part07-第4章

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〃he　had　nothing　but　a　small　box　of　sandalwood　which　he　bequeathed　to

me　in　reward　for　my　services。〃

　　〃A　box　of　sandalwood！　a　box　of　sandalwood！〃　exclaimed　the　alcalde；

his　eyes　sparkling　at　the　idea　of　precious　jewels。　〃And　where　is

this　box？　where　have　you　concealed　it？〃

　　〃An'　it　please　your　grace；〃　replied　the　water…carrier；　〃it　is　in　one

of　the　panniers　of　my　mule；　and　heartily　at　the　service　of　your

worship。〃

　　He　had　hardly　spoken　the　words；　when　the　keen　alguazil　darted　off；

and　reappeared　in　an　instant　with　the　mysterious　box　of　sandalwood。

The　alcalde　opened　it　with　an　eager　and　trembling　hand；　all　pressed

forward　to　gaze　upon　the　treasure　it　was　expected　to　contain；　when；　to

their　disappointment；　nothing　appeared　within；　but　a　parchment　scroll；

covered　with　Arabic　characters；　and　an　end　of　a　waxen　taper。

　　When　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　the　conviction　of　a

prisoner；　justice；　even　in　Spain；　is　apt　to　be　impartial。　The　alcalde；

having　recovered　from　his　disappointment；　and　found　that　there　was

really　no　booty　in　the　case；　now　listened　dispassionately　to　the

explanation　of　the　water…carrier；　which　was　corroborated　by　the

testimony　of　his　wife。　Being　convinced；　therefore；　of　his　innocence；

he　discharged　him　from　arrest；　nay　more；　he　permitted　him　to　carry　off

the　Moor's　legacy；　the　box　of　sandalwood　and　its　contents；　as　the

well…merited　reward　of　his　humanity；　but　he　retained　his　donkey　in

payment　of　costs　and　charges。

　　Behold　the　unfortunate　little　Gallego　reduced　once　more　to　the

necessity　of　being　his　own　water…carrier；　and　trudging　up　to　the

well　of　the　Alhambra　with　a　great　earthen　jar　upon　his　shoulder。

　　As　he　toiled　up　the　hill　in　the　heat　of　a　summer　noon；　his　usual

good　humor　forsook　him。　〃Dog　of　an　alcalde！〃　would　he　cry；　〃to　rob　a

poor　man　of　the　means　of　his　subsistence；　of　the　best　friend　he　had　in

the　world！〃　And　then　at　the　remembrance　of　the　beloved　companion　of

his　labors；　all　the　kindness　of　his　nature　would　break　forth。　〃Ah；

donkey　of　my　heart！〃　would　he　exclaim；　resting　his　burden　on　a

stone；　and　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　brow…　〃Ah；　donkey　of　my　heart！

I　warrant　me　thou　thinkest　of　thy　old　master！　I　warrant　me　thou

missest　the　water…jars…　poor　beast。〃

　　To　add　to　his　afflictions；　his　wife　received　him；　on　his　return

home；　with　whimperings　and　repinings；　she　had　clearly　the

vantage…ground　of　him；　having　warned　him　not　to　commit　the　egregious

act　of　hospitality　which　had　brought　on　him　all　these　misfortunes；

and；　like　a　knowing　woman；　she　took　every　occasion　to　throw　her

superior　sagacity　in　his　teeth。　If　her　children　lacked　food；　or　needed

a　new　garment；　she　could　answer　with　a　sneer…　〃Go　to　your　father…　he

is　heir　to　King　Chico　of　the　Alhambra：　ask　him　to　help　you　out　of

the　Moor's　strongbox。〃

　　Was　ever　poor　mortal　so　soundly　punished　for　having　done　a　good

action？　The　unlucky　Peregil　was　grieved　in　flesh　and　spirit；　but　still

he　bore　meekly　with　the　railings　of　his　spouse。　At　length；　one

evening；　when；　after　a　hot　day's　toil；　she　taunted　him　in　the　usual

manner；　he　lost　all　patience。　He　did　not　venture　to　retort　upon　her；

but　his　eye　rested　upon　the　box　of　sandalwood；　which　lay　on　a　shelf

with　lid　half　open；　as　if　laughing　in　mockery　at　his　vexation。　Seizing

it　up；　he　dashed　it　with　indignation　to　the　floor：　〃Unlucky　was　the

day　that　I　ever　set　eyes　on　thee；〃　he　cried；　〃or　sheltered　thy

master　beneath　my　roof！〃

　　As　the　box　struck　the　floor；　the　lid　flew　wide　open；　and　the

parchment　scroll　rolled　forth。

　　Peregil　sat　regarding　the　scroll　for　some　time　in　moody　silence。

At　length　rallying　his　ideas：　〃Who　knows；〃　thought　he；　〃but　this

writing　may　be　of　some　importance；　as　the　Moor　seems　to　have　guarded

it　with　such　care？〃　Picking　it　up　therefore；　he　put　it　in　his　bosom；

and　the　next　morning；　as　he　was　crying　water　through　the　streets；　he

stopped　at　the　shop　of　a　Moor；　a　native　of　Tangiers；　who　sold　trinkets

and　perfumery　in　the　Zacatin；　and　asked　him　to　explain　the　contents。

　　The　Moor　read　the　scroll　attentively；　then　stroked　his　beard　and

smiled。　〃This　manuscript；〃　said　he；　〃is　a　form　of　incantation　for

the　recovery　of　hidden　treasure；　that　is　under　the　power　of

enchantment。　It　is　said　to　have　such　virtue；　that　the　strongest

bolts　and　bars；　nay　the　adamantine　rock　itself；　will　yield　before　it！〃

　　〃Bah！〃　cried　the　little　Gallego；　〃what　is　all　that　to　me？　I　am　no

enchanter；　and　know　nothing　of　buried　treasure。〃　So　saying；　he

shouldered　his　water…jar；　left　the　scroll　in　the　hands　of　the　Moor；

and　trudged　forward　on　his　daily　rounds。

　　That　evening；　however；　as　he　rested　himself　about　twilight　at　the

well　of　the　Alhambra；　he　found　a　number　of　gossips　assembled　at　the

place；　and　their　conversation；　as　is　not　unusual　at　that　shadowy　hour；

turned　upon　old　tales　and　traditions　of　a　supernatural　nature。　Being

all　poor　as　rats；　they　dwelt　with　peculiar　fondness　upon　the　popular

theme　of　enchanted　riches　left　by　the　Moors　in　various　parts　of　the

Alhambra。　Above　all；　they　concurred　in　the　belief　that　there　were

great　treasures　buried　deep　in　the　earth　under　the　Tower　of　the

Seven　Floors。

　　These　stories　made　an　unusual　impression　on　the　mind　of　the　honest

Peregil；　and　they　sank　deeper　and　deeper　into　his　thoughts　as　he

returned　alone　down　the　darkling　avenues。　〃If；　after　all；　there　should

be　treasure　hid　beneath　that　tower：　and　if　the　scroll　I　left　with

the　Moor　should　enable　me　to　get　at　it！〃　In　the　sudden　ecstasy　of

the　thought　he　had　well　nigh　let　fall　his　water…jar。

　　That　night　he　tumbled　and　tossed；　and　could　scarcely　get　a　wink　of

sleep　for　the　thoughts　that　were　bewildering　his　brain。　Bright　and

early；　he　repaired　to　the　shop　of　the　Moor；　and　told　him　all　that

was　passing　in　his　mind。　〃You　can　read　Arabic；〃　said　he；　〃suppose　we

go　together　to　the　tower；　and　try　the　effect　of　the　charm；　if　it　fails

we　are　no　worse　off　than　before；　but　if　it　succeeds；　we　will　share

equally　all　the　treasure　we　may　discover。〃

　　〃Hold；〃　replied　the　Moslem；　〃this　writing　is　not　sufficient　of

itself；　it　must　be　read　at　midnight；　by　the　light　of　a　taper

singularly　compounded　and　prepared；　the　ingredients　of　which　are　not

within　my　reach。　Without　such　a　taper　the　scroll　is　of　no　avail。〃

　　〃Say　no　more！〃　cried　the　little　Gallego；　〃I　have　such　a　taper　at

hand；　and　will　bring　it　here　in　a　moment。〃　So　saying　he　hastened　home；

and　soon　returned　with　the　end　of　yellow　wax　taper　that　he　had　found

in　the　box　of　sandalwood。

　　The　Moor　felt　it　and　smelt　of　it。　〃Here　are　rare　and　costly

perfumes；〃　said　he；　〃Combined　with　this　yellow　wax。　This　is　the　kind

of　taper　specified　in　the　scroll。　While　this　burns；　the　strongest

walls　and　most　secret　caverns　will　remain　open。　Woe　to　him；　however；

who　lingers　within　until　it　be　extinguished。　He　will　remain

enchanted　with　the　treasure。〃

　　It　was　now　agreed　between　them　to　try　the　charm　that　very　night。

At　a　late　hour；　therefore；　when　nothing　was　stirring　but　bats　and

owls；　they　ascended　the　woody　hill　of　the　Alhambra；　and　approached

that　awful　tower；　shrouded　by　trees　and　rendered　formidable　by　so　many

traditionary　tales。　By　the　light　of　a　lantern；　they　groped　their　way

through　bushes；　and　over　fallen　stones；　to　the　door　of　a　vault　beneath

the　tower。　With　fear　and　trembling　they　descended　a　flight　of　steps

cut　into　the　rock。　It　led　to　an　empty　chamber　damp　and　drear；　from

which　another　flight　of　steps　led　to　a　deeper　vault。　In　this　way

they　descended　four　several　flights；　leading　into　as　many　vaults　one

below　the　other；　but　the　floor　of　the　fourth　was　solid；　and　though；

according　to　tradition；　there　remained　three　vaults　still　below；　it

was　said　to　be　impossible　to　penetrate　further；　the　residue　being　shut

up　by　strong　enchantment。　The　air　of　this　vault　was　damp　and　chilly；

and　had　an　earthy　smell；　and　the　light　scarce　cast　forth　any　rays。

They　paused　here　for　a　time　in　breathless　suspense　until　they

faintly　heard　the　clock　of　the　watchtower　strike　midnight；　upon　this

they　lit　the　waxen　taper；　which　diffused　an　odor　of　myrrh　and

frankincense　and　storax。

　　The　Moor　began　to　read　in　a　hurried　voice。　He　had　scarce　finished

when　there　was　a　noise　as　of　subterraneous　thunder。　The　earth　shook；

and　the　floor；　yawning　open；　disclosed　a　flight　of　steps。　Trembling

with　awe　they　descended；　and　by　the　light　of　the　lantern　found

themselves　in　another　vault；　covered　with　Arabic　inscriptions。　In

the　centre　stood　a　great　chest；　secured　with　seven　bands　of　steel；

at　each　end　of　which　sat　an　enchanted　Moor　in　armor；　but　motionless　as

a　statue；　being　controlled　by　the　power　of　the　incantation。　Before　the

chest　were　several　jars　filled　with　gold　and　silver　and　precious

stones。　In　the　largest　of　these　they　thrust　their　arms　up　to　the

elbow；　and　at　every　dip　hauled　forth　handfuls　of　broad　yellow　pieces

of　Moorish　gold；　or　bracelets　and　ornaments　of　the　same　precious

metal；　while　occasionally　a　necklace　of　oriental　pearl　would　stick

to　their　fingers。　Still　they　trembled　and　breathed　short　while

cramming　their　pockets　with　the　spoils；　and　cast　many　a　fearful　glance

at　the　two　enchanted　Moors；　who　sat　grim　and　motionless；　glaring

upon　them　with　unwinking　eyes。　At　length；　struck　with　a　sudden　panic

at　some　fancied　noise；　they　both　rushed　up　the　staircase；　tumbled　over

one　another　into　the　upper　apartment；　overturned　and　extinguished

the　waxen　taper；　and　the　pavement　again　closed　with　a　thundering

sound。

　　Filled　with　dismay；　they　did　not　pause　until　they　had　groped　their

way　out　of　the　tower；　and　beheld　the　stars　shining　through　the

trees。　Then　seating　themselves　upon　the　grass；　they　divided　the　spoil；

determining　to　content　themselves　for　the　present　with　this　mere

skimming　of　the　jars；　but　to　return　on　some　future　night　and　drain

them　to　the　bottom。　To　make　sure　of　each　other's　good　faith；　also；

they　divided　the　talismans　between　them；　one　retaining　the　scroll

and　the　other　the　taper；　this　done；　they　set　off　with　light　hearts　and

well…lined　pockets　for　Granada。

　　As　they　wended　their　way　down　the　hill；　the　shrewd　Moor　whispered

a　word　of　counsel　in　the　ear　of　the　simple　little　water…carrier。

　　〃Friend　Peregil；〃　said　he；　〃all　this　affair　must　be　kept　a

profound　secret　until　we　have　secured　the　treasure；　and　conveyed　it

out　of　harm's　way。　If　a　whisper　of　it　gets　to　the　ear　of　the

alcalde；　we　are　undone！〃

　　〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　Gallego；　〃nothing　can　be　more　true。〃

　　〃Friend　Peregil；〃　said　the　Moor；　〃you　are　a　discreet　man；　and　I　make

no　doubt　can　keep　a　secret：　but　you　have　a　wife。〃

　　〃She　shall　not　know　a　word　of　it；〃　replied　the　little　water…carrier；

sturdily。

　　〃Enough；〃　said　the　Moor；　〃I　depend　upon　thy　discretion　and　thy

promise。〃

　　Never　was　promise　more　positive　and　sincere；　but；　alas！　what　man　can

keep　a　secret　from　his　wife？　Certainly　not　such　a　one　as　Peregil　the

water…carrier；　who　was　one　of　the　most　loving　and