part07-第5章

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

reward　for　the　crime　thou　hast　committed；　but　I　am　merciful；　and

readily　listen　to　reason。　The　man　that　has　been　murdered　in　thy

house　was　a　Moor；　an　infidel；　the　enemy　of　our　faith。　It　was　doubtless

in　a　fit　of　religious　zeal　that　thou　hast　slain　him。　I　will　be

indulgent；　therefore；　render　up　the　property　of　which　thou　hast　robbed

him；　and　we　will　hush　the　matter　up。〃

　　The　poor　water…carrier　called　upon　all　the　saints　to　witness　his

innocence；　alas！　not　one　of　them　appeared；　and　if　they　had；　the

alcalde　would　have　disbelieved　the　whole　calendar。　The　water…carrier

related　the　whole　story　of　the　dying　Moor　with　the　straightforward

simplicity　of　truth；　but　it　was　all　in　vain。　〃Wilt　thou　persist　in

saying；〃　demanded　the　judge；　〃that　this　Moslem　had　neither　gold　nor

jewels；　which　were　the　object　of　thy　cupidity？〃

　　〃As　I　hope　to　be　saved；　your　worship；〃　replied　the　water…carrier；

〃he　had　nothing　but　a　small　box　of　sandalwood　which　he　bequeathed　to

me　in　reward　for　my　services。〃

　　〃A　box　of　sandalwood！　a　box　of　sandalwood！〃　exclaimed　the　alcalde；

his　eyes　sparkling　at　the　idea　of　precious　jewels。　〃And　where　is

this　box？　where　have　you　concealed　it？〃

　　〃An'　it　please　your　grace；〃　replied　the　water…carrier；　〃it　is　in　one

of　the　panniers　of　my　mule；　and　heartily　at　the　service　of　your

worship。〃

　　He　had　hardly　spoken　the　words；　when　the　keen　alguazil　darted　off；

and　reappeared　in　an　instant　with　the　mysterious　box　of　sandalwood。

The　alcalde　opened　it　with　an　eager　and　trembling　hand；　all　pressed

forward　to　gaze　upon　the　treasure　it　was　expected　to　contain；　when；　to

their　disappointment；　nothing　appeared　within；　but　a　parchment　scroll；

covered　with　Arabic　characters；　and　an　end　of　a　waxen　taper。

　　When　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　the　conviction　of　a

prisoner；　justice；　even　in　Spain；　is　apt　to　be　impartial。　The　alcalde；

having　recovered　from　his　disappointment；　and　found　that　there　was

really　no　booty　in　the　case；　now　listened　dispassionately　to　the

explanation　of　the　water…carrier；　which　was　corroborated　by　the

testimony　of　his　wife。　Being　convinced；　therefore；　of　his　innocence；

he　discharged　him　from　arrest；　nay　more；　he　permitted　him　to　carry　off

the　Moor's　legacy；　the　box　of　sandalwood　and　its　contents；　as　the

well…merited　reward　of　his　humanity；　but　he　retained　his　donkey　in

payment　of　costs　and　charges。

　　Behold　the　unfortunate　little　Gallego　reduced　once　more　to　the

necessity　of　being　his　own　water…carrier；　and　trudging　up　to　the

well　of　the　Alhambra　with　a　great　earthen　jar　upon　his　shoulder。

　　As　he　toiled　up　the　hill　in　the　heat　of　a　summer　noon；　his　usual

good　humor　forsook　him。　〃Dog　of　an　alcalde！〃　would　he　cry；　〃to　rob　a

poor　man　of　the　means　of　his　subsistence；　of　the　best　friend　he　had　in

the　world！〃　And　then　at　the　remembrance　of　the　beloved　companion　of

his　labors；　all　the　kindness　of　his　nature　would　break　forth。　〃Ah；

donkey　of　my　heart！〃　would　he　exclaim；　resting　his　burden　on　a

stone；　and　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow…　〃Ah；　donkey　of　my　heart！

I　warrant　me　thou　thinkest　of　thy　old　master！　I　warrant　me　thou

missest　the　water…jars…　poor　beast。〃

　　To　add　to　his　afflictions；　his　wife　received　him；　on　his　return

home；　with　whimperings　and　repinings；　she　had　clearly　the

vantage…ground　of　him；　having　warned　him　not　to　commit　the　egregious

act　of　hospitality　which　had　brought　on　him　all　these　misfortunes；

and；　like　a　knowing　woman；　she　took　every　occasion　to　throw　her

superior　sagacity　in　his　teeth。　If　her　children　lacked　food；　or　needed

a　new　garment；　she　could　answer　with　a　sneer…　〃Go　to　your　father…　he

is　heir　to　King　Chico　of　the　Alhambra：　ask　him　to　help　you　out　of

the　Moor's　strongbox。〃

　　Was　ever　poor　mortal　so　soundly　punished　for　having　done　a　good

action？　The　unlucky　Peregil　was　grieved　in　flesh　and　spirit；　but　still

he　bore　meekly　with　the　railings　of　his　spouse。　At　length；　one

evening；　when；　after　a　hot　day's　toil；　she　taunted　him　in　the　usual

manner；　he　lost　all　patience。　He　did　not　venture　to　retort　upon　her；

but　his　eye　rested　upon　the　box　of　sandalwood；　which　lay　on　a　shelf

with　lid　half　open；　as　if　laughing　in　mockery　at　his　vexation。　Seizing

it　up；　he　dashed　it　with　indignation　to　the　floor：　〃Unlucky　was　the

day　that　I　ever　set　eyes　on　thee；〃　he　cried；　〃or　sheltered　thy

master　beneath　my　roof！〃

　　As　the　box　struck　the　floor；　the　lid　flew　wide　open；　and　the

parchment　scroll　rolled　forth。

　　Peregil　sat　regarding　the　scroll　for　some　time　in　moody　silence。

At　length　rallying　his　ideas：　〃Who　knows；〃　thought　he；　〃but　this

writing　may　be　of　some　importance；　as　the　Moor　seems　to　have　guarded

it　with　such　care？〃　Picking　it　up　therefore；　he　put　it　in　his　bosom；

and　the　next　morning；　as　he　was　crying　water　through　the　streets；　he

stopped　at　the　shop　of　a　Moor；　a　native　of　Tangiers；　who　sold　trinkets

and　perfumery　in　the　Zacatin；　and　asked　him　to　explain　the　contents。

　　The　Moor　read　the　scroll　attentively；　then　stroked　his　beard　and

smiled。　〃This　manuscript；〃　said　he；　〃is　a　form　of　incantation　for

the　recovery　of　hidden　treasure；　that　is　under　the　power　of

enchantment。　It　is　said　to　have　such　virtue；　that　the　strongest

bolts　and　bars；　nay　the　adamantine　rock　itself；　will　yield　before　it！〃

　　〃Bah！〃　cried　the　little　Gallego；　〃what　is　all　that　to　me？　I　am　no

enchanter；　and　know　nothing　of　buried　treasure。〃　So　saying；　he

shouldered　his　water…jar；　left　the　scroll　in　the　hands　of　the　Moor；

and　trudged　forward　on　his　daily　rounds。

　　That　evening；　however；　as　he　rested　himself　about　twilight　at　the

well　of　the　Alhambra；　he　found　a　number　of　gossips　assembled　at　the

place；　and　their　conversation；　as　is　not　unusual　at　that　shadowy　hour；

turned　upon　old　tales　and　traditions　of　a　supernatural　nature。　Being

all　poor　as　rats；　they　dwelt　with　peculiar　fondness　upon　the　popular

theme　of　enchanted　riches　left　by　the　Moors　in　various　parts　of　the

Alhambra。　Above　all；　they　concurred　in　the　belief　that　there　were

great　treasures　buried　deep　in　the　earth　under　the　Tower　of　the

Seven　Floors。

　　These　stories　made　an　unusual　impression　on　the　mind　of　the　honest

Peregil；　and　they　sank　deeper　and　deeper　into　his　thoughts　as　he

returned　alone　down　the　darkling　avenues。　〃If；　after　all；　there　should

be　treasure　hid　beneath　that　tower：　and　if　the　scroll　I　left　with

the　Moor　should　enable　me　to　get　at　it！〃　In　the　sudden　ecstasy　of

the　thought　he　had　well　nigh　let　fall　his　water…jar。

　　That　night　he　tumbled　and　tossed；　and　could　scarcely　get　a　wink　of

sleep　for　the　thoughts　that　were　bewildering　his　brain。　Bright　and

early；　he　repaired　to　the　shop　of　the　Moor；　and　told　him　all　that

was　passing　in　his　mind。　〃You　can　read　Arabic；〃　said　he；　〃suppose　we

go　together　to　the　tower；　and　try　the　effect　of　the　charm；　if　it　fails

we　are　no　worse　off　than　before；　but　if　it　succeeds；　we　will　share

equally　all　the　treasure　we　may　discover。〃

　　〃Hold；〃　replied　the　Moslem；　〃this　writing　is　not　sufficient　of

itself；　it　must　be　read　at　midnight；　by　the　light　of　a　taper

singularly　compounded　and　prepared；　the　ingredients　of　which　are　not

within　my　reach。　Without　such　a　taper　the　scroll　is　of　no　avail。〃

　　〃Say　no　more！〃　cried　the　little　Gallego；　〃I　have　such　a　taper　at

hand；　and　will　bring　it　here　in　a　moment。〃　So　saying　he　hastened　home；

and　soon　returned　with　the　end　of　yellow　wax　taper　that　he　had　found

in　the　box　of　sandalwood。

　　The　Moor　felt　it　and　smelt　of　it。　〃Here　are　rare　and　costly

perfumes；〃　said　he；　〃Combined　with　this　yellow　wax。　This　is　the　kind

of　taper　specified　in　the　scroll。　While　this　burns；　the　strongest

walls　and　most　secret　caverns　will　remain　open。　Woe　to　him；　however；

who　lingers　within　until　it　be　extinguished。　He　will　remain

enchanted　with　the　treasure。〃

　　It　was　now　agreed　between　them　to　try　the　charm　that　very　night。

At　a　late　hour；　therefore；　when　nothing　was　stirring　but　bats　and

owls；　they　ascended　the　w