part02-第2章

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prophet。　〃He　that　hath　the　key　of　David；　he　that　openeth　and　no　man

shutteth；　and　shutteth　and　no　man　openeth。〃　（Rev。　iii。　7。）

　　A　different　explanation　of　these　emblems；　however；　was　given　by

the　legitimate　son　of　the　Alhambra；　and　one　more　in　unison　with　the

notions　of　the　common　people；　who　attach　something　of　mystery　and

magic　to　every　thing　Moorish；　and　have　all　kind　of　superstitions

connected　with　this　old　Moslem　fortress。　According　to　Mateo；　it　was

a　tradition　handed　down　from　the　oldest　inhabitants；　and　which　he

had　from　his　father　and　grandfather；　that　the　hand　and　key　were

magical　devices　on　which　the　fate　of　the　Alhambra　depended。　The

Moorish　king　who　built　it　was　a　great　magician；　or；　as　some

believed；　had　sold　himself　to　the　devil；　and　had　laid　the　whole

fortress　under　a　magic　spell。　By　this　means　it　had　remained　standing

for　several　hundred　years；　in　defiance　of　storms　and　earthquakes；

while　almost　all　other　buildings　of　the　Moors　had　fallen　to　ruin；

and　disappeared。　This　spell；　the　tradition　went　on　to　say；　would

last　until　the　hand　on　the　outer　arch　should　reach　down　and　grasp

the　key；　when　the　whole　pile　would　tumble　to　pieces；　and　all　the

treasures　buried　beneath　it　by　the　Moors　would　be　revealed。

　　Notwithstanding　this　ominous　prediction；　we　ventured　to　pass　through

the　spell…bound　gateway；　feeling　some　little　assurance　against　magic

art　in　the　protection　of　the　Virgin；　a　statue　of　whom　we　observed

above　the　portal。

　　After　passing　through　the　barbican；　we　ascended　a　narrow　lane；

winding　between　walls；　and　came　on　an　open　esplanade　within　the

fortress；　called　the　Plaza　de　los　Algibes；　or　Place　of　the　Cisterns；

from　great　reservoirs　which　undermine　it；　cut　in　the　living　rock　by

the　Moors　to　receive　the　water　brought　by　conduits　from　the　Darro；　for

the　supply　of　the　fortress。　Here；　also；　is　a　well　of　immense　depth；

furnishing　the　purest　and　coldest　of　water；　another　monument　of　the

delicate　taste　of　the　Moors；　who　were　indefatigable　in　their　exertions

to　obtain　that　element　in　its　crystal　purity。

　　In　front　of　this　esplanade　is　the　splendid　pile　commenced　by　Charles

V；　and　intended；　it　is　said；　to　eclipse　the　residence　of　the　Moorish

kings。　Much　of　the　oriental　edifice　intended　for　the　winter　season　was

demolished　to　make　way　for　this　massive　pile。　The　grand　entrance　was

blocked　up；　so　that　the　present　entrance　to　the　Moorish　palace　is

through　a　simple　and　almost　humble　portal　in　a　corner。　With　all　the

massive　grandeur　and　architectural　merit　of　the　palace　of　Charles　V；

we　regarded　it　as　an　arrogant　intruder；　and　passing　by　it　with　a

feeling　almost　of　scorn；　rang　at　the　Moslem　portal。

　　While　waiting　for　admittance；　our　self…imposed　cicerone；　Mateo

Ximenes；　informed　us　that　the　royal　palace　was　intrusted　to　the　care

of　a　worthy　old　maiden　dame　called　Dona　Antonia…Molina；　but　who；

according　to　Spanish　custom；　went　by　the　more　neighborly　appellation

of　Tia　Antonia　（Aunt　Antonia）；　who　maintained　the　Moorish　halls　and

gardens　in　order　and　showed　them　to　strangers。　While　we　were

talking；　the　door　was　opened　by　a　plump　little　black…eyed　Andalusian

damsel；　whom　Mateo　addressed　as　Dolores；　but　who　from　her　bright　looks

and　cheerful　disposition　evidently　merited　a　merrier　name。　Mateo

informed　me　in　a　whisper　that　she　was　the　niece　of　Tia　Antonia；　and

I　found　she　was　the　good　fairy　who　was　to　conduct　us　through　the

enchanted　palace。　Under　her　guidance　we　crossed　the　threshold；　and

were　at　once　transported；　as　if　by　magic　wand；　into　other　times　and　an

oriental　realm；　and　were　treading　the　scenes　of　Arabian　story。　Nothing

could　be　in　greater　contrast　than　the　unpromising　exterior　of　the　pile

with　the　scene　now　before　us。

　　We　found　ourselves　in　a　vast　patio　or　court　one　hundred　and　fifty

feet　in　length；　and　upwards　of　eighty　feet　in　breadth；　paved　with

white　marble；　and　decorated　at　each　end　with　light　Moorish　peristyles；

one　of　which　supported　an　elegant　gallery　of　fretted　architecture。

Along　the　mouldings　of　the　cornices　and　on　various　parts　of　the

walls　were　escutcheons　and　ciphers；　and　cufic　and　Arabic　characters　in

high　relief；　repeating　the　pious　mottoes　of　the　Moslem　monarchs；　the

builders　of　the　Alhambra；　or　extolling　their　grandeur　and　munificence。

Along　the　centre　of　the　court　extended　an　immense　basin　or　tank

（estanque）　a　hundred　and　twenty…four　feet　in　length；　twenty…seven　in

breadth；　and　five　in　depth；　receiving　its　water　from　two　marble　vases。

Hence　it　is　called　the　Court　of　the　Alberca　（from　al　Beerkah；　the

Arabic　for　a　pond　or　tank）。　Great　numbers　of　gold…fish　were　to　be　seen

gleaming　through　the　waters　of　the　basin；　and　it　was　bordered　by

hedges　of　roses。

　　Passing　from　the　Court　of　the　Alberca　under　a　Moorish　archway；　we

entered　the　renowned　Court　of　Lions。　No　part　of　the　edifice　gives　a

more　complete　idea　of　its　original　beauty　than　this；　for　none　has

suffered　so　little　from　the　ravages　of　time。　In　the　centre　stands

the　fountain　famous　in　song　and　story。　The　alabaster　basins　still　shed

their　diamond　drops；　the　twelve　lions　which　support　them；　and　give　the

court　its　name；　still　cast　forth　crystal　streams　as　in　the　days　of

Boabdil。　The　lions；　however；　are　unworthy　of　their　fame；　being　of

miserable　sculpture；　the　work　probably　of　some　Christian　captive。

The　court　is　laid　out　in　flower…beds；　instead　of　its　ancient　and

appropriate　pavement　of　tiles　or　marble；　the　alteration；　an　instance

of　bad　taste；　was　made　by　the　French　when　in　possession　of　Granada。

Round　the　four　sides　of　the　court　are　light　Arabian　arcades　of　open

filigree　work　supported　by　slender　pillars　of　white　marble；　which　it

is　supposed　were　originally　gilded。　The　architecture；　like　that　in

most　parts　of　the　interior　of　the　palace；　is　characterized　by

elegance；　rather　than　grandeur；　bespeaking　a　delicate　and　graceful

taste；　and　a　disposition　to　indolent　enjoyment。　When　one　looks　upon

the　fairy　traces　of　the　peristyles；　and　the　apparently　fragile

fretwork　of　the　walls；　it　is　difficult　to　believe　that　so　much　has

survived　the　wear　and　tear　of　centuries；　the　shocks　of　earthquakes；

the　violence　of　war；　and　the　quiet；　though　no　less　baneful；　pilferings

of　the　tasteful　traveller；　it　is　almost　sufficient　to　excuse　the

popular　tradition　that　the　whole　is　protected　by　a　magic　charm。

　　On　one　side　of　the　court　a　rich　portal　opens　into　the　Hall　of　the

Abencerrages；　so　called　from　the　gallant　cavaliers　of　that　illustrious

line　who　were　here　perfidiously　massacred。　There　are　some　who　doubt

the　whole　story；　but　our　humble　cicerone　Mateo　pointed　out　the　very

wicket　of　the　portal　through　which　they　were　introduced　one　by　one

into　the　Court　of　Lions；　and　the　white　marble　fountain　in　the　centre

of　the　hall　beside　which　they　were　beheaded。　He　showed　us　also　certain

broad　ruddy　stains　on　the　pavement；　traces　of　their　blood；　which；

according　to　popular　belief；　can　never　be　effaced。

　　Finding　we　listened　to　him　apparently　with　easy　faith；　he　added；

that　there　was　often　heard　at　night；　in　the　Court　of　Lions；　a　low

confused　sound；　resembling　the　murmuring　of　a　multitude；　and　now　and

then　a　faint　tinkling；　like　the　distant　clank　of　chains。　These

sounds　were　made　by　the　spirits　of　the　murdered　Abencerrages；　who

nightly　haunt　the　scene　of　their　suffering　and　invoke　the　vengeance　of

Heaven　on　their　destroyer。

　　The　sounds　in　question　had　no　doubt　been　produced；　as　I　had

afterwards　an　opportunity　of　ascertaining；　by　the　bubbling　currents

and　tinkling　falls　of　water　conducted　under　the　pavement　through　pipes

and　channels　to　supply　the　fountains；　but　I　was　too　considerate　to

intimate　such　an　idea　to　the　humble　chronicler　of　the　Alhambra。

　　Encouraged　by　my　easy　credulity；　Mateo　gave　me　the　following　as　an

undoubted　fact；　which　he　had　from　his　grandfather：

　　There　was　once　an　invalid　soldier；　who　had　charge　of　the　Alhambra　to

show　it　to　strangers：　as　he　was　one　evening；　about　twilight；　passing

through　the　Court　of　Lions；　he　heard　footsteps　on　the　Hall　of　the

Abencerrages；　supposing　some　strangers　to　be　lingering　there；　he

advanced　to　attend　upon　them；　when　to　his　astonishment　he　beheld

four　Moors　richly　dressed；　with　gilded　cuirasses　and　cimeters；　and

poniards　glittering　with　precious　stones。　They　were　walking　to　and

fro；　with　solemn　pace；　but　paused　and　beckoned　to　him。　The　old

soldier；　however；　took　to　flight；　and　could　never　afterwards　be

prevailed　upon　to　enter　the　Alhambra。　Thus　it　is　that　men　sometimes

turn　their　backs　upon　fortune；　for　it　is　the　firm　opinion　of　Mateo；

that　the　Moors　intended　to　reveal　the　place　where　their　treasures

lay　buried。　A　successor　to　the　invalid　soldier　was　more　knowing；　he

came　to　the　Alhambra　poor；　but　at　the　end　of　a　year　went　off　to

Malaga；　bought　houses；　set　up　a　carriage；　and　still　lives　there　one　of

the　richest　as　well　as　oldest　men　of　the　place；　all　which；　Mateo

sagely　surmised；　was　in　consequence　of　his　finding　out　the　golden

secret　of　these　phantom　Moors。

　　I　now　perceived　I　had　made　an　invaluable　acquaintance　in　this　son　of

the　Alhambra；　one　who　knew　all　the　apocryphal　history　of　the　place；

and　firmly　believed　in　it；　and　whose　memory　was　stuffed　with　a　kind　of

knowledge　for　which　I　have　a　lurking　fancy；　but　which　is　too　apt　to　be

considered　rubbish　by　less　indulgent　philosophers。　I　determined　to

cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　this　learned　Theban。

　　Immediately　opposite　the　Hall　of　the　Abencerrages　a　portal；　richly

adorned；　leads　into　a　hall　of　less　tragical　associations。　It　is

light　and　lofty；　exquisitely　graceful　in　its　architecture；　paved

with　white　marble；　and　bears　the　suggestive　name　of　the　Hall　of　the

Two　Sisters。　Some　destroy　the　romance　of　the　name　by　attributing　it　to

two　enormous　slabs　of　alabaster　which　lie　side　by　side；　and　form　a

great　part　of　the　pavement；　an　opinion　strongly　supported　by　Mateo

Ximenes。　Others　are　disposed　to　give　the　name　a　more　poetical

significance；　as　the　vague　memorial　of　Moorish　beauties　who　once

graced　this　hall；　which　was　evidently　a　part　of　the　royal　harem。

This　opinion　I　was　happy　to　find　entertained　by　our　little　bright…eyed

guide；　Dolores；　who　pointed　to　a　balcony　over　an　inner　porch；　which

gallery；　she　had　been　told；　belonged　to　the　women's　apartment。　〃You

see；　senor；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　all　grated　and　latticed；　like　the

gallery　in　a　convent　chapel　where　the　nuns　hear　mass；　for　the

Moorish　kings；〃　added　she；　indignantly；　〃shut　up　their　wives　just　like

nuns。〃

　　The　latticed　〃jalousies；〃　in　fact；　still　remain；　whence　the

dark…eyed　beauties　of　the　harem　might　gaze　unseen　upon　the　zambras　and

other　dances　and　entertainments　of　the　hall　below。

　　On　each　side　of　this　hall　are　recesses　or　alcoves　for　ottomans　and

couches；　on　which　the　voluptuous　lords　of　the　Alhambra　indulged　in

that　dreamy　repose　so　dear　to　the　Orientalists。　A　cupola　or　lantern

admits　a　tempered　light　from　above　and　a　free　circulation　of　air；

while　on　one　sid