part05-第7章

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three　whole　days　buried　in　study。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he

appeared　again　before　the　treasurer。　〃One　thing　more　is　necessary；〃

said　he；　〃one　trifling　solace　for　the　intervals　of　mental　labor。〃

　　〃O　wise　Ibrahim；　I　am　bound　to　furnish　every　thing　necessary　for　thy

solitude；　what　more　dost　thou　require？〃

　　〃I　would　fain　have　a　few　dancing　women。〃

　　〃Dancing　women！〃　echoed　the　treasurer；　with　surprise。

　　〃Dancing　women；〃　replied　the　sage；　gravely；　〃and　let　them　be　young

and　fair　to　look　upon；　for　the　sight　of　youth　and　beauty　is

refreshing。　A　few　will　suffice；　for　I　am　a　philosopher　of　simple

habits　and　easily　satisfied。〃

　　While　the　philosophic　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub　passed　his　time　thus

sagely　in　his　hermitage；　the　pacific　Aben　Habuz　carried　on　furious

campaigns　in　effigy　in　his　tower。　It　was　a　glorious　thing　for　an　old

man；　like　himself；　of　quiet　habits；　to　have　war　made　easy；　and　to　be

enabled　to　amuse　himself　in　his　chamber　by　brushing　away　whole

armies　like　so　many　swarms　of　flies。

　　For　a　time　he　rioted　in　the　indulgence　of　his　humors；　and　even

taunted　and　insulted　his　neighbors；　to　induce　them　to　make　incursions；

but　by　degrees　they　grew　wary　from　repeated　disasters；　until　no　one

ventured　to　invade　his　territories。　For　many　months　the　bronze

horseman　remained　on　the　peace　establishment　with　his　lance　elevated

in　the　air；　and　the　worthy　old　monarch　began　to　repine　at　the　want

of　his　accustomed　sport；　and　to　grow　peevish　at　his　monotonous

tranquillity。

　　At　length；　one　day；　the　talismanic　horseman　veered　suddenly　round；

and　lowering　his　lance；　made　a　dead　point　towards　the　mountains　of

Guadix。　Aben　Habuz　hastened　to　his　tower；　but　the　magic　table　in

that　direction　remained　quiet；　not　a　single　warrior　was　in　motion。

Perplexed　at　the　circumstance；　he　sent　forth　a　troop　of　horse　to　scour

the　mountains　and　reconnoitre。　They　returned　after　three　days'

absence。

　　〃We　have　searched　every　mountain　pass；〃　said　they；　〃but　not　a　helm

nor　spear　was　stirring。　All　that　we　have　found　in　the　course　of　our

foray；　was　a　Christian　damsel　of　surpassing　beauty；　sleeping　at

noontide　beside　a　fountain；　whom　we　have　brought　away　captive。〃

　　〃A　damsel　of　surpassing　beauty！〃　exclaimed　Aben　Habuz；　his　eyes

gleaming　with　animation；　〃let　her　be　conducted　into　my　presence。〃

　　The　beautiful　damsel　was　accordingly　conducted　into　his　presence。

She　was　arrayed　with　all　the　luxury　of　ornament　that　had　prevailed

among　the　Gothic　Spaniards　at　the　time　of　the　Arabian　conquest。　Pearls

of　dazzling　whiteness　were　entwined　with　her　raven　tresses；　and　jewels

sparkled　on　her　forehead；　rivalling　the　lustre　of　her　eyes。　Around　her

neck　was　a　golden　chain；　to　which　was　suspended　a　silver　lyre；　which

hung　by　her　side。

　　The　flashes　of　her　dark　refulgent　eye　were　like　sparks　of　fire　on

the　withered；　yet　combustible；　heart　of　Aben　Habuz；　the　swimming

voluptuousness　of　her　gait　made　his　senses　reel。　〃Fairest　of　women；〃

cried　he；　with　rapture；　〃who　and　what　art　thou？〃

　　〃The　daughter　of　one　of　the　Gothic　princes；　who　but　lately　ruled

over　this　land。　The　armies　of　my　father　have　been　destroyed；　as　if

by　magic；　among　these　mountains；　he　has　been　driven　into　exile；　and

his　daughter　is　a　captive。〃

　　〃Beware；　O　king！〃　whispered　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub；　〃this　may　be　one

of　these　northern　sorceresses　of　whom　we　have　heard；　who　assume　the

most　seductive　forms　to　beguile　the　unwary。　Methinks　I　read　witchcraft

in　her　eye；　and　sorcery　in　every　movement。　Doubtless　this　is　the　enemy

pointed　out　by　the　talisman。〃

　　〃Son　of　Abu　Ayub；〃　replied　the　king；　〃thou　art　a　wise　man；　I

grant；　a　conjuror　for　aught　I　know；　but　thou　art　little　versed　in

the　ways　of　woman。　In　that　knowledge　will　I　yield　to　no　man；　no；　not

to　the　wise　Solomon　himself；　notwithstanding　the　number　of　his　wives

and　concubines。　As　to　this　damsel；　I　see　no　harm　in　her；　she　is　fair

to　look　upon；　and　finds　favor　in　my　eyes。〃

　　〃Hearken；　O　king！〃　replied　the　astrologer。　〃I　have　given　thee　many

victories　by　means　of　my　talisman；　but　have　never　shared　any　of　the

spoil。　Give　me　then　this　stray　captive；　to　solace　me　in　my　solitude

with　her　silver　lyre。　If　she　be　indeed　a　sorceress；　I　have　counter

spells　that　set　her　charms　at　defiance。〃

　　〃What！　more　women！〃　cried　Aben　Habuz。　〃Hast　thou　not　already　dancing

women　enough　to　solace　thee？〃

　　〃Dancing　women　have　I；　it　is　true；　but　no　singing　women。　I　would

fain　have　a　little　minstrelsy　to　refresh　my　mind　when　weary　with　the

toils　of　study。〃

　　〃A　truce　with　thy　hermit　cravings；〃　said　the　king；　impatiently。

〃This　damsel　have　I　marked　for　my　own。　I　see　much　comfort　in　her；　even

such　comfort　as　David；　the　father　of　Solomon　the　wise；　found　in　the

society　of　Abishag　the　Shunammite。〃

　　Further　solicitations　and　remonstrances　of　the　astrologer　only

provoked　a　more　peremptory　reply　from　the　monarch；　and　they　parted

in　high　displeasure。　The　sage　shut　himself　up　in　his　hermitage　to

brood　over　his　disappointment；　ere　he　departed；　however；　he　gave　the

king　one　more　warning　to　beware　of　his　dangerous　captive。　But　where　is

the　old　man　in　love　that　will　listen　to　council？　Aben　Habuz　resigned

himself　to　the　full　sway　of　his　passion。　His　only　study　was　how　to

render　himself　amiable　in　the　eyes　of　the　Gothic　beauty。　He　had　not

youth　to　recommend　him；　it　is　true；　but　then　he　had　riches；　and　when　a

lover　is　old；　he　is　generally　generous。　The　Zacatin　of　Granada　was

ransacked　for　the　most　precious　merchandise　of　the　East；　silks；

jewels；　precious　gems；　exquisite　perfumes；　all　that　Asia　and　Africa

yielded　of　rich　and　rare；　were　lavished　upon　the　princess。　All　kinds

of　spectacles　and　festivities　were　devised　for　her　entertainment；

minstrelsy；　dancing；　tournaments；　bull…fights…　Granada　for　a　time

was　a　scene　of　perpetual　pageant。

　　The　Gothic　princess　regarded　all　this　splendor　with　the　air　of　one

accustomed　to　magnificence。　She　received　every　thing　as　a　homage　due

to　her　rank；　or　rather　to　her　beauty；　for　beauty　is　more　lofty　in

its　exactions　even　than　rank。　Nay；　she　seemed　to　take　a　secret

pleasure　in　exciting　the　monarch　to　expenses　that　made　his　treasury

shrink；　and　then　treating　his　extravagant　generosity　as　a　mere

matter　of　course。　With　all　his　assiduity　and　munificence；　also；　the

venerable　lover　could　not　flatter　himself　that　he　had　made　any

impression　on　her　heart。　She　never　frowned　on　him；　it　is　true；　but

then　she　never　smiled。　Whenever　he　began　to　plead　his　passion；　she

struck　her　silver　lyre。　There　was　a　mystic　charm　in　the　sound。　In　an

instant　the　monarch　began　to　nod；　a　drowsiness　stole　over　him；　and

he　gradually　sank　into　a　sleep；　from　which　he　awoke　wonderfully

refreshed；　but　perfectly　cooled　for　the　time　of　his　passion。　This

was　very　baffling　to　his　suit；　but　then　these　slumbers　were

accompanied　by　agreeable　dreams；　which　completely　inthralled　the

senses　of　the　drowsy　lover；　so　he　continued　to　dream　on；　while　all

Granada　scoffed　at　his　infatuation；　and　groaned　at　the　treasures

lavished　for　a　song。

　　At　length　a　danger　burst　on　the　head　of　Aben　Habuz；　against　which

his　talisman　yielded　him　no　warning。　An　insurrection　broke　out　in

his　very　capital：　his　palace　was　surrounded　by　an　armed　rabble；　who

menaced　his　life　and　the　life　of　his　Christian　paramour。　A　spark　of

his　ancient　warlike　spirit　was　awakened　in　the　breast　of　the

monarch。　At　the　head　of　a　handful　of　his　guards　he　sallied　forth；

put　the　rebels　to　flight；　and　crushed　the　insurrection　in　the　bud。

　　When　quiet　was　again　restored；　he　sought　the　astrologer；　who　still

remained　shut　up　in　his　hermitage；　chewing　the　bitter　cud　of

resentment。

　　Aben　Habuz　approached　him　with　a　conciliatory　tone。　〃O　wise　son　of

Abu　Ayub；〃　said　he；　〃well　didst　thou　predict　dangers　to　me　from　this

captive　beauty：　tell　me　then；　thou　who　art　so　quick　at　foreseeing

peril；　what　I　should　do　to　avert　it。〃

　　〃Put　from　thee　the　infidel　damsel　who　is　the　cause。〃

　　〃Sooner　would　I　part　with　my　kingdom；〃　cried　Ab