part10-第7部分

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

conjurations；　incantations　or　divinations；　and　who　stoutly　contend

that　such　things　never　had　existence。　To　such　determined　unbelievers

the　testimony　of　past　ages　is　as　nothing；　they　require　the　evidence　of

their　own　senses；　and　deny　that　such　arts　and　practices　have　prevailed

in　days　of　yore；　simply　because　they　meet　with　no　instance　of　them

in　the　present　day。　They　cannot　perceive　that；　as　the　world　became

versed　in　the　natural　sciences；　the　supernatural　became　superfluous

and　fell　into　disuse；　and　that　the　hardy　inventions　of　art

superseded　the　mysteries　of　magic。　Still；　say　the　enlightened　few；

those　mystic　powers　exist；　though　in　a　latent　state；　and　untasked　by

the　ingenuity　of　man。　A　talisman　is　still　a　talisman；　possessing　all

its　indwelling　and　awful　properties；　though　it　may　have　lain　dormant

for　ages　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　or　in　the　dusty　cabinet　of　the

antiquary。

　　The　signet　of　Solomon　the　Wise；　for　instance；　is　well　known　to

have　held　potent　control　over　genii；　demons；　and　enchantments；　now　who

will　positively　assert　that　the　same　mystic　signet；　wherever　it　may

exist；　does　not　at　the　present　moment　possess　the　same　marvellous

virtues　which　distinguished　it　in　the　olden　time？　Let　those　who

doubt　repair　to　Salamanca；　delve　into　the　cave　of　San　Cyprian；　explore

its　hidden　secrets；　and　decide。　As　to　those　who　will　not　be　at　the

pains　of　such　investigation；　let　them　substitute　faith　for

incredulity；　and　receive　with　honest　credence　the　foregoing　legend。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Author's　Farewell　to　Granada。



　　MY　SERENE　and　happy　reign　in　the　Alhambra　was　suddenly　brought　to

a　close　by　letters　which　reached　me；　while　indulging　in　Oriental

luxury　in　the　cool　hall　of　the　baths；　summoning　me　away　from　my　Moslem

elysium　to　mingle　once　more　in　the　bustle　and　business　of　the　dusty

world。　How　was　I　to　encounter　its　toils　and　turmoils；　after　such　a

life　of　repose　and　reverie！　How　was　I　to　endure　its　common…place；

after　the　poetry　of　the　Alhambra！

　　But　little　preparation　was　necessary　for　my　departure。　A　two…wheeled

vehicle；　called　a　tartana；　very　much　resembling　a　covered　cart；　was　to

be　the　travelling　equipage　of　a　young　Englishman　and　myself　through

Murcia；　to　Alicante　and　Valencia；　on　our　way　to　France；　and　a

long…limbed　varlet；　who　had　been　a　contrabandista；　and；　for　aught　I

knew；　a　robber；　was　to　be　our　guide　and　guard。　The　preparations　were

soon　made；　but　the　departure　was　the　difficulty。　Day　after　day　was

it　postponed；　day　after　day　was　spent　in　lingering　about　my　favorite

haunts；　and　day　after　day　they　appeared　more　delightful　in　my　eyes。

　　The　social　and　domestic　little　world　also；　in　which　I　had　been

moving；　had　become　singularly　endeared　to　me；　and　the　concern

evinced　by　them　at　my　intended　departure　convinced　me　that　my　kind

feelings　were　reciprocated。　Indeed；　when　at　length　the　day　arrived；

I　did　not　dare　venture　upon　a　leave…taking　at　the　good　dame　Antonia's；

I　saw　the　soft　heart　of　little　Dolores；　at　least；　was　brim　full　and

ready　for　an　overflow。　So　I　bade　a　silent　adieu　to　the　palace　and

its　inmates；　and　descended　into　the　city；　as　if　intending　to　return。

There；　however；　the　tartana　and　the　guide　were　ready；　so；　after　taking

a　noonday's　repast　with　my　fellow　traveller　at　the　posada；　I　set　out

with　him　on　our　journey。

　　Humble　was　the　cortege　and　melancholy　the　departure　of　El　Rey　Chico

the　second！　Manuel；　the　nephew　of　Tia　Antonia；　Mateo；　my　officious

but　now　disconsolate　squire；　and　two　or　three　old　invalids　of　the

Alhambra　with　whom　I　had　grown　into　gossiping　companionship；　had　come

down　to　see　me　off；　for　it　is　one　of　the　good　old　customs　of　Spain；　to

sally　forth　several　miles　to　meet　a　coming　friend；　and　to　accompany

him　as　far　on　his　departure。　Thus　then　we　set　out；　ourlong…legged

guard　striding　ahead；　with　his　escopeta　on　his　shoulder；　Manuel　and

Mateo　on　each　side　of　the　tartana；　and　the　old　invalids　behind。

　　At　some　little　distance　to　the　north　of　Granada；　the　road

gradually　ascends　the　hills；　here　I　alighted　and　walked　up　slowly　with

Manuel；　who　took　this　occasion　to　confide　to　me　the　secret　of　his

heart　and　of　all　those　tender　concerns　between　himself　and　Dolores；

with　which　I　had　been　already　informed　by　the　all　knowing　and　all

revealing　Mateo　Ximenes。　His　doctor's　diploma　had　prepared　the　way　for

their　union；　and　nothing　more　was　wanting　but　the　dispensation　of

the　Pope；　on　account　of　their　consanguinity。　Then；　if　he　could　get　the

post　of　Medico　of　the　fortress；　his　happiness　would　be　complete！　I

congratulated　him　on　the　judgment　and　good　taste　he　had　shown　in　his

choice　of　a　helpmate；　invoked　all　possible　felicity　on　their　union；

and　trusted　that　the　abundant　affections　of　the　kind…hearted　little

Dolores　would　in　time　have　more　stable　objects　to　occupy　them　than

recreant　cats　and　truant　pigeons。


　　It　was　indeed　a　sorrowful　parting　when　I　took　leave　of　these　good

people　and　saw　them　slowly　descend　the　hills；　now　and　then　turning

round　to　wave　me　a　last　adieu。　Manuel；　it　is　true；　had　cheerful

prospects　to　console　him；　but　poor　Mateo　seemed　perfectly　cast　down。

It　was　to　him　a　grievous　fall　from　the　station　of　prime　minister　and

historiographer；　to　his　old　brown　cloak　and　his　starveling　mystery

of　ribbon…weaving；　and　the　poor　devil；　notwithstanding　his

occasional　officiousness；　had；　somehow　or　other；　acquired　a　stronger

hold　on　my　sympathies　than　I　was　aware　of。　It　would　have　really　been　a

consolation　in　parting；　could　I　have　anticipated　the　good　fortune　in

store　for　him；　and　to　which　I　had　contributed；　for　the　importance　I

had　appeared　to　give　to　his　tales　and　gossip　and　local　knowledge；

and　the　frequent　companionship　in　which　I　had　indulged　him　in　the

course　of　my　strolls；　had　elevated　his　idea　of　his　own

qualifications　and　opened　a　new　career　to　him；　and　the　son　of　the

Alhambra　has　since　become　its　regular　and　well…paid　cicerone；　insomuch

that　I　am　told　he　has　never　been　obliged　to　resume　the　ragged　old

brown　cloak　in　which　I　first　found　him。

　　Towards　sunset　I　came　to　where　the　road　wound　into　the　mountains；

and　here　I　paused　to　take　a　last　look　at　Granada。　The　hill　on　which

I　stood　commanded　a　glorious　view　of　the　city；　the　Vega；　and　the

surrounding　mountains。　It　was　at　an　opposite　point　of　the　compass　from

La　cuesta　de　las　lagrimas　（the　hill　of　tears）　noted　for　the　〃last　sigh

of　the　Moor。〃　I　now　could　realize　something　of　the　feelings　of　poor

Boabdil　when　he　bade　adieu　to　the　paradise　he　was　leaving　behind；

and　beheld　before　him　a　rugged　and　sterile　road　conducting　him　to

exile。

　　The　setting　sun　as　usual　shed　a　melancholy　effulgence　on　the　ruddy

towers　of　the　Alhambra。　I　could　faintly　discern　the　balconied　window

of　the　Tower　of　Comares；　where　I　had　indulged　in　so　many　delightful

reveries。　The　bosky　groves　and　gardens　about　the　city　were　richly

gilded　with　the　sunshine；　the　purple　haze　of　a　summer　evening　was

gathering　over　the　Vega；　every　thing　was　lovely；　but　tenderly　and

sadly　so；　to　my　parting　gaze。

　　〃I　will　hasten　from　this　prospect；〃　thought　I；　〃before　the　sun　is

set。　I　will　carry　away　a　recollection　of　it　clothed　in　all　its

beauty。〃

　　With　these　thoughts　I　pursued　my　way　among　the　mountains。　A　little

further　and　Granada；　the　Vega；　and　the　Alhambra；　were　shut　from　my

view；　and　thus　ended　one　of　the　pleasantest　dreams　of　a　life；　which

the　reader　perhaps　may　think　has　been　but　too　much　made　up　of　dreams。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END