part08-第2章

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spinsters。　She　had　a　becoming　terror　and　distrust　of　what　she

denominated　〃the　opposite　sex；〃　which　had　gradually　increased

through　a　long　life　of　celibacy。　Not　that　the　good　lady　had　ever

suffered　from　their　wiles；　nature　having　set　up　a　safeguard　in　her

face　that　forbade　all　trespass　upon　her　premises；　but　ladies　who

have　least　cause　to　fear　for　themselves　are　most　ready　to　keep　a　watch

over　their　more　tempting　neighbors。

　　The　niece　was　the　orphan　of　an　officer　who　had　fallen　in　the　wars。

She　had　been　educated　in　a　convent；　and　had　recently　been

transferred　from　her　sacred　asylum　to　the　immediate　guardianship　of

her　aunt；　under　whose　overshadowing　care　she　vegetated　in　obscurity；

like　an　opening　rose　blooming　beneath　a　brier。　Nor　indeed　is　this

comparison　entirely　accidental；　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　her　fresh

and　dawning　beauty　had　caught　the　public　eye；　even　in　her　seclusion；

and；　with　that　poetical　turn　common　to　the　people　of　Andalusia；　the

peasantry　of　the　neighborhood　had　given　her　the　appellation　of　〃the

Rose　of　the　Alhambra。〃

　　The　wary　aunt　continued　to　keep　a　faithful　watch　over　her　tempting

little　niece　as　long　as　the　court　continued　at　Granada；　and

flattered　herself　that　her　vigilance　had　been　successful。　It　is

true；　the　good　lady　was　now　and　then　discomposed　by　the　tinkling　of

guitars　and　chanting　of　love　ditties　from　the　moonlit　groves　beneath

the　tower；　but　she　would　exhort　her　niece　to　shut　her　ears　against

such　idle　minstrelsy；　assuring　her　that　it　was　one　of　the　arts　of

the　opposite　sex；　by　which　simple　maids　were　often　lured　to　their

undoing。　Alas！　what　chance　with　a　simple　maid　has　a　dry　lecture

against　a　moonlight　serenade？

　　At　length　King　Philip　cut　short　his　sojourn　at　Granada；　and　suddenly

departed　with　all　his　train。　The　vigilant　Fredegonda　watched　the　royal

pageant　as　it　issued　forth　from　the　Gate　of　Justice；　and　descended　the

great　avenue　leading　to　the　city。　When　the　last　banner　disappeared

from　her　sight；　she　returned　exulting　to　her　tower；　for　all　her

cares　were　over。　To　her　surprise；　a　light　Arabian　steed　pawed　the

ground　at　the　wicket…gate　of　the　garden…　to　her　horror；　she　saw

through　the　thickets　of　roses　a　youth；　in　gayly…embroidered　dress；

at　the　feet　of　her　niece。　At　the　sound　of　her　footsteps　he　gave　a

tender　adieu；　bounded　lightly　over　the　barrier　of　reeds　and　myrtles；

sprang　upon　his　horse；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

　　The　tender　Jacinta；　in　the　agony　of　her　grief；　lost　all　thought　of

her　aunt's　displeasure。　Throwing　herself　into　her　arms；　she　broke

forth　into　sobs　and　tears。

　　〃Ay　de　mi！〃　cried　she；　〃he's　gone！…　he's　gone！…　he's　gone！　and　I

shall　never　see　him　more！〃

　　〃Gone！…　who　is　gone？…　what　youth　is　that　I　saw　at　your　feet？〃

　　〃A　queen's　page；　aunt；　who　came　to　bid　me　farewell。〃

　　〃A　queen's　page；　child！〃　echoed　the　vigilant　Fredegonda；　faintly；

〃and　when　did　you　become　acquainted　with　the　queen's　page？〃

　　〃The　morning　that　the　gerfalcon　came　into　the　tower。　It　was　the

queen's　gerfalcon；　and　he　came　in　pursuit　of　it。〃

　　〃Ah　silly；　silly　girl！　know　that　there　are　no　gerfalcons　half　so

dangerous　as　these　young　prankling　pages；　and　it　is　precisely　such

simple　birds　as　thee　that　they　pounce　upon。〃

　　The　aunt　was　at　first　indignant　at　learning　that　in　despite　of　her

boasted　vigilance；　a　tender　intercourse　had　been　carried　on　by　the

youthful　lovers；　almost　beneath　her　eye；　but　when　she　found　that　her

simple…hearted　niece；　though　thus　exposed；　without　the　protection　of

bolt　or　bar；　to　all　the　machinations　of　the　opposite　sex；　had　come

forth　unsinged　from　the　fiery　ordeal；　she　consoled　herself　with　the

persuasion　that　it　was　owing　to　the　chaste　and　cautious　maxims　in

which　she　had；　as　it　were；　steeped　her　to　the　very　lips。

　　While　the　aunt　laid　this　soothing　unction　to　her　pride；　the　niece

treasured　up　the　oft…repeated　vows　of　fidelity　of　the　page。　But　what

is　the　love　of　restless；　roving　man？　A　vagrant　stream　that　dallies　for

a　time　with　each　flower　upon　its　bank；　then　passes　on；　and　leaves　them

all　in　tears。

　　Days；　weeks；　months　elapsed；　and　nothing　more　was　heard　of　the　page。

The　pomegranate　ripened；　the　vine　yielded　up　its　fruit；　the　autumnal

rains　descended　in　torrents　from　the　mountains；　the　Sierra　Nevada

became　covered　with　a　snowy　mantle；　and　wintry　blasts　howled　through

the　halls　of　the　Alhambra…　still　he　came　not。　The　winter　passed

away。　Again　the　genial　spring　burst　forth　with　song　and　blossom　and

balmy　zephyr；　the　snows　melted　from　the　mountains；　until　none　remained

but　on　the　lofty　summit　of　Nevada；　glistening　through　the　sultry

summer　air。　Still　nothing　was　heard　of　the　forgetful　page。

　　In　the　mean　time；　the　poor　little　Jacinta　grew　pale　and

thoughtful。　Her　former　occupations　and　amusements　were　abandoned；

her　silk　lay　entangled；　her　guitar　unstrung；　her　flowers　were

neglected；　the　notes　of　her　bird　unheeded；　and　her　eyes；　once　so

bright；　were　dimmed　with　secret　weeping。　If　any　solitude　could　be

devised　to　foster　the　passion　of　a　love…lorn　damsel；　it　would　be

such　a　place　as　the　Alhambra；　where　every　thing　seems　disposed　to

produce　tender　and　romantic　reveries。　It　is　a　very　paradise　for

lovers：　how　hard　then　to　be　alone　in　such　a　paradise…　and　not　merely

alone；　but　forsaken！

　　〃Alas；　silly　child！〃　would　the　staid　and　immaculate　Fredegonda

say；　when　she　found　her　niece　in　one　of　her　desponding　moods…　〃did　I

not　warn　thee　against　the　wiles　and　deceptions　of　these　men？　What

couldst　thou　expect；　too；　from　one　of　a　haughty　and　aspiring　family…

thou　an　orphan；　the　descendant　of　a　fallen　and　impoverished　line？　Be

assured；　if　the　youth　were　true；　his　father；　who　is　one　of　the

proudest　nobles　about　the　court；　would　prohibit　his　union　with　one

so　humble　and　portionless　as　thou。　Pluck　up　thy　resolution；　therefore；

and　drive　these　idle　notions　from　thy　mind。〃

　　The　words　of　the　immaculate　Fredegonda　only　served　to　increase　the

melancholy　of　her　niece；　but　she　sought　to　indulge　it　in　private。　At　a

late　hour　one　midsummer　night；　after　her　aunt　had　retired　to　rest；　she

remained　alone　in　the　hall　of　the　tower；　seated　beside　the　alabaster

fountain。　It　was　here　that　the　faithless　page　had　first　knelt　and

kissed　her　hand；　it　was　here　that　he　had　often　vowed　eternal　fidelity。

The　poor　little　damsel's　heart　was　overladen　with　sad　and　tender

recollections；　her　tears　began　to　flow；　and　slowly　fell　drop　by　drop

into　the　fountain。　By　degrees　the　crystal　water　became　agitated；

and…　bubble…　bubble…　bubble…　boiled　up　and　was　tossed　about；　until　a

female　figure；　richly　clad　in　Moorish　robes；　slowly　rose　to　view。

　　Jacinta　was　so　frightened　that　she　fled　from　the　hall；　and　did　not

venture　to　return。　The　next　morning　she　related　what　she　had　seen　to

her　aunt；　but　the　good　lady　treated　it　as　a　phantasy　of　her　troubled

mind；　or　supposed　she　had　fallen　asleep　and　dreamt　beside　the

fountain。　〃Thou　hast　been　thinking　of　the　story　of　the　three　Moorish

princesses　that　once　inhabited　this　tower；〃　continued　she；　〃and　it　has

entered　into　thy　dreams。〃

　　〃What　story；　aunt？　I　know　nothing　of　it。〃

　　〃Thou　hast　certainly　heard　of　the　three　princesses；　Zayda；

Zorayda；　and　Zorahayda；　who　were　confined　in　this　tower　by　the　king

their　father；　and　agreed　to　fly　with　three　Christian　cavaliers。　The

two　first　accomplished　their　escape；　but　the　third　failed　in　her

resolution；　and；　it　is　said；　died　in　this　tower。〃

　　〃I　now　recollect　to　have　heard　of　it；〃　said　Jacinta；　〃and　to　have

wept　over　the　fate　of　the　gentle　Zorahayda。〃

　　〃Thou　mayest　well　weep　over　her　fate；〃　continued　the　aunt；　〃for

the　lover　of　Zorahayda　was　thy　ancestor。　He　long　bemoaned　his

Moorish　love；　but　time　cured　him　of　his　grief；　and　he　married　a

Spanish　lady；　from　whom　thou　art　descended。〃

　　Jacinta　ruminated　upon　these　words。　〃That　what　I　have　seen　is　no

phantasy　of　the　brain；〃　said　she　to　herself；　〃I　am　confident。　If

indeed　it　be　the　spirit　of　the　gentle　Zorahayda；　which　I　have　heard

lingers　about　this　tower；　of　what　should　I　be　afraid？　I'll　watch　by

the　fountain　to…night…　perhaps　the　visit　will　be　repeated。〃

　　Towards　midnight；　when　every　thing　was　quiet；　she　again　took　her

seat　in　the　hall。　As　the　bell　in　the　distant　watchtower　of　the

Alhambra　struck　the　midnight　hour；　the　fountain　was　again　agitated；

and　bubble…　bubble…　bubble…　it　tossed　about　the　waters　until　the

Moorish　female　again　rose　to　view。　She　was　young　and　beautiful；　her

dress　was　rich　with　jewels；　and　in　her　hand　she　held　a　silver　lute。

Jacinta　trembled　and　was　faint；　but　was　reassured　by　the　soft　and

plaintive　voice　of　the　apparition；　and　the　sweet　expression　of　her

pale；　melancholy　countenance。

　　〃Daughter　of　mortality；〃　said　she；　〃what　aileth　thee？　Why　do　thy

tears　trouble　my　fountain；　and　thy　sighs　and　plaints　disturb　the　quiet

watches　of　the　night？〃

　　〃I　weep　because　of　the　faithlessness　of　man；　and　I　bemoan　my

solitary　and　forsaken　state。〃

　　〃Take　comfort；　thy　sorrows　may　yet　have　an　end。　Thou　beholdest　a

Moorish　princess；　who；　like　thee；　was　unhappy　in　her　love。　A　Christian

knight；　thy　ancestor；　won　my　heart；　and　would　have　borne　me　to　his

native　land　and　to　the　bosom　of　his　church。　I　was　a　convert　in　my

heart；　but　I　lacked　courage　equal　to　my　faith；　and　lingered　till　too

late。　For　this　the　evil　genii　are　permitted　to　have　power　over　me；　and

I　remain　enchanted　in　this　tower　until　some　pure　Christian　will

deign　to　break　the　magic　spell。　Wilt　thou　undertake　the　task？〃

　　〃I　will；〃　replied　the　damsel；　trembling。

　　〃Come　hither　then；　and　fear　not；　dip　thy　hand　in　the　fountain；

sprinkle　the　water　over　me；　and　baptize　me　after　the　manner　of　thy

faith；　so　shall　the　enchantment　be　dispelled；　and　my　troubled　spirit

have　repose。〃

　　The　damsel　advanced　with　faltering　steps；　dipped　her　hand　in　the

fountain；　collected　water　in　the　palm；　and　sprinkled　it　over　the

pale　face　of　the　phantom。

　　The　latter　smiled　with　ineffable　benignity。　She　dropped　her　silver

lute　at　the　feet　of　Jacinta；　crossed　her　white　arms　upon　her　bosom；

and　melted　from　sight；　so　that　it　seemed　merely　as　if　a　shower　of

dew…drops　had　fallen　into　the　fountain。

　　Jacinta　retired　from　the　hall　filled　with　awe　and　wonder。　She

scarcely　closed　her　eyes　that　night；　but　when　she　awoke　at　daybreak

out　of　a　troubled　slumber；　the　whole　appeared　to　her　like　a

distempered　dream。　On　descending　into　the　hall；　however；　the　truth

of　the　vision　was　established；　for；　beside　the　fountain；　she　beheld

the　silver　lute　glittering　in　the　morning　sunshine。

　　She　hastened　to　her　aunt；　to　relate　all　that　had　befallen　her；　and

called　her　to　behold　the　lute　as　a　testimonial　of　the　reality　of　her

story。　If　the　good　lady　had　any　lingering　doubts；　they　were　removed

when　Jacinta　touched　the　instrument；　for　she　drew　forth　such　ravishing

tones　as　to　thaw　even　the　frigid　bosom　of　the　immaculate　Fredegonda；

that　region　of　eternal　winter；　into　a　genial　flow。　Nothing　but