part08-第7章

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to　an　avowed　enemy　of　the　faith　and　the　realm；　and　was　a　fair　prize

according　to　the　rules　of　war。　So　hoisting　myself　from　the　crupper

into　the　saddle；　I　turned　the　reins；　struck　the　Moorish　stirrups

into　the　sides　of　the　steed；　and　put　him　to　make　the　best　of　his　way

out　of　the　passage　by　which　he　had　entered。　As　we　scoured　by　the　halls

where　the　Moslem　horsemen　sat　in　motionless　battalions；　I　thought　I

heard　the　clang　of　armor　and　a　hollow　murmur　of　voices。　I　gave　the

steed　another　taste　of　the　stirrups　and　doubled　my　speed。　There　was

now　a　sound　behind　me　like　a　rushing　blast；　I　heard　the　clatter　of　a

thousand　hoofs；　a　countless　throng　overtook　me。　I　was　borne　along　in

the　press；　and　hurled　forth　from　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　while

thousands　of　shadowy　forms　were　swept　off　in　every　direction　by　the

four　winds　of　heaven。

　　〃In　the　whirl　and　confusion　of　the　scene　I　was　thrown　senseless　to

the　earth。　When　I　came　to　myself　I　was　lying　on　the　brow　of　a　hill；

with　the　Arabian　steed　standing　beside　me；　for　in　falling；　my　arm

had　slipped　within　the　bridle；　which；　I　presume；　prevented　his

whisking　off　to　Old　Castile。

　　〃Your　excellency　may　easily　judge　of　my　surprise；　on　looking

round；　to　behold　hedges　of　aloes　and　Indian　figs　and　other　proofs　of　a

southern　climate；　and　to　see　a　great　city　below　me；　with　towers；　and

palaces；　and　a　grand　cathedral。

　　〃I　descended　the　hill　cautiously；　leading　my　steed；　for　I　was　afraid

to　mount　him　again；　lest　he　should　play　me　some　slippery　trick。　As　I

descended　I　met　with　your　patrol；　who　let　me　into　the　secret　that　it

was　Granada　that　lay　before　me；　and　that　I　was　actually　under　the

walls　of　the　Alhambra；　the　fortress　of　the　redoubted　Governor　Manco；

the　terror　of　all　enchanted　Moslems。　When　I　heard　this；　I　determined

at　once　to　seek　your　excellency；　to　inform　you　of　all　that　I　had　seen；

and　to　warn　you　of　the　perils　that　surround　and　undermine　you；　that

you　may　take　measures　in　time　to　guard　your　fortress；　and　the

kingdom　itself；　from　this　intestine　army　that　lurks　in　the　very　bowels

of　the　land。〃

　　〃And　prithee；　friend；　you　who　are　a　veteran　campaigner；　and　have

seen　so　much　service；〃　said　the　governor；　〃how　would　you　advise　me

to　proceed；　in　order　to　prevent　this　evil？〃

　　〃It　is　not　for　a　humble　private　of　the　ranks；〃　said　the　soldier；

modestly；　〃to　pretend　to　instruct　a　commander　of　your　excellency's

sagacity；　but　it　appears　to　me　that　your　excellency　might　cause　all

the　caves　and　entrances　into　the　mountains　to　be　walled　up　with

solid　mason　work；　so　that　Boabdil　and　his　army　might　be　completely

corked　up　in　their　subterranean　habitation。　If　the　good　father；

too；〃　added　the　soldier；　reverently　bowing　to　the　friar；　and

devoutly　crossing　himself；　〃would　consecrate　the　barricadoes　with

his　blessing；　and　put　up　a　few　crosses　and　relics　and　images　of

saints；　I　think　they　might　withstand　all　the　power　of　infidel

enchantments。〃

　　〃They　doubtless　would　be　of　great　avail；〃　said　the　friar。

　　The　governor　now　placed　his　arm　akimbo；　with　his　hand　resting　on　the

hilt　of　his　Toledo；　fixed　his　eye　upon　the　soldier；　and　gently　wagging

his　head　from　one　side　to　the　other。

　　〃So；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃then　you　really　suppose　I　am　to　be　gulled

with　this　cock…and…bull　story　about　enchanted　mountains　and

enchanted　Moors？　Hark　ye；　culprit！…　not　another　word。　An　old　soldier

you　may　be；　but　you'll　find　you　have　an　older　soldier　to　deal　with；

and　one　not　easily　outgeneralled。　Ho！　guards　there！　put　this　fellow　in

irons。〃

　　The　demure　handmaid　would　have　put　in　a　word　in　favor　of　the

prisoner；　but　the　governor　silenced　her　with　a　look。

　　As　they　were　pinioning　the　soldier；　one　of　the　guards　felt　something

of　bulk　in　his　pocket；　and　drawing　it　forth；　found　a　long　leathern

purse　that　appeared　to　be　well　filled。　Holding　it　by　one　corner；　he

turned　out　the　contents　upon　the　table　before　the　governor；　and

never　did　freebooter's　bag　make　more　gorgeous　delivery。　Out　tumbled

rings；　and　jewels；　and　rosaries　of　pearls；　and　sparkling　diamond

crosses；　and　a　profusion　of　ancient　golden　coin；　some　of　which　fell

jingling　to　the　floor；　and　rolled　away　to　the　uttermost　parts　of　the

chamber。

　　For　a　time　the　functions　of　justice　were　suspended；　there　was　a

universal　scramble　after　the　glittering　fugitives。　The　governor　alone；

who　was　imbued　with　true　Spanish　pride；　maintained　his　stately

decorum；　though　his　eye　betrayed　a　little　anxiety　until　the　last

coin　and　jewel　was　restored　to　the　sack。

　　The　friar　was　not　so　calm；　his　whole　face　glowed　like　a　furnace；　and

his　eyes　twinkled　and　flashed　at　sight　of　the　rosaries　and　crosses。

　　〃Sacrilegious　wretch　that　thou　art！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃what　church　or

sanctuary　hast　thou　been　plundering　of　these　sacred　relics？〃

　　〃Neither　one　nor　the　other；　holy　father。　If　they　be　sacrilegious

spoils；　they　must　have　been　taken；　in　times　long　past；　by　the

infidel　trooper　I　have　mentioned。　I　was　just　going　to　tell　his

excellency　when　he　interrupted　me；　that　on　taking　possession　of　the

trooper's　horse；　I　unhooked　a　leathern　sack　which　hung　at　the

saddle…bow；　and　which　I　presume　contained　the　plunder　of　his

campaignings　in　days　of　old；　when　the　Moors　overran　the　country。〃

　　〃Mighty　well；　at　present　you　will　make　up　your　mind　to　take　up

your　quarters　in　a　chamber　of　the　Vermilion　Tower；　which；　though　not

under　a　magic　spell；　will　hold　you　as　safe　as　any　cave　of　your

enchanted　Moors。〃

　　〃Your　excellency　will　do　as　you　think　proper；〃　said　the　prisoner；

coolly。　〃I　shall　be　thankful　to　your　excellency　for　any

accommodation　in　the　fortress。　A　soldier　who　has　been　in　the　wars；

as　your　excellency　well　knows；　is　not　particular　about　his　lodgings：

provided　I　have　a　snug　dungeon　and　regular　rations；　I　shall　manage

to　make　myself　comfortable。　I　would　only　entreat　that　while　your

excellency　is　so　careful　about　me；　you　would　have　an　eye　to　your

fortress；　and　think　on　the　hint　I　dropped　about　stopping　up　the

entrances　to　the　mountain。〃

　　Here　ended　the　scene。　The　prisoner　was　conducted　to　a　strong　dungeon

in　the　Vermilion　Tower；　the　Arabian　steed　was　led　to　his

excellency's　stable；　and　the　trooper's　sack　was　deposited　in　his

excellency's　strong　box。　To　the　latter；　it　is　true；　the　friar　made

some　demur；　questioning　whether　the　sacred　relics；　which　were

evidently　sacrilegious　spoils；　should　not　be　placed　in　custody　of

the　church；　but　as　the　governor　was　peremptory　on　the　subject；　and　was

absolute　lord　in　the　Alhambra；　the　friar　discreetly　dropped　the

discussion；　but　determined　to　convey　intelligence　of　the　fact　to　the

church　dignitaries　in　Granada。

　　To　explain　these　prompt　and　rigid　measures　on　the　part　of　old

Governor　Manco；　it　is　proper　to　observe；　that　about　this　time　the

Alpuxarra　mountains　in　the　neighborhood　of　Granada　were　terribly

infested　by　a　gang　of　robbers；　under　the　command　of　a　daring　chief

named　Manuel　Borasco；　who　were　accustomed　to　prowl　about　the

country；　and　even　to　enter　the　city　in　various　disguises；　to　gain

intelligence　of　the　departure　of　convoys　of　merchandise；　or　travellers

with　well…lined　purses；　whom　they　took　care　to　waylay　in　distant　and

solitary　passes　of　the　road。　These　repeated　and　daring　outrages　had

awakened　the　attention　of　government；　and　the　commanders　of　the

various　posts　had　received　instructions　to　be　on　the　alert；　and　to

take　up　all　suspicious　stragglers。　Governor　Manco　was　particularly

zealous　in　consequence　of　the　various　stigmas　that　had　been　cast

upon　his　fortress；　and　he　now　doubted　not　he　had　entrapped　some

formidable　desperado　of　this　gang。

　　In　the　mean　time　the　story　took　wind；　and　became　the　talk；　not

merely　of　the　fortress；　but　of　the　whole　city　of　Granada。　It　was

said　that　the　noted　robber　Manuel　Borasco；　the　terror　of　the

Alpuxarras；　had　fallen　into　the　clutches　of　old　Governor　Manco；　and

been　cooped　up　by　him　in　a　dungeon　of　the　Vermilion　Tower；　and　every

one　who　had　been　robbed　by　him　flocked　to　recognize　the　marauder。

The　Vermilion　Tower；　as　is　well　known；　stands　apart　from　the

Alhambra　on　a　sister　hill；　separated　from　the　main　fortress　by　the

ravine　down　which　passes　the　main　avenue。　There　were　no　outer　walls；

but　a　sentinel　patrolled　before　the　tower。　The　window　of　the　chamber

in　which　the　soldier　was　confined　was　strongly　grated；　and　looked　upon

a　small　esplanade。　Here　the　good　folks　of　Granada　repaired　to　gaze

at　him；　as　they　would　at　a　laughing　hyena；　grinning　through　the　cage

of　a　menagerie。　Nobody；　however；　recognized　him　for　Manuel　Borasco；

for　that　terrible　robber　was　noted　for　a　ferocious　physiognomy；　and

had　by　no　means　the　good…humored　squint　of　the　prisoner。　Visitors　came

not　merely　from　the　city；　but　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　but

nobody　knew　him；　and　there　began　to　be　doubts　in　the　minds　of　the

common　people　whether　there　might　not　be　some　truth　in　his　story。　That

Boabdil　and　his　army　were　shut　up　in　the　mountain；　was　an　old

tradition　which　many　of　the　ancient　inhabitants　had　heard　from　their

fathers。　Numbers　went　up　to　the　mountain　of　the　sun；　or　rather　of

St。　Elena；　in　search　of　the　cave　mentioned　by　the　soldier；　and　saw　and

peeped　into　the　deep　dark　pit；　descending；　no　one　knows　how　far；

into　the　mountain；　and　which　remains　there　to　this　day…　the　fabled

entrance　to　the　subterranean　abode　of　Boabdil。

　　By　degrees　the　soldier　became　popular　with　the　common　people。　A

freebooter　of　the　mountains　is　by　no　means　the　opprobrious　character

in　Spain　that　a　robber　is　in　any　other　country：　on　the　contrary；　he　is

a　kind　of　chivalrous　personage　in　the　eyes　of　the　lower　classes。　There

is　always　a　disposition；　also；　to　cavil　at　the　conduct　of　those　in

command；　and　many　began　to　murmur　at　the　high…handed　measures　of　old

Governor　Manco；　and　to　look　upon　the　prisoner　in　the　light　of　a

martyr。

　　The　soldier；　moreover；　was　a　merry；　waggish　fellow；　that　had　a

joke　for　every　one　who　came　near　his　window；　and　a　soft　speech　for

every　female。　He　had　procured　an　old　guitar　also；　and　would　sit　by　his

window　and　sing　ballads　and　love…ditties　to　the　delight　of　the　women

of　the　neighborhood；　who　would　assemble　on　the　esplanade　in　the

evening　and　dance　boleros　to　his　music。　Having　trimmed　off　his　rough

beard；　his　sunburnt　face　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　fair；　and

the　demure　handmaid　of　the　governor　declared　that　his　squint　was

perfectly　irresistible。　This　kind…hearted　damsel　had　from　the　first

evinced　a　deep　sympathy　in　his　fortunes；　and　having　in　vain　tried　to

mollify　the　governor；　had　set　to　work　privately　to　mitigate　the

rigor　of　his　dispensations。　Every　day　she　brought　the　prisoner　some

crumbs　of　comfort　which　had　fallen　from　the　governor's　table；　or

been　abstracted　from　his　larder；　together　with；　now　and　then；　a

consoling　bottle　of　choice　Val　de　Penas；　or　rich　Malaga。

　　While　this　petty　treason　was　going　on；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　old

governor's　citadel；　a　storm　of　open　war　was　brewing