part06-第7章

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

　　〃In　other　words；〃　said　the　raven；　with　a　significant　look；　〃you　seek

to　try　my　skill　in　palmistry。　Come；　show　me　your　hand；　and　let　me

decipher　the　mysterious　lines　of　fortune。〃

　　〃Excuse　me；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　come　not　to　pry　into　the　decrees　of

fate；　which　are　hidden　by　Allah　from　the　eyes　of　mortals；　I　am　a

pilgrim　of　love；　and　seek　but　to　find　a　clue　to　the　object　of　my

pilgrimage。〃

　　〃And　can　you　be　at　any　loss　for　an　object　in　amorous　Andalusia？〃

said　the　old　raven；　leering　upon　him　with　his　single　eye；　〃above

all；　can　you　be　at　a　loss　in　wanton　Seville；　where　black…eyed

damsels　dance　the　zambra　under　every　orange　grove？〃

　　The　prince　blushed；　and　was　somewhat　shocked　at　hearing　an　old

bird　with　one　foot　in　the　grave　talk　thus　loosely。　〃Believe　me；〃

said　he；　gravely；　〃I　am　on　none　such　light　and　vagrant　errand　as

thou　dost　insinuate。　The　black…eyed　damsels　of　Andalusia　who　dance

among　the　orange　groves　of　the　Guadalquivir　are　as　naught　to　me。　I

seek　one　unknown　but　immaculate　beauty；　the　original　of　this

picture；　and　I　beseech　thee；　most　potent　raven；　if　it　be　within　the

scope　of　thy　knowledge　or　the　reach　of　thy　art；　inform　me　where　she

may　be　found。〃

　　The　gray…headed　raven　was　rebuked　by　the　gravity　of　the　prince。

　　〃What　know　I；〃　replied　he；　dryly；　〃of　youth　and　beauty？　my　visits

are　to　the　old　and　withered；　not　the　fresh　and　fair：　the　harbinger

of　fate　am　I；　who　croak　bodings　of　death　from　the　chimney　top；　and

flap　my　wings　at　the　sick　man's　window。　You　must　seek　elsewhere　for

tidings　of　your　unknown　beauty。〃

　　〃And　where　can　I　seek　if　not　among　the　sons　of　wisdom；　versed　in　the

book　of　destiny？　Know　that　I　am　a　royal　prince；　fated　by　the　stars；

and　sent　on　a　mysterious　enterprise　on　which　may　hang　the　destiny　of

empires。〃

　　When　the　raven　heard　that　it　was　a　matter　of　vast　moment；　in　which

the　stars　took　interest；　he　changed　his　tone　and　manner；　and

listened　with　profound　attention　to　the　story　of　the　prince。　When　it

was　concluded；　he　replied；　〃Touching　this　princess；　I　can　give　thee　no

information　of　myself；　for　my　flight　is　not　among　gardens；　or　around

ladies'　bowers；　but　hie　thee　to　Cordova；　seek　the　palm…tree　of　the

great　Abderahman；　which　stands　in　the　court　of　the　principal　mosque：

at　the　foot　of　it　thou　wilt　find　a　great　traveller　who　has　visited　all

countries　and　courts；　and　been　a　favorite　with　queens　and

princesses。　He　will　give　thee　tidings　of　the　object　of　thy　search。〃

　　〃Many　thanks　for　this　precious　information；〃　said　the　prince。

〃Farewell；　most　venerable　conjurer。〃

　　〃Farewell；　pilgrim　of　love；〃　said　the　raven；　dryly；　and　again　fell

to　pondering　on　the　diagram。

　　The　prince　sallied　forth　from　Seville；　sought　his　fellow…traveller

the　owl；　who　was　still　dozing　in　the　hollow　tree；　and　set　off　for

Cordova。

　　He　approached　it　along　hanging　gardens；　and　orange　and　citron

groves；　overlooking　the　fair　valley　of　the　Guadalquivir。　When

arrived　at　its　gates　the　owl　flew　up　to　a　dark　hole　in　the　wall；　and

the　prince　proceeded　in　quest　of　the　palm…tree　planted　in　days　of　yore

by　the　great　Abderahman。　It　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　great　court　of

the　mosque；　towering　from　amidst　orange　and　cypress　trees。　Dervises

and　Faquirs　were　seated　in　groups　under　the　cloisters　of　the　court；

and　many　of　the　faithful　were　performing　their　ablutions　at　the

fountains　before　entering　the　mosque。

　　At　the　foot　of　the　palm…tree　was　a　crowd　listening　to　the　words　of

one　who　appeared　to　be　talking　with　great　volubility。　〃This；〃　said　the

prince　to　himself；　〃must　be　the　great　traveller　who　is　to　give　me

tidings　of　the　unknown　princess。〃　He　mingled　in　the　crowd；　but　was

astonished　to　perceive　that　they　were　all　listening　to　a　parrot；　who

with　his　bright　green　coat；　pragmatical　eye；　and　consequential

top…knot；　had　the　air　of　a　bird　on　excellent　terms　with　himself。

　　〃How　is　this；〃　said　the　prince　to　one　of　the　bystanders；　〃that　so

many　grave　persons　can　be　delighted　with　the　garrulity　of　a　chattering

bird？〃

　　〃You　know　not　whom　you　speak　of；〃　said　the　other；　〃this　parrot　is

a　descendant　of　the　famous　parrot　of　Persia；　renowned　for　his

story…telling　talent。　He　has　all　the　learning　of　the　East　at　the　tip

of　his　tongue；　and　can　quote　poetry　as　fast　as　he　can　talk。　He　has

visited　various　foreign　courts；　where　he　has　been　considered　an　oracle

of　erudition。　He　has　been　a　universal　favorite　also　with　the　fair　sex；

who　have　a　vast　admiration　for　erudite　parrots　that　can　quote　poetry。〃

　　〃Enough；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　will　have　some　private　talk　with

this　distinguished　traveller。〃

　　He　sought　a　private　interview；　and　expounded　the　nature　of　his

errand。　He　had　scarcely　mentioned　it　when　the　parrot　burst　into　a

fit　of　dry　rickety　laughter　that　absolutely　brought　tears　in　his　eyes。

〃Excuse　my　merriment；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　mere　mention　of　love　always

sets　me　laughing。〃

　　The　prince　was　shocked　at　this　ill…timed　mirth。　〃Is　not　love；〃

said　he；　〃the　great　mystery　of　nature；　the　secret　principle　of　life；

the　universal　bond　of　sympathy？〃

　　〃A　fig's　end！〃　cried　the　parrot；　interrupting　him；　〃prithee　where

hast　thou　learned　this　sentimental　jargon？　trust　me；　love　is　quite　out

of　vogue；　one　never　hears　of　it　in　the　company　of　wits　and　people　of

refinement。〃

　　The　prince　sighed　as　he　recalled　the　different　language　of　his

friend　the　dove。　But　this　parrot；　thought　he；　has　lived　about　the

court；　he　affects　the　wit　and　the　fine　gentleman；　he　knows　nothing

of　the　thing　called　love。　Unwilling　to　provoke　any　more　ridicule　of

the　sentiment　which　filled　his　heart；　he　now　directed　his　inquiries　to

the　immediate　purport　of　his　visit。

　　〃Tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃Most　accomplished　parrot；　thou　who　hast　every

where　been　admitted　to　the　most　secret　bowers　of　beauty；　hast　thou

in　the　course　of　thy　travels　met　with　the　original　of　this　portrait？〃

　　The　parrot　took　the　picture　in　his　claw；　turned　his　head　from　side

to　side；　and　examined　it　curiously　with　either　eye。　〃Upon　my　honor；〃

said　he；　〃a　very　pretty　face；　very　pretty：　but　then　one　sees　so　many

pretty　women　in　one's　travels　that　one　can　hardly…　but　hold…　bless　me！

now　I　look　at　it　again…　sure　enough　this　is　the　princess　Aldegonda：

how　could　I　forget　one　that　is　so　prodigious　a　favorite　with　me！〃

　　〃The　princess　Aldegonda！〃　echoed　the　prince；　〃and　where　is　she　to　be

found？〃

　　〃Softly；　softly；〃　said　the　parrot；　〃easier　to　be　found　than

gained。　She　is　the　only　daughter　of　the　Christian　king　who　reigns　at

Toledo；　and　is　shut　up　from　the　world　until　her　seventeenth　birth…day；

on　account　of　some　prediction　of　those　meddlesome　fellows　the

astrologers。　You'll　not　get　a　sight　of　her；　no　mortal　man　can　see　her。

I　was　admitted　to　her　presence　to　entertain　her；　and　I　assure　you；

on　the　word　of　a　parrot；　who　has　seen　the　world；　I　have　conversed　with

much　sillier　princesses　in　my　time。〃

　　〃A　word　in　confidence；　my　dear　parrot；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　am

heir　to　a　kingdom；　and　shall　one　day　sit　upon　a　throne。　I　see　that　you

are　a　bird　of　parts；　and　understand　the　world。　Help　me　to　gain

possession　of　this　princess；　and　I　will　advance　you　to　some

distinguished　place　about　court。〃

　　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　parrot；　〃but　let　it　be　a　sinecure　if

possible；　for　we　wits　have　a　great　dislike　to　labor。〃

　　Arrangements　were　promptly　made；　the　prince　sallied　forth　from

Cordova　through　the　same　gate　by　which　he　had　entered；　called　the

owl　down　from　the　hole　in　the　wall；　introduced　him　to　his　new

travelling　companion　as　a　brother　savant；　and　away　they　set　off　on

their　journey。

　　They　travelled　much　more　slowly　than　accorded　with　the　impatience　of

the　prince；　but　the　parrot　was　accustomed　to　high　life；　and　did　not

like　to　be　disturbed　early　in　the　morning。　The　owl；　on　the　other　hand；

was　for　sleeping　at　mid…day；　and　lost　a　great　deal　of　time　by　his　long

siestas。　His　antiquarian　taste　also　was　in　the　way；　for　he　insisted　on