part08-第9章

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to　pay　homage　to　their　sovereign！　and　the　crowds　which　you　beheld

swarming　into　the　cavern　are　Moslem　warriors　from　their　haunts　in

all　parts　of　Spain。　For　my　own　part；　you　saw　the　ruined　tower　of　the

bridge　in　Old　Castile；　where　I　have　now　wintered　and　summered　for　many

hundred　years；　and　where　I　must　be　back　again　by　daybreak。　As　to　the

battalions　of　horse　and　foot　which　you　beheld　drawn　up　in　array　in　the

neighboring　caverns；　they　are　the　spell…bound　warriors　of　Granada。

It　is　written　in　the　book　of　fate；　that　when　the　enchantment　is

broken；　Boabdil　will　descend　from　the　mountain　at　the　head　of　this

army；　resume　his　throne　in　the　Alhambra　and　his　sway　of　Granada；　and

gathering　together　the　enchanted　warriors；　from　all　parts　of　Spain；

will　reconquer　the　Peninsula　and　restore　it　to　Moslem　rule。'

　　〃'And　when　shall　this　happen？'　said　I。

　　〃'Allah　alone　knows：　we　had　hoped　the　day　of　deliverance　was　at

hand；　but　there　reigns　at　present　a　vigilant　governor　in　the　Alhambra；


a　stanch　old　soldier；　well　known　as　Governor　Manco。　While　such　a

warrior　holds　command　of　the　very　outpost；　and　stands　ready　to　check

the　first　irruption　from　the　mountain；　I　fear　Boabdil　and　his　soldiery

must　be　content　to　rest　upon　their　arms。'

　　Here　the　governor　raised　himself　somewhat　perpendicularly；

adjusted　his　sword；　and　twirled　up　his　mustaches。

　　〃To　make　a　long　story　short；　and　not　to　fatigue　your　excellency；　the

trooper；　having　given　me　this　account；　dismounted　from　his　steed。

　　〃'Tarry　here；'　said　he；　'and　guard　my　steed　while　I　go　and　bow　the

knee　to　Boabdil。'　So　saying；　he　strode　away　among　the　throng　that

pressed　forward　to　the　throne。

　　〃'What's　to　be　done？'　thought　I；　when　thus　left　to　myself；　'shall

I　wait　here　until　this　infidel　returns　to　whisk　me　off　on　his　goblin

steed；　the　Lord　knows　where；　or　shall　I　make　the　most　of　my　time　and

beat　a　retreat　from　this　hobgoblin　community？　A　soldier's　mind　is　soon

made　up；　as　your　excellency　well　knows。　As　to　the　horse；　he　belonged

to　an　avowed　enemy　of　the　faith　and　the　realm；　and　was　a　fair　prize

according　to　the　rules　of　war。　So　hoisting　myself　from　the　crupper

into　the　saddle；　I　turned　the　reins；　struck　the　Moorish　stirrups

into　the　sides　of　the　steed；　and　put　him　to　make　the　best　of　his　way

out　of　the　passage　by　which　he　had　entered。　As　we　scoured　by　the　halls

where　the　Moslem　horsemen　sat　in　motionless　battalions；　I　thought　I

heard　the　clang　of　armor　and　a　hollow　murmur　of　voices。　I　gave　the

steed　another　taste　of　the　stirrups　and　doubled　my　speed。　There　was

now　a　sound　behind　me　like　a　rushing　blast；　I　heard　the　clatter　of　a

thousand　hoofs；　a　countless　throng　overtook　me。　I　was　borne　along　in

the　press；　and　hurled　forth　from　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　while

thousands　of　shadowy　forms　were　swept　off　in　every　direction　by　the

four　winds　of　heaven。

　　〃In　the　whirl　and　confusion　of　the　scene　I　was　thrown　senseless　to

the　earth。　When　I　came　to　myself　I　was　lying　on　the　brow　of　a　hill；

with　the　Arabian　steed　standing　beside　me；　for　in　falling；　my　arm

had　slipped　within　the　bridle；　which；　I　presume；　prevented　his

whisking　off　to　Old　Castile。

　　〃Your　excellency　may　easily　judge　of　my　surprise；　on　looking

round；　to　behold　hedges　of　aloes　and　Indian　figs　and　other　proofs　of　a

southern　climate；　and　to　see　a　great　city　below　me；　with　towers；　and

palaces；　and　a　grand　cathedral。

　　〃I　descended　the　hill　cautiously；　leading　my　steed；　for　I　was　afraid

to　mount　him　again；　lest　he　should　play　me　some　slippery　trick。　As　I

descended　I　met　with　your　patrol；　who　let　me　into　the　secret　that　it

was　Granada　that　lay　before　me；　and　that　I　was　actually　under　the

walls　of　the　Alhambra；　the　fortress　of　the　redoubted　Governor　Manco；

the　terror　of　all　enchanted　Moslems。　When　I　heard　this；　I　determined

at　once　to　seek　your　excellency；　to　inform　you　of　all　that　I　had　seen；

and　to　warn　you　of　the　perils　that　surround　and　undermine　you；　that

you　may　take　measures　in　time　to　guard　your　fortress；　and　the

kingdom　itself；　from　this　intestine　army　that　lurks　in　the　very　bowels

of　the　land。〃

　　〃And　prithee；　friend；　you　who　are　a　veteran　campaigner；　and　have

seen　so　much　service；〃　said　the　governor；　〃how　would　you　advise　me

to　proceed；　in　order　to　prevent　this　evil？〃

　　〃It　is　not　for　a　humble　private　of　the　ranks；〃　said　the　soldier；

modestly；　〃to　pretend　to　instruct　a　commander　of　your　excellency's

sagacity；　but　it　appears　to　me　that　your　excellency　might　cause　all

the　caves　and　entrances　into　the　mountains　to　be　walled　up　with

solid　mason　work；　so　that　Boabdil　and　his　army　might　be　completely

corked　up　in　their　subterranean　habitation。　If　the　good　father；

too；〃　added　the　soldier；　reverently　bowing　to　the　friar；　and

devoutly　crossing　himself；　〃would　consecrate　the　barricadoes　with

his　blessing；　and　put　up　a　few　crosses　and　relics　and　images　of

saints；　I　think　they　might　withstand　all　the　power　of　infidel

enchantments。〃

　　〃They　doubtless　would　be　of　great　avail；〃　said　the　friar。

　　The　governor　now　placed　his　arm　akimbo；　with　his　hand　resting　on　the

hilt　of　his　Toledo；　fixed　his　eye　upon　the　soldier；　and　gently　wagging

his　head　from　one　side　to　the　other。

　　〃So；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃then　you　really　suppose　I　am　to　be　gulled

with　this　cock…and…bull　story　about　enchanted　mountains　and

enchanted　Moors？　Hark　ye；　culprit！…　not　another　word。　An　old　soldier

you　may　be；　but　you'll　find　you　have　an　older　soldier　to　deal　with；

and　one　not　easily　outgeneralled。　Ho！　guards　there！　put　this　fellow　in

irons。〃

　　The　demure　handmaid　would　have　put　in　a　word　in　favor　of　the

prisoner；　but　the　governor　silenced　her　with　a　look。

　　As　they　were　pinioning　the　soldier；　one　of　the　guards　felt　something

of　bulk　in　his　pocket；　and　drawing　it　forth；　found　a　long　leathern

purse　that　appeared　to　be　well　filled。　Holding　it　by　one　corner；　he

turned　out　the　contents　upon　the　table　before　the　governor；　and

never　did　freebooter's　bag　make　more　gorgeous　delivery。　Out　tumbled

rings；　and　jewels；　and　rosaries　of　pearls；　and　sparkling　diamond

crosses；　and　a　profusion　of　ancient　golden　coin；　some　of　which　fell

jingling　to　the　floor；　and　rolled　away　to　the　uttermost　parts　of　the

chamber。

　　For　a　time　the　functions　of　justice　were　suspended；　there　was　a

universal　scramble　after　the　glittering　fugitives。　The　governor　alone；

who　was　imbued　with　true　Spanish　pride；　maintained　his　stately

decorum；　though　his　eye　betrayed　a　little　anxiety　until　the　last

coin　and　jewel　was　restored　to　the　sack。

　　The　friar　was　not　so　calm；　his　whole　face　glowed　like　a　furnace；　and

his　eyes　twinkled　and　flashed　at　sight　of　the　rosaries　and　crosses。

　　〃Sacrilegious　wretch　that　thou　art！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃what　church　or

sanctuary　hast　thou　been　plundering　of　these　sacred　relics？〃

　　〃Neither　one　nor　the　other；　holy　father。　If　they　be　sacrilegious

spoils；　they　must　have　been　taken；　in　times　long　past；　by　the

infidel　trooper　I　have　mentioned。　I　was　just　going　to　tell　his

excellency　when　he　interrupted　me；　that　on　taking　possession　of　the

trooper's　horse；　I　unhooked　a　leathern　sack　which　hung　at　the

saddle…bow；　and　which　I　presume　contained　the　plunder　of　his

campaignings　in　days　of　old；　when　the　Moors　overran　the　country。〃

　　〃Mighty　well；　at　present　you　will　make　up　your　mind　to　take　up

your　quarters　in　a　chamber　of　the　Vermilion　Tower；　which；　though　not

under　a　magic　spell；　will　hold　you　as　safe　as　any　cave　of　your

enchanted　Moors。〃

　　〃Your　excellency　will　do　as　you　think　proper；〃　said　the　prisoner；

coolly。　〃I　shall　be　thankful　to　your　excellency　for　any

accommodation　in　the　fortress。　A　soldier　who　has　been　in　the　wars；

as　your　excellency　well　knows；　is　not　particular　about　his　lodgings：

provided　I　have　a　snug　dungeon　and　regular　rations；　I　shall　manage

to　make　myself　comfortable。　I　would　only　entreat　that　while　your

excellency　is　so　careful　about　me；　you　would　have　an　eye　to　your

fortress；　and　think　on　the　hint　I　dropped　about　stopping　up　the