part01-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ALHAMBRA


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Washington　Irving





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Preface　to　the　Revised　Edition。



　　Rough　draughts　of　some　of　the　following　tales　and　essays　were

actually　written　during　a　residence　in　the　Alhambra；　others　were

subsequently　added；　founded　on　notes　and　observations　made　there。　Care

was　taken　to　maintain　local　coloring　and　verisimilitude；　so　that　the

whole　might　present　a　faithful　and　living　picture　of　that　microcosm；

that　singular　little　world　into　which　I　had　been　fortuitously

thrown；　and　about　which　the　external　world　had　a　very　imperfect

idea。　It　was　my　endeavor　scrupulously　to　depict　its　half　Spanish；　half

Oriental　character；　its　mixture　of　the　heroic；　the　poetic；　and　the

grotesque；　to　revive　the　traces　of　grace　and　beauty　fast　fading　from

its　walls；　to　record　the　regal　and　chivalrous　traditions　concerning

those　who　once　trod　its　courts；　and　the　whimsical　and　superstitious

legends　of　the　motley　race　now　burrowing　among　its　ruins。

　　The　papers　thus　roughly　sketched　out　lay　for　three　or　four　years

in　my　portfolio；　until　I　found　myself　in　London；　in　1832；　on　the　eve

of　returning　to　the　United　States。　I　then　endeavored　to　arrange　them

for　the　press；　but　the　preparations　for　departure　did　not　allow

sufficient　leisure。　Several　were　thrown　aside　as　incomplete；　the

rest　were　put　together　somewhat　hastily　and　in　rather　a　crude　and

chaotic　manner。

　　In　the　present　edition　I　have　revised　and　re…arranged　the　whole

work；　enlarged　some　parts；　and　added　others；　including　the　papers

originally　omitted；　and　have　thus　endeavored　to　render　it　more

complete　and　more　worthy　of　the　indulgent　reception　with　which　it

has　been　favored。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　W。　I。

　　Sunnyside；　1851。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Journey。



　　IN　THE　spring　of　1829；　the　author　of　this　work；　whom　curiosity　had

brought　into　Spain；　made　a　rambling　expedition　from　Seville　to　Granada

in　company　with　a　friend；　a　member　of　the　Russian　Embassy　at　Madrid。

Accident　had　thrown　us　together　from　distant　regions　of　the　globe；　and

a　similarity　of　taste　led　us　to　wander　together　among　the　romantic

mountains　of　Andalusia。　Should　these　pages　meet　his　eye；　wherever

thrown　by　the　duties　of　his　station；　whether　mingling　in　the　pageantry

of　courts；　or　meditating　on　the　truer　glories　of　nature；　may　they

recall　the　scenes　of　our　adventurous　companionship；　and　with　them

the　recollection　of　one；　in　whom　neither　time　nor　distance　will

obliterate　the　remembrance　of　his　gentleness　and　worth。

　　And　here；　before　setting　forth；　let　me　indulge　in　a　few　previous

remarks　on　Spanish　scenery　and　Spanish　travelling。　Many　are　apt　to

picture　Spain　to　their　imaginations　as　a　soft　southern　region；

decked　out　with　the　luxuriant　charms　of　voluptuous　Italy。　On　the

contrary；　though　there　are　exceptions　in　some　of　the　maritime

provinces；　yet；　for　the　greater　part；　it　is　a　stern；　melancholy

country；　with　rugged　mountains；　and　long　sweeping　plains；　destitute　of

trees；　and　indescribably　silent　and　lonesome；　partaking　of　the

savage　and　solitary　character　of　Africa。　What　adds　to　this　silence　and

loneliness；　is　the　absence　of　singing　birds；　a　natural　consequence

of　the　want　of　groves　and　hedges。　The　vulture　and　the　eagle　are　seen

wheeling　about　the　mountain…cliffs；　and　soaring　over　the　plains；　and

groups　of　shy　bustards　stalk　about　the　heaths；　but　the　myriads　of

smaller　birds；　which　animate　the　whole　face　of　other　countries；　are

met　with　in　but　few　provinces　in　Spain；　and　in　those　chiefly　among　the

orchards　and　gardens　which　surround　the　habitations　of　man。

　　In　the　interior　provinces　the　traveller　occasionally　traverses　great

tracts　cultivated　with　grain　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；　waving　at

times　with　verdure；　at　other　times　naked　and　sunburnt；　but　he　looks

round　in　vain　for　the　hand　that　has　tilled　the　soil。　At　length；　he

perceives　some　village　on　a　steep　hill；　or　rugged　crag；　with

mouldering　battlements　and　ruined　watchtower；　a　strong…hold；　in　old

times；　against　civil　war；　or　Moorish　inroad；　for　the　custom　among

the　peasantry　of　congregating　together　for　mutual　protection　is

still　kept　up　in　most　parts　of　Spain；　in　consequence　of　the　maraudings

of　roving　freebooters。

　　But　though　a　great　part　of　Spain　is　deficient　in　the　garniture　of

groves　and　forests；　and　the　softer　charms　of　ornamental　cultivation；

yet　its　scenery　is　noble　in　its　severity；　and　in　unison　with　the

attributes　of　its　people；　and　I　think　that　I　better　understand　the

proud；　hardy；　frugal　and　abstemious　Spaniard；　his　manly　defiance　of

hardships；　and　contempt　of　effeminate　indulgences；　since　I　have　seen

the　country　he　inhabits。

　　There　is　something　too；　in　the　sternly　simple　features　of　the

Spanish　landscape；　that　impresses　on　the　soul　a　feeling　of

sublimity。　The　immense　plains　of　the　Castiles　and　of　La　Mancha；

extending　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；　derive　an　interest　from　their

very　nakedness　and　immensity；　and　possess；　in　some　degree；　the

solemn　grandeur　of　the　ocean。　In　ranging　over　these　boundless

wastes；　the　eye　catches　sight　here　and　there　of　a　straggling　herd　of

cattle　attended　by　a　lonely　herdsman；　motionless　as　a　statue；　with　his

long　slender　pike　tapering　up　like　a　lance　into　the　air；　or；　beholds　a

long　train　of　mules　slowly　moving　along　the　waste　like　a　train　of

camels　in　the　desert；　or；　a　single　horseman；　armed　with　blunderbuss

and　stiletto；　and　prowling　over　the　plain。　Thus　the　country；　the

habits；　the　very　looks　of　the　people；　have　something　of　the　Arabian

character。　The　general　insecurity　of　the　country　is　evinced　in　the

universal　use　of　weapons。　The　herdsman　in　the　field；　the　shepherd　in

the　plain；　has　his　musket　and　his　knife。　The　wealthy　villager　rarely

ventures　to　the　market…town　without　his　trabuco；　and；　perhaps；　a

servant　on　foot　with　a　blunderbuss　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　most　petty

journey　is　undertaken　with　the　preparation　of　a　warlike　enterprise。

　　The　dangers　of　the　road　produce　also　a　mode　of　travelling；

resembling；　on　a　diminutive　scale；　the　caravans　of　the　east。　The

arrieros；　or　carriers；　congregate　in　convoys；　and　set　off　in　large　and

well…armed　trains　on　appointed　days；　while　additional　travellers　swell

their　number；　and　contribute　to　their　strength。　In　this　primitive

way　is　the　commerce　of　the　country　carried　on。　The　muleteer　is　the

general　medium　of　traffic；　and　the　legitimate　traverser　of　the　land；

crossing　the　peninsula　from　the　Pyrenees　and　the　Asturias　to　the

Alpuxarras；　the　Serrania　de　Ronda；　and　even　to　the　gates　of　Gibraltar。

He　lives　frugally　and　hardily：　his　alforjas　of　coarse　cloth　hold　his

scanty　stock　of　provisions；　a　leathern　bottle；　hanging　at　his

saddle…bow；　contains　wine　or　water；　for　a　supply　across　barren

mountains　and　thirsty　plains；　a　mule…cloth　spread　upon　the　ground　is

his　bed　at　night；　and　his　pack…saddle　his　pillow。　His　low；　but

clean…limbed　and　sinewy　form　betokens　strength；　his　complexion　is　dark

and　sunburnt；　his　eye　resolute；　but　quiet　in　its　expression；　except

when　kindled　by　sudden　emotion；　his　demeanor　is　frank；　manly；　and

courteous；　and　he　never　passes　you　without　a　grave　salutation：　〃Dios

guarde　a　usted！〃　〃Va　usted　con　Dios；　Caballero！〃　（〃God　guard　you！〃

〃God　be　with　you；　Cavalier！〃）

　　As　these　men　have　often　their　whole　fortune　at　stake　upon　the　burden

of　their　mules；　they　have　their　weapons　at　hand；　slung　to　their

saddles；　and　ready　to　be　snatched　out　for　desperate　defence；　but　their

united　numbers　render　them　secure　against　petty　bands　of　marauders；

and　the　solitary　bandolero；　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　mounted　on　his

Andalusian　steed；　hovers　about　them；　like　a　pirate　about　a　merchant

convoy；　without　daring　to　assault。

　　The　Spanish　muleteer　has　an　inexhaustible　stock　of　songs　and

ballads；　with　which　to　beguile　his　incessant　wayfaring。　The　airs　are

rude　and　simple；　consisting　of　but　few　inflections。　These　he　chants

forth　with　a　loud　voice；　and　long；　drawling　cadence；　seated　sideways

on　his　mule；　who　seems　to　listen　with　infinite　gravity；　and　to　keep

time；　with　his　paces；　to　the　tune。　The　couplets　thus　chanted；　are

often　old　traditional　romances　about　the　Moors；　or　some　legend　of　a

saint；　or　some　love…ditty；　or；　what　is　still　more　frequent；　some

ballad　about　a　bold　contrabandista；　or　hardy　bandolero；　for　the

smuggler　and　the　robber　are　poetical　heroes　among　the　common　people　of

Spain。　Often；　the　song　of　the　muleteer　is　composed　at　the　instant；　and

relates　to　some　local　scene；　or　some　incident　of　the　journey。　This

talent　of　singing　and　improvising　is　frequent　in　Spain；　and　is　said　to

have　been　inherited　from　the　Moors。　There　is　something　wildly　pleasing

in　listening　to　these　ditties　among　the　rude　and　lonely　scenes　they

illustrate；　accompanied；　as　they　are；　by　the　occasional　jingle　of

the　mule…bell。

　　It　has　a　most　picturesque　effect　also　to　meet　a　train　of　muleteers

in　some　mountain…pass。　First　you　hear　the　bells　of　the　leading

mules；　breaking　with　their　simple　melody　the　stillness　of　the　airy

height；　or；　perhaps；　the　voice　of　the　muleteer　admonishing　some

tardy　or　wandering　animal；　or　chanting；　at　the　full　stretch　of　his

lungs；　some　traditionary　ballad。　At　length　you　see　the　mules　slowly

winding　along　the　cragged　defile；　sometimes　descending　precipitous

cliffs；　so　as　to　present　themselves　in　full　relief　against　the　sky；

sometimes　toiling　up　the　deep　arid　chasms　below　you。　As　they　approach；

you　descry　their　gay　decorations　of　worsted　stuffs；　tassels；　and

saddle…cloths；　while；　as　they　pass　by；　the　ever…ready　trabuco；　slung

behind　the　packs　and　saddles；　gives　a　hint　of　the　insecurity　of　the

road。

　　The　ancient　kingdom　of　Granada；　into　which　we*　were　about　to

penetrate；　is　one　of　the　most　mountainous　regions　of　Spain。　Vast

sierras；　or　chains　of　mountains；　destitute　of　shrub　or　tree；　and

mottled　with　variegated　marbles　and　granites；　elevate　their　sunburnt

summits　against　a　deep…blue　sky；　yet　in　their　rugged　bosoms　lie

ingulfed　verdant　and　fertile　valleys；　where　the　desert　and　the

garden　strive　for　mastery；　and　the　very　rock　is；　as　it　were；　compelled

to　yield　the　fig；　the　orange；　and　the　citron；　and　to　blossom　with

the　myrtle　and　the　rose。



　　*　Note　to　the　Revised　Edition。…　The　Author　feels　at　liberty　to

mention　that　his　travelling　companion　was　the　Prince　Dolgorouki；　at

present　Russian　minister　at　the　Court　of　Persia。



　　In　the　wild　passes　of　these　mountains　the　sight　of　walled　towns

and　villages；　built　like　eagles'　nests　among　the　cliffs；　and

surrounded　by　Moorish　battlements；　or　of　ruined　watchtowers　perched　on

lofty　peaks；　carries　the　mind　back　to　the　chivalric　days　of

Christian　and　Moslem　warfare；　and　to　the　romantic　struggle　for　the

conquest　of　Granada。　In　traversing　these　lofty　sierras　the　traveller

is　often　obliged　to　alight；　and　lead　his　horse　up　and　down　the