part06-第8章

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

pausing　and　inspecting　every　ruin；　and　had　long　legendary　tales　to

tell　about　every　old　tower　and　castle　in　the　country。　The　prince　had

supposed　that　he　and　the　parrot；　being　both　birds　of　learning；　would

delight　in　each　other's　society；　but　never　had　he　been　more

mistaken。　They　were　eternally　bickering。　The　one　was　a　wit；　the

other　a　philosopher。　The　parrot　quoted　poetry；　was　critical　on　new

readings　and　eloquent　on　small　points　of　erudition；　the　owl　treated

all　such　knowledge　as　trifling；　and　relished　nothing　but

metaphysics。　Then　the　parrot　would　sing　songs　and　repeat　bon　mots

and　crack　jokes　upon　his　solemn　neighbor；　and　laugh　outrageously　at

his　own　wit；　all　which　proceedings　the　owl　considered　as　a　grievous

invasion　of　his　dignity；　and　would　scowl　and　sulk　and　swell；　and　be

silent　for　a　whole　day　together。

　　The　prince　heeded　not　the　wranglings　of　his　companions；　being

wrapped　up　in　the　dreams　of　his　own　fancy　and　the　contemplation　of　the

portrait　of　the　beautiful　princess。　In　this　way　they　journeyed　through

the　stern　passes　of　the　Sierra　Morena；　across　the　sunburnt　plains　of

La　Mancha　and　Castile；　and　along　the　banks　of　the　〃Golden　Tagus；〃

which　winds　its　wizard　mazes　over　one　half　of　Spain　and　Portugal。　At

length　they　came　in　sight　of　a　strong　city　with　walls　and　towers　built

on　a　rocky　promontory；　round　the　foot　of　which　the　Tagus　circled

with　brawling　violence。

　　〃Behold；〃　exclaimed　the　owl；　〃the　ancient　and　renowned　city　of

Toledo；　a　city　famous　for　its　antiquities。　Behold　those　venerable

domes　and　towers；　hoary　with　time　and　clothed　with　legendary　grandeur；

in　which　so　many　of　my　ancestors　have　meditated。〃

　　〃Pish！〃　cried　the　parrot；　interrupting　his　solemn　antiquarian

rapture；　〃what　have　we　to　do　with　antiquities；　and　legends；　and　your

ancestry？　Behold　what　is　more　to　the　purpose…　behold　the　abode　of

youth　and　beauty…　behold　at　length；　O　prince；　the　abode　of　your

long…sought　princess。〃

　　The　prince　looked　in　the　direction　indicated　by　the　parrot；　and

beheld；　in　a　delightful　meadow　on　the　banks　of　the　Tagus；　a　stately

palace　rising　from　amidst　the　bowers　of　a　delicious　garden。　It　was

just　such　a　place　as　had　been　described　by　the　dove　as　the　residence

of　the　original　of　the　picture。　He　gazed　at　it　with　a　throbbing　heart。

〃Perhaps　at　this　moment；〃　thought　he；　〃the　beautiful　princess　is

sporting　beneath　those　shady　bowers；　or　pacing　with　delicate　step

those　stately　terraces；　or　reposing　beneath　those　lofty　roofs！〃　As

he　looked　more　narrowly　he　perceived　that　the　walls　of　the　garden　were

of　great　height；　so　as　to　defy　access；　while　numbers　of　armed　guards

patrolled　around　them。

　　The　prince　turned　to　the　parrot。　〃O　most　accomplished　of　birds；〃

said　he；　〃thou　hast　the　gift　of　human　speech。　Hie　thee　to　yon

garden；　seek　the　idol　of　my　soul；　and　tell　her　that　Prince　Ahmed；　a

pilgrim　of　love；　and　guided　by　the　stars；　has　arrived　in　quest　of

her　on　the　flowery　banks　of　the　Tagus。〃

　　The　parrot；　proud　of　his　embassy；　flew　away　to　the　garden；　mounted

above　its　lofty　walls；　and　after　soaring　for　a　time　over　the　lawns　and

groves；　alighted　on　the　balcony　of　a　pavilion　that　overhung　the　river。

Here；　looking　in　at　the　casement；　he　beheld　the　princess　reclining

on　a　couch；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　a　paper；　while　tears　gently　stole

after　each　other　down　her　pallid　cheek。

　　Pluming　his　wings　for　a　moment；　adjusting　his　bright　green　coat；　and

elevating　his　top…knot；　the　parrot　perched　himself　beside　her　with　a

gallant　air：　then　assuming　a　tenderness　of　tone；　〃Dry　thy　tears；

most　beautiful　of　princesses；〃　said　he；　〃I　come　to　bring　solace　to　thy

heart。〃

　　The　princess　was　startled　on　hearing　a　voice；　but　turning　and　seeing

nothing　but　a　little　green…coated　bird　bobbing　and　bowing　before

her；　〃Alas！　what　solace　canst　thou　yield；〃　said　she；　〃seeing　thou

art　but　a　parrot？〃

　　The　parrot　was　nettled　at　the　question。　〃I　have　consoled　many

beautiful　ladies　in　my　time；〃　said　he；　〃but　let　that　pass。　At

present　I　come　ambassador　from　a　royal　prince。　Know　that　Ahmed；　the

prince　of　Granada；　has　arrived　in　quest　of　thee；　and　is　encamped

even　now　on　the　flowery　banks　of　the　Tagus。〃

　　The　eyes　of　the　beautiful　princess　sparkled　at　these　words　even

brighter　than　the　diamonds　in　her　coronet。　〃O　sweetest　of　parrots；〃

cried　she；　〃joyful　indeed　are　thy　tidings；　for　I　was　faint　and

weary；　and　sick　almost　unto　death　with　doubt　of　the　constancy　of

Ahmed。　Hie　thee　back；　and　tell　him　that　the　words　of　his　letter　are

engraven　in　my　heart；　and　his　poetry　has　been　the　food　of　my　soul。

Tell　him；　however；　that　he　must　prepare　to　prove　his　love　by　force

of　arms；　to…morrow　is　my　seventeenth　birth…day；　when　the　king　my

father　holds　a　great　tournament；　several　princes　are　to　enter　the

lists；　and　my　hand　is　to　be　the　prize　of　the　victor。〃

　　The　parrot　again　took　wing；　and　rustling　through　the　groves；　flew

back　to　where　the　prince　awaited　his　return。　The　rapture　of　Ahmed　on

finding　the　original　of　his　adored　portrait；　and　finding　her　kind

and　true；　can　only　be　conceived　by　those　favored　mortals　who　have

had　the　good　fortune　to　realize　day…dreams　and　turn　a　shadow　into

substance：　still　there　was　one　thing　that　alloyed　his　transport…

this　impending　tournament。　In　fact；　the　banks　of　the　Tagus　were

already　glittering　with　arms；　and　resounding　with　trumpets　of　the

various　knights；　who；　with　proud　retinues；　were　prancing　on　towards

Toledo　to　attend　the　ceremonial。　The　same　star　that　had　controlled　the

destiny　of　the　prince　had　governed　that　of　the　princess；　and　until　her

seventeenth　birth…day　she　had　been　shut　up　from　the　world；　to　guard

her　from　the　tender　passion。　The　fame　of　her　charms；　however；　had　been

enhanced　rather　than　obscured　by　this　seclusion。　Several　powerful

princes　had　contended　for　her　hand；　and　her　father；　who　was　a　king

of　wondrous　shrewdness；　to　avoid　making　enemies　by　showing　partiality；

had　referred　them　to　the　arbitrament　of　arms。　Among　the　rival

candidates　were　several　renowned　for　strength　and　prowess。　What　a

predicament　for　the　unfortunate　Ahmed；　unprovided　as　he　was　with

weapons；　and　unskilled　in　the　exercise　of　chivalry！　〃Luckless　prince

that　I　am！〃　said　he；　〃to　have　been　brought　up　in　seclusion　under　the

eye　of　a　philosopher！　Of　what　avail　are　algebra　and　philosophy　in

affairs　of　love？　Alas；　Eben　Bonabben！　why　hast　thou　neglected　to

instruct　me　in　the　management　of　arms？〃　Upon　this　the　owl　broke

silence；　preluding　his　harangue　with　a　pious　ejaculation；　for　he　was　a

devout　Mussulman。

　　〃Allah　Akbar！　God　is　great！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃in　his　hands　are　all

secret　things…　he　alone　governs　the　destiny　of　princes！　Know；　O

prince；　that　this　land　is　full　of　mysteries；　hidden　from　all　but　those

who；　like　myself；　can　grope　after　knowledge　in　the　dark。　Know　that

in　the　neighboring　mountains　there　is　a　cave；　and　in　that　cave　there

is　an　iron　table；　and　on　that　table　there　lies　a　suit　of　magic

armor；　and　beside　that　table　there　stands　a　spell…bound　steed；　which

have　been　shut　up　there　for　many　generations。〃

　　The　prince　stared　with　wonder；　while　the　owl；　blinking　his　huge

round　eyes；　and　erecting　his　horns；　proceeded。

　　〃Many　years　since；　I　accompanied　my　father　to　these　parts　on　a

tour　of　his　estates；　and　we　sojourned　in　that　cave；　and　thus　became

I　acquainted　with　the　mystery。　It　is　a　tradition　in　our　family　which　I

have　heard　from　my　grandfather；　when　I　was　yet　but　a　very　little

owlet；　that　this　armor　belonged　to　a　Moorish　magician；　who　took　refuge

in　this　cavern　when　Toledo　was　captured　by　the　Christians；　and　died

here；　leaving　his　steed　and　weapons　under　a　mystic　spell；　never　to

be　used　but　by　a　Moslem；　and　by　him　only　from　sunrise　to　mid…day。　In

that　interval；　whoever　uses　them　will　overthrow　every　opponent。〃

　　〃Enough；　let　us　seek　this　cave！〃　exclaimed　Ahmed。

　　Guided　by　his　legendary　mentor；　the　prince　found　the　cavern；　which

was