part07-第3部分

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served　a　customer　with　a　sparkling　glass；　it　was　always　with　a

pleasant　word　that　caused　a　smile；　and　if；　perchance；　it　was　a

comely　dame　or　dimpling　damsel；　it　was　always　with　a　sly　leer　and　a

compliment　to　her　beauty　that　was　irresistible。　Thus　Peregil　the

Gallego　was　noted　throughout　all　Granada　for　being　one　of　the

civilest；　pleasantest；　and　happiest　of　mortals。

　　Yet　it　is　not　he　who　sings　loudest　and　jokes　most　that　has　the

lightest　heart。　Under　all　this　air　of　merriment；　honest　Peregil　had

his　cares　and　troubles。　He　had　a　large　family　of　ragged　children　to

support；　who　were　hungry　and　clamorous　as　a　nest　of　young　swallows；

and　beset　him　with　their　outcries　for　food　whenever　he　came　home　of　an

evening。　He　had　a　helpmate；　too；　who　was　any　thing　but　a　help　to

him。　She　had　been　a　village　beauty　before　marriage；　noted　for　her

skill　at　dancing　the　bolero　and　rattling　the　castanets；　and　she

still　retained　her　early　propensities；　spending　the　hard　earnings　of

honest　Peregil　in　frippery；　and　laying　the　very　donkey　under

requisition　for　junketing　parties　into　the　country　on　Sundays；　and

saints'　days；　and　those　innumerable　holidays　which　are　rather　more

numerous　in　Spain　than　the　days　of　the　week。　With　all　this　she　was　a

little　of　a　slattern；　something　more　of　a　lie…abed；　and；　above　all；

a　gossip　of　the　first　water；　neglecting　house；　household；　and　every

thing　else；　to　loiter　slipshod　in　the　houses　of　her　gossip　neighbors。

　　He；　however；　who　tempers　the　wind　to　the　shorn　lamb；　accommodates

the　yoke　of　matrimony　to　the　submissive　neck。　Peregil　bore　all　the

heavy　dispensations　of　wife　and　children　with　as　meek　a　spirit　as

his　donkey　bore　the　water…jars；　and；　however　he　might　shake　his　ears

in　private；　never　ventured　to　question　the　household　virtues　of　his

slattern　spouse。

　　He　loved　his　children　too　even　as　an　owl　loves　its　owlets；　seeing　in

them　his　own　image　multiplied　and　perpetuated；　for　they　were　a　sturdy；

long…backed；　bandy…legged　little　brood。　The　great　pleasure　of　honest

Peregil　was；　whenever　he　could　afford　himself　a　scanty　holiday；　and

had　a　handful　of　marevedis　to　spare；　to　take　the　whole　litter　forth

with　him；　some　in　his　arms；　some　tugging　at　his　skirts；　and　some

trudging　at　his　heels；　and　to　treat　them　to　a　gambol　among　the

orchards　of　the　Vega；　while　his　wife　was　dancing　with　her　holiday

friends　in　the　Angosturas　of　the　Darro。

　　It　was　a　late　hour　one　summer　night；　and　most　of　the

water…carriers　had　desisted　from　their　toils。　The　day　had　been

uncommonly　sultry；　the　night　was　one　of　those　delicious　moonlights；

which　tempt　the　inhabitants　of　southern　climes　to　indemnify　themselves

for　the　heat　and　inaction　of　the　day；　by　lingering　in　the　open　air；

and　enjoying　its　tempered　sweetness　until　after　midnight。　Customers

for　water　were　therefore　still　abroad。　Peregil；　like　a　considerate；

painstaking　father；　thought　of　his　hungry　children。　〃One　more

journey　to　the　well；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃to　earn　a　Sunday's

puchero　for　the　little　ones。〃　So　saying；　he　trudged　manfully　up　the

steep　avenue　of　the　Alhambra；　singing　as　he　went；　and　now　and　then

bestowing　a　hearty　thwack　with　a　cudgel　on　the　flanks　of　his　donkey；

either　by　way　of　cadence　to　the　song；　or　refreshment　to　the　animal；

for　dry　blows　serve　in　lieu　of　provender　in　Spain　for　all　beasts　of

burden。

　　When　arrived　at　the　well；　he　found　it　deserted　by　every　one　except　a

solitary　stranger　in　Moorish　garb；　seated　on　a　stone　bench　in　the

moonlight。　Peregil　paused　at　first　and　regarded　him　with　surprise；　not

unmixed　with　awe；　but　the　Moor　feebly　beckoned　him　to　approach。　〃I

am　faint　and　ill；〃　said　he；　〃aid　me　to　return　to　the　city；　and　I

will　pay　thee　double　what　thou　couldst　gain　by　thy　jars　of　water。〃

　　The　honest　heart　of　the　little　water…carrier　was　touched　with

compassion　at　the　appeal　of　the　stranger。　〃God　forbid；〃　said　he；　〃that

I　should　ask　fee　or　reward　for　doing　a　common　act　of　humanity。〃　He

accordingly　helped　the　Moor　on　his　donkey；　and　set　off　slowly　for

Granada；　the　poor　Moslem　being　so　weak　that　it　was　necessary　to　hold

him　on　the　animal　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　earth。

　　When　they　entered　the　city；　the　water…carrier　demanded　whither　he

should　conduct　him。　〃Alas！〃　said　the　Moor；　faintly；　〃I　have　neither

home　nor　habitation；　I　am　a　stranger　in　the　land。　Suffer　me　to　lay

my　head　this　night　beneath　thy　roof；　and　thou　shalt　be　amply　repaid。〃

　　Honest　Peregil　thus　saw　himself　unexpectedly　saddled　with　an　infidel

guest；　but　he　was　too　humane　to　refuse　a　night's　shelter　to　a　fellow

being　in　so　forlorn　a　plight；　so　he　conducted　the　Moor　to　his

dwelling。　The　children；　who　had　sallied　forth　open…mouthed　as　usual　on

hearing　the　tramp　of　the　donkey；　ran　back　with　affright；　when　they

beheld　the　turbaned　stranger；　and　hid　themselves　behind　their

mother。　The　latter　stepped　forth　intrepidly；　like　a　ruffling　hen

before　her　brood　when　a　vagrant　dog　approaches。

　　〃What　infidel　companion；〃　cried　she；　〃is　this　you　have　brought

home　at　this　late　hour；　to　draw　upon　us　the　eyes　of　the　Inquisition？〃

　　〃Be　quiet；　wife；〃　replied　the　Gallego；　〃here　is　a　poor　sick

stranger；　without　friend　or　home；　wouldst　thou　turn　him　forth　to

perish　in　the　streets？〃

　　The　wife　would　still　have　remonstrated；　for　although　she　lived　in

a　hovel　she　was　a　furious　stickler　for　the　credit　of　her　house；　the

little　water…carrier；　however；　for　once　was　stiff…necked；　and

refused　to　bend　beneath　the　yoke。　He　assisted　the　poor　Moslem　to

alight；　and　spread　a　mat　and　a　sheep…skin　for　him；　on　the　ground；　in

the　coolest　part　of　the　house；　being　the　only　kind　of　bed　that　his

poverty　afforded。

　　In　a　little　while　the　Moor　was　seized　with　violent　convulsions；

which　defied　all　the　ministering　skill　of　the　simple　water…carrier。

The　eye　of　the　poor　patient　acknowledged　his　kindness。　During　an

interval　of　his　fits　he　called　him　to　his　side；　and　addressing　him

in　a　low　voice；　〃My　end；〃　said　he；　〃I　fear　is　at　hand。　If　I　die；　I

bequeath　you　this　box　as　a　reward　for　your　charity〃：　so　saying；　he

opened　his　albornoz；　or　cloak；　and　showed　a　small　box　of　sandalwood；

strapped　round　his　body。　〃God　grant；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　worthy

little　Gallego；　〃that　you　may　live　many　years　to　enjoy　your

treasure；　whatever　it　may　be。〃　The　Moor　shook　his　head；　he　laid　his

hand　upon　the　box；　and　would　have　said　something　more　concerning　it；

but　his　convulsions　returned　with　increasing　violence；　and　in　a　little

while　he　expired。

　　The　water…carrier's　wife　was　now　as　one　distracted。　〃This　comes；〃

said　she；　〃of　your　foolish　good　nature；　always　running　into　scrapes　to

oblige　others。　What　will　become　of　us　when　this　corpse　is　found　in　our

house？　We　shall　be　sent　to　prison　as　murderers；　and　if　we　escape

with　our　lives；　shall　be　ruined　by　notaries　and　alguazils。〃

　　Poor　Peregil　was　in　equal　tribulation；　and　almost　repented　himself

of　having　done　a　good　deed。　At　length　a　thought　struck　him。　〃It　is　not

yet　day；〃　said　he；　〃I　can　convey　the　dead　body　out　of　the　city；　and

bury　it　in　the　sands　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil。　No　one　saw　the　Moor

enter　our　dwelling；　and　no　one　will　know　any　thing　of　his　death。〃

　　So　said；　so　done。　The　wife　aided　him；　they　rolled　the　body　of　the

unfortunate　Moslem　in　the　mat　on　which　he　had　expired；　laid　it

across　the　ass；　and　Peregil　set　out　with　it　for　the　banks　of　the

river。

　　As　ill　luck　would　have　it；　there　lived　opposite　to　the　water…carrier

a　barber　named　Pedrillo　Pedrugo；　one　of　the　most　prying；　tattling；　and

mischief…making　of　his　gossip　tribe。　He　was　a　weasel…faced；

spider…legged　varlet；　supple　and　insinuating；　the　famous　barber　of

Seville　could　not　surpass　him　for　his　universal　knowledge　of　the

affairs　of　others；　and　he　had　no　more　power　of　retention　than　a　sieve。

It　was　said　that　he　slept　but　with　one　eye　at　a　time；　and　kept　one　ear

uncovered；　so　that；　even　in　his　sleep；　he　might　see　and　hear　all

that　was　going　on。　Certain　it　is；　he　was　a　sort　of　scandalous

chronicle　for　the　quid…nuncs　of　Granada；　and　had　more　customers　than

all　the　rest　of　his　fraternity。

　　This　meddlesome　barber　heard　Peregil　arrive　at　an　unusual　hour　at

night；　and　the　exclamations　of　his　wife　and　children。　His　head　was

instantly　popped　out　of　a　little　window　which　served　him　as　a

look…out；　and　he　saw　his　neighbor　assist　a　man　in　Moorish　garb　into

his　dwelling。　This　was　so　strange　an　occurrence；　that　Pedrillo　Pedrugo

slept　not　a　wink　that　night。　Every　five　minutes　he　was　at　his

loophole；　watching　the　lights　that　gleamed　through　the　chinks　of　his

neighbor's　door；　and　before　daylight　he　beheld　Peregil　sally　forth

with　his　donkey　unusually　laden。

　　The　inquisitive　barber　was　in　a　fidget；　he　slipped　on　his　clothes；

and；　stealing　forth　silently；　followed　the　water…carrier　at　a

distance；　until　he　saw　him　dig　a　hole　in　the　sandy　bank　of　the

Xenil；　and　bury　something　that　had　the　appearance　of　a　dead　body。

　　The　barber　hied　him　home；　and　fidgeted　about　his　shop；　setting　every

thing　upside　down；　until　sunrise。　He　then　took　a　basin　under　his

arm；　and　sallied　forth　to　the　house　of　his　daily　customer　the　alcalde。

　　The　alcalde　was　just　risen。　Pedrillo　Pedrugo　seated　him　in　a

chair；　threw　a　napkin　round　his　neck；　put　a　basin　of　hot　water　under

his　chin；　and　began　to　mollify　his　beard　with　his　fingers。

　　〃Strange　doings！〃　said　Pedrugo；　who　played　barber　and　newsmonger

at　the　same　time…　〃Strange　doings！　Robbery；　and　murder；　and　burial　all

in　one　night！〃

　　〃Hey！…　how！…　what　is　that　you　say？〃　cried　the　alcalde。

　　〃I　say；〃　replied　the　barber；　rubbing　a　piece　of　soap　over　the　nose

and　mouth　of　the　dignitary；　for　a　Spanish　barber　disdains　to　employ

a　brush…　〃I　say　that　Peregil　the　Gallego　has　robbed　and　murdered　a

Moorish　Mussulman；　and　buried　him；　this　blessed　night。　Maldita　sea

la　noche…　accursed　be　the　night　for　the　same！〃

　　〃But　how　do　you　know　all　this？〃　demanded　the　alcalde。

　　〃Be　patient；　senor；　and　you　shall　hear　all　about　it