part06-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



listened　with　profound　attention　to　the　story　of　the　prince。　When　it

was　concluded；　he　replied；　〃Touching　this　princess；　I　can　give　thee　no

information　of　myself；　for　my　flight　is　not　among　gardens；　or　around

ladies'　bowers；　but　hie　thee　to　Cordova；　seek　the　palm…tree　of　the

great　Abderahman；　which　stands　in　the　court　of　the　principal　mosque：

at　the　foot　of　it　thou　wilt　find　a　great　traveller　who　has　visited　all

countries　and　courts；　and　been　a　favorite　with　queens　and

princesses。　He　will　give　thee　tidings　of　the　object　of　thy　search。〃

　　〃Many　thanks　for　this　precious　information；〃　said　the　prince。

〃Farewell；　most　venerable　conjurer。〃

　　〃Farewell；　pilgrim　of　love；〃　said　the　raven；　dryly；　and　again　fell

to　pondering　on　the　diagram。

　　The　prince　sallied　forth　from　Seville；　sought　his　fellow…traveller

the　owl；　who　was　still　dozing　in　the　hollow　tree；　and　set　off　for

Cordova。

　　He　approached　it　along　hanging　gardens；　and　orange　and　citron

groves；　overlooking　the　fair　valley　of　the　Guadalquivir。　When

arrived　at　its　gates　the　owl　flew　up　to　a　dark　hole　in　the　wall；　and

the　prince　proceeded　in　quest　of　the　palm…tree　planted　in　days　of　yore

by　the　great　Abderahman。　It　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　great　court　of

the　mosque；　towering　from　amidst　orange　and　cypress　trees。　Dervises

and　Faquirs　were　seated　in　groups　under　the　cloisters　of　the　court；

and　many　of　the　faithful　were　performing　their　ablutions　at　the

fountains　before　entering　the　mosque。

　　At　the　foot　of　the　palm…tree　was　a　crowd　listening　to　the　words　of

one　who　appeared　to　be　talking　with　great　volubility。　〃This；〃　said　the

prince　to　himself；　〃must　be　the　great　traveller　who　is　to　give　me

tidings　of　the　unknown　princess。〃　He　mingled　in　the　crowd；　but　was

astonished　to　perceive　that　they　were　all　listening　to　a　parrot；　who

with　his　bright　green　coat；　pragmatical　eye；　and　consequential

top…knot；　had　the　air　of　a　bird　on　excellent　terms　with　himself。

　　〃How　is　this；〃　said　the　prince　to　one　of　the　bystanders；　〃that　so

many　grave　persons　can　be　delighted　with　the　garrulity　of　a　chattering

bird？〃

　　〃You　know　not　whom　you　speak　of；〃　said　the　other；　〃this　parrot　is

a　descendant　of　the　famous　parrot　of　Persia；　renowned　for　his

story…telling　talent。　He　has　all　the　learning　of　the　East　at　the　tip

of　his　tongue；　and　can　quote　poetry　as　fast　as　he　can　talk。　He　has

visited　various　foreign　courts；　where　he　has　been　considered　an　oracle

of　erudition。　He　has　been　a　universal　favorite　also　with　the　fair　sex；

who　have　a　vast　admiration　for　erudite　parrots　that　can　quote　poetry。〃

　　〃Enough；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　will　have　some　private　talk　with

this　distinguished　traveller。〃

　　He　sought　a　private　interview；　and　expounded　the　nature　of　his

errand。　He　had　scarcely　mentioned　it　when　the　parrot　burst　into　a

fit　of　dry　rickety　laughter　that　absolutely　brought　tears　in　his　eyes。

〃Excuse　my　merriment；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　mere　mention　of　love　always

sets　me　laughing。〃

　　The　prince　was　shocked　at　this　ill…timed　mirth。　〃Is　not　love；〃

said　he；　〃the　great　mystery　of　nature；　the　secret　principle　of　life；

the　universal　bond　of　sympathy？〃

　　〃A　fig's　end！〃　cried　the　parrot；　interrupting　him；　〃prithee　where

hast　thou　learned　this　sentimental　jargon？　trust　me；　love　is　quite　out

of　vogue；　one　never　hears　of　it　in　the　company　of　wits　and　people　of

refinement。〃

　　The　prince　sighed　as　he　recalled　the　different　language　of　his

friend　the　dove。　But　this　parrot；　thought　he；　has　lived　about　the

court；　he　affects　the　wit　and　the　fine　gentleman；　he　knows　nothing

of　the　thing　called　love。　Unwilling　to　provoke　any　more　ridicule　of

the　sentiment　which　filled　his　heart；　he　now　directed　his　inquiries　to

the　immediate　purport　of　his　visit。

　　〃Tell　me；〃　said　he；　〃Most　accomplished　parrot；　thou　who　hast　every

where　been　admitted　to　the　most　secret　bowers　of　beauty；　hast　thou

in　the　course　of　thy　travels　met　with　the　original　of　this　portrait？〃

　　The　parrot　took　the　picture　in　his　claw；　turned　his　head　from　side

to　side；　and　examined　it　curiously　with　either　eye。　〃Upon　my　honor；〃

said　he；　〃a　very　pretty　face；　very　pretty：　but　then　one　sees　so　many

pretty　women　in　one's　travels　that　one　can　hardly…　but　hold…　bless　me！

now　I　look　at　it　again…　sure　enough　this　is　the　princess　Aldegonda：

how　could　I　forget　one　that　is　so　prodigious　a　favorite　with　me！〃

　　〃The　princess　Aldegonda！〃　echoed　the　prince；　〃and　where　is　she　to　be

found？〃

　　〃Softly；　softly；〃　said　the　parrot；　〃easier　to　be　found　than

gained。　She　is　the　only　daughter　of　the　Christian　king　who　reigns　at

Toledo；　and　is　shut　up　from　the　world　until　her　seventeenth　birth…day；

on　account　of　some　prediction　of　those　meddlesome　fellows　the

astrologers。　You'll　not　get　a　sight　of　her；　no　mortal　man　can　see　her。

I　was　admitted　to　her　presence　to　entertain　her；　and　I　assure　you；

on　the　word　of　a　parrot；　who　has　seen　the　world；　I　have　conversed　with

much　sillier　princesses　in　my　time。〃

　　〃A　word　in　confidence；　my　dear　parrot；〃　said　the　prince；　〃I　am

heir　to　a　kingdom；　and　shall　one　day　sit　upon　a　throne。　I　see　that　you

are　a　bird　of　parts；　and　understand　the　world。　Help　me　to　gain

possession　of　this　princess；　and　I　will　advance　you　to　some

distinguished　place　about　court。〃

　　〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　parrot；　〃but　let　it　be　a　sinecure　if

possible；　for　we　wits　have　a　great　dislike　to　labor。〃

　　Arrangements　were　promptly　made；　the　prince　sallied　forth　from

Cordova　through　the　same　gate　by　which　he　had　entered；　called　the

owl　down　from　the　hole　in　the　wall；　introduced　him　to　his　new

travelling　companion　as　a　brother　savant；　and　away　they　set　off　on

their　journey。

　　They　travelled　much　more　slowly　than　accorded　with　the　impatience　of

the　prince；　but　the　parrot　was　accustomed　to　high　life；　and　did　not

like　to　be　disturbed　early　in　the　morning。　The　owl；　on　the　other　hand；

was　for　sleeping　at　mid…day；　and　lost　a　great　deal　of　time　by　his　long

siestas。　His　antiquarian　taste　also　was　in　the　way；　for　he　insisted　on

pausing　and　inspecting　every　ruin；　and　had　long　legendary　tales　to

tell　about　every　old　tower　and　castle　in　the　country。　The　prince　had

supposed　that　he　and　the　parrot；　being　both　birds　of　learning；　would

delight　in　each　other's　society；　but　never　had　he　been　more

mistaken。　They　were　eternally　bickering。　The　one　was　a　wit；　the

other　a　philosopher。　The　parrot　quoted　poetry；　was　critical　on　new

readings　and　eloquent　on　small　points　of　erudition；　the　owl　treated

all　such　knowledge　as　trifling；　and　relished　nothing　but

metaphysics。　Then　the　parrot　would　sing　songs　and　repeat　bon　mots

and　crack　jokes　upon　his　solemn　neighbor；　and　laugh　outrageously　at

his　own　wit；　all　which　proceedings　the　owl　considered　as　a　grievous

invasion　of　his　dignity；　and　would　scowl　and　sulk　and　swell；　and　be

silent　for　a　whole　day　together。

　　The　prince　heeded　not　the　wranglings　of　his　companions；　being

wrapped　up　in　the　dreams　of　his　own　fancy　and　the　contemplation　of　the

portrait　of　the　beautiful　princess。　In　this　way　they　journeyed　through

the　stern　passes　of　the　Sierra　Morena；　across　the　sunburnt　plains　of

La　Mancha　and　Castile；　and　along　the　banks　of　the　〃Golden　Tagus；〃

which　winds　its　wizard　mazes　over　one　half　of　Spain　and　Portugal。　At

length　they　came　in　sight　of　a　strong　city　with　walls　and　towers　built

on　a　rocky　promontory；　round　the　foot　of　which　the　Tagus　circled

with　brawling　violence。

　　〃Behold；〃　exclaimed　the　owl；　〃the　ancient　and　renowned　city　of

Toledo；　a　city　famous　for　its　antiquities。　Behold　those　venerable

domes　and　towers；　hoary　with　time　and　clothed　with　legendary　grandeur；

in　which　so　many　of　my　ancestors　have　meditated。〃

　　〃Pish！〃　cried　the　parrot；　interrupting　his　solemn　antiquarian

rapture；　〃what　have　we　to　do　with　antiquities；　and　legends；　and　your

ancestry？　Behold　what　is　more　to　the　purpose…　behold　the　abode　of

youth　and　beauty…　behold　at　length；　O　prince；　the　abode　of　your

long…sought　princess。〃

　　The　prince　looked　in　the　direction　indicated　by　the　parrot；　and

beheld；　in　a　delightful　meadow　on　the　banks　of　the　Tagus；　a　stately

palace　rising　from　amidst　the　bowers　of　a　delicious　garden。　It　was

just　such　a　place　as　had　been　described　by　the　dove　as　the　residence

of　the　original　of　the　picture。　He　gazed　at　it　with　a　throbbing　heart。

〃Perhaps　at　this　moment；〃　thought　he；　〃the　beautiful　princess　is

sporting　beneath　those　shady　bowers；　or　pacing　with　delicate　step

those　stately　terraces；　or　reposing　beneath　those　lofty　roofs！〃　As

he　looked　more　narrowly　he　perceived　that　the　walls　of　the　garden　were

of　great　height；　so　as　to　defy　access；　while　numbers　of　armed　guards

patrolled　around　them。

　　The　prince　turned　to　the　parrot。　〃O　most　accomplished　of　birds；〃

said　he；　〃thou　hast　the　gift　of　human　speech。　Hie　thee　to　yon

garden；　seek　the　idol　of　my　soul；　and　tell　her　that　Prince　Ahmed；　a

pilgrim　of　love；　and　guided　by　the　stars；　has　arrived　in　quest　of

her　on　the　flowery　banks　of　the　Tagus。〃

　　The　parrot；　proud　of　his　embassy；　flew　away　to　the　garden；　mounted

above　its　lofty　walls；　and　after　soaring　for　a　time　over　the　lawns　and

groves；　alighted　on　the　balcony　of　a　pavilion　that　overhung　the　river。

Here；　looking　in　at　the　casement；　he　beheld　the　princess　reclining

on　a　couch；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　a　paper；　while　tears　gently　stole

after　each　other　down　her　pallid　cheek。

　　Pluming　his　wings　for　a　moment；　adjusting　his　bright　green　coat；　and

elevating　his　top…knot；　the　parrot　perched　himself　beside　her　with　a

gallant　air：　then　assuming　a　tenderness　of　tone；　〃Dry　thy　tears；

most　beautiful　of　princesses；〃　said　he；　〃I　come　to　bring　solace　to　thy

heart。〃

　　The　princess　was　startled　on　hearing　a　voice；　but　turning　and　seeing

nothing　but　a　little　green…coated　bird　bobbing　and　bowing　before

her；　〃Alas！　what　solace　canst　thou　yield；〃　said　she；　〃seeing　thou

art　but　a　parrot？〃

　　The　parrot　was　nettled　at　the　question。　〃I　have　consoled　many

beautiful　ladie