part05-第7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！



　　So　saying　he　seized　the　bridle　of　the　palfrey；　smote　the　earth

with　his　staff；　and　sank　with　the　Gothic　princess　through　the　centre

of　the　barbican。　The　earth　closed　over　them；　and　no　trace　remained

of　the　opening　by　which　they　had　descended。

　　Aben　Habuz　was　struck　dumb　for　a　time　with　astonishment。

Recovering　himself；　he　ordered　a　thousand　workmen　to　dig；　with　pickaxe

and　spade；　into　the　ground　where　the　astrologer　had　disappeared。

They　digged　and　digged；　but　in　vain；　the　flinty　bosom　of　the　hill

resisted　their　implements；　or　if　they　did　penetrate　a　little　way；

the　earth　filled　in　again　as　fast　as　they　threw　it　out。　Aben　Habuz

sought　the　mouth　of　the　cavern　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　leading　to　the

subterranean　palace　of　the　astrologer；　but　it　was　nowhere　to　be　found。

Where　once　had　been　an　entrance；　was　now　a　solid　surface　of　primeval

rock。　With　the　disappearance　of　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub　ceased　the

benefit　of　his　talismans。　The　bronze　horseman　remained　fixed；　with　his

face　turned　toward　the　hill；　and　his　spear　pointed　to　the　spot　where

the　astrologer　had　descended；　as　if　there　still　lurked　the　deadliest

foe　of　Aben　Habuz。

　　From　time　to　time　the　sound　of　music；　and　the　tones　of　a　female

voice；　could　be　faintly　heard　from　the　bosom　of　the　hill；　and　a

peasant　one　day　brought　word　to　the　king；　that　in　the　preceding

night　he　had　found　a　fissure　in　the　rock；　by　which　he　had　crept　in；

until　he　looked　down　into　a　subterranean　hall；　in　which　sat　the

astrologer；　on　a　magnificent　divan；　slumbering　and　nodding　to　the

silver　lyre　of　the　princess；　which　seemed　to　hold　a　magic　sway　over

his　senses。

　　Aben　Habuz　sought　the　fissure　in　the　rock；　but　it　was　again

closed。　He　renewed　the　attempt　to　unearth　his　rival；　but　all　in

vain。　The　spell　of　the　hand　and　key　was　too　potent　to　be

counteracted　by　human　power。　As　to　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　the

site　of　the　promised　palace　and　garden；　it　remained　a　naked　waste；

either　the　boasted　elysium　was　hidden　from　sight　by　enchantment；　or

was　a　mere　fable　of　the　astrologer。　The　world　charitably　supposed

the　latter；　and　some　used　to　call　the　place　〃The　King's　Folly；〃

while　others　named　it　〃The　Fool's　Paradise。〃

　　To　add　to　the　chagrin　of　Aben　Habuz；　the　neighbors　whom　he　had

defied　and　taunted；　and　cut　up　at　his　leisure　while　master　of　the

talismanic　horseman；　finding　him　no　longer　protected　by　magic　spell；

made　inroads　into　his　territories　from　all　sides；　and　the　remainder　of

the　life　of　the　most　pacific　of　monarchs　was　a　tissue　of　turmoils。

　　At　length　Aben　Habuz　died；　and　was　buried。　Ages　have　since　rolled

away。　The　Alhambra　has　been　built　on　the　eventful　mountain；　and　in

some　measure　realizes　the　fabled　delights　of　the　garden　of　Irem。　The

spell…bound　gateway　still　exists　entire；　protected　no　doubt　by　the

mystic　hand　and　key；　and　now　forms　the　Gate　of　Justice；　the　grand

entrance　to　the　fortress。　Under　that　gateway；　it　is　said；　the　old

astrologer　remains　in　his　subterranean　hall；　nodding　on　his　divan；

lulled　by　the　silver　lyre　of　the　princess。

　　The　old　invalid　sentinels　who　mount　guard　at　the　gate　hear　the

strains　occasionally　in　the　summer　nights；　and；　yielding　to　their

soporific　power；　doze　quietly　at　their　posts。　Nay；　so　drowsy　an

influence　pervades　the　place；　that　even　those　who　watch　by　day　may

generally　be　seen　nodding　on　the　stone　benches　of　the　barbican；　or

sleeping　under　the　neighboring　trees；　so　that　in　fact　it　is　the

drowsiest　military　post　in　all　Christendom。　All　this；　say　the

ancient　legends；　will　endure　from　age　to　age。　The　princess　will　remain

captive　to　the　astrologer；　and　the　astrologer；　bound　up　in　magic

slumber　by　the　princess；　until　the　last　day；　unless　the　mystic　hand

shall　grasp　the　fated　key；　and　dispel　the　whole　charm　of　this

enchanted　mountain。