part06-第8章

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emotions。　She　would　have　asked　for　the　minstrel　to　be　brought　into　her

presence；　but　maiden　coyness　held　her　silent。　The　king　read　her

wishes；　and　at　his　command　Ahmed　was　conducted　into　the　chamber。　The

lovers　were　discreet：　they　but　exchanged　glances；　yet　those　glances

spoke　volumes。　Never　was　triumph　of　music　more　complete。　The　rose

had　returned　to　the　soft　cheek　of　the　princess；　the　freshness　to　her

lip；　and　the　dewy　light　to　her　languishing　eyes。

　　All　the　physicians　present　stared　at　each　other　with　astonishment。

The　king　regarded　the　Arab　minstrel　with　admiration　mixed　with　awe。

〃Wonderful　youth！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃thou　shalt　henceforth　be　the　first

physician　of　my　court；　and　no　other　prescription　will　I　take　but　thy

melody。　For　the　present　receive　thy　reward；　the　most　precious　jewel　in

my　treasury。〃

　　〃O　king；〃　replied　Ahmed；　〃I　care　not　for　silver　or　gold　or

precious　stones。　One　relic　hast　thou　in　thy　treasury；　handed　down　from

the　Moslems　who　once　owned　Toledo…　a　box　of　sandal…wood　containing　a

silken　carpet：　give　me　that　box；　and　I　am　content。〃

　　All　present　were　surprised　at　the　moderation　of　the　Arab；　and

still　more　when　the　box　of　sandal…wood　was　brought　and　the　carpet

drawn　forth。　It　was　of　fine　green　silk；　covered　with　Hebrew　and

Chaldaic　characters。　The　court　physicians　looked　at　each　other；

shrugged　their　shoulders；　and　smiled　at　the　simplicity　of　this　new

practitioner；　who　could　be　content　with　so　paltry　a　fee。

　　〃This　carpet；〃　said　the　prince；　〃once　covered　the　throne　of

Solomon　the　wise；　it　is　worthy　of　being　placed　beneath　the　feet　of

beauty。〃

　　So　saying；　he　spread　it　on　the　terrace　beneath　an　ottoman　that　had

been　brought　forth　for　the　princess；　then　seating　himself　at　her　feet…



　　〃Who；〃　said　he；　〃shall　counteract　what　is　written　in　the　book　of

fate？　Behold　the　prediction　of　the　astrologers　verified。　Know；　O　king；

that　your　daughter　and　I　long　have　loved　each　other　in　secret。

Behold　in　me　the　Pilgrim　of　Love！〃

　　These　words　were　scarcely　from　his　lips；　when　the　carpet　rose　in　the

air；　bearing　off　the　prince　and　princess。　The　king　and　the

physicians　gazed　after　it　with　open　mouths　and　straining　eyes　until　it

became　a　little　speck　on　the　white　bosom　of　a　cloud；　and　then

disappeared　in　the　blue　vault　of　heaven。

　　The　king　in　a　rage　summoned　his　treasurer。　〃How　is　this；〃　said　he；

〃that　thou　hast　suffered　an　infidel　to　get　possession　of　such　a

talisman？〃

　　〃Alas；　sir；　we　knew　not　its　nature；　nor　could　we　decipher　the

inscription　of　the　box。　If　it　be　indeed　the　carpet　of　the　throne　of

the　wise　Solomon；　it　is　possessed　of　magic　power；　and　can　transport

its　owner　from　place　to　place　through　the　air。〃

　　The　king　assembled　a　mighty　army；　and　set　off　for　Granada　in　pursuit

of　the　fugitives。　His　march　was　long　and　toilsome。　Encamping　in　the

Vega；　he　sent　a　herald　to　demand　restitution　of　his　daughter。　The　king

himself　came　forth　with　all　his　court　to　meet　him。　In　the　king　he

beheld　the　real　minstrel；　for　Ahmed　had　succeeded　to　the　throne　on　the

death　of　his　father；　and　the　beautiful　Aldegonda　was　his　sultana。

　　The　Christian　king　was　easily　pacified　when　he　found　that　his

daughter　was　suffered　to　continue　in　her　faith…　not　that　he　was

particularly　pious；　but　religion　is　always　a　point　of　pride　and

etiquette　with　princes。　Instead　of　bloody　battles；　there　was　a

succession　of　feasts　and　rejoicings；　after　which　the　king　returned

well　pleased　to　Toledo；　and　the　youthful　couple　continued　to　reign

as　happily　as　wisely；　in　the　Alhambra。

　　It　is　proper　to　add；　that　the　owl　and　the　parrot　had　severally

followed　the　prince　by　easy　stages　to　Granada；　the　former　travelling

by　night　and　stopping　at　the　various　hereditary　possessions　of　his

family；　the　latter　figuring　in　gay　circles　of　every　town　and　city　on

his　route。

　　Ahmed　gratefully　requited　the　services　which　they　had　rendered　on

his　pilgrimage。　He　appointed　the　owl　his　prime　minister；　the　parrot

his　master　of　ceremonies。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　never　was　a　realm

more　sagely　administered；　nor　a　court　conducted　with　more　exact

punctilio。