part08-第2章

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in　the　mean　time；　had　seated　herself　by　the　fountain　in　the　hall；

and　was　winding　silk；　but　in　her　agitation　she　let　fall　the　reel

upon　the　pavement。　The　page　sprang　and　picked　it　up；　then　dropping

gracefully　on　one　knee；　presented　it　to　her；　but；　seizing　the　hand

extended　to　receive　it；　imprinted　on　it　a　kiss　more　fervent　and　devout

than　he　had　ever　imprinted　on　the　fair　hand　of　his　sovereign。

　　〃Ave　Maria；　senor！〃　exclaimed　the　damsel；　blushing　still　deeper　with

confusion　and　surprise；　for　never　before　had　she　received　such　a

salutation。

　　The　modest　page　made　a　thousand　apologies；　assuring　her　it　was　the

way；　at　court；　of　expressing　the　most　profound　homage　and　respect。

　　Her　anger；　if　anger　she　felt；　was　easily　pacified；　but　her　agitation

and　embarrassment　continued；　and　she　sat　blushing　deeper　and　deeper；

with　her　eyes　cast　down　upon　her　work；　entangling　the　silk　which　she

attempted　to　wind。

　　The　cunning　page　saw　the　confusion　in　the　opposite　camp；　and　would

fain　have　profited　by　it；　but　the　fine　speeches　he　would　have

uttered　died　upon　his　lips；　his　attempts　at　gallantry　were　awkward　and

ineffectual；　and　to　his　surprise；　the　adroit　page；　who　had　figured

with　such　grace　and　effrontery　among　the　most　knowing　and

experienced　ladies　of　the　court；　found　himself　awed　and　abashed　in　the

presence　of　a　simple　damsel　of　fifteen。

　　In　fact；　the　artless　maiden；　in　her　own　modesty　and　innocence；　had

guardians　more　effectual　than　the　bolts　and　bars　prescribed　by　her

vigilant　aunt。　Still；　where　is　the　female　bosom　proof　against　the

first　whisperings　of　love？　The　little　damsel；　with　all　her

artlessness；　instinctively　comprehended　all　that　the　faltering

tongue　of　the　page　failed　to　express；　and　her　heart　was　fluttered　at

beholding；　for　the　first　time；　a　lover　at　her　feet…　and　such　a　lover！

　　The　diffidence　of　the　page；　though　genuine；　was　short…lived；　and

he　was　recovering　his　usual　ease　and　confidence；　when　a　shrill　voice

was　heard　at　a　distance。

　　〃My　aunt　is　returning　from　mass！〃　cried　the　damsel　in　affright；　〃I

pray　you；　senor；　depart。〃

　　〃Not　until　you　grant　me　that　rose　from　your　hair　as　a　remembrance。〃

　　She　hastily　untwisted　the　rose　from　her　raven　locks。　〃Take　it；〃

cried　she；　agitated　and　blushing；　〃but　pray　begone。〃

　　The　page　took　the　rose；　and　at　the　same　time　covered　with　kisses　the

fair　hand　that　gave　it。　Then；　placing　the　flower　in　his　bonnet；　and

taking　the　falcon　upon　his　fist；　he　bounded　off　through　the　garden；

bearing　away　with　him　the　heart　of　the　gentle　Jacinta。

　　When　the　vigilant　aunt　arrived　at　the　tower；　she　remarked　the

agitation　of　her　niece；　and　an　air　of　confusion　in　the　hall；　but　a

word　of　explanation　sufficed。　〃A　gerfalcon　had　pursued　his　prey　into

the　hall。〃

　　〃Mercy　on　us！　to　think　of　a　falcon　flying　into　the　tower。　Did　ever

one　hear　of　so　saucy　a　hawk？　Why；　the　very　bird　in　the　cage　is　not

safe！〃

　　The　vigilant　Fredegonda　was　one　of　the　most　wary　of　ancient

spinsters。　She　had　a　becoming　terror　and　distrust　of　what　she

denominated　〃the　opposite　sex；〃　which　had　gradually　increased

through　a　long　life　of　celibacy。　Not　that　the　good　lady　had　ever

suffered　from　their　wiles；　nature　having　set　up　a　safeguard　in　her

face　that　forbade　all　trespass　upon　her　premises；　but　ladies　who

have　least　cause　to　fear　for　themselves　are　most　ready　to　keep　a　watch

over　their　more　tempting　neighbors。

　　The　niece　was　the　orphan　of　an　officer　who　had　fallen　in　the　wars。

She　had　been　educated　in　a　convent；　and　had　recently　been

transferred　from　her　sacred　asylum　to　the　immediate　guardianship　of

her　aunt；　under　whose　overshadowing　care　she　vegetated　in　obscurity；

like　an　opening　rose　blooming　beneath　a　brier。　Nor　indeed　is　this

comparison　entirely　accidental；　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　her　fresh

and　dawning　beauty　had　caught　the　public　eye；　even　in　her　seclusion；

and；　with　that　poetical　turn　common　to　the　people　of　Andalusia；　the

peasantry　of　the　neighborhood　had　given　her　the　appellation　of　〃the

Rose　of　the　Alhambra。〃

　　The　wary　aunt　continued　to　keep　a　faithful　watch　over　her　tempting

little　niece　as　long　as　the　court　continued　at　Granada；　and

flattered　herself　that　her　vigilance　had　been　successful。　It　is

true；　the　good　lady　was　now　and　then　discomposed　by　the　tinkling　of

guitars　and　chanting　of　love　ditties　from　the　moonlit　groves　beneath

the　tower；　but　she　would　exhort　her　niece　to　shut　her　ears　against

such　idle　minstrelsy；　assuring　her　that　it　was　one　of　the　arts　of

the　opposite　sex；　by　which　simple　maids　were　often　lured　to　their

undoing。　Alas！　what　chance　with　a　simple　maid　has　a　dry　lecture

against　a　moonlight　serenade？

　　At　length　King　Philip　cut　short　his　sojourn　at　Granada；　and　suddenly

departed　with　all　his　train。　The　vigilant　Fredegonda　watched　the　royal

pageant　as　it　issued　forth　from　the　Gate　of　Justice；　and　descended　the

great　avenue　leading　to　the　city。　When　the　last　banner　disappeared

from　her　sight；　she　returned　exulting　to　her　tower；　for　all　her

cares　were　over。　To　her　surprise；　a　light　Arabian　steed　pawed　the

ground　at　the　wicket…gate　of　the　garden…　to　her　horror；　she　saw

through　the　thickets　of　roses　a　youth；　in　gayly…embroidered　dress；

at　the　feet　of　her　niece。　At　the　sound　of　her　footsteps　he　gave　a

tender　adieu；　bounded　lightly　over　the　barrier　of　reeds　and　myrtles；

sprang　upon　his　horse；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

　　The　tender　Jacinta；　in　the　agony　of　her　grief；　lost　all　thought　of

her　aunt's　displeasure。　Throwing　herself　into　her　arms；　she　broke

forth　into　sobs　and　tears。

　　〃Ay　de　mi！〃　cried　she；　〃he's　gone！…　he's　gone！…　he's　gone！　and　I

shall　never　see　him　more！〃

　　〃Gone！…　who　is　gone？…　what　youth　is　that　I　saw　at　your　feet？〃

　　〃A　queen's　page；　aunt；　who　came　to　bid　me　farewell。〃

　　〃A　queen's　page；　child！〃　echoed　the　vigilant　Fredegonda；　faintly；

〃and　when　did　you　become　acquainted　with　the　queen's　page？〃

　　〃The　morning　that　the　gerfalcon　came　into　the　tower。　It　was　the

queen's　gerfalcon；　and　he　came　in　pursuit　of　it。〃

　　〃Ah　silly；　silly　girl！　know　that　there　are　no　gerfalcons　half　so

dangerous　as　these　young　prankling　pages；　and　it　is　precisely　such

simple　birds　as　thee　that　they　pounce　upon。〃

　　The　aunt　was　at　first　indignant　at　learning　that　in　despite　of　her

boasted　vigilance；　a　tender　intercourse　had　been　carried　on　by　the

youthful　lovers；　almost　beneath　her　eye；　but　when　she　found　that　her

simple…hearted　niece；　though　thus　exposed；　without　the　protection　of

bolt　or　bar；　to　all　the　machinations　of　the　opposite　sex；　had　come

forth　unsinged　from　the　fiery　ordeal；　she　consoled　herself　with　the

persuasion　that　it　was　owing　to　the　chaste　and　cautious　maxims　in

which　she　had；　as　it　were；　steeped　her　to　the　very　lips。

　　While　the　aunt　laid　this　soothing　unction　to　her　pride；　the　niece

treasured　up　the　oft…repeated　vows　of　fidelity　of　the　page。　But　what

is　the　love　of　restless；　roving　man？　A　vagrant　stream　that　dallies　for

a　time　with　each　flower　upon　its　bank；　then　passes　on；　and　leaves　them

all　in　tears。

　　Days；　weeks；　months　elapsed；　and　nothing　more　was　heard　of　the　page。

The　pomegranate　ripened；　the　vine　yielded　up　its　fruit；　the　autumnal

rains　descended　in　torrents　from　the　mountains；　the　Sierra　Nevada

became　covered　with　a　snowy　mantle；　and　wintry　blasts　howled　through

the　halls　of　the　Alhambra…　still　he　came　not。　The　winter　passed

away。　Again　the　genial　spring　burst　forth　with　song　and　blossom　and

balmy　zephyr；　the　snows　melted　from　the　mountains；　until　none　remained

but　on　the　lofty　summit　of　Nevada；　glistening　through　the　sultry

summer　air。　Still　nothing　was　heard　of　the　forgetful　page。

　　In　the　mean　time；　the　poor　little　Jacinta　grew　pale　and

thoughtful。　Her　former　occupations　and　amusements　were　abandoned；

her　silk　lay　entangled；　her　guitar　unstrung；　her　flowers　were

neglected；　the　notes　of　her　bird　unheeded；　and　her　eyes；　once　so

bright；　were　dimmed　with　secret　weeping。　If　any　solitude　could　be

devised　to　foster　th