part07-第4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！



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

Granada；　the　poor　Moslem　being　so　weak　that　it　was　necessary　to　hold

him　on　the　animal　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　earth。

　　When　they　entered　the　city；　the　water…carrier　demanded　whither　he

should　conduct　him。　〃Alas！〃　said　the　Moor；　faintly；　〃I　have　neither

home　nor　habitation；　I　am　a　stranger　in　the　land。　Suffer　me　to　lay

my　head　this　night　beneath　thy　roof；　and　thou　shalt　be　amply　repaid。〃

　　Honest　Peregil　thus　saw　himself　unexpectedly　saddled　with　an　infidel

guest；　but　he　was　too　humane　to　refuse　a　night's　shelter　to　a　fellow

being　in　so　forlorn　a　plight；　so　he　conducted　the　Moor　to　his

dwelling。　The　children；　who　had　sallied　forth　open…mouthed　as　usual　on

hearing　the　tramp　of　the　donkey；　ran　back　with　affright；　when　they

beheld　the　turbaned　stranger；　and　hid　themselves　behind　their

mother。　The　latter　stepped　forth　intrepidly；　like　a　ruffling　hen

before　her　brood　when　a　vagrant　dog　approaches。

　　〃What　infidel　companion；〃　cried　she；　〃is　this　you　have　brought

home　at　this　late　hour；　to　draw　upon　us　the　eyes　of　the　Inquisition？〃

　　〃Be　quiet；　wife；〃　replied　the　Gallego；　〃here　is　a　poor　sick

stranger；　without　friend　or　home；　wouldst　thou　turn　him　forth　to

perish　in　the　streets？〃

　　The　wife　would　still　have　remonstrated；　for　although　she　lived　in

a　hovel　she　was　a　furious　stickler　for　the　credit　of　her　house；　the

little　water…carrier；　however；　for　once　was　stiff…necked；　and

refused　to　bend　beneath　the　yoke。　He　assisted　the　poor　Moslem　to

alight；　and　spread　a　mat　and　a　sheep…skin　for　him；　on　the　ground；　in

the　coolest　part　of　the　house；　being　the　only　kind　of　bed　that　his

poverty　afforded。

　　In　a　little　while　the　Moor　was　seized　with　violent　convulsions；

which　defied　all　the　ministering　skill　of　the　simple　water…carrier。

The　eye　of　the　poor　patient　acknowledged　his　kindness。　During　an

interval　of　his　fits　he　called　him　to　his　side；　and　addressing　him

in　a　low　voice；　〃My　end；〃　said　he；　〃I　fear　is　at　hand。　If　I　die；　I

bequeath　you　this　box　as　a　reward　for　your　charity〃：　so　saying；　he

opened　his　albornoz；　or　cloak；　and　showed　a　small　box　of　sandalwood；

strapped　round　his　body。　〃God　grant；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　worthy

little　Gallego；　〃that　you　may　live　many　years　to　enjoy　your

treasure；　whatever　it　may　be。〃　The　Moor　shook　his　head；　he　laid　his

hand　upon　the　box；　and　would　have　said　something　more　concerning　it；

but　his　convulsions　returned　with　increasing　violence；　and　in　a　little

while　he　expired。

　　The　water…carrier's　wife　was　now　as　one　distracted。　〃This　comes；〃

said　she；　〃of　your　foolish　good　nature；　always　running　into　scrapes　to

oblige　others。　What　will　become　of　us　when　this　corpse　is　found　in　our

house？　We　shall　be　sent　to　prison　as　murderers；　and　if　we　escape

with　our　lives；　shall　be　ruined　by　notaries　and　alguazils。〃

　　Poor　Peregil　was　in　equal　tribulation；　and　almost　repented　himself

of　having　done　a　good　deed。　At　length　a　thought　struck　him。　〃It　is　not

yet　day；〃　said　he；　〃I　can　convey　the　dead　body　out　of　the　city；　and

bury　it　in　the　sands　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil。　No　one　saw　the　Moor

enter　our　dwelling；　and　no　one　will　know　any　thing　of　his　death。〃

　　So　said；　so　done。　The　wife　aided　him；　they　rolled　the　body　of　the

unfortunate　Moslem　in　the　mat　on　which　he　had　expired；　laid　it

across　the　ass；　and　Peregil　set　out　with　it　for　the　banks　of　the

river。

　　As　ill　luck　would　have　it；　there　lived　opposite　to　the　water…carrier

a　barber　named　Pedrillo　Pedrugo；　one　of　the　most　prying；　tattling；　and

mischief…making　of　his　gossip　tribe。　He　was　a　weasel…faced；

spider…legged　varlet；　supple　and　insinuating；　the　famous　barber　of

Seville　could　not　surpass　him　for　his　universal　knowledge　of　the

affairs　of　others；　and　he　had　no　more　power　of　retention　than　a　sieve。

It　was　said　that　he　slept　but　with　one　eye　at　a　time；　and　kept　one　ear

uncovered；　so　that；　even　in　his　sleep；　he　might　see　and　hear　all

that　was　going　on。　Certain　it　is；　he　was　a　sort　of　scandalous

chronicle　for　the　quid…nuncs　of　Granada；　and　had　more　customers　than

all　the　rest　of　his　fraternity。

　　This　meddlesome　barber　heard　Peregil　arrive　at　an　unusual　hour　at

night；　and　the　exclamations　of　his　wife　and　children。　His　head　was

instantly　popped　out　of　a　little　window　which　served　him　as　a

look…out；　and　he　saw　his　neighbor　assist　a　man　in　Moorish　garb　into

his　dwelling。　This　was　so　strange　an　occurrence；　that　Pedrillo　Pedrugo

slept　not　a　wink　that　night。　Every　five　minutes　he　was　at　his

loophole；　watching　the　lights　that　gleamed　through　the　chinks　of　his

neighbor's　door；　and　before　daylight　he　beheld　Peregil　sally　forth

with　his　donkey　unusually　laden。

　　The　inquisitive　barber　was　in　a　fidget；　he　slipped　on　his　clothes；

and；　stealing　forth　silently；　followed　the　water…carrier　at　a

distance；　until　he　saw　him　dig　a　hole　in　the　sandy　bank　of　the

Xenil；　and　bury　something　that　had　the　appearance　of　a　dead　body。

　　The　barber　hied　him　home；　and　fidgeted　about　his　shop；　setting　every

thing　upside　down；　until　sunrise。　He　then　took　a　basin　under　his

arm；　and　sallied　forth　to　the　house　of　his　daily　customer　the　alcalde。

　　The　alcalde　was　just　risen。　Pedrillo　Pedrugo　seated　him　in　a

chair；　threw　a　napkin　round　his　neck；　put　a　basin　of　hot　water　under

his　chin；　and　began　to　mollify　his　beard　with　his　fingers。

　　〃Strange　doings！〃　said　Pedrugo；　who　played　barber　and　newsmonger

at　the　same　time…　〃Strange　doings！　Robbery；　and　murder；　and　burial　all

in　one　night！〃

　　〃Hey！…　how！…　what　is　that　you　say？〃　cried　the　alcalde。

　　〃I　say；〃　replied　the　barber；　rubbing　a　piece　of　soap　over　the　nose

and　mouth　of　the　dignitary；　for　a　Spanish　barber　disdains　to　employ

a　brush…　〃I　say　that　Peregil　the　Gallego　has　robbed　and　murdered　a

Moorish　Mussulman；　and　buried　him；　this　blessed　night。　Maldita　sea

la　noche…　accursed　be　the　night　for　the　same！〃

　　〃But　how　do　you　know　all　this？〃　demanded　the　alcalde。

　　〃Be　patient；　senor；　and　you　shall　hear　all　about　it；〃　replied

Pedrillo；　taking　him　by　the　nose　and　sliding　a　razor　over　his　cheek。

He　then　recounted　all　that　he　had　seen；　going　through　both

operations　at　the　same　time；　shaving　his　beard；　washing　his　chin；

and　wiping　him　dry　with　a　dirty　napkin；　while　he　was　robbing；

murdering；　and　burying　the　Moslem。

　　Now　it　so　happened　that　this　alcalde　was　one　of　the　most

overbearing；　and　at　the　same　time　most　griping　and　corrupt　curmudgeons

in　all　Granada。　It　could　not　be　denied；　however；　that　he　set　a　high

value　upon　justice；　for　he　sold　it　at　its　weight　in　gold。　He

presumed　the　case　in　point　to　be　one　of　murder　and　robbery；

doubtless　there　must　be　a　rich　spoil；　how　was　it　to　be　secured　into

the　legitimate　hands　of　the　law？　for　as　to　merely　entrapping　the

delinquent…　that　would　be　feeding　the　gallows；　but　entrapping　the

booty…　that　would　be　enriching　the　judge；　and　such；　according　to　his

creed；　was　the　great　end　of　justice。　So　thinking；　he　summoned　to　his

presence　his　trustiest　alguazil…　a　gaunt；　hungry…looking　varlet；　clad；

according　to　the　custom　of　his　order；　in　the　ancient　Spanish　garb：　a

broad　black　beaver　turned　up　at　its　sides；　a　quaint　ruff；　a　small

black　cloak　dangling　from　his　shoulders；　rusty　black　under…clothes

that　set　off　his　spare　wiry　frame；　while　in　his　hand　he　bore　a　slender

white　wand；　the　dreaded　insignia　of　his　office。　Such　was　the　legal

bloodhound　of　the　ancient　Spanish　breed；　that　he　put　upon　the　traces

of　the　unlucky　water…carrier；　and　such　was　his　speed　and　certainty；

that　he　was　upon　the　haunches　of　poor　Peregil　before　he　had　returned

to　his　dwelling；　and　brought　both　him　and　his　donkey　before　the

dispenser　of　justice。

　　The　alcalde　bent　upon　him　one　of　the　most　terrific　frowns。　〃Hark　ye；

culprit！〃　roared　he；　in　a　voice　that　made　the　knees　of　the　little

Gallego　smite　together…　〃hark　ye；　culprit！　there　is　no　need　of　denying

thy　guilt；　every　thing　is　known　to　me。　A　gallows　is　the　proper

reward　for　the　crime　thou　hast