part06-第2章

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of　the　marquis　of　Corvera。　It　is　a　specimen　of　the　curious

affinities　between　Christians　and　Moslems；　produced　by　capture　and

intermarriages；　during　the　Moorish　wars。　From　Aben　Hud；　the　Moorish

king；　the　conqueror　of　the　Almohades；　was　descended　in　right　line

Cid　Yahia　Abraham　Alnagar；　prince　of　Almeria；　who　married　a　daughter

of　King　Bermejo。　They　had　three　children；　commonly　called　the

Cetimerian　Princes。　1st。　Yusef　ben　Alhamar；　who　for　a　time　usurped　the

throne　of　Granada。　2d。　The　Prince　Nasar；　who　married　the　celebrated

Lindaraxa。　3d。　The　Princess　Cetimerien；　who　married　Don　Pedro　Venegas；

captured　by　the　Moors　in　his　boyhood；　a　younger　son　of　the　House　of

Luque；　of　which　house　the　old　count　was　the　present　head。



　　Understanding　from　the　count　that　he　had　some　curious　relics　of

the　Conquest；　preserved　in　his　family　archives；　I　accompanied　him

early　one　morning　down　to　his　palace　in　Granada　to　examine　them。　The

most　important　of　these　relics　was　the　sword　of　the　Grand　Captain；　a

weapon　destitute　of　all　ostentatious　ornament；　as　the　weapons　of　great

generals　are　apt　to　be；　with　a　plain　hilt　of　ivory　and　a　broad　thin

blade。　It　might　furnish　a　comment　on　hereditary　honors；　to　see　the

sword　of　the　grand　captain　legitimately　declined　into　such　feeble

hands。

　　The　other　relics　of　the　Conquest　were　a　number　of　espingardas　or

muskets　of　unwieldy　size　and　ponderous　weight；　worthy　to　rank　with

those　enormous　two…edged　swords　preserved　in　old　armories；　which

look　like　relics　from　the　days　of　the　giants。

　　Besides　other　hereditary　honors；　I　found　the　old　count　was　Alferez

mayor；　or　grand　standard…bearer；　in　which　capacity　he　was　entitled

to　bear　the　ancient　standard　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　on　certain

high　and　solemn　occasions；　and　to　wave　it　over　their　tombs。　I　was

shown　also　the　caparisons　of　velvet；　sumptuously　embroidered　with　gold

and　silver；　for　six　horses；　with　which　he　appeared　in　state　when　a　new

sovereign　was　to　be　proclaimed　in　Granada　and　Seville；　the　count

mounting　one　of　the　horses；　and　the　other　five　being　led　by　lackeys　in

rich　liveries。

　　I　had　hoped　to　find　among　the　relics　and　antiquities　of　the

count's　palace；　some　specimens　of　the　armor　and　weapons　of　the　Moors

of　Granada；　such　as　I　had　heard　were　preserved　as　trophies　by　the

descendants　of　the　Conquerors；　but　in　this　I　was　disappointed。　I　was

the　more　curious　in　this　particular；　because　an　erroneous　idea　has

been　entertained　by　many；　as　to　the　costumes　of　the　Moors　of　Spain；

supposing　them　to　be　of　the　usual　oriental　type。　On　the　contrary；　we

have　it　on　the　authority　of　their　own　writers；　that　they　adopted　in

many　respects　the　fashions　of　the　Christians。　The　turban；

especially；　so　identified　in　idea　with　the　Moslem；　was　generally

abandoned；　except　in　the　western　provinces；　where　it　continued　in

use　among　people　of　rank　and　wealth；　and　those　holding　places　under

government。　A　woollen　cap；　red　or　green；　was　commonly　worn　as　a

substitute；　probably　the　same　kind　originating　in　Barbary；　and　known

by　the　name　of　Tunis　or　Fez；　which　at　the　present　day　is　worn

throughout　the　east；　though　generally　under　the　turban。　The　Jews

were　obliged　to　wear　them　of　a　yellow　color。

　　In　Murcia；　Valencia；　and　other　eastern　provinces；　men　of　the　highest

rank　might　be　seen　in　public　bareheaded。　The　warrior　king；　Aben　Hud；

never　wore　a　turban；　neither　did　his　rival　and　competitor　Al　Hamar；

the　founder　of　the　Alhambra。　A　short　cloak　called　Taylasan　similar

to　that　seen　in　Spain　in　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries；

was　worn　by　all　ranks。　It　had　a　hood　or　cape　which　people　of　condition

sometimes　drew　over　the　head；　but　the　lower　class　never。

　　A　Moslem　cavalier　in　the　thirteenth　century；　as　described　by　Ibnu

Said；　was　equipped　for　war　very　much　in　the　Christian　style。　Over　a

complete　suit　of　mail　he　wore　a　short　scarlet　tunic。　His　helmet　was　of

polished　steel；　a　shield　was　slung　at　his　back；　he　wielded　a　huge

spear　with　a　broad　point；　sometimes　a　double　point。　His　saddle　was

cumbrous；　projecting　very　much　in　front　and　in　rear；　and　he　rode

with　a　banner　fluttering　behind　him。

　　In　the　time　of　Al　Khattib　of　Granada；　who　wrote　in　the　fourteenth

century；　the　Moslems　of　Andalus　had　resumed　the　Oriental　costumes；　and

were　again　clad　and　armed　in　Arabic　fashion：　with　light　helmet；　thin

but　well　tempered　cuirass；　long　slender　lance；　commonly　of　reed；

Arabian　saddle　and　leathern　buckler；　made　of　double　folds　of　the

skin　of　the　antelope。　A　wonderful　luxury　prevailed　at　that　time　in　the

arms　and　equipments　of　the　Granadian　cavaliers。　Their　armor　was　inlaid

with　gold　and　silver。　Their　cimeters　were　of　the　keenest　Damascus

blades；　with　sheaths　richly　wrought　and　enamelled；　and　belts　of　golden

filagree　studded　with　gems。　Their　daggers　of　Fez　had　jewelled　hilts；

and　their　lances　were　set　off　with　gay　banderoles。　Their　horses　were

caparisoned　in　correspondent　style；　with　velvet　and　embroidery。

　　All　this　minute　description；　given　by　a　contemporary；　and　an

author　of　distinction；　verifies　those　gallant　pictures　in　the　old

Morisco　Spanish　ballads　which　have　sometimes　been　deemed　apocryphal；

and　gives　a　vivid　idea　of　the　brilliant　appearance　of　the　chivalry

of　Granada；　when　marshalled　forth　in　warlike　array；　or　when

celebrating　the　chivalrous　fetes　of　the　Vivarrambla。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Generalife。



　　HIGH　ABOVE　the　Alhambra；　on　the　breast　of　the　mountain；　amidst

embowered　gardens　and　stately　terraces；　rise　the　lofty　towers　and

white　walls　of　the　Generalife；　a　fairy　palace；　full　of　storied

recollections。　Here　is　still　to　be　seen　the　famous　cypresses　of

enormous　size　which　flourished　in　the　time　of　the　Moors；　and　which

tradition　has　connected　with　the　fabulous　story　of　Boabdil　and　his

sultana。

　　Here　are　preserved　the　portraits　of　many　who　figured　in　the　romantic

drama　of　the　Conquest。　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　Ponce　de　Leon；　the

gallant　marquis　of　Cadiz；　and　Garcilaso　de　la　Vega；　who　slew　in

desperate　fight　Tarfe　the　Moor；　a　champion　of　Herculean　strength。　Here

too　hangs　a　portrait　which　has　long　passed　for　that　of　the　unfortunate

Boabdil；　but　which　is　said　to　be　that　of　Aben　Hud；　the　Moorish　king

from　whom　descended　the　princes　of　Almeria。　From　one　of　these　princes；

who　joined　the　standard　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　towards　the　close　of

the　Conquest；　and　was　christianized　by　the　name　of　Don　Pedro　de

Granada　Venegas；　was　descended　the　present　proprietor　of　the　palace；

the　marquis　of　Campotejar。　The　proprietor；　however；　dwells　in　a

foreign　land；　and　the　palace　has　no　longer　a　princely　inhabitant。

　　Yet　here　is　every　thing　to　delight　a　southern　voluptuary：　fruits；

flowers；　fragrance；　green　arbors　and　myrtle　hedges；　delicate　air　and

gushing　waters。　Here　I　had　an　opportunity　of　witnessing　those　scenes

which　painters　are　fond　of　depicting　about　southern　palaces　and

gardens。　It　was　the　saint's　day　of　the　count's　daughter；　and　she　had

brought　up　several　of　her　youthful　companions　from　Granada；　to　sport

away　a　long　summer's　day　among　the　breezy　halls　and　bowers　of　the

Moorish　palaces。　A　visit　to　the　Generalife　was　the　morning's

entertainment。　Here　some　of　the　gay　company　dispersed　itself　in　groups

about　the　green　walks；　the　bright　fountains；　the　flights　of　Italian

steps；　the　noble　terraces　and　marble　balustrades。　Others；　among　whom　I

was　one；　took　their　seats　in　an　open　gallery　or　colonnade　commanding　a

vast　prospect；　with　the　Alhambra；　the　city；　and　the　Vega；　far　below；

and　the　distant　horizon　of　mountains…　a　dreamy　world；　all　glimmering

to　the　eye　in　summer　sunshine。　While　thus　seated；　the　all…pervading

tinkling　of　the　guitar　and　click　of　the　castanets　came　stealing　up

from　the　valley　of　the　Darro；　and　half　way　down　the　mountain　we

descried　a　festive　party　under　the　trees　enjoying　themselves　in　true

Andalusian　style；　some　lying　on　the　grass；　others　dancing　to　the

music。

　　All　these　sights　and　sounds；　together　with　the　princely　seclusion　of

the　place；　the　sweet　quiet　which　prevailed　around；　and　the　delicious

serenity　of　the　weather　had　a　witching　effect　upon　the　mind；　and

drew　from　some　of　the　company；　versed　in　local　story；　several　of　the

popular　fancies　and　traditions　connected　with　this　old　Moorish　palace；

they　were　〃such　stuff　as　dreams　are　made　of；〃　but　out　of　them　I　have

shaped　the　following　legend；　which　I　hope　may　have　the　good　fortune　to

prove　acceptable　to　the　reader。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Legend　of　Prince　Ahmed　al　Kamel

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　or；　The　Pilgrim　of　Love。



　　THERE　was　once　a　Moorish　king　of　Granada　who　had　but　one　son；　whom

he　named　Ahmed；　to　which　his　courtiers　added　the　surname　of　al

Kamel；　or　the　perfect；　from　the　indubitable　signs　of　superexcellence

which　they　perceived　in　him　in　his　very　infancy。　The　astrologers

countenanced　them　in　their　foresight；　predicting　every　thing　in　his

favor　that　could　make　a　perfect　prince　and　a　prosperous　sovereign。　One

cloud　only　rested　upon　his　destiny；　and　even　that　was　of　a　roseate

hue：　he　would　be　of　an　amorous　temperament；　and　run　great　perils

from　the　tender　passion。　If；　however；　he　could　be　kept　from　the

allurements　of　love　until　of　mature　age；　these　dangers　would　be

averted；　and　his　life　thereafter　be　one　uninterrupted　course　of

felicity。

　　To　prevent　all　danger　of　the　kind；　the　king　wisely　determined　to

rear　the　prince　in　a　seclusion　where　he　should　never　see　a　female

face；　nor　hear　even　the　name　of　love。　For　this　purpose　he　built　a

beautiful　palace　on　the　brow　of　the　hill　above　the　Alhambra；　in　the

midst　of　delightful　gardens；　but　surrounded　by　lofty　walls；　being；

in　fact；　the　same　palace　known　at　the　present　day　by　the　name　of　the

Generalife。　In　this　palace　the　youthful　prince　was　shut　up；　and

intrusted　to　the　guardianship　and　instruction　of　Eben　Bonabben；　one　of

the　wisest　and　dryest　of　Arabian　sages；　who　had　passed　the　greatest

part　of　his　life　in　Egypt；　studying　hieroglyphics；　and　making

researches　among　the　tombs　and　pyramids；　and　who　saw　more　charms　in　an

Egyptian　mummy　than　in　the　most　tempting　of　living　beauties。　The

sage　was　ordered　to　instruct　the　prince　in　all　kinds　of　knowledge

but　one…　he　was　to　be　kept　utterly　ignorant　of　love。

　　〃Use　every　precaution　for　the　purpose　you　may　think　proper；〃　said

the　king；　〃but　remember；　O　Eben　Bonabben；　if　my　son　learns　aught　of

that　forbidden　knowledge　while　under　your　care；　your　head　shall　answer

for　it。〃

　　A　withered　smile　came　over　the　dry　visage　of　the　wise　Bonabben　at

the　menace。　〃Let　your　majesty's　heart　be　as　easy　about　your　son；　as

mine　is　about　my　head：　am　I　a　man　likely　to　give　lessons　in　the　idle

passion？〃

　　Under　the　vigilant　care　of　the　philosopher；　the　prince　grew　up；　in

the　seclusion　of　the　palace　and　its　gardens。　He　had　black　slaves　to

attend　upon　him…　hideous　mutes　who　knew　nothing　of　love；　or　if　they

did；　had　not　words　to　communicate　it。　His　mental　endowments　were　the

peculiar　care　of　Eben　Bonabben；