part07-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



my　goblin　researches。　I　found　that　the　redoubtable　phantom；　the

Belludo；　had　been　time　out　of　mind　a　favorite　theme　of　nursery　tales

and　popular　traditions　in　Granada；　and　that　honorable　mention　had　even

been　made　of　it　by　an　ancient　historian　and　topographer　of　the

place。　The　scattered　members　of　one　of　these　popular　traditions　I　have

gathered　together；　collated　them　with　infinite　pains；　and　digested

them　into　the　following　legend；　which　only　wants　a　number　of　learned

notes　and　references　at　bottom　to　take　its　rank　among　those　concrete

productions　gravely　passed　upon　the　world　for　Historical　Facts。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Legend　of　the　Moor's　Legacy。



　　JUST　within　the　fortress　of　the　Alhambra；　in　front　of　the　royal

palace；　is　a　broad　open　esplanade；　called　the　Place　or　Square　of　the

Cisterns　（la　Plaza　de　los　Algibes）；　so　called　from　being　undermined　by

reservoirs　of　water；　hidden　from　sight；　and　which　have　existed　from

the　time　of　the　Moors。　At　one　corner　of　this　esplanade　is　a　Moorish

well；　cut　through　the　living　rock　to　a　great　depth；　the　water　of　which

is　cold　as　ice　and　clear　as　crystal。　The　wells　made　by　the　Moors　are

always　in　repute；　for　it　is　well　known　what　pains　they　took　to

penetrate　to　the　purest　and　sweetest　springs　and　fountains。　The　one　of

which　we　now　speak　is　famous　throughout　Granada；　insomuch　that

water…carriers；　some　bearing　great　water…jars　on　their　shoulders；

others　driving　asses　before　them　laden　with　earthen　vessels；　are

ascending　and　descending　the　steep　woody　avenues　of　the　Alhambra；　from

early　dawn　until　a　late　hour　of　the　night。

　　Fountains　and　wells；　ever　since　the　scriptural　days；　have　been　noted

gossiping　places　in　hot　climates；　and　at　the　well　in　question　there　is

a　kind　of　perpetual　club　kept　up　during　the　livelong　day；　by　the

invalids；　old　women；　and　other　curious　do…nothing　folk　of　the

fortress；　who　sit　here　on　the　stone　benches；　under　an　awning　spread

over　the　well　to　shelter　the　toll…gatherer　from　the　sun；　and　dawdle

over　the　gossip　of　the　fortress；　and　question　every　water…carrier　that

arrives　about　the　news　of　the　city；　and　make　long　comments　on　every

thing　they　hear　and　see。　Not　an　hour　of　the　day　but　loitering

housewives　and　idle　maid…servants　may　be　seen；　lingering　with

pitcher　on　head；　or　in　hand；　to　hear　the　last　of　the　endless　tattle　of

these　worthies。

　　Among　the　water…carriers　who　once　resorted　to　this　well；　there　was　a

sturdy；　strong…backed；　bandy…legged　little　fellow；　named　Pedro　Gil；

but　called　Peregil　for　shortness。　Being　a　water…carrier；　he　was　a

Gallego；　or　native　of　Galicia；　of　course。　Nature　seems　to　have

formed　races　of　men；　as　she　has　of　animals；　for　different　kinds　of

drudgery。　In　France　the　shoeblacks　are　all　Savoyards；　the　porters　of

hotels　all　Swiss；　and　in　the　days　of　hoops　and　hair…powder　in　England；

no　man　could　give　the　regular　swing　to　a　sedan…chair　but　a

bog…trotting　Irishman。　So　in　Spain；　the　carriers　of　water　and

bearers　of　burdens　are　all　sturdy　little　natives　of　Galicia。　No　man

says；　〃Get　me　a　porter；〃　but；　〃Call　a　Gallego。〃

　　To　return　from　this　digression；　Peregil　the　Gallego　had　begun

business　with　merely　a　great　earthen　jar　which　he　carried　upon　his

shoulder；　by　degrees　he　rose　in　the　world；　and　was　enabled　to　purchase

an　assistant　of　a　correspondent　class　of　animals；　being　a　stout

shaggy…haired　donkey。　On　each　side　of　this　his　long…eared

aide…de…camp；　in　a　kind　of　pannier；　were　slung　his　water…jars；　covered

with　fig…leaves　to　protect　them　from　the　sun。　There　was　not　a　more

industrious　water…carrier　in　all　Granada；　nor　one　more　merry　withal。

The　streets　rang　with　his　cheerful　voice　as　he　trudged　after　his

donkey；　singing　forth　the　usual　summer　note　that　resounds　through

the　Spanish　towns：　〃Quien　quiere　agua…　agua　mas　fria　que　la　nieve？〃…

〃Who　wants　water…　water　colder　than　snow？　Who　wants　water　from　the

well　of　the　Alhambra；　cold　as　ice　and　clear　as　crystal？〃　When　he

served　a　customer　with　a　sparkling　glass；　it　was　always　with　a

pleasant　word　that　caused　a　smile；　and　if；　perchance；　it　was　a

comely　dame　or　dimpling　damsel；　it　was　always　with　a　sly　leer　and　a

compliment　to　her　beauty　that　was　irresistible。　Thus　Peregil　the

Gallego　was　noted　throughout　all　Granada　for　being　one　of　the

civilest；　pleasantest；　and　happiest　of　mortals。

　　Yet　it　is　not　he　who　sings　loudest　and　jokes　most　that　has　the

lightest　heart。　Under　all　this　air　of　merriment；　honest　Peregil　had

his　cares　and　troubles。　He　had　a　large　family　of　ragged　children　to

support；　who　were　hungry　and　clamorous　as　a　nest　of　young　swallows；

and　beset　him　with　their　outcries　for　food　whenever　he　came　home　of　an

evening。　He　had　a　helpmate；　too；　who　was　any　thing　but　a　help　to

him。　She　had　been　a　village　beauty　before　marriage；　noted　for　her

skill　at　dancing　the　bolero　and　rattling　the　castanets；　and　she

still　retained　her　early　propensities；　spending　the　hard　earnings　of

honest　Peregil　in　frippery；　and　laying　the　very　donkey　under

requisition　for　junketing　parties　into　the　country　on　Sundays；　and

saints'　days；　and　those　innumerable　holidays　which　are　rather　more

numerous　in　Spain　than　the　days　of　the　week。　With　all　this　she　was　a

little　of　a　slattern；　something　more　of　a　lie…abed；　and；　above　all；

a　gossip　of　the　first　water；　neglecting　house；　household；　and　every

thing　else；　to　loiter　slipshod　in　the　houses　of　her　gossip　neighbors。

　　He；　however；　who　tempers　the　wind　to　the　shorn　lamb；　accommodates

the　yoke　of　matrimony　to　the　submissive　neck。　Peregil　bore　all　the

heavy　dispensations　of　wife　and　children　with　as　meek　a　spirit　as

his　donkey　bore　the　water…jars；　and；　however　he　might　shake　his　ears

in　private；　never　ventured　to　question　the　household　virtues　of　his

slattern　spouse。

　　He　loved　his　children　too　even　as　an　owl　loves　its　owlets；　seeing　in

them　his　own　image　multiplied　and　perpetuated；　for　they　were　a　sturdy；

long…backed；　bandy…legged　little　brood。　The　great　pleasure　of　honest

Peregil　was；　whenever　he　could　afford　himself　a　scanty　holiday；　and

had　a　handful　of　marevedis　to　spare；　to　take　the　whole　litter　forth

with　him；　some　in　his　arms；　some　tugging　at　his　skirts；　and　some

trudging　at　his　heels；　and　to　treat　them　to　a　gambol　among　the

orchards　of　the　Vega；　while　his　wife　was　dancing　with　her　holiday

friends　in　the　Angosturas　of　the　Darro。

　　It　was　a　late　hour　one　summer　night；　and　most　of　the

water…carriers　had　desisted　from　their　toils。　The　day　had　been

uncommonly　sultry；　the　night　was　one　of　those　delicious　moonlights；

which　tempt　the　inhabitants　of　southern　climes　to　indemnify　themselves

for　the　heat　and　inaction　of　the　day；　by　lingering　in　the　open　air；

and　enjoying　its　tempered　sweetness　until　after　midnight。　Customers

for　water　were　therefore　still　abroad。　Peregil；　like　a　considerate；

painstaking　father；　thought　of　his　hungry　children。　〃One　more

journey　to　the　well；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃to　earn　a　Sunday's

puchero　for　the　little　ones。〃　So　saying；　he　trudged　manfully　up　the

steep　avenue　of　the　Alhambra；　singing　as　he　went；　and　now　and　then

bestowing　a　hearty　thwack　with　a　cudgel　on　the　flanks　of　his　donkey；

either　by　way　of　cadence　to　the　song；　or　refreshment　to　the　animal；

for　dry　blows　serve　in　lieu　of　provender　in　Spain　for　all　beasts　of

burden。

　　When　arrived　at　the　well；　he　found　it　deserted　by　every　one　except　a

solitary　stranger　in　Moorish　garb；　seated　on　a　stone　bench　in　the

moonlight。　Peregil　paused　at　first　and　regarded　him　with　surprise；　not

unmixed　with　awe；　but　the　Moor　feebly　beckoned　him　to　approach。　〃I

am　faint　and　ill；〃　said　he；　〃aid　me　to　return　to　the　city；　and　I

will　pay　thee　double　what　thou　couldst　gain　by　thy　jars　of　water。〃

　　The　honest　heart　of　the　little　water…carrier　was　touched　with

compassion　at　the　appeal　of　the　stranger。　〃God　forbid；〃　said　he；　〃that

I　should　ask　fee　or　reward　for　doing　a　common　act　of　humanity。〃　He

accordingly　helped　the　Moor　on　his　donkey；　and　set　off　slowly　for

Granada；　the　poor　Moslem　bei