part07-第7部分

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of　the　worthy　adjutant　of　invalids；　who；　though　well　stricken　in

years；　had　had　the　courage　to　take　to　his　bosom　a　young　and　buxom

Andalusian　damsel。　May　the　good　old　cavalier　be　happy　in　his　choice；

and　find　the　Tower　of　the　Princesses　a　more　secure　residence　for

female　beauty　than　it　seems　to　have　proved　in　the　time　of　the　Moslems；

if　we　may　believe　the　following　legend！

　　　　　　　　　　　　Legend　of　the　Three　Beautiful　Princesses。



　　IN　OLD　times　there　reigned　a　Moorish　king　in　Granada；　whose　name　was

Mohamed；　to　which　his　subjects　added　the　appellation　of　El　Hayzari；　or

〃The　Left…handed。〃　Some　say　he　was　so　called　on　account　of　his　being

really　more　expert　with　his　sinister　than　his　dexter　hand；　others；

because　he　was　prone　to　take　every　thing　by　the　wrong　end；　or　in　other

words；　to　mar　wherever　he　meddled。　Certain　it　is；　either　through

misfortune　or　mismanagement；　he　was　continually　in　trouble：　thrice　was

he　driven　from　his　throne；　and；　on　one　occasion；　barely　escaped　to

Africa　with　his　life；　in　the　disguise　of　a　fisherman。*　Still　he　was　as

brave　as　he　was　blundering；　and　though　left…handed；　wielded　his

cimeter　to　such　purpose；　that　he　each　time　re…established　himself　upon

his　throne　by　dint　of　hard　fighting。　Instead；　however；　of　learning

wisdom　from　adversity；　he　hardened　his　neck；　and　stiffened　his　left

arm　in　wilfulness。　The　evils　of　a　public　nature　which　he　thus

brought　upon　himself　and　his　kingdom　may　be　learned　by　those　who

will　delve　into　the　Arabian　annals　of　Granada；　the　present　legend

deals　but　with　his　domestic　policy。



　　*　The　reader　will　recognize　the　sovereign　connected　with　the

fortunes　of　the　Abencerrages。　His　story　appears　to　be　a　little

fictionized　in　the　legend。



　　As　this　Mohamed　was　one　day　riding　forth　with　a　train　of　his

courtiers；　by　the　foot　of　the　mountain　of　Elvira；　he　met　a　band　of

horsemen　returning　from　a　foray　into　the　land　of　the　Christians。

They　were　conducting　a　long　string　of　mules　laden　with　spoil；　and　many

captives　of　both　sexes；　among　whom　the　monarch　was　struck　with　the

appearance　of　a　beautiful　damsel；　richly　attired；　who　sat　weeping　on　a

low　palfrey；　and　heeded　not　the　consoling　words　of　a　duenna　who　rode

beside　her。

　　The　monarch　was　struck　with　her　beauty；　and；　on　inquiring　of　the

captain　of　the　troop；　found　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　alcayde

of　a　frontier　fortress；　that　had　been　surprised　and　sacked　in　the

course　of　the　foray。　Mohamed　claimed　her　as　his　royal　share　of　the

booty；　and　had　her　conveyed　to　his　harem　in　the　Alhambra。　There

every　thing　was　devised　to　soothe　her　melancholy；　and　the　monarch；

more　and　more　enamored；　sought　to　make　her　his　queen。　The　Spanish　maid

at　first　repulsed　his　addresses…　he　was　an　infidel…　he　was　the　open

foe　of　her　country…　what　was　worse；　he　was　stricken　in　years！

　　The　monarch；　finding　his　assiduities　of　no　avail；　determined　to

enlist　in　his　favor　the　duenna；　who　had　been　captured　with　the　lady。

She　was　an　Andalusian　by　birth；　whose　Christian　name　is　forgotten；

being　mentioned　in　Moorish　legends　by　no　other　appellation　than　that

of　the　discreet　Kadiga…　and　discreet　in　truth　she　was；　as　her　whole

history　makes　evident。　No　sooner　had　the　Moorish　king　held　a　little

private　conversation　with　her；　than　she　saw　at　once　the　cogency　of　his

reasoning；　and　undertook　his　cause　with　her　young　mistress。

　　〃Go　to；　now！〃　cried　she；　〃what　is　there　in　all　this　to　weep　and　wail

about？　Is　it　not　better　to　be　mistress　of　this　beautiful　palace；

with　all　its　gardens　and　fountains；　than　to　be　shut　up　within　your

father's　old　frontier　tower？　As　to　this　Mohamed　being　an　infidel；　what

is　that　to　the　purpose？　You　marry　him；　not　his　religion：　and　if　he

is　waxing　a　little　old；　the　sooner　will　you　be　a　widow；　and　mistress

of　yourself；　at　any　rate；　you　are　in　his　power；　and　must　either　be　a

queen　or　a　slave。　When　in　the　hands　of　a　robber；　it　is　better　to

sell　one's　merchandise　for　a　fair　price；　than　to　have　it　taken　by　main

force。〃

　　The　arguments　of　the　discreet　Kadiga　prevailed。　The　Spanish　lady

dried　her　tears；　and　became　the　spouse　of　Mohamed　the　Left…handed；　she

even　conformed；　in　appearance；　to　the　faith　of　her　royal　husband；

and　her　discreet　duenna　immediately　became　a　zealous　convert　to　the

Moslem　doctrines：　it　was　then　the　latter　received　the　Arabian　name

of　Kadiga；　and　was　permitted　to　remain　in　the　confidential　employ　of

her　mistress。

　　In　due　process　of　time　the　Moorish　king　was　made　the　proud　and　happy

father　of　three　lovely　daughters；　all　born　at　a　birth：　he　could　have

wished　they　had　been　sons；　but　consoled　himself　with　the　idea　that

three　daughters　at　a　birth　were　pretty　well　for　a　man　somewhat

stricken　in　years；　and　left…handed！

　　As　usual　with　all　Moslem　monarchs；　he　summoned　his　astrologers　on

this　happy　event。　They　cast　the　nativities　of　the　three　princesses；

and　shook　their　heads。　〃Daughters；　O　king！〃　said　they；　〃are　always

precarious　property；　but　these　will　most　need　your　watchfulness　when

they　arrive　at　a　marriageable　age；　at　that　time　gather　them　under　your

wings；　and　trust　them　to　no　other　guardianship。〃

　　Mohamed　the　Left…handed　was　acknowledged　to　be　a　wise　king　by　his

courtiers；　and　was　certainly　so　considered　by　himself。　The

prediction　of　the　astrologers　caused　him　but　little　disquiet；　trusting

to　his　ingenuity　to　guard　his　daughters　and　outwit　the　Fates。

　　The　three…fold　birth　was　the　last　matrimonial　trophy　of　the　monarch；

his　queen　bore　him　no　more　children；　and　died　within　a　few　years；

bequeathing　her　infant　daughters　to　his　love；　and　to　the　fidelity　of

the　discreet　Kadiga。

　　Many　years　had　yet　to　elapse　before　the　princesses　would　arrive　at

that　period　of　danger…　the　marriageable　age：　〃It　is　good；　however；

to　be　cautious　in　time；〃　said　the　shrewd　monarch；　so　he　determined

to　have　them　reared　in　the　royal　castle　of　Salobrena。　This　was　a

sumptuous　palace；　incrusted；　as　it　were；　in　a　powerful　Moorish

fortress　on　the　summit　of　a　hill　overlooking　the　Mediterranean　sea。　It

was　a　royal　retreat；　in　which　the　Moslem　monarchs　shut　up　such　of

their　relatives；　as　might　endanger　their　safety；　allowing　them　all

kinds　of　luxuries　and　amusements；　in　the　midst　of　which　they　passed

their　lives　in　voluptuous　indolence。

　　Here　the　princesses　remained；　immured　from　the　world；　but　surrounded

by　enjoyment；　and　attended　by　female　slaves　who　anticipated　their

wishes。　They　had　delightful　gardens　for　their　recreation；　filled

with　the　rarest　fruits　and　flowers；　with　aromatic　groves　and

perfumed　baths。　On　three　sides　the　castle　looked　down　upon　a　rich

valley；　enamelled　with　all　kinds　of　culture；　and　bounded　by　the　lofted

Alpuxarra　mountains；　on　the　other　side　it　overlooked　the　broad　sunny

sea。

　　In　this　delicious　abode；　in　a　propitious　climate；　and　under　a

cloudless　sky；　the　three　princesses　grew　up　into　wondrous　beauty；　but；

though　all　reared　alike；　they　gave　early　tokens　of　diversity　of

character。　Their　names　were　Zayda；　Zorayda；　and　Zorahayda；　and　such

was　their　order　of　seniority；　for　there　had　been　precisely　three

minutes　between　their　births。

　　Zayda；　the　eldest；　was　of　an　intrepid　spirit；　and　took　the　lead　of

her　sisters　in　every　thing；　as　she　had　done　in　entering　into　the

world。　She　was　curious　and　inquisitive；　and　fond　of　getting　at　the

bottom　of　things。

　　Zorayda　had　a　great　feeling　for　beauty；　which　was　the　reason；　no

doubt；　of　her　delighting　to　regard　her　own　image　in　a　mirror　or　a

fountain；　and　of　her　fondness　for　flowers；　and　jewels；　and　other

tasteful　ornaments。

　　As　to　Zorahayda；　the　youngest；　she　was　soft　and　timid；　and　extremely

sensitive；　with　a　vast　deal　of　disposable　tenderness；　as　was　evident

from　her　number　of　pet…flowers；　and　pet…birds；　and　pet…animals；　all　of

which　she　cherished　with　the　fondest　care。　Her　amusements；　too；　were

of　a　gentle　nature；　and　mixed　up　with　musing　and　reverie。　She　would

sit　for　hours　in　a　balcony；　gazing　on　the　sparkling　stars　of　a

summer's　night；　or　on　the　sea　when　lit　up　by　the　moon；　and　at　such

times；　the　song　of　a　fisherman；　faintly　heard　from　the　beach；　or　the

notes　of　a　Moorish　flute　from　some　gliding　bark；　sufficed　to　elevate

her　feelings　into　ecstasy。　The　least　uproar　of　the　elements；

however；　filled　her　with　dismay；　and　a　clap　of　thunder　was　enough　to

throw　her　into　a　swoon。

　　Years　rolled　on　smoothly　and　serenely；　the　discreet　Kadiga；　to

whom　the　princesses　were　confided；　was　faithful　to　her　trust；　and

attended　them　with　unremitting　care。

　　The　castle　of　Salobrena；　as　has　been　said；　was　built　upon　a　hill

on　the　seacoast。　One　of　the　exterior　walls　straggled　down　the

profile　of　the　hill；　until　it　reached　a　jutting　rock　overhanging　the

sea；　with　a　narrow　sandy　beach　at　its　foot；　laved　by　the　rippling

billows。　A　small　watchtower　on　this　rock　had　been　fitted　up　as　a

pavilion；　with　latticed　windows　to　admit　the　sea…breeze。　Here　the

princesses　used　to　pass　the　sultry　hours　of　mid…day。

　　The　curious　Zayda　was　one　day　seated　at　a　window　of　the　pavilion；　as

her　sisters；　reclining　on　ottomans；　were　taking　the　siesta　or　noontide

slumber。　Her　attention　was　attracted　to　a　galley　which　came　coasting

along；　with　measured　strokes　of　the　oar。　As　it　drew　near；　she　observed

that　it　was　filled　with　armed　men。　The　galley　anchored　at　the　foot

of　the　tower：　a　number　of　Moorish　soldiers　landed　on　the　narrow　beach；

conducting　several　Christian　prisoners。　The　curious　Zayda　awakened　her

sisters；　and　all　three　peeped　cautiously　through　the　close　jalousies

of　the　lattice　which　screened　them　from　sight。　Among　the　prisoners

were　three　Spanish　cavaliers；　richly　dressed。　They　were　in　the

flower　of　youth；　and　of　noble　presence；　and　the　lofty　manner　in

which　they　carried　themselves；　though　loaded　with　chains　and

surrounded　with　enemies；　bespoke　the　grandeur　of　their　souls。　The

princesses　gazed　with　intense　and　breathless　interest。　Cooped　up　as

they　had　been　in　this　castle　among　female　attendant