part02-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Palace　of　the　Alhambra。



　　TO　THE　traveller　imbued　with　a　feeling　for　the　historical　and

poetical；　so　inseparably　intertwined　in　the　annals　of　romantic

Spain；　the　Alhambra　is　as　much　an　object　of　devotion　as　is　the　Caaba

to　all　true　Moslems。　How　many　legends　and　traditions；　true　and

fabulous；　how　many　songs　and　ballads；　Arabian　and　Spanish；　of　love　and

war　and　chivalry；　are　associated　with　this　oriental　pile！　It　was　the

royal　abode　of　the　Moorish　kings；　where；　surrounded　with　the　splendors

and　refinements　of　Asiatic　luxury；　they　held　dominion　over　what　they

vaunted　as　a　terrestrial　paradise；　and　made　their　last　stand　for

empire　in　Spain。　The　royal　palace　forms　but　a　part　of　a　fortress；

the　walls　of　which；　studded　with　towers；　stretch　irregularly　round　the

whole　crest　of　a　hill；　a　spur　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　or　Snowy　Mountains；

and　overlook　the　city；　externally　it　is　a　rude　congregation　of

towers　and　battlements；　with　no　regularity　of　plan　nor　grace　of

architecture；　and　giving　little　promise　of　the　grace　and　beauty

which　prevail　within。

　　In　the　time　of　the　Moors　the　fortress　was　capable　of　containing

within　its　outward　precincts　an　army　of　forty　thousand　men；　and　served

occasionally　as　a　strong…hold　of　the　sovereigns　against　their

rebellious　subjects。　After　the　kingdom　had　passed　into　the　hands　of

the　Christians；　the　Alhambra　continued　to　be　a　royal　demesne；　and

was　occasionally　inhabited　by　the　Castilian　monarchs。　The　emperor

Charles　V　commenced　a　sumptuous　palace　within　its　walls；　but　was

deterred　from　completing　it　by　repeated　shocks　of　earthquakes。　The

last　royal　residents　were　Philip　V　and　his　beautiful　queen；　Elizabetta

of　Parma；　early　in　the　eighteenth　century。　Great　preparations　were

made　for　their　reception。　The　palace　and　gardens　were　placed　in　a

state　of　repair；　and　a　new　suite　of　apartments　erected；　and

decorated　by　artists　brought　from　Italy。　The　sojourn　of　the　sovereigns

was　transient；　and　after　their　departure　the　palace　once　more　became

desolate。　Still　the　place　was　maintained　with　some　military　state。　The

governor　held　it　immediately　from　the　crown；　its　jurisdiction　extended

down　into　the　suburbs　of　the　city；　and　was　independent　of　the

captain…general　of　Granada。　A　considerable　garrison　was　kept　up；　the

governor　had　his　apartments　in　the　front　of　the　old　Moorish　palace；

and　never　descended　into　Granada　without　some　military　parade。　The

fortress；　in　fact；　was　a　little　town　of　itself；　having　several　streets

of　houses　within　its　walls；　together　with　a　Franciscan　convent　and　a

parochial　church。

　　The　desertion　of　the　court；　however；　was　a　fatal　blow　to　the

Alhambra。　Its　beautiful　halls　became　desolate；　and　some　of　them　fell

to　ruin；　the　gardens　were　destroyed；　and　the　fountains　ceased　to　play。

By　degrees　the　dwellings　became　filled　with　a　loose　and　lawless

population；　contrabandistas；　who　availed　themselves　of　its　independent

jurisdiction　to　carry　on　a　wide　and　daring　course　of　smuggling；　and

thieves　and　rogues　of　all　sorts；　who　made　this　their　place　of　refuge

whence　they　might　depredate　upon　Granada　and　its　vicinity。　The

strong　arm　of　government　at　length　interfered；　the　whole　community　was

thoroughly　sifted；　none　were　suffered　to　remain　but　such　as　were　of

honest　character；　and　had　legitimate　right　to　a　residence；　the　greater

part　of　the　houses　were　demolished　and　a　mere　hamlet　left；　with　the

parochial　church　and　the　Franciscan　convent。　During　the　recent

troubles　in　Spain；　when　Granada　was　in　the　hands　of　the　French；　the

Alhambra　was　garrisoned　by　their　troops；　and　the　palace　was

occasionally　inhabited　by　the　French　commander。　With　that

enlightened　taste　which　has　ever　distinguished　the　French　nation　in

their　conquests；　this　monument　of　Moorish　elegance　and　grandeur　was

rescued　from　the　absolute　ruin　and　desolation　that　were　overwhelming

it。　The　roofs　were　repaired；　the　saloons　and　galleries　protected

from　the　weather；　the　gardens　cultivated；　the　watercourses　restored；

the　fountains　once　more　made　to　throw　up　their　sparkling　showers；

and　Spain　may　thank　her　invaders　for　having　preserved　to　her　the

most　beautiful　and　interesting　of　her　historical　monuments。

　　On　the　departure　of　the　French　they　blew　up　several　towers　of　the

outer　wall；　and　left　the　fortifications　scarcely　tenable。　Since　that

time　the　military　importance　of　the　post　is　at　an　end。　The　garrison　is

a　handful　of　invalid　soldiers；　whose　principal　duty　is　to　guard　some

of　the　outer　towers；　which　serve　occasionally　as　a　prison　of　state；

and　the　governor；　abandoning　the　lofty　hill　of　the　Alhambra；　resides

in　the　centre　of　Granada；　for　the　more　convenient　dispatch　of　his

official　duties。　I　cannot　conclude　this　brief　notice　of　the　state　of

the　fortress　without　bearing　testimony　to　the　honorable　exertions　of

its　present　commander；　Don　Francisco　de　Serna；　who　is　tasking　all

the　limited　resources　at　his　command　to　put　the　palace　in　a　state　of

repair；　and　by　his　judicious　precautions；　has　for　some　time　arrested

its　too　certain　decay。　Had　his　predecessors　discharged　the　duties　of

their　station　with　equal　fidelity；　the　Alhambra　might　yet　have

remained　in　almost　its　pristine　beauty：　were　government　to　second

him　with　means　equal　to　his　zeal；　this　relic　of　it　might　still　be

preserved　for　many　generations　to　adorn　the　land；　and　attract　the

curious　and　enlightened　of　every　clime。

　　Our　first　object　of　course；　on　the　morning　after　our　arrival；　was

a　visit　to　this　time…honored　edifice；　it　has　been　so　often；　however；

and　so　minutely　described　by　travellers；　that　I　shall　not　undertake　to

give　a　comprehensive　and　elaborate　account　of　it；　but　merely

occasional　sketches　of　parts　with　the　incidents　and　associations

connected　with　them。

　　Leaving　our　posada；　and　traversing　the　renowned　square　of　the

Vivarrambla；　once　the　scene　of　Moorish　jousts　and　tournaments；　now　a

crowded　market…place；　we　proceeded　along　the　Zacatin；　the　main

street　of　what；　in　the　time　of　the　Moors；　was　the　Great　Bazaar；　and

where　small　shops　and　narrow　alleys　still　retain　the　oriental

character。　Crossing　an　open　place　in　front　of　the　palace　of　the

captain…general；　we　ascended　a　confined　and　winding　street；　the　name

of　which　reminded　us　of　the　chivalric　days　of　Granada。　It　is　called

the　Calle　or　street　of　the　Gomeres；　from　a　Moorish　family　famous　in

chronicle　and　song。　This　street　led　up　to　the　Puerta　de　las

Granadas；　a　massive　gateway　of　Grecian　architecture；　built　by

Charles　V；　forming　the　entrance　to　the　domains　of　the　Alhambra。

　　At　the　gate　were　two　or　three　ragged　superannuated　soldiers；

dozing　on　a　stone　bench；　the　successors　of　the　Zegris　and　the

Abencerrages；　while　a　tall；　meagre　varlet；　whose　rusty…brown　cloak　was

evidently　intended　to　conceal　the　ragged　state　of　his　nether　garments；

was　lounging　in　the　sunshine　and　gossiping　with　an　ancient　sentinel　on

duty。　He　joined　us　as　we　entered　the　gate；　and　offered　his　services　to

show　us　the　fortress。

　　I　have　a　traveller's　dislike　to　officious　ciceroni；　and　did　not

altogether　like　the　garb　of　the　applicant。

　　〃You　are　well　acquainted　with　the　place；　I　presume？〃

　　〃Ninguno　mas；　pues　senor；　soy　hijo　de　la　Alhambra。〃…　（〃Nobody

better；　in　fact；　sir；　I　am　a　son　of　the　Alhambra！〃）

　　The　common　Spaniards　have　certainly　a　most　poetical　way　of

expressing　themselves。　〃A　son　of　the　Alhambra！〃…　the　appellation

caught　me　at　once；　the　very　tattered　garb　of　my　new　acquaintance

assumed　a　dignity　in　my　eyes。　It　was　emblematic　of　the　fortunes　of　the

place；　and　befitted　the　progeny　of　a　ruin。

　　I　put　some　farther　questions　to　him；　and　found　that　his　title　was

legitimate。　His　family　had　lived　in　the　fortress　from　generation　to

generation　ever　since　the　time　of　the　conquest。　His　name　was　Mateo

Ximenes。　〃Then；　perhaps；〃　said　I；　〃you　may　be　a　descendant　from　the

great　Cardinal　Ximenes？〃…　〃Dios　sabe！　God　knows；　senor！　It　may　be

so。　We　are　the　oldest　family　in　the　Alhambra…　Cristianos　viejos；　old