part05-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

ancient　seat　of　Moslem　pomp　and　chivalry。　The　contrast　was　indeed

forced　upon　the　mind　by　the　decorations　of　the　square。　The　whole　front

of　the　wooden　gallery　erected　for　the　procession；　extending　several

hundred　feet；　was　faced　with　canvas；　on　which　some　humble　though

patriotic　artist　had　painted；　by　contract；　a　series　of　the　principal

scenes　and　exploits　of　the　Conquest；　as　recorded　in　chronicle　and

romance。　It　is　thus　the　romantic　legends　of　Granada　mingle

themselves　with　every　thing；　and　are　kept　fresh　in　the　public　mind。

　　As　we　wended　our　way　back　to　the　Alhambra；　Mateo　was　in　high　glee

and　garrulous　vein。　〃Ah；　senor；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃there　is　no　place　in

all　the　world　like　Granada　for　grand　ceremonies　（funciones　grandes）；　a

man　need　spend　nothing　on　pleasure　here；　it　is　all　furnished　him

gratis。　Pero；　el　dia　de　la　Toma！　ah；　senor！　el　dia　de　la　Toma！〃　〃But

the　day　of　the　Taking！　ah；　senor；　the　day　of　the　Taking〃…　that　was　the

great　day　which　crowned　Mateo's　notions　of　perfect　felicity。　The　Dia

de　la　Toma；　I　found；　was　the　anniversary　of　the　capture　or　taking

possession　of　Granada；　by　the　army　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella。

　　On　that　day；　according　to　Mateo；　the　whole　city　is　abandoned　to

revelry。　The　great　alarm　bell　on　the　watchtower　of　the　Alhambra　（la

Torre　de　la　vela）；　sends　forth　its　clanging　peals　from　morn　till

night；　the　sound　pervades　the　whole　Vega；　and　echoes　along　the

mountains；　summoning　the　peasantry　from　far　and　near　to　the

festivities　of　the　metropolis。　〃Happy　the　damsel；〃　says　Mateo；　〃who

can　get　a　chance　to　ring　that　bell；　it　is　a　charm　to　insure　a

husband　within　the　year。〃

　　Throughout　the　day　the　Alhambra　is　thrown　open　to　the　public。　Its

halls　and　courts；　where　the　Moorish　monarchs　once　held　sway；　resound

with　the　guitar　and　castanet；　and　gay　groups；　in　the　fanciful

dresses　of　Andalusia；　perform　their　traditional　dances　inherited

from　the　Moors。

　　A　grand　procession；　emblematic　of　the　taking　possession　of　the　city；

moves　through　the　principal　streets。　The　banner　of　Ferdinand　and

Isabella；　that　previous　relic　of　the　Conquest；　is　brought　forth　from

its　depository；　and　borne　in　triumph　by　the　Alferez　mayor；　or　grand

standard…bearer。　The　portable　camp…altar；　carried　about　with　the

sovereigns　in　all　their　campaigns；　is　transported　into　the　chapel

royal　of　the　cathedral；　and　placed　before　their　sepulchre；　where　their

effigies　lie　in　monumental　marble。　High　mass　is　then　performed　in

memory　of　the　Conquest；　and　at　a　certain　part　of　the　ceremony　the

Alferez　mayor　puts　on　his　hat；　and　waves　the　standard　above　the　tomb

of　the　conquerors。

　　A　more　whimsical　memorial　of　the　Conquest　is　exhibited　in　the

evening　at　the　theatre。　A　popular　drama　is　performed；　entitled　AVE

MARIA；　turning　on　a　famous　achievement　of　Hernando　del　Pulgar；

surnamed　〃el　de　las　Hazanas〃　（he　of　the　exploits）；　a　madcap　warrior；

the　favorite　hero　of　the　populace　of　Granada。　During　the　time　of　the

siege；　the　young　Moorish　and　Spanish　cavaliers　vied　with　each　other　in

extravagant　bravadoes。　On　one　occasion　this　Hernando　del　Pulgar；　at

the　head　of　a　handful　of　followers；　made　a　dash　into　Granada　in　the

dead　of　the　night；　nailed　the　inscription　of　AVE　MARIA　with　his　dagger

to　the　gate　of　the　principal　mosque；　a　token　of　having　consecrated

it　to　the　Virgin；　and　effected　his　retreat　in　safety。

　　While　the　Moorish　cavaliers　admired　this　daring　exploit；　they　felt

bound　to　resent　it。　On　the　following　day；　therefore；　Tarfe；　one　of　the

stoutest　among　them；　paraded　in　front　of　the　Christian　army；

dragging　the　tablet　bearing　the　sacred　inscription　AVE　MARIA；　at　his

horse's　tail。　The　cause　of　the　Virgin　was　eagerly　vindicated　by

Garcilaso　de　la　Vega；　who　slew　the　Moor　in　single　combat；　and　elevated

the　tablet　in　devotion　and　triumph　at　the　end　of　his　lance。

　　The　drama　founded　on　this　exploit　is　prodigiously　popular　with　the

common　people。　Although　it　has　been　acted　time　out　of　mind；　it　never

fails　to　draw　crowds；　who　become　completely　lost　in　the　delusions　of

the　scene。　When　their　favorite　Pulgar　strides　about　with　many　a　mouthy

speech；　in　the　very　midst　of　the　Moorish　capital；　he　is　cheered　with

enthusiastic　bravos；　and　when　he　nails　the　tablet　to　the　door　of　the

mosque；　the　theatre　absolutely　shakes　with　the　thunders　of　applause。

On　the　other　hand；　the　unlucky　actors　who　figure　in　the　part　of　the

Moors；　have　to　bear　the　brunt　of　popular　indignation；　which　at　times

equals　that　of　the　Hero　of　La　Mancha；　at　the　puppet…show　of　Gines　de

Passamonte；　for；　when　the　infidel　Tarfe　plucks　down　the　tablet　to

tie　it　to　his　horse's　tail；　some　of　the　audience　rise　in　fury；　and　are

ready　to　jump　upon　the　stage　to　revenge　this　insult　to　the　Virgin。

　　By　the　way；　the　actual　lineal　descendant　of　Hernando　del　Pulgar

was　the　Marquis　de　Salar。　As　the　legitimate　representative　of　that

madcap　hero；　and　in　commemoration　and　reward　of　this　hero's　exploit；

above　mentioned；　he　inherited　the　right　to　enter　the　cathedral　on

certain　occasions；　on　horseback；　to　sit　within　the　choir；　and　to　put

on　his　hat　at　the　elevation　of　the　host；　though　these　privileges

were　often　and　obstinately　contested　by　the　clergy。　I　met　him

occasionally　in　society；　he　was　young；　of　agreeable　appearance　and

manners；　with　bright　black　eyes；　in　which　appeared　to　lurk　some　of　the

fire　of　his　ancestors。　Among　the　paintings　in　the　Vivarrambla；　on

the　fete　of　Corpus　Christi；　were　some　depicting；　in　vivid　style；　the

exploits　of　the　family　hero。　An　old　gray…headed　servant　of　the　Pulgars

shed　tears　on　beholding　them；　and　hurried　home　to　inform　the

marquis。　The　eager　zeal　and　enthusiasm　of　the　old　domestic　only

provoked　a　light　laugh　from　his　young　master；　whereupon；　turning　to

the　brother　of　the　marquis；　with　that　freedom　allowed　in　Spain　to

old　family　servants；　〃Come；　senor；〃　cried　he；　〃you　are　more

considerate　than　your　brother；　come　and　see　your　ancestor　in　all　his

glory！〃

　　In　emulation　of　this　great　Dia　de　la　Toma　of　Granada；　almost　every

village　and　petty　town　of　the　mountains　has　its　own　anniversary；

commemorating；　with　rustic　pomp　and　uncouth　ceremonial；　its

deliverance　from　the　Moorish　yoke。　On　these　occasions；　according　to

Mateo；　a　kind　of　resurrection　takes　place　of　ancient　armor　and

weapons；　great　two…handed　swords；　ponderous　arquebuses　with

matchlocks；　and　other　warlike　relics；　treasured　up　from　generation

to　generation；　since　the　time　of　the　Conquest；　and　happy　the　community

that　possesses　some　old　piece　of　ordnance；　peradventure　one　of　the

identical　lombards　used　by　the　conquerors；　it　is　kept　thundering　along

the　mountains　all　day　long；　provided　the　community　can　afford

sufficient　expenditure　of　powder。

　　In　the　course　of　the　day；　a　kind　of　warlike　drama　is　enacted。　Some

of　the　populace　parade　the　streets；　fitted　out　with　the　old　armor；

as　champions　of　the　faith。　Others　appear　dressed　up　as　Moorish

warriors。　A　tent　is　pitched　in　the　public　square；　inclosing　an　altar

with　an　image　of　the　Virgin。　The　Christian　warriors　approach　to

perform　their　devotions；　the　infidels　surround　the　tent　to　prevent

their　entrance；　a　mock　fight　ensues；　the　combatants　sometimes　forget

that　they　are　merely　playing　a　part；　and　dry　blows　of　grievous

weight　are　apt　to　be　exchanged。　The　contest；　however；　invariably

terminates　in　favor　of　the　good　cause。　The　Moors　are　defeated　and

taken　prisoners。　The　image　of　the　Virgin；　rescued　from　thraldom；　is

elevated　in　triumph；　a　grand　procession　succeeds；　in　which　the

conquerors　figure　with　great　applause　and　vainglory；　while　their

captives　are　led　in　chains；　to　the　evident　delight　and　edification

of　the　spectators。

　　These　celebrations　are　heavy　drains　on　the　treasuries　of　these　petty

communities；　and　have　sometimes　to　be　suspended　for　want　of　funds；

but；　when　times　grow　better；　or　sufficient　money　has　been　hoarded

for　the　purpose；　they　are　resumed　with　new　zeal　and　prodigalit