part06-第6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！



princess。　He　wrote　a　letter；　couched　in　the　most　impassioned　language；

breathing　his　fervent　devotion；　but　bewailing　the　unhappy　thraldom

of　his　person；　which　prevented　him　from　seeking　her　out　and　throwing

himself　at　her　feet。　He　added　couplets　of　the　most　moving　eloquence；

for　he　was　a　poet　by　nature；　and　inspired　by　love。　He　addressed　his

letter…　〃To　the　unknown　beauty；　from　the　captive　Prince　Ahmed〃；

then；　perfuming　it　with　musk　and　roses；　he　gave　it　to　the　dove。

　　〃Away；　trustiest　of　messengers！〃　said　he。　〃Fly　over　mountain　and

valley；　and　river；　and　plain；　rest　not　in　bower；　nor　set　foot　on

earth；　until　thou　hast　given　this　letter　to　the　mistress　of　my　heart。〃

　　The　dove　soared　high　in　air；　and　taking　his　course　darted　away　in

one　undeviating　direction。　The　prince　followed　him　with　his　eye

until　he　was　a　mere　speck　on　a　cloud；　and　gradually　disappeared　behind

a　mountain。

　　Day　after　day　he　watched　for　the　return　of　the　messenger　of　love；

but　he　watched　in　vain。　He　began　to　accuse　him　of　forgetfulness；

when　towards　sunset　one　evening　the　faithful　bird　fluttered　into　his

apartment；　and　falling　at　his　feet　expired。　The　arrow　of　some　wanton

archer　had　pierced　his　breast；　yet　he　had　struggled　with　the

lingerings　of　life　to　execute　his　mission。　As　the　prince　bent　with

grief　over　this　gentle　martyr　to　fidelity；　he　beheld　a　chain　of　pearls

round　his　neck；　attached　to　which；　beneath　his　wing；　was　a　small

enamelled　picture。　It　represented　a　lovely　princess　in　the　very　flower

of　her　years。　It　was　doubtless　the　unknown　beauty　of　the　garden；　but

who　and　where　was　she…　how　had　she　received　his　letter；　and　was　this

picture　sent　as　a　token　of　her　approval　of　his　passion？

Unfortunately　the　death　of　the　faithful　dove　left　every　thing　in

mystery　and　doubt。

　　The　prince　gazed　on　the　picture　till　his　eyes　swam　with　tears。　He

pressed　it　to　his　lips　and　to　his　heart；　he　sat　for　hours

contemplating　it　almost　in　an　agony　of　tenderness。　〃Beautiful

image！〃　said　he；　〃alas；　thou　art　but　an　image！　Yet　thy　dewy　eyes

beam　tenderly　upon　me；　those　rosy　lips　look　as　though　they　would　speak

encouragement：　vain　fancies！　Have　they　not　looked　the　same　on　some

more　happy　rival？　But　where　in　this　wide　world　shall　I　hope　to　find

the　original？　Who　knows　what　mountains；　what　realms　may　separate　us；

what　adverse　chances　may　intervene？　Perhaps　now；　even　now；　lovers

may　be　crowding　around　her；　while　I　sit　here　a　prisoner　in　a　tower；

wasting　my　time　in　adoration　of　a　painted　shadow。〃

　　The　resolution　of　Prince　Ahmed　was　taken。　〃I　will　fly　from　this

palace；〃　said　he；　〃which　has　become　an　odious　prison；　and；　a　pilgrim

of　love；　will　seek　this　unknown　princess　throughout　the　world。〃　To

escape　from　the　tower　in　the　day；　when　every　one　was　awake；　might　be　a

difficult　matter；　but　at　night　the　palace　was　slightly　guarded；　for　no

one　apprehended　any　attempt　of　the　kind　from　the　prince；　who　had

always　been　so　passive　in　his　captivity。　How　was　he　to　guide

himself；　however；　in　his　darkling　flight；　being　ignorant　of　the

country？

　　He　bethought　him　of　the　owl；　who　was　accustomed　to　roam　at　night；

and　must　know　every　by…lane　and　secret　pass。　Seeking　him　in　his

hermitage；　he　questioned　him　touching　his　knowledge　of　the　land。

Upon　this　the　owl　put　on　a　mighty　self…important　look。　〃You　must　know；

O　prince；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　owls　are　of　a　very　ancient　and

extensive　family；　though　rather　fallen　to　decay；　and　possess　ruinous

castles　and　palaces　in　all　parts　of　Spain。　There　is　scarcely　a　tower

of　the　mountains；　or　a　fortress　of　the　plains；　or　an　old　citadel　of

a　city；　but　has　some　brother　or　uncle；　or　cousin；　quartered　in　it；　and

in　going　the　rounds　to　visit　this　my　numerous　kindred；　I　have　pryed

into　every　nook　and　corner；　and　made　myself　acquainted　with　every

secret　of　the　land。〃

　　The　prince　was　overjoyed　to　find　the　owl　so　deeply　versed　in

topography；　and　now　informed　him；　in　confidence；　of　his　tender　passion

and　his　intended　elopement；　urging　him　to　be　his　companion　and

counsellor。

　　〃Go　to！〃　said　the　owl；　with　a　look　of　displeasure；　〃am　I　a　bird　to

engage　in　a　love　affair？　I　whose　whole　time　is　devoted　to　meditation

and　the　moon？〃

　　〃Be　not　offended；　most　solemn　owl；〃　replied　the　prince；　〃abstract

thyself　for　a　time　from　meditation　and　the　moon；　and　aid　me　in　my

flight；　and　thou　shalt　have　whatever　heart　can　wish。〃

　　〃I　have　that　already；〃　said　the　owl：　〃a　few　mice　are　sufficient

for　my　frugal　table；　and　this　hole　in　the　wall　is　spacious　enough

for　my　studies；　and　what　more　does　a　philosopher　like　myself　desire？〃

　　〃Bethink　thee；　most　wise　owl；　that　while　moping　in　thy　cell　and

gazing　at　the　moon；　all　thy　talents　are　lost　to　the　world。　I　shall　one

day　be　a　sovereign　prince；　and　may　advance　thee　to　some　post　of

honor　and　dignity。〃

　　The　owl；　though　a　philosopher　and　above　the　ordinary　wants　of

life；　was　not　above　ambition；　so　he　was　finally　prevailed　on　to

elope　with　the　prince；　and　be　his　guide　and　mentor　in　his　pilgrimage。

　　The　plans　of　a　lover　are　promptly　executed。　The　prince　collected　all

his　jewels；　and　concealed　them　about　his　person　as　travelling　funds。

That　very　night　he　lowered　himself　by　his　scarf　from　a　balcony　of

the　tower；　clambered　over　the　outer　walls　of　the　Generalife；　and；

guided　by　the　owl；　made　good　his　escape　before　morning　to　the

mountains。

　　He　now　held　a　council　with　his　mentor　as　to　his　future　course。

　　〃Might　I　advise；〃　said　the　owl；　〃I　would　recommend　you　to　repair

to　Seville。　You　must　know　that　many　years　since　I　was　on　a　visit　to　an

uncle；　an　owl　of　great　dignity　and　power；　who　lived　in　a　ruined　wing

of　the　Alcazar　of　that　place。　In　my　hoverings　at　night　over　the　city　I

frequently　remarked　a　light　burning　in　a　lonely　tower。　At　length　I

alighted　on　the　battlements；　and　found　it　to　proceed　from　the　lamp

of　an　Arabian　magician：　he　was　surrounded　by　his　magic　books；　and　on

his　shoulder　was　perched　his　familiar；　an　ancient　raven　who　had　come

with　him　from　Egypt。　I　am　acquainted　with　that　raven；　and　owe　to　him　a

great　part　of　the　knowledge　I　possess。　The　magician　is　since　dead；　but

the　raven　still　inhabits　the　tower；　for　these　birds　are　of　wonderful

long　life。　I　would　advise　you；　O　prince；　to　seek　that　raven；　for　he　is

a　soothsayer　and　a　conjurer；　and　deals　in　the　black　art；　for　which　all

ravens；　and　especially　those　of　Egypt；　are　renowned。〃

　　The　prince　was　struck　with　the　wisdom　of　this　advice；　and

accordingly　bent　his　course　towards　Seville。　He　travelled　only　in

the　night；　to　accommodate　his　companion；　and　lay　by　during　the　day

in　some　dark　cavern　or　mouldering　watchtower；　for　the　owl　knew　every

hiding　hole　of　the　kind；　and　had　a　most　antiquarian　taste　for　ruins。

　　At　length　one　morning　at　daybreak　they　reached　the　city　of

Seville；　where　the　owl；　who　hated　the　glare　and　bustle　of　crowded

streets；　halted　without　the　gate；　and　took　up　his　quarters　in　a　hollow

tree。

　　The　prince　entered　the　gate；　and　readily　found　the　magic　tower；

which　rose　above　the　houses　of　the　city；　as　a　palm…tree　rises　above

the　shrubs　of　the　desert；　it　was　in　fact　the　same　tower　standing　at

the　present　day；　and　known　as　the　Giralda；　the　famous　Moorish　tower　of

Seville。

　　The　prince　ascended　by　a　great　winding　staircase　to　the　summit　of

the　tower；　where　he　found　the　cabalistic　raven；　an　old；　mysterious；

gray…headed　bird；　ragged　in　feather；　with　a　film　over　one　eye　that

gave　him　the　glare　of　a　spectre。　He　was　perched　on　one　leg；　with　his

head　turned　on　one　side；　poring　with　his　remaining　eye　on　a　diagram

described　on　the　pavement。

　　The　prince　approached　him　with　the　awe　and　reverence　naturally

inspired　by　his　venerable　appearance　and　supernatural　wisdom。

〃Pardon　me；　most　ancient　and　darkly　wise　raven；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃if　for

a　moment　I　interrupt　those　studies　which　are　the　wonder　of　the

world。　You　behold　before　you　a　votary　of　love；　who　would　fain　seek

your　counsel　how　to　obtain　the　object　of　his　passion。〃

　　〃In　other　wo