part07-第11章

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brilliant　pencilling。　In　the　centre　of　the　marble　pavement　was　an

alabaster　fountain；　set　round　with　aromatic　shrubs　and　flowers；　and

throwing　up　a　jet　of　water　that　cooled　the　whole　edifice　and　had　a

lulling　sound。　Round　the　hall　were　suspended　cages　of　gold　and

silver　wire；　containing　singing…birds　of　the　finest　plumage　or

sweetest　note。

　　The　princesses　had　been　represented　as　always　cheerful　when　in　the

castle　of　the　Salobrena；　the　king　had　expected　to　see　them

enraptured　with　the　Alhambra。　To　his　surprise；　however；　they　began

to　pine；　and　grow　melancholy；　and　dissatisfied　with　every　thing　around

them。　The　flowers　yielded　them　no　fragrance；　the　song　of　the

nightingale　disturbed　their　night's　rest；　and　they　were　out　of　all

patience　with　the　alabaster　fountain　with　its　eternal　drop…drop　and

splash…splash；　from　morning　till　night；　and　from　night　till　morning。

　　The　king；　who　was　somewhat　of　a　testy；　tyrannical　disposition；

took　this　at　first　in　high　dudgeon；　but　he　reflected　that　his

daughters　had　arrived　at　an　age　when　the　female　mind　expands　and　its

desires　augment。　〃They　are　no　longer　children；〃　said　he　to　himself；

〃they　are　women　grown；　and　require　suitable　objects　to　interest　them。〃

He　put　in　requisition；　therefore；　all　the　dressmakers；　and　the

jewellers；　and　the　artificers　in　gold　and　silver　throughout　the

Zacatin　of　Granada；　and　the　princesses　were　overwhelmed　with　robes

of　silk；　and　tissue；　and　brocade；　and　cashmere　shawls；　and　necklaces

of　pearls　and　diamonds；　and　rings；　and　bracelets；　and　anklets；　and　all

manner　of　precious　things。

　　All；　however；　was　of　no　avail；　the　princesses　continued　pale　and

languid　in　the　midst　of　their　finery；　and　looked　like　three　blighted

rose…buds；　drooping　from　one　stalk。　The　king　was　at　his　wits'　end。

He　had　in　general　a　laudable　confidence　in　his　own　judgment；　and　never

took　advice。　〃The　whims　and　caprices　of　three　marriageable　damsels；

however；　are　sufficient；〃　said　he；　〃to　puzzle　the　shrewdest　head。〃

So　for　once　in　his　life　he　called　in　the　aid　of　counsel。

　　The　person　to　whom　he　applied　was　the　experienced　duenna。

　　〃Kadiga；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　know　you　to　be　one　of　the　most

discreet　women　in　the　whole　world；　as　well　as　one　of　the　most

trustworthy；　for　these　reasons　I　have　always　continued　you　about　the

persons　of　my　daughters。　Fathers　cannot　be　too　wary　in　whom　they

repose　such　confidence；　I　now　wish　you　to　find　out　the　secret　malady

that　is　preying　upon　the　princesses；　and　to　devise　some　means　of

restoring　them　to　health　and　cheerfulness。〃

　　Kadiga　promised　implicit　obedience。　In　fact　she　knew　more　of　the

malady　of　the　princesses　than　they　did　themselves。　Shutting　herself　up

with　them；　however；　she　endeavored　to　insinuate　herself　into　their

confidence。

　　〃My　dear　children；　what　is　the　reason　you　are　so　dismal　and　downcast

in　so　beautiful　a　place；　where　you　have　every　thing　that　heart　can

wish？〃

　　The　princesses　looked　vacantly　round　the　apartment；　and　sighed。

　　〃What　more；　then；　would　you　have？　Shall　I　get　you　the　wonderful

parrot　that　talks　all　languages；　and　is　the　delight　of　Granada？〃

　　〃Odious！〃　exclaimed　the　princess　Zayda。　〃A　horrid；　screaming　bird；

that　chatters　words　without　ideas：　one　must　be　without　brains　to

tolerate　such　a　pest。〃

　　〃Shall　I　send　for　a　monkey　from　the　rock　of　Gibraltar；　to　divert　you

with　his　antics？〃

　　〃A　monkey！　faugh！〃　cried　Zorayda；　〃the　detestable　mimic　of　man。　I

hate　the　nauseous　animal。〃

　　〃What　say　you　to　the　famous　black　singer　Casem；　from　the　royal

harem；　in　Morocco？　They　say　he　has　a　voice　as　fine　as　a　woman's。〃

　　〃I　am　terrified　at　the　sight　of　these　black　slaves；〃　said　the

delicate　Zorahayda；　〃besides；　I　have　lost　all　relish　for　music。〃

　　〃Ah！　my　child；　you　would　not　say　so；〃　replied　the　old　woman；

slyly；　〃had　you　heard　the　music　I　heard　last　evening；　from　the　three

Spanish　cavaliers；　whom　we　met　on　our　journey。　But；　bless　me；

children！　what　is　the　matter　that　you　blush　so；　and　are　in　such　a

flutter？〃

　　〃Nothing；　nothing；　good　mother；　pray　proceed。〃

　　〃Well；　as　I　was　passing　by　the　Vermilion　Towers　last　evening；　I

saw　the　three　cavaliers　resting　after　their　day's　labor。　One　was

playing　on　the　guitar；　so　gracefully；　and　the　others　sang　by　turns；

and　they　did　it　in　such　style；　that　the　very　guards　seemed　like

statues；　or　men　enchanted。　Allah　forgive　me！　I　could　not　help　being

moved　at　hearing　the　songs　of　my　native　country。　And　then　to　see　three

such　noble　and　handsome　youths　in　chains　and　slavery！〃

　　Here　the　kind…hearted　old　woman　could　not　restrain　her　tears。

　　〃Perhaps；　mother；　you　could　manage　to　procure　us　a　sight　of　these

cavaliers；〃　said　Zayda。

　　〃I　think；〃　said　Zorayda；　〃a　little　music　would　be　quite　reviving。〃

　　The　timid　Zorahayda　said　nothing；　but　threw　her　arms　round　the

neck　of　Kadiga。

　　〃Mercy　on　me！〃　exclaimed　the　discreet　old　woman；　〃what　are　you

talking　of；　my　children？　Your　father　would　be　the　death　of　us　all　if

he　heard　of　such　a　thing。　To　be　sure；　these　cavaliers　are　evidently

well…bred；　and　high…minded　youths；　but　what　of　that？　they　are　the

enemies　of　our　faith；　and　you　must　not　even　think　of　them　but　with

abhorrence。〃

　　There　is　an　admirable　intrepidity　in　the　female　will；　particularly

when　about　the　marriageable　age；　which　is　not　to　be　deterred　by

dangers　and　prohibitions。　The　princesses　hung　round　their　old

duenna；　and　coaxed；　and　entreated；　and　declared　that　a　refusal　would

break　their　hearts。

　　What　could　she　do？　She　was　certainly　the　most　discreet　old　woman

in　the　whole　world；　and　one　of　the　most　faithful　servants　to　the　king；

but　was　she　to　see　three　beautiful　princesses　break　their　hearts　for

the　mere　tinkling　of　a　guitar？　Besides；　though　she　had　been　so　long

among　the　Moors；　and　changed　her　faith　in　imitation　of　her　mistress；

like　a　trusty　follower；　yet　she　was　a　Spaniard　born；　and　had　the

lingerings　of　Christianity　in　her　heart。　So　she　set　about　to

contrive　how　the　wish　of　the　princesses　might　be　gratified。

　　The　Christian　captives；　confined　in　the　Vermilion　Towers；　were　under

the　charge　of　a　big…whiskered；　broad…shouldered　renegado；　called

Hussein　Baba；　who　was　reputed　to　have　a　most　itching　palm。　She　went　to

him　privately；　and　slipping　a　broad　piece　of　gold　into　his　hand；

〃Hussein　Baba；〃　said　she；　〃My　mistresses；　the　three　princesses；　who

are　shut　up　in　the　tower；　and　in　sad　want　of　amusement；　have　heard

of　the　musical　talents　of　the　three　Spanish　cavaliers；　and　are

desirous　of　hearing　a　specimen　of　their　skill。　I　am　sure　you　are　too

kind…hearted　to　refuse　them　so　innocent　a　gratification。〃

　　〃What！　and　to　have　my　head　set　grinning　over　the　gate　of　my　own

tower！　for　that　would　be　the　reward；　if　the　king　should　discover　it。〃

　　〃No　danger　of　any　thing　of　the　kind；　the　affair　may　be　managed　so

that　the　whim　of　the　princesses　may　be　gratified；　and　their　father

be　never　the　wiser。　You　know　the　deep　ravine　outside　of　the　walls

which　passes　immediately　below　the　tower。　Put　the　three　Christians

to　work　there；　and　at　the　intervals　of　their　labor；　let　them　play

and　sing；　as　if　for　their　own　recreation。　In　this　way　the　princesses

will　be　able　to　hear　them　from　the　windows　of　the　tower；　and　you　may

be　sure　of　their　paying　well　for　your　compliance。〃

　　As　the　good　old　woman　concluded　her　harangue；　she　kindly　pressed　the

rough　hand　of　the　renegado；　and　left　within　it　another　piece　of　gold。

　　Her　eloquence　was　irresistible。　The　very　next　day　the　three

cavaliers　were　put　to　work　in　the　ravine。　During　the　noontide　heat；

when　their　fellow…laborers　were　sleeping　in　the　shade；　and　the　guard

nodding　drowsily　at　his　post；　they　seated　themselves　among　the　herbage

at　the　foot　of　the　tower；　and　sang　a　Spanish　roundelay　to　the

accompaniment　of　the　guitar。

　　The　glen　was　deep；　the　tower　was　high；　but　their　voices　rose

distinctly　in　the　stillness　of　the　summer　noon。　The　princesses

listened　from　their　balcony；　they　had　been　taught　the　Spanish　language

by　their　duenn