part08-第6章

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　　〃Proceed。〃

　　The　corporal　marched　straight　forward；　followed　by　the　convoy；　but

had　not　advanced　many　paces　before　a　posse　of　custom…house　officers

rushed　out　of　a　small　toll…house。

　　〃Hallo　there！〃　cried　the　leader。　〃Muleteer；　halt；　and　open　those

packages。〃

　　The　corporal　wheeled　round；　and　drew　himself　up　in　battle　array。

〃Respect　the　flag　of　the　Alhambra；〃　said　he；　〃these　things　are　for　the

governor。〃

　　〃A　figo　for　the　governor；　and　a　figo　for　his　flag。　Muleteer；　halt；　I

say。〃

　　〃Stop　the　convoy　at　your　peril！〃　cried　the　corporal；　cocking　his

musket。

　　The　muleteer　gave　his　beast　a　hearty　thwack；　the　custom…house

officer　sprang　forward　and　seized　the　halter；　whereupon　the　corporal

levelled　his　piece；　and　shot　him　dead。

　　The　street　was　immediately　in　an　uproar。

　　The　old　corporal　was　seized；　and　after　undergoing　sundry　kicks；

and　cuffs；　and　cudgellings；　which　are　generally　given　impromptu　by　the

mob　in　Spain；　as　a　foretaste　of　the　after　penalties　of　the　law；　he　was

loaded　with　irons；　and　conducted　to　the　city　prison；　while　his

comrades　were　permitted　to　proceed　with　the　convoy；　after　it　had

been　well　rummaged；　to　the　Alhambra。

　　The　old　governor　was　in　a　towering　passion　when　he　heard　of　this

insult　to　his　flag　and　capture　of　his　corporal。　For　a　time　he

stormed　about　the　Moorish　halls；　and　vapored　about　the　bastions；　and

looked　down　fire　and　sword　upon　the　palace　of　the　captain…general。

Having　vented　the　first　ebullition　of　his　wrath；　he　dispatched　a

message　demanding　the　surrender　of　the　corporal；　as　to　him　alone

belonged　the　right　of　sitting　in　judgment　on　the　offences　of　those

under　his　command。　The　captain…general；　aided　by　the　pen　of　the

delighted　escribano；　replied　at　great　length；　arguing　that　as　the

offence　had　been　committed　within　the　walls　of　his　city；　and　against

one　of　his　civil　officers；　it　was　clearly　within　his　proper

jurisdiction。　The　governor　rejoined　by　a　repetition　of　his　demand；　the

captain…general　gave　a　sur…rejoinder　of　still　greater　length　and　legal

acumen；　the　governor　became　hotter　and　more　peremptory　in　his　demands；

and　the　captain…general　cooler　and　more　copious　in　his　replies；

until　the　old　lion…hearted　soldier　absolutely　roared　with　fury　at

being　thus　entangled　in　the　meshes　of　legal　controversy。

　　While　the　subtle　escribano　was　thus　amusing　himself　at　the　expense

of　the　governor；　he　was　conducting　the　trial　of　the　corporal；　who；

mewed　up　in　a　narrow　dungeon　of　the　prison；　had　merely　a　small

grated　window　at　which　to　show　his　iron…bound　visage　and　receive　the

consolations　of　his　friends。

　　A　mountain　of　written　testimony　was　diligently　heaped　up；

according　to　Spanish　form；　by　the　indefatigable　escribano；　the

corporal　was　completely　overwhelmed　by　it。　He　was　convicted　of　murder；

and　sentenced　to　be　hanged。

　　It　was　in　vain　the　governor　sent　down　remonstrance　and　menace　from

the　Alhambra。　The　fatal　day　was　at　hand；　and　the　corporal　was　put　in

capilla；　that　is　to　say；　in　the　chapel　of　the　prison；　as　is　always

done　with　culprits　the　day　before　execution；　that　they　may　meditate　on

their　approaching　end　and　repent　them　of　their　sins。

　　Seeing　things　drawing　to　extremity；　the　old　governor　determined　to

attend　to　the　affair　in　person。　For　this　purpose　he　ordered　out　his

carriage　of　state；　and；　surrounded　by　his　guards；　rumbled　down　the

avenue　of　the　Alhambra　into　the　city。　Driving　to　the　house　of　the

escribano；　he　summoned　him　to　the　portal。

　　The　eye　of　the　old　governor　gleamed　like　a　coal　at　beholding　the

smirking　man　of　the　law　advancing　with　an　air　of　exultation。

　　〃What　is　this　I　hear；〃　cried　he；　〃that　you　are　about　to　put　to　death

one　of　my　soldiers？〃

　　〃All　according　to　law…　all　in　strict　form　of　justice；〃　said　the

self…sufficient　escribano；　chuckling　and　rubbing　his　hands。　〃I　can

show　your　excellency　the　written　testimony　in　the　case。〃

　　〃Fetch　it　hither；〃　said　the　governor。　The　escribano　bustled　into　his

office；　delighted　with　having　another　opportunity　of　displaying　his

ingenuity　at　the　expense　of　the　hard…headed　veteran。

　　He　returned　with　a　satchel　full　of　papers；　and　began　to　read　a

long　deposition　with　professional　volubility。　By　this　time　a　crowd　had

collected；　listening　with　outstretched　necks　and　gaping　mouths。

　　〃Prithee；　man；　get　into　the　carriage；　out　of　this　pestilent

throng；　that　I　may　the　better　hear　thee；〃　said　the　governor。

　　The　escribano　entered　the　carriage；　when；　in　a　twinkling；　the　door

was　closed；　the　coachman　smacked　his　whip…　mules；　carriage；　guards　and

all　dashed　off　at　a　thundering　rate；　leaving　the　crowd　in　gaping

wonderment；　nor　did　the　governor　pause　until　he　had　lodged　his　prey　in

one　of　the　strongest　dungeons　of　the　Alhambra。

　　He　then　sent　down　a　flag　of　truce　in　military　style；　proposing　a

cartel　or　exchange　of　prisoners…　the　corporal　for　the　notary。　The

pride　of　the　captain…general　was　piqued；　he　returned　a　contemptuous

refusal；　and　forthwith　caused　a　gallows；　tall　and　strong；　to　be

erected　in　the　centre　of　the　Plaza　Nueva　for　the　execution　of　the

corporal。

　　〃Oho！　is　that　the　game？〃　said　Governor　Manco。　He　gave　orders；　and

immediately　a　gibbet　was　reared　on　the　verge　of　the　great　beetling

bastion　that　overlooked　the　Plaza。　〃Now；〃　said　he　in　a　message　to

the　captain…general；　〃hang　my　soldier　when　you　please；　but　at　the　same

time　that　he　is　swung　off　in　the　square；　look　up　to　see　your　escribano

dangling　against　the　sky。〃

　　The　captain…general　was　inflexible；　troops　were　paraded　in　the

square；　the　drums　beat；　the　bell　tolled。　An　immense　multitude　of

amateurs　gathered　together　to　behold　the　execution。　On　the　other　hand；

the　governor　paraded　his　garrison　on　the　bastion；　and　tolled　the

funeral　dirge　of　the　notary　from　the　Torre　de　la　Campana；　or　Tower

of　the　Bell。

　　The　notary's　wife　pressed　through　the　crowd　with　a　whole　progeny

of　little　embryo　escribanos　at　her　heels；　and　throwing　herself　at

the　feet　of　the　captain…general；　implored　him　not　to　sacrifice　the

life　of　her　husband；　and　the　welfare　of　herself　and　her　numerous

little　ones；　to　a　point　of　pride；　〃for　you　know　the　old　governor　too

well；〃　said　she；　〃to　doubt　that　he　will　put　his　threat　in　execution；

if　you　hang　the　soldier。〃

　　The　captain…general　was　overpowered　by　her　tears　and　lamentations；

and　the　clamors　of　her　callow　brood。　The　corporal　was　sent　up　to　the

Alhambra；　under　a　guard；　in　his　gallows　garb；　like　a　hooded　friar；　but

with　head　erect　and　a　face　of　iron。　The　escribano　was　demanded　in

exchange；　according　to　the　cartel。　The　once　bustling　and

self…sufficient　man　of　the　law　was　drawn　forth　from　his　dungeon　more

dead　than　alive。　All　his　flippancy　and　conceit　had　evaporated；　his

hair；　it　is　said；　had　nearly　turned　gray　with　affright；　and　he　had　a

downcast；　dogged　look；　as　if　he　still　felt　the　halter　round　his　neck。

　　The　old　governor　stuck　his　one　arm　akimbo；　and　for　a　moment　surveyed

him　with　an　iron　smile。　〃Henceforth；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃moderate

your　zeal　in　hurrying　others　to　the　gallows；　be　not　too　certain　of

your　safety；　even　though　you　should　have　the　law　on　your　side；　and

above　all　take　care　how　you　play　off　your　schoolcraft　another　time

upon　an　old　soldier。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Governor　Manco　and　the　Soldier。



　　WHILE　Governor　Manco；　or　〃the　one…armed；〃　kept　up　a　show　of　military

state　in　the　Alhambra；　he　became　nettled　at　the　reproaches　continually

cast　upon　his　fortress；　of　being　a　nestling　place　of　rogues　and

contrabandistas。　On　a　sudden；　the　old　potentate　determined　on

reform；　and　setting　vigorously　to　work；　ejected　whole　nests　of

vagabonds　out　of　the　fortress　and　the　gipsy　caves　with　which　the

surrounding　hills　are　honeycombed。　He　sent　out　soldiers；　also；　to

patrol　the　avenues　and　footpaths；　with　orders　to　take　up　all

suspicious　persons。

　　One　bright　summer　morning；　a　patrol；　consisting　of　the　testy　old

corporal　who　had　distinguished　himself　in　the　affair　of　the　notary；

a　trumpeter　and　two　privates；　was