；　as　to　the　costumes　of　the　Moors　of　Spain；

supposing　them　to　be　of　the　usual　oriental　type。　On　the　contrary；　we

have　it　on　the　authority　of　their　own　writers；　that　they　adopted　in

many　respects　the　fashions　of　the　Christians。　The　turban；

especially；　so　identified　in　idea　with　the　Moslem；　was　generally

abandoned；　except　in　the　western　provinces；　where　it　continued　in

use　among　people　of　rank　and　wealth；　and　those　holding　places　under

government。　A　woollen　cap；　red　or　green；　was　commonly　worn　as　a

substitute；　probably　the　same　kind　originating　in　Barbary；　and　known

by　the　name　of　Tunis　or　Fez；　which　at　the　present　day　is　worn

throughout　the　east；　though　generally　under　the　turban。　The　Jews

were　obliged　to　wear　them　of　a　yellow　color。

　　In　Murcia；　Valencia；　and　other　eastern　provinces；　men　of　the　highest

rank　might　be　seen　in　public　bareheaded。　The　warrior　king；　Aben　Hud；

never　wore　a　turban；　neither　did　his　rival　and　competitor　Al　Hamar；

the　founder　of　the　Alhambra。　A　short　cloak　called　Taylasan　similar

to　that　seen　in　Spain　in　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries；

was　worn　by　all　ranks。　It　had　a　hood　or　cape　which　people　of　condition

sometimes　drew　over　the　head；　but　the　lower　class　never。

　　A　Moslem　cavalier　in　the　thirteenth　century；　as　described　by　Ibnu

Said；　was　equipped　for　war　very　much　in　the　Christian　style。　Over　a

complete　suit　of　mail　he　wore　a　short　scarlet　tunic。　His　helmet　was　of

polished　steel；　a　shield　was　slung　at　his　back；　he　wielded　a　huge

spear　with　a　broad　point；　sometimes　a　double　point。　His　saddle　was

cumbrous；　projecting　very　much　in　front　and　in　rear；　and　he　rode

with　a　banner　fluttering　behind　him。

　　In　the　time　of　Al　Khattib　of　Granada；　who　wrote　in　the　fourteenth

century；　the　Moslems　of　Andalus　had　resumed　the　Oriental　costumes；　and

were　again　clad　and　armed　in　Arabic　fashion：　with　light　helmet；　thin

but　well　tempered　cuirass；　long　slender　lance；　commonly　of　reed；

Arabian　saddle　and　leathern　buckler；　made　of　double　folds　of　the

skin　of　the　antelope。　A　wonderful　luxury　prevailed　at　that　time　in　the

arms　and　equipments　of　the　Granadian　cavaliers。　Their　armor　was　inlaid

with　gold　and　silver。　Their　cimeters　were　of　the　keenest　Damascus

blades；　with　sheaths　richly　wrought　and　enamelled；　and　belts　of　golden

filagree　studded　with　gems。　Their　daggers　of　Fez　had　jewelled　hilts；

and　their　lances　were　set　off　with　gay　banderoles。　Their　horses　were

caparisoned　in　correspondent　style；　with　velvet　and　embroidery。

　　All　this　minute　description；