part05-第6部分

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nor　spear　was　stirring。　All　that　we　have　found　in　the　course　of　our

foray；　was　a　Christian　damsel　of　surpassing　beauty；　sleeping　at

noontide　beside　a　fountain；　whom　we　have　brought　away　captive。〃

　　〃A　damsel　of　surpassing　beauty！〃　exclaimed　Aben　Habuz；　his　eyes

gleaming　with　animation；　〃let　her　be　conducted　into　my　presence。〃

　　The　beautiful　damsel　was　accordingly　conducted　into　his　presence。

She　was　arrayed　with　all　the　luxury　of　ornament　that　had　prevailed

among　the　Gothic　Spaniards　at　the　time　of　the　Arabian　conquest。　Pearls

of　dazzling　whiteness　were　entwined　with　her　raven　tresses；　and　jewels

sparkled　on　her　forehead；　rivalling　the　lustre　of　her　eyes。　Around　her

neck　was　a　golden　chain；　to　which　was　suspended　a　silver　lyre；　which

hung　by　her　side。

　　The　flashes　of　her　dark　refulgent　eye　were　like　sparks　of　fire　on

the　withered；　yet　combustible；　heart　of　Aben　Habuz；　the　swimming

voluptuousness　of　her　gait　made　his　senses　reel。　〃Fairest　of　women；〃

cried　he；　with　rapture；　〃who　and　what　art　thou？〃

　　〃The　daughter　of　one　of　the　Gothic　princes；　who　but　lately　ruled

over　this　land。　The　armies　of　my　father　have　been　destroyed；　as　if

by　magic；　among　these　mountains；　he　has　been　driven　into　exile；　and

his　daughter　is　a　captive。〃

　　〃Beware；　O　king！〃　whispered　Ibrahim　Ebn　Abu　Ayub；　〃this　may　be　one

of　these　northern　sorceresses　of　whom　we　have　heard；　who　assume　the

most　seductive　forms　to　beguile　the　unwary。　Methinks　I　read　witchcraft

in　her　eye；　and　sorcery　in　every　movement。　Doubtless　this　is　the　enemy

pointed　out　by　the　talisman。〃

　　〃Son　of　Abu　Ayub；〃　replied　the　king；　〃thou　art　a　wise　man；　I

grant；　a　conjuror　for　aught　I　know；　but　thou　art　little　versed　in

the　ways　of　woman。　In　that　knowledge　will　I　yield　to　no　man；　no；　not

to　the　wise　Solomon　himself；　notwithstanding　the　number　of　his　wives

and　concubines。　As　to　this　damsel；　I　see　no　harm　in　her；　she　is　fair

to　look　upon；　and　finds　favor　in　my　eyes。〃

　　〃Hearken；　O　king！〃　replied　the　astrologer。　〃I　have　given　thee　many

victories　by　means　of　my　talisman；　but　have　never　shared　any　of　the

spoil。　Give　me　then　this　stray　captive；　to　solace　me　in　my　solitude

with　her　silver　lyre。　If　she　be　indeed　a　sorceress；　I　have　counter

spells　that　set　her　charms　at　defiance。〃

　　〃What！　more　women！〃　cried　Aben　Habuz。　〃Hast　thou　not　already　dancing

women　enough　to　solace　thee？〃

　　〃Dancing　women　have　I；　it　is　true；　but　no　singing　women。　I　would

fain　have　a　little　minstrelsy　to　refresh　my　mind　when　weary　with　the

toils　of　study。〃

　　〃A　truce　with　thy　hermit　cravings；〃　said　the　king；　impatiently。

〃This　damsel　have　I　marked　for　my　own。　I　see　much　comfort　in　her；　even

such　comfort　as　David；　the　father　of　Solomon　the　wise；　found　in　the

society　of　Abishag　the　Shunammite。〃

　　Further　solicitations　and　remonstrances　of　the　astrologer　only

provoked　a　more　peremptory　reply　from　the　monarch；　and　they　parted

in　high　displeasure。　The　sage　shut　himself　up　in　his　hermitage　to

brood　over　his　disappointment；　ere　he　departed；　however；　he　gave　the

king　one　more　warning　to　beware　of　his　dangerous　captive。　But　where　is

the　old　man　in　love　that　will　listen　to　council？　Aben　Habuz　resigned

himself　to　the　full　sway　of　his　passion。　His　only　study　was　how　to

render　himself　amiable　in　the　eyes　of　the　Gothic　beauty。　He　had　not

youth　to　recommend　him；　it　is　true；　but　then　he　had　riches；　and　when　a

lover　is　old；　he　is　generally　generous。　The　Zacatin　of　Granada　was

ransacked　for　the　most　precious　merchandise　of　the　East；　silks；

jewels；　precious　gems；　exquisite　perfumes；　all　that　Asia　and　Africa

yielded　of　rich　and　rare；　were　lavished　upon　the　princess。　All　kinds

of　spectacles　and　festivities　were　devised　for　her　entertainment；

minstrelsy；　dancing；　tournaments；　bull…fights…　Granada　for　a　time

was　a　scene　of　perpetual　pageant。

　　The　Gothic　princess　regarded　all　this　splendor　with　the　air　of　one

accustomed　to　magnificence。　She　received　every　thing　as　a　homage　due

to　her　rank；　or　rather　to　her　beauty；　for　beauty　is　more　lofty　in

its　exactions　even　than　rank。　Nay；　she　seemed　to　take　a　secret

pleasure　in　exciting　the　monarch　to　expenses　that　made　his　treasury

shrink；　and　then　treating　his　extravagant　generosity　as　a　mere

matter　of　course。　With　all　his　assiduity　and　munificence；　also；　the

venerable　lover　could　not　flatter　himself　that　he　had　made　any

impression　on　her　heart。　She　never　frowned　on　him；　it　is　true；　but

then　she　never　smiled。　Whenever　he　began　to　plead　his　passion；　she

struck　her　silver　lyre。　There　was　a　mystic　charm　in　the　sound。　In　an

instant　the　monarch　began　to　nod；　a　drowsiness　stole　over　him；　and

he　gradually　sank　into　a　sleep；　from　which　he　awoke　wonderfully

refreshed；　but　perfectly　cooled　for　the　time　of　his　passion。　This

was　very　baffling　to　his　suit；　but　then　these　slumbers　were

accompanied　by　agreeable　dreams；　which　completely　inthralled　the

senses　of　the　drowsy　lover；　so　he　continued　to　dream　on；　while　all

Granada　scoffed　at　his　infatuation；　and　groaned　at　the　treasures

lavished　for　a　song。

　　At　length　a　danger　burst　on　the　head　of　Aben　Habuz；　against　which

his　talisman　yielded　him　no　warning。　An　insurrection　broke　out　in

his　very　capital：　his　palace　was　surrounded　by　an　armed　rabble；　who

menaced　his　life　and　the　life　of　his　Christian　paramour。　A　spark　of

his　ancient　warlike　spirit　was　awakened　in　the　breast　of　the

monarch。　At　the　head　of　a　handful　of　his　guards　he　sallied　forth；

put　the　rebels　to　flight；　and　crushed　the　insurrection　in　the　bud。

　　When　quiet　was　again　restored；　he　sought　the　astrologer；　who　still

remained　shut　up　in　his　hermitage；　chewing　the　bitter　cud　of

resentment。

　　Aben　Habuz　approached　him　with　a　conciliatory　tone。　〃O　wise　son　of

Abu　Ayub；〃　said　he；　〃well　didst　thou　predict　dangers　to　me　from　this

captive　beauty：　tell　me　then；　thou　who　art　so　quick　at　foreseeing

peril；　what　I　should　do　to　avert　it。〃

　　〃Put　from　thee　the　infidel　damsel　who　is　the　cause。〃

　　〃Sooner　would　I　part　with　my　kingdom；〃　cried　Aben　Habuz。

　　〃Thou　art　in　danger　of　losing　both；〃　replied　the　astrologer。

　　〃Be　not　harsh　and　angry；　O　most　profound　of　philosophers；　consider

the　double　distress　of　a　monarch　and　a　lover；　and　devise　some　means　of

protecting　me　from　the　evils　by　which　I　am　menaced。　I　care　not　for

grandeur；　I　care　not　for　power；　I　languish　only　for　repose；　would　that

I　had　some　quiet　retreat　where　I　might　take　refuge　from　the　world；　and

all　its　cares；　and　pomps；　and　troubles；　and　devote　the　remainder　of　my

days　to　tranquillity　and　love。〃

　　The　astrologer　regarded　him　for　a　moment；　from　under　his　bushy

eyebrows。

　　〃And　what　wouldst　thou　give；　if　I　could　provide　thee　such　a

retreat？〃

　　〃Thou　shouldst　name　thy　own　reward；　and　whatever　it　might　be；　if

within　the　scope　of　my　power；　as　my　soul　liveth；　it　should　be　thine。〃

　　〃Thou　hast　heard；　O　king；　of　the　garden　of　Irem；　one　of　the

prodigies　of　Arabia　the　happy。〃

　　〃I　have　heard　of　that　garden；　it　is　recorded　in　the　Koran；　even　in

the　chapter　entitled　'The　Dawn　of　Day。'　I　have；　moreover；　heard

marvellous　things　related　of　it　by　pilgrims　who　had　been　to　Mecca；　but

I　considered　them　wild　fables；　such　as　travellers　are　wont　to　tell　who

have　visited　remote　countries。〃

　　〃Discredit　not；　O　king；　the　tales　of　travellers；〃　rejoined　the

astrologer；　gravely；　〃for　they　contain　precious　rarities　of

knowledge　brought　from　the　ends　of　the　earth。　As　to　the　palace　and

garden　of　Irem；　what　is　generally　told　of　them　is　true；　I　have　seen

them　with　mine　own　eyes…　listen　to　my　adventure；　for　it　has　a

bearing　upon　the　object　of　your　request。

　　〃In　my　younger　days；　when　a　mere　Arab　of　the　desert；　I　tended　my

father's　camels。　In　traversing　the　desert　of　Aden；　one　of　them　strayed

from　the　rest；　and　was　lost。　I　searched　after　it　for　several　days；　but

in　vain；　until；　wearied　and　faint；　I　laid　myself　down　at　noontide；　and

slept　under　a　palm…tree　by　the　side　of　a　scanty　well。　When　I　awoke；

I　found　myself　at　the　gate　of　a　city。　I　entered；　and　beheld　noble

streets；　and　squares；　and　market…places；　but　all　were　silent　and

without　an　inhabitant。　I　wandered　on　until　I　came　to　a　sumptuous

palace　with　a　garden　adorned　with　fountains　and　fishponds；　and

groves　and　flowers；　and　orchards　laden　with　delicious　fruit；　but　still

no　one　was　to　be　seen。　Upon　which；　appalled　at　this　loneliness；　I

hastened　to　depart；　and；　after　issuing　forth　at　the　gate　of　the

city；　I　turned　to　look　upon　the　place；　but　it　was　no　longer　to　be

seen；　nothing　but　the　silent　desert　extended　before　my　eyes。

　　〃In　the　neighborhood　I　met　with　an　aged　dervise；　learned　in　the

traditions　and　secrets　of　the　land；　and　related　to　him　what　had

befallen　me。　'This；'　said　he；　'is　the　far…famed　garden　of　Irem；　one　of

the　wonders　of　the　desert。　It　only　appears　at　times　to　some　wanderer

like　thyself；　gladdening　him　with　the　sight　of　towers　and　palaces

and　garden　walls　overhung　with　richly…laden　fruit…trees；　and　then

vanishes；　leaving　nothing　but　a　lonely　desert。　And　this　is　the　story

of　it。　In　old　times；　when　this　country　was　inhabited　by　the　Addites；

King　Sheddad；　the　son　of　Ad；　the　great　grandson　of　Noah；　founded

here　a　splendid　city。　When　it　was　finished；　and　he　saw　its　grandeur；

his　heart　was　puffed　up　with　pride　and　arrogance；　and　he　determined　to

build　a　royal　palace；　with　gardens　which　should　rival　all　related　in

the　Koran　of　the　celestial　paradise。　But　the　curse　of　heaven　fell　upon

him　for　his　presumption。　He　and　his　subjects　were　swept　from　the

earth；　and　his　splendid　city；　and　palace；　and　gardens；　were　laid　under

a　perpetual　spell；　which　hides　them　from　human　sight；　excepting　that

they　are　seen　at　intervals；　by　way　of　keeping　his　sin　in　perpetual

remembrance。'

　　〃This　story；　O　king；　and　the　wonders　I　had　seen；　ever　dwelt　in　my

mind；　and　in　after　years；　when　I　had　been　in　Egypt；　and　was

possessed　of　the　book　of　knowledge　of　Solomon　the　wise；　I　determined

to　return　and　revisit　the　garden　of　Irem。