part08-第8章

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　　While　this　petty　treason　was　going　on；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　old

governor's　citadel；　a　storm　of　open　war　was　brewing　up　among　his

external　foes。　The　circumstance　of　a　bag　of　gold　and　jewels　having

been　found　upon　the　person　of　the　supposed　robber；　had　been

reported；　with　many　exaggerations；　in　Granada。　A　question　of

territorial　jurisdiction　was　immediately　started　by　the　governor's

inveterate　rival；　the　captain…general。　He　insisted　that　the　prisoner

had　been　captured　without　the　precincts　of　the　Alhambra；　and　within

the　rules　of　his　authority。　He　demanded　his　body　therefore；　and　the

spolia　opima　taken　with　him。　Due　information　having　been　carried

likewise　by　the　friar　to　the　grand　inquisitor　of　the　crosses　and

rosaries；　and　other　relics　contained　in　the　bag；　he　claimed　the

culprit　as　having　been　guilty　of　sacrilege；　and　insisted　that　his

plunder　was　due　to　the　church；　and　his　body　to　the　next　auto…da…fe。

The　feuds　ran　high；　the　governor　was　furious；　and　swore；　rather　than

surrender　his　captive；　he　would　hang　him　up　within　the　Alhambra；　as

a　spy　caught　within　the　purlieus　of　the　fortress。

　　The　captain…general　threatened　to　send　a　body　of　soldiers　to

transfer　the　prisoner　from　the　Vermilion　Tower　to　the　city。　The

grand　inquisitor　was　equally　bent　upon　dispatching　a　number　of　the

familiars　of　the　Holy　Office。　Word　was　brought　late　at　night　to　the

governor　of　these　machinations。　〃Let　them　come；〃　said　he；　〃they'll

find　me　beforehand　with　them；　he　must　rise　bright　and　early　who

would　take　in　an　old　soldier。〃　He　accordingly　issued　orders　to　have

the　prisoner　removed；　at　daybreak；　to　the　donjon　keep　within　the　walls

of　the　Alhambra。　〃And　d'ye　hear；　child；〃　said　he　to　his　demure

handmaid；　〃tap　at　my　door；　and　wake　me　before　cock…crowing；　that　I　may

see　to　the　matter　myself。〃

　　The　day　dawned；　the　cock　crowed；　but　nobody　tapped　at　the　door　of

the　governor。　The　sun　rose　high　above　the　mountain…tops；　and　glittered

in　at　his　casement；　ere　the　governor　was　awakened　from　his　morning

dreams　by　his　veteran　corporal；　who　stood　before　him　with　terror

stamped　upon　his　iron　visage。

　　〃He's　off！　he's　gone！〃　cried　the　corporal；　gasping　for　breath。

　　〃Who's　off…　who's　gone？〃

　　〃The　soldier…　the　robber…　the　devil；　for　aught　I　know；　his　dungeon

is　empty；　but　the　door　locked：　no　one　knows　how　he　has　escaped　out

of　it。〃

　　〃Who　saw　him　last？〃

　　〃Your　handmaid；　she　brought　him　his　supper。〃

　　〃Let　her　be　called　instantly。〃

　　Here　was　new　matter　of　confusion。　The　chamber　of　the　demure　damsel

was　likewise　empty；　her　bed　had　not　been　slept　in：　she　had　doubtless

gone　off　with　the　culprit；　as　she　had　appeared；　for　some　days　past；　to

have　frequent　conversations　with　him。

　　This　was　wounding　the　old　governor　in　a　tender　part；　but　he　had

scarce　time　to　wince　at　it；　when　new　misfortunes　broke　upon　his

view。　On　going　into　his　cabinet　he　found　his　strong　box　open；　the

leather　purse　of　the　trooper　abstracted；　and　with　it；　a　couple　of

corpulent　bags　of　doubloons。

　　But　how；　and　which　way　had　the　fugitives　escaped？　An　old　peasant　who

lived　in　a　cottage　by　the　road…side；　leading　up　into　the　Sierra；

declared　that　he　had　heard　the　tramp　of　a　powerful　steed　just　before

daybreak；　passing　up　into　the　mountains。　He　had　looked　out　at　his

casement；　and　could　just　distinguish　a　horseman；　with　a　female

seated　before　him。

　　〃Search　the　stables！〃　cried　Governor　Manco。　The　stables　were

searched；　all　the　horses　were　in　their　stalls；　excepting　the　Arabian

steed。　In　his　place　was　a　stout　cudgel　tied　to　the　manger；　and　on　it　a

label　bearing　these　words；　〃A　gift　to　Governor　Manco；　from　an　Old

Soldier。〃