part08-第4章

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shining；　were　suspended　against　the　wall；　with　a　sabre　and　a　cane

hanging　side　by　side；　and　above　them；　two　cocked　hats；　one　for　parade；

and　one　for　ordinary　use。　A　small　shelf；　containing　some　half　dozen

books；　formed　his　library；　one　of　which；　a　little　old　mouldy　volume　of

philosophical　maxims；　was　his　favorite　reading。　This　he　thumbed　and

pondered　over　day　by　day；　applying　every　maxim　to　his　own　particular

case；　provided　it　had　a　little　tinge　of　wholesome　bitterness；　and

treated　of　the　injustice　of　the　world。

　　Yet　he　was　social　and　kind…hearted；　and　provided　he　could　be

diverted　from　his　wrongs　and　his　philosophy；　was　an　entertaining

companion。　I　like　these　old　weather…beaten　sons　of　fortune；　and

enjoy　their　rough　campaigning　anecdotes。　In　the　course　of　my　visits　to

the　one　in　question；　I　learnt　some　curious　facts　about　an　old　military

commander　of　the　fortress；　who　seems　to　have　resembled　him　in　some

respects；　and　to　have　had　similar　fortunes　in　the　wars。　These

particulars　have　been　augmented　by　inquiries　among　some　of　the　old

inhabitants　of　the　place；　particularly　the　father　of　Mateo　Ximenes；　of

whose　traditional　stories　the　worthy　I　am　about　to　introduce　to　the

reader；　was　a　favorite　hero。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Governor　and　the　Notary。



　　IN　FORMER　times　there　ruled；　as　governor　of　the　Alhambra；　a

doughty　old　cavalier；　who；　from　having　lost　one　arm　in　the　wars；　was

commonly　known　by　the　name　of　el　Gobernador　Manco；　or　〃the　one…armed

governor。〃　He　in　fact　prided　himself　upon　being　an　old　soldier；　wore

his　mustaches　curled　up　to　his　eyes；　a　pair　of　campaigning　boots；

and　a　Toledo　as　long　as　a　spit；　with　his　pocket　handkerchief　in　the

basket…hilt。

　　He　was；　moreover；　exceedingly　proud　and　punctilious；　and　tenacious

of　all　his　privileges　and　dignities。　Under　his　sway　the　immunities

of　the　Alhambra；　as　a　royal　residence　and　domain；　were　rigidly

exacted。　No　one　was　permitted　to　enter　the　fortress　with　firearms；

or　even　with　a　sword　or　staff；　unless　he　were　of　a　certain　rank；　and

every　horseman　was　obliged　to　dismount　at　the　gate；　and　lead　his　horse

by　the　bridle。　Now　as　the　hill　of　the　Alhambra　rises　from　the　very

midst　of　the　city　of　Granada；　being；　as　it　were；　an　excrescence　of　the

capital；　it　must　at　all　times　be　somewhat　irksome　to　the

captain…general；　who　commands　the　province；　to　have　thus　an　imperium

in　imperio；　a　petty　independent　post　in　the　very　centre　of　his

domains。　It　was　rendered　the　more　galling；　in　the　present　instance；

from　the　irritable　jealousy　of　the　old　governor；　that　took　fire　on　the

least　question　of　authority　and　jurisdiction；　and　from　the　loose

vagrant　character　of　the　people　who　had　gradually　nestled　themselves

within　the　fortress；　as　in　a　sanctuary；　and　thence　carried　on　a　system

of　roguery　and　depredation　at　the　expense　of　the　honest　inhabitants　of

the　city。

　　Thus　there　was　a　perpetual　feud　and　heart…burning　between　the

captain…general　and　the　governor；　the　more　virulent　on　the　part　of　the

latter；　inasmuch　as　the　smallest　of　two　neighboring　potentates　is

always　the　most　captious　about　his　dignity。　The　stately　palace　of

the　captain…general　stood　in　the　Plaza　Nueva；　immediately　at　the

foot　of　the　hill　of　the　Alhambra；　and　here　was　always　a　bustle　and

parade　of　guards；　and　domestics；　and　city　functionaries。　A　beetling

bastion　of　the　fortress　overlooked　the　palace　and　public　square　in

front　of　it；　and　on　this　bastion　the　old　governor　would　occasionally

strut　backwards　and　forwards；　with　his　Toledo　girded　by　his　side；

keeping　a　wary　eye　down　upon　his　rival；　like　a　hawk　reconnoitering　his

quarry　from　his　nest　in　a　dry　tree。

　　Whenever　he　descended　into　the　city　it　was　in　grand　parade；　on

horseback；　surrounded　by　his　guards；　or　in　his　state　coach；　an　ancient

and　unwieldy　Spanish　edifice　of　carved　timber　and　gilt　leather；

drawn　by　eight　mules；　with　running　footmen；　outriders；　and　lackeys；　on

which　occasions　he　flattered　himself　he　impressed　every　beholder

with　awe　and　admiration　as　vicegerent　of　the　king；　though　the　wits

of　Granada；　particularly　those　who　loitered　about　the　palace　of　the

captain…general；　were　apt　to　sneer　at　his　petty　parade；　and　in

allusion　to　the　vagrant　character　of　his　subjects；　to　greet　him　with

the　appellation　of　〃the　king　of　the　beggars。〃　One　of　the　most　fruitful

sources　of　dispute　between　these　two　doughty　rivals　was　the　right

claimed　by　the　governor　to　have　all　things　passed　free　of　duty　through

the　city；　that　were　intended　for　the　use　of　himself　or　his　garrison。

By　degrees　this　privilege　had　given　rise　to　extensive　smuggling。　A

nest　of　contrabandistas　took　up　their　abode　in　the　hovels　of　the

fortress；　and　the　numerous　caves　in　its　vicinity；　and　drove　a　thriving

business　under　the　connivance　of　the　soldiers　of　the　garrison。

　　The　vigilance　of　the　captain…general　was　aroused。　He　consulted　his

legal　adviser　and　factotum；　a　shrewd　meddlesome　escribano；　or

notary；　who　rejoiced　in　an　opportunity　of　perplexing　the　old　potentate

of　the　Alhambra；　and　involving　him　in　a　maze　of　legal　subtilties。　He

advised　the　captain…general　to　insist　upon　the　right　of　examining

every　convoy　passing　through　the　gates　of　his　city；　and　penned　a

long　letter　for　him　in　vindication　of　the　right。　Governor　Manco　was

a　straightforward　cut…and…thrust　old　soldier；　who　hated　an　escribano

worse　than　the　devil　and　this　one　in　particular　worse　than　all　other

escribanos。

　　〃What！〃　said　he；　curling　up　his　mustaches　fiercely；　〃does　the

captain…general　set　his　man　of　the　pen　to　practise　confusions　upon　me？

I'll　let　him　see　an　old　soldier　is　not　to　be　baffled　by　schoolcraft。〃

　　He　seized　his　pen　and　scrawled　a　short　letter　in　a　crabbed　hand；

in　which；　without　deigning　to　enter　into　argument；　he　insisted　on

the　right　of　transit　free　of　search；　and　denounced　vengeance　on　any

custom…house　officer　who　should　lay　his　unhallowed　hand　on　any

convoy　protected　by　the　flag　of　the　Alhambra。　While　this　question

was　agitated　between　the　two　pragmatical　potentates；　it　so　happened

that　a　mule　laden　with　supplies　for　the　fortress　arrived　one　day　at

the　gate　of　Xenil；　by　which　it　was　to　traverse　a　suburb　of　the　city　on

its　way　to　the　Alhambra。　The　convoy　was　headed　by　a　testy　old

corporal；　who　had　long　served　under　the　governor；　and　was　a　man

after　his　own　heart；　as　rusty　and　stanch　as　an　old　Toledo　blade。

　　As　they　approached　the　gate　of　the　city；　the　corporal　placed　the

banner　of　the　Alhambra　on　the　pack…saddle　of　the　mule；　and　drawing

himself　up　to　a　perfect　perpendicular；　advanced　with　his　head

dressed　to　the　front；　but　with　the　wary　side…glance　of　a　cur　passing

through　hostile　ground；　and　ready　for　a　snap　and　a　snarl。

　　〃Who　goes　there？〃　said　the　sentinel　at　the　gate。

　　〃Soldier　of　the　Alhambra！〃　said　the　corporal；　without　turning　his

head。

　　〃What　have　you　in　charge？〃

　　〃Provisions　for　the　garrison。〃

　　〃Proceed。〃

　　The　corporal　marched　straight　forward；　followed　by　the　convoy；　but

had　not　advanced　many　paces　before　a　posse　of　custom…house　officers

rushed　out　of　a　small　toll…house。

　　〃Hallo　there！〃　cried　the　leader。　〃Muleteer；　halt；　and　open　those

packages。〃

　　The　corporal　wheeled　round；　and　drew　himself　up　in　battle　array。

〃Respect　the　flag　of　the　Alhambra；〃　said　he；　〃these　things　are　for　the

governor。〃

　　〃A　figo　for　the　governor；　and　a　figo　for　his　flag。　Muleteer；　halt；　I

say。〃

　　〃Stop　the　convoy　at　your　peril！〃　cried　the　corporal；　cocking　his

musket。

　　The　muleteer　gave　his　beast　a　hearty　thwack；　the　custom…house

officer　sprang　forward　and　seized　the　halter；　whereupon　the　corporal

levelled　his　piece；　and　shot　him　dead。

　　The　street　was　immediately　in　an　uproar。

　　The　old　corporal　was　seized；　and　after　undergoing　sundry　kicks；

and　cuffs；　and　cudgellings；　which　are　generally　given　impromptu　by　the

mob　in　Spain；　as　a　foretaste　of　the　after　penalties　of　the　law；　he　was

loaded　with　irons；　and　conducted　to　the　city　prison；　while　his

comrades　were　permitted　to　proceed　with　the　convoy；　after　it　had

been　well　rummaged；　to　the　Alhambra。

　　The　old　governor　was　in　a　towering　passion　when　he　heard　of　this

insult　to　his　flag　and　capture　of　his　corporal。　For　a　time　he

stormed　about　the　Moorish　halls；　and　vapored　about　the　bastions；　and

looked　down　fire　and　sword　upon　the　palace　of　the　captain…general。

Having　vented　the　first　ebullition　of　his　wrath；　he　dispatched　a

message　demanding　the　surrender　of　the　corporal；　as　to　him　alone

belonged　the　right　of　sitting　in　judgment　on　the　offences　of　those

under　his　command。　The　captain…general；　aided　by　the　pen　of　the

delighted　escribano；　replied　at　great　length；　arguing　that　as　the

offence　had　been　committed　within　the　walls　of　his　city；　and　against

one　of　his　civil　officers；　it　was　clearly　within　his　proper

jurisdiction。　The　governor　rejoined　by　a　repetition　of　his　demand；　the

captain…general　gave　a　sur…rejoinder　of　still　greater　length　and　legal

acumen；　the　governor　became　hotter　and　more　peremptory　in　his　demands；

and　the　captain…general　cooler　and　more　copious　in　his　replies；

until　the　old　lion…hearted　soldier　absolutely　roared　with　fury　at

being　thus　entangled　in　the　meshes　of　legal　controversy。

　　While　the　subtle　escribano　was　thus　amusing　himself　at　the　expense

of　the　governor；　he　was　conducting　the　trial　of　the　corporal；　who；

mewed　up　in　a　narrow　dungeon　of　the　prison；　had　merely　a　small

grated　window　at　which　to　show　his　iron…bound　visage　and　receive　the

consolations　of　his　friends。

　　A　mountain　of　written　testimony　was　diligently　heaped　up；

according　to　Spanish　form；　by　the　indefatigable　escribano；　the

corporal　was　completely　overwhelmed　by　it。　He　was　convicted　of　murder；

and　sentenced　to　be　hanged。

　　It　was　in　vain　the　governor　sent　down　remonstrance　and　menace　from

the　Alhambra。　The　fatal　day　was　at　hand；　and　the　corporal　was　put　in

capilla；　that　is　to　say；　in　the　chapel　of　the　prison；　as　is　always

done　with　culprits　the　day　before　execution；　that　they　may　meditate　on

their　approaching　end　and　repent　them　of　their　sins。

　　Seeing　things　drawing　to　extremity；　the　old　governor　determined　to

attend　to　the　affair　in　person。　For　this　purpose　he　ordered　out　his

carriage　of　state；　and；　surrounded　by　his　guards；　rumbled　down　the

avenue　of　the　Alhambra　into　the　city。　Driving　to　the　house　of　the

escribano；　he　summoned　him　to　the　portal。

　　The　eye　of　the　old　governor　gleamed　like　a　coal　at　beholding　the

smirking　man　of　the　law　advancing　with　an　air　of　exultation。

　　〃What　is　this　I　hear；〃　cried　he；　〃that　you　are　about　to　put　to　death

one　of　my　soldiers？〃

　　〃All　according　to　law…　all　in　strict　form　of　justice；〃　said　the

self…sufficient　escribano；　chuckling　and　rubbing　his　hands。　〃I　can

show　your　excellency　the　written　testimony　in　the　case。〃

　　〃Fetch　it　hither；〃　said　the　governor。　The　escribano　bustled　into　his

office；　delighted　with　having　another　opportunity　of　displaying　his

ingenuity　at　the　expense　of　th