part02-第4章

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one　hundred　and　forty　dollars　a　year。　The　niece　is　the　plump　little

black…eyed　Dolores　already　mentioned；　and　who；　it　is　said；　will　one

day　inherit　all　her　aunt's　possessions；　consisting　of　certain　petty

tenements　in　the　fortress；　in　a　somewhat　ruinous　condition　it　is　true；

but　which；　I　am　privately　assured　by　Mateo　Ximenes；　yield　a　revenue　of

nearly　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　so　that　she　is　quite　an

heiress　in　the　eyes　of　the　ragged　son　of　the　Alhambra。　I　am　also

informed　by　the　same　observant　and　authentic　personage；　that　a　quiet

courtship　is　going　on　between　the　discreet　Manuel　and　his

bright…eyed　cousin；　and　that　nothing　is　wanting　to　enable　them　to　join

their　hands　and　expectations　but　his　doctor's　diploma；　and　a

dispensation　from　the　Pope　on　account　of　their　consanguinity。

　　The　good　dame　Antonia　fulfils　faithfully　her　contract　in　regard　to

my　board　and　lodging；　and　as　I　am　easily　pleased；　I　find　my　fare

excellent；　while　the　merry…hearted　little　Dolores　keeps　my　apartment

in　order；　and　officiates　as　handmaid　at　meal…times。　I　have　also　at

my　command　a　tall；　stuttering；　yellow…haired　lad；　named　Pepe；　who

works　in　the　gardens；　and　would　fain　have　acted　as　valet；　but；　in

this；　he　was　forestalled　by　Mateo　Ximenes；　〃the　son　of　the

Alhambra。〃　This　alert　and　officious　wight　has　managed；　somehow　or

other；　to　stick　by　me　ever　since　I　first　encountered　him　at　the

outer　gate　of　the　fortress；　and　to　weave　himself　into　all　my　plans；

until　he　has　fairly　appointed　and　installed　himself　my　valet；

cicerone；　guide；　guard；　and　historio…graphic　squire；　and　I　have　been

obliged　to　improve　the　state　of　his　wardrobe；　that　he　may　not　disgrace

his　various　functions；　so　that　he　has　cast　his　old　brown　mantle；　as

a　snake　does　his　skin；　and　now　appears　about　the　fortress　with　a　smart

Andalusian　hat　and　jacket；　to　his　infinite　satisfaction；　and　the　great

astonishment　of　his　comrades。　The　chief　fault　of　honest　Mateo　is　an

over…anxiety　to　be　useful。　Conscious　of　having　foisted　himself　into　my

employ；　and　that　my　simple　and　quiet　habits　render　his　situation　a

sinecure；　he　is　at　his　wit's　ends　to　devise　modes　of　making　himself

important　to　my　welfare。　I　am；　in　a　manner；　the　victim　of　his

officiousness；　I　cannot　put　my　foot　over　the　threshold　of　the

palace；　to　stroll　about　the　fortress；　but　he　is　at　my　elbow；　to

explain　every　thing　I　see；　and　if　I　venture　to　ramble　among　the

surrounding　hills；　he　insists　upon　attending　me　as　a　guard；　though　I

vehemently　suspect　he　would　be　more　apt　to　trust　to　the　length　of

his　legs　than　the　strength　of　his　arms；　in　case　of　attack。　After

all；　however；　the　poor　fellow　is　at　times　an　amusing　companion；　he

is　simple…minded；　and　of　infinite　good　humor；　with　the　loquacity　and

gossip　of　a　village　barber；　and　knows　all　the　small…talk　of　the

place　and　its　environs；　but　what　he　chiefly　values　himself　on；　is

his　stock　of　local　information；　having　the　most　marvellous　stories

to　relate　of　every　tower；　and　vault；　and　gateway　of　the　fortress；　in

all　of　which　he　places　the　most　implicit　faith。

　　Most　of　these　he　has　derived；　according　to　his　own　account；　from　his

grandfather；　a　little　legendary　tailor；　who　lived　to　the　age　of　nearly

a　hundred　years；　during　which　he　made　but　two　migrations　beyond　the

precincts　of　the　fortress。　His　shop；　for　the　greater　part　of　a

century；　was　the　resort　of　a　knot　of　venerable　gossips；　where　they

would　pass　half　the　night　talking　about　old　times；　and　the　wonderful

events　and　hidden　secrets　of　the　place。　The　whole　living；　moving；

thinking；　and　acting；　of　this　historical　little　tailor；　had　thus

been　bounded　by　the　walls　of　the　Alhambra；　within　them　he　had　been

born；　within　them　he　lived；　breathed；　and　had　his　being；　within　them

he　died；　and　was　buried。　Fortunately　for　posterity；　his　traditionary

lore　died　not　with　him。　The　authentic　Mateo；　when　an　urchin；　used　to

be　an　attentive　listener　to　the　narratives　of　his　grandfather；　and

of　the　gossip　group　assembled　round　the　shopboard；　and　is　thus

possessed　of　a　stock　of　valuable　knowledge　concerning　the　Alhambra；

not　to　be　found　in　books；　and　well　worthy　the　attention　of　every

curious　traveller。

　　Such　are　the　personages　that　constitute　my　regal　household；　and　I

question　whether　any　of　the　potentates；　Moslem　or　Christian；　who

have　preceded　me　in　the　palace；　have　been　waited　upon　with　greater

fidelity；　or　enjoyed　a　serener　sway。

　　When　I　rise　in　the　morning；　Pepe；　the　stuttering　lad　from　the

gardens；　brings　me　a　tribute　of　fresh　culled　flowers；　which　are

afterwards　arranged　in　vases；　by　the　skilful　hand　of　Dolores；　who

takes　a　female　pride　in　the　decorations　of　my　chamber。　My　meals　are

made　wherever　caprice　dictates；　sometimes　in　one　of　the　Moorish　halls；

sometimes　under　the　arcades　of　the　Court　of　Lions；　surrounded　by

flowers　and　fountains：　and　when　I　walk　out；　I　am　conducted　by　the

assiduous　Mateo；　to　the　most　romantic　retreats　of　the　mountains；　and

delicious　haunts　of　the　adjacent　valleys；　not　one　of　which　but　is

the　scene　of　some　wonderful　tale。

　　Though　fond　of　passing　the　greater　part　of　my　day　alone；　yet　I

occasionally　repair　in　the　evenings　to　the　little　domestic　circle　of

Dona　Antonia。　This　is　generally　held　in　an　old　Moorish　chamber；

which　serves　the　good　dame　for　parlor；　kitchen　and　hall　of　audience；

and　which　must　have　boasted　of　some　splendor　in　the　time　of　the　Moors；

if　we　may　judge　from　the　traces　yet　remaining；　but　a　rude　fireplace

has　been　made　in　modern　times　in　one　corner；　the　smoke　from　which

has　discolored　the　walls；　and　almost　obliterated　the　ancient

arabesques。　A　window；　with　a　balcony　overhanging　the　valley　of　the

Darro；　lets　in　the　cool　evening　breeze；　and　here　I　take　my　frugal

supper　of　fruit　and　milk；　and　mingle　with　the　conversation　of　the

family。　There　is　a　natural　talent　or　mother　wit；　as　it　is　called；

about　the　Spaniards；　which　renders　them　intellectual　and　agreeable

companions；　whatever　may　be　their　condition　in　life；　or　however

imperfect　may　have　been　their　education：　add　to　this；　they　are　never

vulgar；　nature　has　endowed　them　with　an　inherent　dignity　of　spirit。

The　good　Tia　Antonia　is　a　woman　of　strong　and　intelligent；　though

uncultivated　mind；　and　the　bright…eyed　Dolores；　though　she　has　read

but　three　or　four　books　in　the　whole　course　of　her　life；　has　an

engaging　mixture　of　naivete　and　good　sense；　and　often　surprises　me

by　the　pungency　of　her　artless　sallies。　Sometimes　the　nephew

entertains　us　by　reading　some　old　comedy　of　Calderon　or　Lope　de

Vega；　to　which　he　is　evidently　prompted　by　a　desire　to　improve；　as

well　as　amuse　his　cousin　Dolores；　though；　to　his　great

mortification；　the　little　damsel　generally　falls　asleep　before　the

first　act　is　completed。　Sometimes　Tia　Antonia　has　a　little　levee　of

humble　friends　and　dependents；　the　inhabitants　of　the　adjacent　hamlet；

or　the　wives　of　the　invalid　soldiers。　These　look　up　to　her　with

great　deference；　as　the　custodian　of　the　palace；　and　pay　their　court

to　her　by　bringing　the　news　of　the　place；　or　the　rumors　that　may

have　straggled　up　from　Granada。　In　listening　to　these　evening

gossipings　I　have　picked　up　many　curious　facts；　illustrative　of　the

manners　of　the　people　and　the　peculiarities　of　the　neighborhood。

　　These　are　simple　details　of　simple　pleasures；　it　is　the　nature　of

the　place　alone　that　gives　them　interest　and　importance。　I　tread

haunted　ground；　and　am　surrounded　by　romantic　associations。　From

earliest　boyhood；　when；　on　the　banks　of　the　Hudson；　I　first　pored　over

the　pages　of　old　Gines　Perez　de　Hytas's　apocryphal　but　chivalresque

history　of　the　civil　wars　of　Granada；　and　the　feuds　of　its　gallant

cavaliers；　the　Zegries　and　Abencerrages；　that　city　has　ever　been　a

subject　of　my　waking　dreams；　and　often　have　I　trod　in　fancy　the

romantic　halls　of　the　Alhambra。　Behold　for　once　a　day…dream

realized；　yet　I　can　scarce　credit　my　senses；　or　believe　that　I　do

indeed　inhabit　the　palace　of　Boabdil；　and　look　down　from　its　balconies

upon　chivalric　Granada。　As　I　loiter　through　these　Oriental　chambers；

and　hear　the　murmur　of　fountains　and　the　song　of　the　nightingale；　as　I

inhale　the　odor　of　the　rose；　and　feel　the　influence　of　the　balmy

climate；　I　am　almost　tempted　to　fancy　myself　in　the　paradise　of

Mahomet；　and　that　the　plump　little　Dolores　is　one　of　the　bright…eyed

houris；　destined　to　administer　to　the　happiness　of　true　believers。