part05-第2章

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potentate；　〃I　would　rather　have　made　this　Alhambra　my　sepulchre　than

have　lived　without　a　kingdom　in　the　Alpuxarra。〃　How　easy　it　is　for

those　in　power　and　prosperity　to　preach　heroism　to　the　vanquished！　how

little　can　they　understand　that　life　itself　may　rise　in　value　with　the

unfortunate；　when　nought　but　life　remains　I

　　Slowly　descending　the　〃Hill　of　Tears；〃　I　let　my　horse　take　his　own

loitering　gait　back　to　Granada；　while　I　turned　the　story　of　the

unfortunate　Boabdil　over　in　my　mind。　In　summing　up　the　particulars　I

found　the　balance　inclining　in　his　favor。　Throughout　the　whole　of

his　brief；　turbulent；　and　disastrous　reign；　he　gives　evidence　of　a

mild　and　amiable　character。　He；　in　the　first　instance；　won　the

hearts　of　his　people　by　his　affable　and　gracious　manners；　he　was

always　placable；　and　never　inflicted　any　severity　of　punishment　upon

those　who　occasionally　rebelled　against　him。　He　was　personally

brave；　but　wanted　moral　courage；　and；　in　times　of　difficulty　and

perplexity；　was　wavering　and　irresolute。　This　feebleness　of　spirit

hastened　his　downfall；　while　it　deprived　him　of　that　heroic　grace

which　would　have　given　grandeur　and　dignity　to　his　fate；　and

rendered　him　worthy　of　closing　the　splendid　drama　of　the　Moslem

domination　in　Spain。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Public　Fetes　of　Granada。



　　MY　DEVOTED　squire　and　whilom　ragged　cicerone　Mateo　Ximenes；　had　a

poor…devil　passion　for　fates　and　holidays；　and　was　never　so　eloquent

as　when　detailing　the　civil　and　religious　festivals　of　Granada。　During

the　preparations　for　the　annual　Catholic　fete　of　Corpus　Christi；　he

was　in　a　state　of　incessant　transition　between　the　Alhambra　and　the

subjacent　city；　bringing　me　daily　accounts　of　the　magnificent

arrangements　that　were　in　progress；　and　endeavoring；　but　in　vain；　to

lure　me　down　from　my　cool　and　airy　retreat　to　witness　them。　At　length；

on　the　eve　of　the　eventful　day　I　yielded　to　his　solicitations　and

descended　from　the　regal　halls　of　the　Alhambra　under　his　escort；　as

did　of　yore　the　adventure…seeking　Haroun　Alraschid；　under　that　of

his　Grand　Vizier　Giaffar。　Though　it　was　yet　scarce　sunset；　the　city

gates　were　already　thronged　with　the　picturesque　villagers　of　the

mountains；　and　the　brown　peasantry　of　the　Vega。　Granada　has　ever

been　the　rallying　place　of　a　great　mountainous　region；　studded　with

towns　and　villages。　Hither；　during　the　Moorish　domination；　the

chivalry　of　this　region　repaired；　to　join　in　the　splendid　and

semi…warlike　fetes　of　the　Vivarrambla；　and　hither　the　elite　of　its

population　still　resort　to　join　in　the　pompous　ceremonials　of　the

church。　Indeed；　many　of　the　mountaineers　from　the　Alpuxarras　and　the

Sierra　de　Ronda；　who　now　bow　to　the　cross　as　zealous　Catholics；　bear

the　stamp　of　their　Moorish　origin；　and　are　indubitable　descendants

of　the　fickle　subjects　of　Boabdil。

　　Under　the　guidance　of　Mateo；　I　made　my　way　through　streets　already

teeming　with　a　holiday　population；　to　the　square　of　the　Vivarrambla；

that　great　place　for　tilts　and　tourneys；　so　often　sung　in　the

Moorish　ballads　of　love　and　chivalry。　A　gallery　or　arcade　of　wood

had　been　erected　along　the　sides　of　the　square；　for　the　grand

religious　procession　of　the　following　day。　This　was　brilliantly

illuminated　for　the　evening　as　a　promenade；　and　bands　of　music　were

stationed　on　balconies　on　each　of　the　four　facades　of　the　square。

All　the　fashion　and　beauty　of　Granada；　all　of　its　population　of　either

sex　that　had　good　looks　or　fine　clothes　to　display；　thronged　this

arcade；　promenading　round　and　round　the　Vivarrambla。　Here；　too；　were

the　majos　and　majas；　the　rural　beaux　and　belles；　with　fine　forms；

flashing　eyes；　and　gay　Andalusian　costumes；　some　of　them　from　Ronda

itself；　that　strong…hold　of　the　mountains；　famous　for　contrabandistas；

bull…fighters；　and　beautiful　women。

　　While　this　gay　but　motley　throng　kept　up　a　constant　circulation　in

the　gallery；　the　centre　of　the　square　was　occupied　by　the　peasantry

from　the　surrounding　country；　who　made　no　pretensions　to　display；

but　came　for　simple；　hearty　enjoyment。　The　whole　square　was　covered

with　them；　forming　separate　groups　of　families　and　neighborhoods；　like

gipsy　encampments；　some　were　listening　to　the　traditional　ballad

drawled　out　to　the　tinkling　of　the　guitar；　some　were　engaged　in　gay

conversation；　some　were　dancing　to　the　click　of　the　castanet。　As　I

threaded　my　way　through　this　teeming　region　with　Mateo　at　my　heels；

I　passed　occasionally　some　rustic　party；　seated　on　the　ground；

making　a　merry　though　frugal　repast。　If　they　caught　my　eye　as　I

loitered　by；　they　almost　invariably　invited　me　to　partake　of　their

simple　fare。　This　hospitable　usage；　inherited　from　their　Moslem

invaders；　and　originating　in　the　tent　of　the　Arab；　is　universal

throughout　the　land；　and　observed　by　the　poorest　Spaniard。

　　As　the　night　advanced；　the　gayety　gradually　died　away　in　the

arcades；　the　bands　of　music　ceased　to　play；　and　the　brilliant　crowd

dispersed　to　their　homes。　The　centre　of　the　square　still　remained　well

peopled；　and　Mateo　assured　me　that　the　greater　part　of　the

peasantry；　men；　women；　and　children；　would　pass　the　night　there；

sleeping　on　the　bare　earth　beneath　the　open　canopy　of　heaven。

Indeed；　a　summer　night　requires　no　shelter　in　this　favored　climate；

and　a　bed　is　a　superfluity；　which　many　of　the　hardy　peasantry　of　Spain

never　enjoy；　and　which　some　of　them　affect　to　despise。　The　common

Spaniard　wraps　himself　in　his　brown　cloak；　stretches　himself　on　his

manta　or　mule…cloth；　and　sleeps　soundly；　luxuriously　accommodated　if

he　can　have　a　saddle　for　a　pillow。　In　a　little　while　the　words　of

Mateo　were　made　good；　the　peasant　multitude　nestled　down　on　the　ground

to　their　night's　repose；　and　by　midnight；　the　scene　on　the　Vivarrambla

resembled　the　bivouac　of　an　army。

　　The　next　morning；　accompanied　by　Mateo；　I　revisited　the　square　at

sunrise。　It　was　still　strewed　with　groups　of　sleepers：　some　were

reposing　from　the　dance　and　revel　of　the　evening；　others；　who　had　left

their　villages　after　work　on　the　preceding　day；　having　trudged　on　foot

the　greater　part　of　the　night；　were　taking　a　sound　sleep　to　freshen

themselves　for　the　festivities　of　the　day。　Numbers　from　the　mountains；

and　the　remote　villages　of　the　plain；　who　had　set　out　in　the　night；

continued　to　arrive　with　their　wives　and　children。　All　were　in　high

spirits；　greeting　each　other　and　exchanging　jokes　and　pleasantries。

The　gay　tumult　thickened　as　the　day　advanced。　Now　came　pouring　in　at

the　city　gates；　and　parading　through　the　streets；　the　deputations　from

the　various　villages；　destined　to　swell　the　grand　procession。　These

village　deputations　were　headed　by　their　priests；　bearing　their

respective　crosses　and　banners；　and　images　of　the　blessed　Virgin　and

of　patron　saints；　all　which　were　matters　of　great　rivalship　and

jealousy　among　the　peasantry。　It　was　like　the　chivalrous　gatherings　of

ancient　days；　when　each　town　and　village　sent　its　chiefs；　and

warriors；　and　standards；　to　defend　the　capital；　or　grace　its

festivities。

　　At　length　all　these　various　detachments　congregated　into　one　grand

pageant；　which　slowly　paraded　round　the　Vivarrambla；　and　through　the

principal　streets；　where　every　window　and　balcony　was　hung　with

tapestry。　In　this　procession　were　all　the　religious　orders；　the

civil　and　military　authorities；　and　the　chief　people　of　the　parishes

and　villages：　every　church　and　convent　had　contributed　its　banners；

its　images；　its　relics；　and　poured　forth　its　wealth　for　the

occasion。　In　the　centre　of　the　procession　walked　the　archbishop；　under

a　damask　canopy；　and　surrounded　by　inferior　dignitaries　and　their

dependants。　The　whole　moved　to　the　swell　and　cadence　of　numerous　bands

of　music；　and；　passing　through　the　midst　of　a　countless　yet　silent

multitude；　proceeded　onward　to　the　cathedral。

　　I　could　not　but　be　struck　with　the　changes　of　times　and　customs；

as　I　saw　this　monkish　pageant　passing　through　the　Vivarrambla；　the

ancient　seat　of　Mosl