part02-第3章

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

their　diamond　drops；　the　twelve　lions　which　support　them；　and　give　the

court　its　name；　still　cast　forth　crystal　streams　as　in　the　days　of

Boabdil。　The　lions；　however；　are　unworthy　of　their　fame；　being　of

miserable　sculpture；　the　work　probably　of　some　Christian　captive。

The　court　is　laid　out　in　flower…beds；　instead　of　its　ancient　and

appropriate　pavement　of　tiles　or　marble；　the　alteration；　an　instance

of　bad　taste；　was　made　by　the　French　when　in　possession　of　Granada。

Round　the　four　sides　of　the　court　are　light　Arabian　arcades　of　open

filigree　work　supported　by　slender　pillars　of　white　marble；　which　it

is　supposed　were　originally　gilded。　The　architecture；　like　that　in

most　parts　of　the　interior　of　the　palace；　is　characterized　by

elegance；　rather　than　grandeur；　bespeaking　a　delicate　and　graceful

taste；　and　a　disposition　to　indolent　enjoyment。　When　one　looks　upon

the　fairy　traces　of　the　peristyles；　and　the　apparently　fragile

fretwork　of　the　walls；　it　is　difficult　to　believe　that　so　much　has

survived　the　wear　and　tear　of　centuries；　the　shocks　of　earthquakes；

the　violence　of　war；　and　the　quiet；　though　no　less　baneful；　pilferings

of　the　tasteful　traveller；　it　is　almost　sufficient　to　excuse　the

popular　tradition　that　the　whole　is　protected　by　a　magic　charm。

　　On　one　side　of　the　court　a　rich　portal　opens　into　the　Hall　of　the

Abencerrages；　so　called　from　the　gallant　cavaliers　of　that　illustrious

line　who　were　here　perfidiously　massacred。　There　are　some　who　doubt

the　whole　story；　but　our　humble　cicerone　Mateo　pointed　out　the　very

wicket　of　the　portal　through　which　they　were　introduced　one　by　one

into　the　Court　of　Lions；　and　the　white　marble　fountain　in　the　centre

of　the　hall　beside　which　they　were　beheaded。　He　showed　us　also　certain

broad　ruddy　stains　on　the　pavement；　traces　of　their　blood；　which；

according　to　popular　belief；　can　never　be　effaced。

　　Finding　we　listened　to　him　apparently　with　easy　faith；　he　added；

that　there　was　often　heard　at　night；　in　the　Court　of　Lions；　a　low

confused　sound；　resembling　the　murmuring　of　a　multitude；　and　now　and

then　a　faint　tinkling；　like　the　distant　clank　of　chains。　These

sounds　were　made　by　the　spirits　of　the　murdered　Abencerrages；　who

nightly　haunt　the　scene　of　their　suffering　and　invoke　the　vengeance　of

Heaven　on　their　destroyer。

　　The　sounds　in　question　had　no　doubt　been　produced；　as　I　had

afterwards　an　opportunity　of　ascertaining；　by　the　bubbling　currents

and　tinkling　falls　of　water　conducted　under　the　pavement　through　pipes

and　channels　to　supply　the　fountains；　but　I　was　too　considerate　to

intimate　such　an　idea　to　the　humble　chronicler　of　the　Alhambra。

　　Encouraged　by　my　easy　credulity；　Mateo　gave　me　the　following　as　an

undoubted　fact；　which　he　had　from　his　grandfather：

　　There　was　once　an　invalid　soldier；　who　had　charge　of　the　Alhambra　to

show　it　to　strangers：　as　he　was　one　evening；　about　twilight；　passing

through　the　Court　of　Lions；　he　heard　footsteps　on　the　Hall　of　the

Abencerrages；　supposing　some　strangers　to　be　lingering　there；　he

advanced　to　attend　upon　them；　when　to　his　astonishment　he　beheld

four　Moors　richly　dressed；　with　gilded　cuirasses　and　cimeters；　and

poniards　glittering　with　precious　stones。　They　were　walking　to　and

fro；　with　solemn　pace；　but　paused　and　beckoned　to　him。　The　old

soldier；　however；　took　to　flight；　and　could　never　afterwards　be

prevailed　upon　to　enter　the　Alhambra。　Thus　it　is　that　men　sometimes

turn　their　backs　upon　fortune；　for　it　is　the　firm　opinion　of　Mateo；

that　the　Moors　intended　to　reveal　the　place　where　their　treasures

lay　buried。　A　successor　to　the　invalid　soldier　was　more　knowing；　he

came　to　the　Alhambra　poor；　but　at　the　end　of　a　year　went　off　to

Malaga；　bought　houses；　set　up　a　carriage；　and　still　lives　there　one　of

the　richest　as　well　as　oldest　men　of　the　place；　all　which；　Mateo

sagely　surmised；　was　in　consequence　of　his　finding　out　the　golden

secret　of　these　phantom　Moors。

　　I　now　perceived　I　had　made　an　invaluable　acquaintance　in　this　son　of

the　Alhambra；　one　who　knew　all　the　apocryphal　history　of　the　place；

and　firmly　believed　in　it；　and　whose　memory　was　stuffed　with　a　kind　of

knowledge　for　which　I　have　a　lurking　fancy；　but　which　is　too　apt　to　be

considered　rubbish　by　less　indulgent　philosophers。　I　determined　to

cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　this　learned　Theban。

　　Immediately　opposite　the　Hall　of　the　Abencerrages　a　portal；　richly

adorned；　leads　into　a　hall　of　less　tragical　associations。　It　is

light　and　lofty；　exquisitely　graceful　in　its　architecture；　paved

with　white　marble；　and　bears　the　suggestive　name　of　the　Hall　of　the

Two　Sisters。　Some　destroy　the　romance　of　the　name　by　attributing　it　to

two　enormous　slabs　of　alabaster　which　lie　side　by　side；　and　form　a

great　part　of　the　pavement；　an　opinion　strongly　supported　by　Mateo

Ximenes。　Others　are　disposed　to　give　the　name　a　more　poetical

significance；　as　the　vague　memorial　of　Moorish　beauties　who　once

graced　this　hall；　which　was　evidently　a　part　of　the　royal　harem。

This　opinion　I　was　happy　to　find　entertained　by　our　little　bright…eyed

guide；　Dolores；　who　pointed　to　a　balcony　over　an　inner　porch；　which

gallery；　she　had　been　told；　belonged　to　the　women's　apartment。　〃You

see；　senor；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　all　grated　and　latticed；　like　the

gallery　in　a　convent　chapel　where　the　nuns　hear　mass；　for　the

Moorish　kings；〃　added　she；　indignantly；　〃shut　up　their　wives　just　like

nuns。〃

　　The　latticed　〃jalousies；〃　in　fact；　still　remain；　whence　the

dark…eyed　beauties　of　the　harem　might　gaze　unseen　upon　the　zambras　and

other　dances　and　entertainments　of　the　hall　below。

　　On　each　side　of　this　hall　are　recesses　or　alcoves　for　ottomans　and

couches；　on　which　the　voluptuous　lords　of　the　Alhambra　indulged　in

that　dreamy　repose　so　dear　to　the　Orientalists。　A　cupola　or　lantern

admits　a　tempered　light　from　above　and　a　free　circulation　of　air；

while　on　one　side　is　heard　the　refreshing　sound　of　waters　from　the

fountain　of　the　lions；　and　on　the　other　side　the　soft　plash　from　the

basin　in　the　garden　of　Lindaraxa。

　　It　is　impossible　to　contemplate　this　scene　so　perfectly　Oriental

without　feeling　the　early　associations　of　Arabian　romance；　and

almost　expecting　to　see　the　white　arm　of　some　mysterious　princess

beckoning　from　the　gallery；　or　some　dark　eye　sparkling　through　the

lattice。　The　abode　of　beauty　is　here；　as　if　it　had　been　inhabited

but　yesterday；　but　where　are　the　two　sisters；　where　the　Zoraydas　and

Lindaraxas！

　　An　abundant　supply　of　water；　brought　from　the　mountains　by　old

Moorish　aqueducts；　circulates　throughout　the　palace；　supplying　its

baths　and　fishpools；　sparkling　in　jets　within　its　halls；　or

murmuring　in　channels　along　the　marble　pavements。　When　it　has　paid　its

tribute　to　the　royal　pile；　and　visited　its　gardens　and　parterres；　it

flows　down　the　long　avenue　leading　to　the　city；　tinkling　in　rills；

gushing　in　fountains；　and　maintaining　a　perpetual　verdure　in　those

groves　that　embower　and　beautify　the　whole　hill　of　the　Alhambra。

　　Those　only　who　have　sojourned　in　the　ardent　climates　of　the　South；

can　appreciate　the　delights　of　an　abode；　combining　the　breezy　coolness

of　the　mountain　with　the　freshness　and　verdure　of　the　valley。　While

the　city　below　pants　with　the　noontide　heat；　and　the　parched　Vega

trembles　to　the　eye；　the　delicate　airs　from　the　Sierra　Nevada　play

through　these　lofty　halls；　bringing　with　them　the　sweetness　of　the

surrounding　gardens。　Every　thing　invites　to　that　indolent　repose；

the　bliss　of　southern　climes；　and　while　the　half…shut　eye　looks　out

from　shaded　balconies　upon　the　glittering　landscape；　the　ear　is　lulled

by　the　rustling　of　groves；　and　the　murmur　of　running　streams。

　　I　forbear　for　the　present；　however；　to　describe　the　other　delightful

apartments　of　the　palace。　My　object　is　merely　to　give　the　reader　a

general　introduction　into　an　abode　where；　if　so　disposed；　he　may

linger　and　loiter　with