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with　the　Moorish　treasure！

　　As　to　the　immaculate　handmaid；　she　was　ready　to　lend　her　hand；　which

was　all　that　was　required；　to　the　pious　work；　and　if　a　shy　glance

now　and　then　might　be　believed；　the　ambassador　began　to　find　favor

in　her　modest　eyes。

　　The　greatest　difficulty；　however；　was　the　fast　to　which　the　good

Padre　had　to　subject　himself。　Twice　he　attempted　it；　and　twice　the

flesh　was　too　strong　for　the　spirit。　It　was　only　on　the　third　day　that

he　was　enabled　to　withstand　the　temptations　of　the　cupboard；　but　it

was　still　a　question　whether　he　would　hold　out　until　the　spell　was

broken。

　　At　a　late　hour　of　the　night　the　party　groped　their　way　up　the　ravine

by　the　light　of　a　lantern；　and　bearing　a　basket　with　provisions　for

exorcising　the　demon　of　hunger　so　soon　as　the　other　demons　should　be

laid　in　the　Red　Sea。

　　The　seal　of　Solomon　opened　their　way　into　the　tower。　They　found

the　soldier　seated　on　the　enchanted　strong…box；　awaiting　their

arrival。　The　exorcism　was　performed　in　due　style。　The　damsel

advanced　and　touched　the　locks　of　the　coffer　with　the　seal　of　Solomon。

The　lid　flew　open；　and　such　treasures　of　gold　and　jewels　and

precious　stones　as　flashed　upon　the　eye！

　　〃Here's　cut　and　come　again！〃　cried　the　student；　exultingly；　as　he

proceeded　to　cram　his　pockets。

　　〃Fairly　and　softly；〃　exclaimed　the　soldier。　〃Let　us　get　the　coffer

out　entire；　and　then　divide。〃

　　They　accordingly　went　to　work　with　might　and　main；　but　it　was　a

difficult　task；　the　chest　was　enormously　heavy；　and　had　been

imbedded　there　for　centuries。　While　they　were　thus　employed　the　good

dominie　drew　on　one　side　and　made　a　vigorous　onslaught　on　the

basket；　by　way　of　exorcising　the　demon　of　hunger　which　was　raging　in

his　entrails。　In　a　little　while　a　fat　capon　was　devoured；　and　washed

down　by　a　deep　potation　of　Val　de　Penas；　and；　by　way　of　grace　after

meat；　he　gave　a　kind…hearted　kiss　to　the　pet　lamb　who　waited　on　him。

It　was　quietly　done　in　a　corner；　but　the　tell…tale　walls　babbled　it

forth　as　if　in　triumph。　Never　was　chaste　salute　more　awful　in　its

effects。　At　the　sound　the　soldier　gave　a　great　cry　of　despair；　the

coffer；　which　was　half　raised；　fell　back　in　its　place　and　was　locked

once　more。　Priest；　student；　and　damsel；　found　themselves　outside　of

the　tower；　the　wall　of　which　closed　with　a　thundering　jar。　Alas！　the

good　Padre　had　broken　his　fast　too　soon！

　　When　recovered　from　his　surprise；　the　student　would　have

re…entered　the　tower；　but　learnt　to　his　dismay　that　the　damsel；　in　her

fright；　had　let　fall　the　seal　of　Solomon；　it　remained　within　the

vault。

　　In　a　word；　the　cathedral　bell　tolled　midnight；　the　spell　was

renewed；　the　soldier　was　doomed　to　mount　guard　for　another　hundred

years；　and　there　he　and　the　treasure　remain　to　this　day…　and　all

because　the　kind…hearted　Padre　kissed　his　handmaid。　〃Ah　father！

father！〃　said　the　student；　shaking　his　head　ruefully；　as　they　returned

down　the　ravine；　〃I　fear　there　was　less　of　the　saint　than　the　sinner

in　that　kiss！〃



　　Thus　ends　the　legend　as　far　as　it　has　been　authenticated。　There　is　a

tradition；　however；　that　the　student　had　brought　off　treasure　enough

in　his　pocket　to　set　him　up　in　the　world；　that　he　prospered　in　his

affairs；　that　the　worthy　Padre　gave　him　the　pet　lamb　in　marriage；　by

way　of　amends　for　the　blunder　in　the　vault；　that　the　immaculate　damsel

proved　a　pattern　for　wives　as　she　had　been　for　handmaids；　and　bore　her

husband　a　numerous　progeny；　that　the　first　was　a　wonder；　it　was　born

seven　months　after　her　marriage；　and　though　a　seven　months　boy；　was

the　sturdiest　of　the　flock。　The　rest　were　all　born　in　the　ordinary

course　of　time。

　　The　story　of　the　enchanted　soldier　remains　one　of　the　popular

traditions　of　Granada；　though　told　in　a　variety　of　ways；　the　common

people　affirm　that　he　still　mounts　guard　on　midsummer　eve　beside　the

gigantic　stone　pomegranate　on　the　Bridge　of　the　Darro；　but　remains

invisible　excepting　to　such　lucky　mortal　as　may　possess　the　seal　of

Solomon。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　Notes　to　〃The　Enchanted　Soldier〃。



　　Among　the　ancient　superstitions　of　Spain；　were　those　of　the

existence　of　profound　caverns　in　which　the　magic　arts　were　taught；

either　by　the　devil　in　person；　or　some　sage　devoted　to　his　service。

One　of　the　most　famous　of　these　caves；　was　at　Salamanca。　Don　Francisco

de　Torreblanca　makes　mention　of　it　in　the　first　book　of　his　work　on

Magic。　The　devil　was　said　to　play　the　part　of　Oracle　there；　giving

replies　to　those　who　repaired　thither　to　propound　fateful　questions；

as　in　the　celebrated　cave　of　Trophonius。　Don　Francisco；　though　he

records　this　story；　does　not　put　faith　in　it；　he　gives　it　however　as

certain；　that　a　Sacristan；　named　Clement　Potosi；　taught　secretly　the

magic　arts　in　that　cave。　Padre　Feyjoo；　who　inquired　into　the　matter；

reports　it　as　a　vulgar　belief　that　the　devil　himself　taught　those　arts

there；　admitting　only　seven　disciples　at　a　time；　one　of　whom；　to　be

determined　by　lot；　was　to　be　devoted　to　him　body　and　soul　for　ever。

Among　one　of　these　sets　of　students；　was　a　young　man；　son　of　the

Marquis　de　Villena；　on　whom；　after　having　accomplished　his　studies；

the　lot　fell。　He　succeeded；　however；　in　cheating　the　devil；　leaving

him　his　shadow　instead　of　his　body。

　　Don　Juan　de　Dios；　Professor　of　Humanities　in　the　University　in　the

early　part　of　the　last　century；　gives　the　following　version　of　the

story；　extracted；　as　he　says；　from　an　ancient　manuscript。　It　will　be

perceived　he　has　marred　the　supernatural　part　of　the　tale；　and　ejected

the　devil　from　it　altogether。

　　As　to　the　fable　of　the　Cave　of　San　Cyprian；　says　he；　all　that　we

have　been　able　to　verify　is；　that　where　the　stone　cross　stands；　in　the

small　square　or　place　called　by　the　name　of　the　Seminary　of

Carvajal；　there　was　the　parochial　church　of　San　Cyprian。　A　descent

of　twenty　steps　led　down　to　a　subterranean　Sacristy；　spacious　and

vaulted　like　a　cave。　Here　a　Sacristan　once　taught　magic；　judicial

astrology；　geomancy；　hydromancy；　pyromancy；　acromancy；　chiromancy；

necromancy；　&c。

　　The　extract　goes　on　to　state　that　seven　students　engaged　at　a　time

with　the　Sacristan；　at　a　fixed　stipend。　Lots　were　cast　among　them

which　one　of　their　number　should　pay　for　the　whole；　with　the

understanding　that　he　on　whom　the　lot　fell；　if　he　did　not　pay

promptly；　should　be　detained　in　a　chamber　of　the　Sacristy；　until　the

funds　were　forthcoming。　This　became　thenceforth　the　usual　practice。

　　On　one　occasion　the　lot　fell　on　Henry　de　Villena；　son　of　the　marquis

of　the　same　name。　He　having　perceived　that　there　had　been　trick　and

shuffling　in　the　casting　of　the　lot；　and　suspecting　the　Sacristan　to

be　cognizant　thereof；　refused　to　pay。　He　was　forthwith　left　in

limbo。　It　so　happened　that　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　Sacristy　was　a　huge

jar　or　earthen　reservoir　for　water；　which　was　cracked　and　empty。　In

this　the　youth　contrived　to　conceal　himself。　The　Sacristan　returned　at

night　with　a　servant；　bringing　lights　and　a　supper。　Unlocking　the

door；　they　found　no　one　in　the　vault；　and　a　book　of　magic　lying　open

on　the　table。　They　retreated　in　dismay；　leaving　the　door　open；　by

which　Villena　made　his　escape。　The　story　went　about　that　through　magic

he　had　made　himself　invisible。

　　The　reader　has　now　both　versions　of　the　story；　and　may　make　his

choice。　I　will　only　observe　that　the　sages　of　the　Alhambra　incline

to　the　diabolical　one。

　　This　Henry　de　Villena　flourished　in　the　time　of　Juan　II；　King　of

Castile；　of　whom　he　was　uncle。　He　became　famous　for　his　knowledge　of

the　Natural　Sciences；　and　hence；　in　that　ignorant　age　was

stigmatized　as　a　necromancer。　Fernan　Perez　de　Guzman；　in　his　account

of　distinguished　men；　gives　him　credit　for　great　learning；　but　says　he

devoted　himself　to　the　arts　of　divination；　the　interpretation　of

dreams；　of　signs；　and　portents。

　　At　the　death　of　Villena；　his　library　fell　into　the　hands　of　the

King；　who　was　warned　that　it　contained　books　treating　of　magic；　and

not　proper　to　be　read。　King　Juan　ordered　that　they　should　be

transported　in　carts　to　the　residence　of　a　reverend　prelate　to　be

examined。　The　prelate　was　less　learned　than　devout。　Some　of　the

books　treated　of　mathematics；　others　of　astronomy；　with　figures　and

diagrams；　and　planetary　signs；　others　of　chemistry　or　alchemy；　with

foreign　and　mystic　words。　All　these　were　necromancy　in　the　eyes　of　the

pious　prelate；　and　the　books　were　consigned　to　the　flames；　like　the

library　of　Don　Quixote。



　　THE　SEAL　OF　SOLOMON。　The　device　consists　of　two　equilateral

triangles；　interlaced　so　as　to　form　a　star；　and　surrounded　by　a

circle。　According　to　Arab　tradition；　when　the　Most　High　gave　Solomon

the　choice　of　blessings；　and　he　chose　wisdom；　there　came　from　heaven　a

ring；　on　which　this　device　was　engraven。　This　mystic　talisman　was

the　arcanum　of　his　wisdom；　felicity；　and　grandeur；　by　this　he　governed

and　prospered。　In　consequence　of　a　temporary　lapse　from　virtue；　he

lost　the　ring　in　the　sea；　and　was　at　once　reduced　to　the　level　of

ordinary　men。　By　penitence　and　prayer　he　made　his　peace　with　the

Deity；　was　permitted　to　find　his　ring　again　in　the　belly　of　a　fish；

and　thus　recovered　his　celestial　gifts。　That　he　might　not　utterly　lose

them　again；　he　communicated　to　others　the　secret　of　the　marvellous

ring。

　　This　symbolical　seal　we　are　told　was　sacrilegiously　used　by　the

Mahometan　infidels；　and　before　them　by　the　Arabian　idolaters；　and

before　them　by　the　Hebrews；　for　〃diabolical　enterprises　and　abominable

superstitions。〃　Those　who　wish　to　be　more　thoroughly　informed　on　the

subject；　will　do　well　to　consult　the　learned　Father　Athanasius

Kirker's　treatise　on　the　Cabala　Sarracenica。



　　A　word　more　to　the　curious　reader。　There　are　many　persons　in　these

skeptical　times　who　affect　to　deride　every　thing　connected　with　the

occult　sciences；　or　black　art；　who　have　no　faith　in　the　efficacy　of

conjurations；　incantations　or　divinations；　and　who　stoutly　con