part02-第2章

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

Christians；　without　any　taint　of　Moor　or　Jew。　I　know　we　belong　to　some

great　family　or　other；　but　I　forget　whom。　My　father　knows　all　about

it：　he　has　the　coat…of…arms　hanging　up　in　his　cottage；　up　in　the

fortress。〃…　There　is　not　any　Spaniard；　however　poor；　but　has　some

claim　to　high　pedigree。　The　first　title　of　this　ragged　worthy；

however；　had　completely　captivated　me；　so　I　gladly　accepted　the

services　of　the　〃son　of　the　Alhambra。〃

　　We　now　found　ourselves　in　a　deep　narrow　ravine；　filled　with

beautiful　groves；　with　a　steep　avenue；　and　various　footpaths　winding

through　it；　bordered　with　stone　seats；　and　ornamented　with

fountains。　To　our　left；　we　beheld　the　towers　of　the　Alhambra

beetling　above　us；　to　our　right；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　ravine；

we　were　equally　dominated　by　rival　towers　on　a　rocky　eminence。

These；　we　were　told；　were　the　Torres　Vermejos；　or　vermilion　towers；　so

called　from　their　ruddy　hue。　No　one　knows　their　origin。　They　are　of

a　date　much　anterior　to　the　Alhambra：　some　suppose　them　to　have　been

built　by　the　Romans；　others；　by　some　wandering　colony　of

Phoenicians。　Ascending　the　steep　and　shady　avenue；　we　arrived　at　the

foot　of　a　huge　square　Moorish　tower；　forming　a　kind　of　barbican；

through　which　passed　the　main　entrance　to　the　fortress。　Within　the

barbican　was　another　group　of　veteran　invalids；　one　mounting　guard

at　the　portal；　while　the　rest；　wrapped　in　their　tattered　cloaks；　slept

on　the　stone　benches。　This　portal　is　called　the　Gate　of　Justice；

from　the　tribunal　held　within　its　porch　during　the　Moslem

domination；　for　the　immediate　trial　of　petty　causes：　a　custom　common

to　the　oriental　nations；　and　occasionally　alluded　to　in　the　Sacred

Scriptures。　〃Judge　and　officers　shalt　thou　make　thee　in　all　thy　gates；

and　they　shall　judge　the　people　with　just　judgment。〃

　　The　great　vestibule；　or　porch　of　the　gate；　is　formed　by　an　immense

Arabian　arch；　of　the　horseshoe　form；　which　springs　to　half　the

height　of　the　tower。　On　the　keystone　of　this　arch　is　engraven　a

gigantic　hand。　Within　the　vestibule；　on　the　keystone　of　the　portal；　is

sculptured；　in　like　manner；　a　gigantic　key。　Those　who　pretend　to

some　knowledge　of　Mohammedan　symbols；　affirm　that　the　hand　is　the

emblem　of　doctrine；　the　five　fingers　designating　the　five　principal

commandments　of　the　creed　of　Islam；　fasting；　pilgrimage；

alms…giving；　ablution；　and　war　against　infidels。　The　key；　say　they；　is

the　emblem　of　the　faith　or　of　power；　the　key　of　Daoud　or　David；

transmitted　to　the　prophet。　〃And　the　key　of　the　house　of　David　will

I　lay　upon　his　shoulder；　so　he　shall　open　and　none　shall　shut；　and

he　shall　shut　and　none　shall　open。〃　（Isaiah　xxii。　22。）　The　key　we

are　told　was　emblazoned　on　the　standard　of　the　Moslems　in　opposition

to　the　Christian　emblem　of　the　cross；　when　they　subdued　Spain　or

Andalusia。　It　betokened　the　conquering　power　invested　in　the

prophet。　〃He　that　hath　the　key　of　David；　he　that　openeth　and　no　man

shutteth；　and　shutteth　and　no　man　openeth。〃　（Rev。　iii。　7。）

　　A　different　explanation　of　these　emblems；　however；　was　given　by

the　legitimate　son　of　the　Alhambra；　and　one　more　in　unison　with　the

notions　of　the　common　people；　who　attach　something　of　mystery　and

magic　to　every　thing　Moorish；　and　have　all　kind　of　superstitions

connected　with　this　old　Moslem　fortress。　According　to　Mateo；　it　was

a　tradition　handed　down　from　the　oldest　inhabitants；　and　which　he

had　from　his　father　and　grandfather；　that　the　hand　and　key　were

magical　devices　on　which　the　fate　of　the　Alhambra　depended。　The

Moorish　king　who　built　it　was　a　great　magician；　or；　as　some

believed；　had　sold　himself　to　the　devil；　and　had　laid　the　whole

fortress　under　a　magic　spell。　By　this　means　it　had　remained　standing

for　several　hundred　years；　in　defiance　of　storms　and　earthquakes；

while　almost　all　other　buildings　of　the　Moors　had　fallen　to　ruin；

and　disappeared。　This　spell；　the　tradition　went　on　to　say；　would

last　until　the　hand　on　the　outer　arch　should　reach　down　and　grasp

the　key；　when　the　whole　pile　would　tumble　to　pieces；　and　all　the

treasures　buried　beneath　it　by　the　Moors　would　be　revealed。

　　Notwithstanding　this　ominous　prediction；　we　ventured　to　pass　through

the　spell…bound　gateway；　feeling　some　little　assurance　against　magic

art　in　the　protection　of　the　Virgin；　a　statue　of　whom　we　observed

above　the　portal。

　　After　passing　through　the　barbican；　we　ascended　a　narrow　lane；

winding　between　walls；　and　came　on　an　open　esplanade　within　the

fortress；　called　the　Plaza　de　los　Algibes；　or　Place　of　the　Cisterns；

from　great　reservoirs　which　undermine　it；　cut　in　the　living　rock　by

the　Moors　to　receive　the　water　brought　by　conduits　from　the　Darro；　for

the　supply　of　the　fortress。　Here；　also；　is　a　well　of　immense　depth；

furnishing　the　purest　and　coldest　of　water；　another　monument　of　the

delicate　taste　of　the　Moors；　who　were　indefatigable　in　their　exertions

to　obtain　that　element　in　its　crystal　purity。

　　In　front　of　this　esplanade　is　the　splendid　pile　commenced　by　Charles

V；　and　intended；　it　is　said；　to　eclipse　the　residence　of　the　Moorish

kings。　Much　of　the　oriental　edifice　intended　for　the　winter　season　was

demolished　to　make　way　for　this　massive　pile。　The　grand　entrance　was

blocked　up；　so　that　the　present　entrance　to　the　Moorish　palace　is

through　a　simple　and　almost　humble　portal　in　a　corner。　With　all　the

massive　grandeur　and　architectural　merit　of　the　palace　of　Charles　V；

we　regarded　it　as　an　arrogant　intruder；　and　passing　by　it　with　a

feeling　almost　of　scorn；　rang　at　the　Moslem　portal。

　　While　waiting　for　admittance；　our　self…imposed　cicerone；　Mateo

Ximenes；　informed　us　that　the　royal　palace　was　intrusted　to　the　care

of　a　worthy　old　maiden　dame　called　Dona　Antonia…Molina；　but　who；

according　to　Spanish　custom；　went　by　the　more　neighborly　appellation

of　Tia　Antonia　（Aunt　Antonia）；　who　maintained　the　Moorish　halls　and

gardens　in　order　and　showed　them　to　strangers。　While　we　were

talking；　the　door　was　opened　by　a　plump　little　black…eyed　Andalusian

damsel；　whom　Mateo　addressed　as　Dolores；　but　who　from　her　bright　looks

and　cheerful　disposition　evidently　merited　a　merrier　name。　Mateo

informed　me　in　a　whisper　that　she　was　the　niece　of　Tia　Antonia；　and

I　found　she　was　the　good　fairy　who　was　to　conduct　us　through　the

enchanted　palace。　Under　her　guidance　we　crossed　the　threshold；　and

were　at　once　transported；　as　if　by　magic　wand；　into　other　times　and　an

oriental　realm；　and　were　treading　the　scenes　of　Arabian　story。　Nothing

could　be　in　greater　contrast　than　the　unpromising　exterior　of　the　pile

with　the　scene　now　before　us。

　　We　found　ourselves　in　a　vast　patio　or　court　one　hundred　and　fifty

feet　in　length；　and　upwards　of　eighty　feet　in　breadth；　paved　with

white　marble；　and　decorated　at　each　end　with　light　Moorish　peristyles；

one　of　which　supported　an　elegant　gallery　of　fretted　architecture。

Along　the　mouldings　of　the　cornices　and　on　various　parts　of　the

walls　were　escutcheons　and　ciphers；　and　cufic　and　Arabic　characters　in

high　relief；　repeating　the　pious　mottoes　of　the　Moslem　monarchs；　the

builders　of　the　Alhambra；　or　extolling　their　grandeur　and　munificence。

Along　the　centre　of　the　court　extended　an　immense　basin　or　tank

（estanque）　a　hundred　and　twenty…four　feet　in　length；　twenty…seven　in

breadth；　and　five　in　depth；　receiving　its　water　from　two　marble　vases。

Hence　it　is　called　the　Court　of　the　Alberca　（from　al　Beerkah；　the

Arabic　for　a　pond　or　tank）。　Great　numbers　of　gold…fish　were　to　be　seen

gleaming　through　the　waters　of　the　basin；　and　it　was　bordered　by

hedges　of　roses。

　　Passing　from　the　Court　of　the　Alberca　under　a　Moorish　archway；　we

entered　the　renowned　Court　of　Lions。　No　part　of　the　edifice　gives　a

more　complete　idea　of　its　original　beauty　than　this；　for　none　has

suffered　so　little　from　the　ravages　of　time。　In　the　centre　stands

the　fountain　famous　in　song　and　story。　The　alabaster　basins　still