part01-第6章

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or　sashes　swathed　tightly　round　their　waists；　sandals　of　espartal　or

bass　weed；　colored　kerchiefs　round　their　heads　somewhat　in　the　style

of　turbans　but　leaving　the　top　of　the　head　uncovered；　in　short；

their　whole　appearance　having　much　of　the　traditional　Moorish　stamp。

　　On　leaving　Loxa　we　were　joined　by　a　cavalier；　well　mounted　and

well　armed；　and　followed　on　foot　by　an　escopetero　or　musketeer。　He

saluted　us　courteously；　and　soon　let　us　into　his　quality。　He　was　chief

of　the　customs；　or　rather；　I　should　suppose；　chief　of　an　armed　company

whose　business　it　is　to　patrol　the　roads　and　look　out　for

contrabandistas。　The　escopetero　was　one　of　his　guards。　In　the　course

of　our　morning's　ride　I　drew　from　him　some　particulars　concerning

the　smugglers；　who　have　risen　to　be　a　kind　of　mongrel　chivalry　in

Spain。　They　come　into　Andalusia；　he　said；　from　various　parts；　but

especially　from　La　Mancha；　sometimes　to　receive　goods；　to　be

smuggled　on　an　appointed　night　across　the　line　at　the　plaza　or

strand　of　Gibraltar；　sometimes　to　meet　a　vessel；　which　is　to　hover

on　a　given　night　off　a　certain　part　of　the　coast。　They　keep　together

and　travel　in　the　night。　In　the　daytime　they　lie　quiet　in　barrancos；

gullies　of　the　mountains　or　lonely　farm…houses；　where　they　are

generally　well　received；　as　they　make　the　family　liberal　presents　of

their　smuggled　wares。　Indeed；　much　of　the　finery　and　trinkets　worn

by　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　mountain　hamlets　and　farm…houses　are

presents　from　the　gay　and　open…handed　contrabandistas。

　　Arrived　at　the　part　of　the　coast　where　a　vessel　is　to　meet　them；

they　look　out　at　night　from　some　rocky　point　or　headland。　If　they

descry　a　sail　near　the　shore　they　make　a　concerted　signal；　sometimes

it　consists　in　suddenly　displaying　a　lantern　three　times　from

beneath　the　folds　of　a　cloak。　If　the　signal　is　answered；　they

descend　to　the　shore　and　prepare　for　quick　work。　The　vessel　runs　close

in；　all　her　boats　are　busy　landing　the　smuggled　goods；　made　up　into

snug　packages　for　transportation　on　horseback。　These　are　hastily

thrown　on　the　beach；　as　hastily　gathered　up　and　packed　on　the

horses；　and　then　the　contrabandistas　clatter　off　to　the　mountains。

They　travel　by　the　roughest；　wildest；　and　most　solitary　roads；　where

it　is　almost　fruitless　to　pursue　them。　The　custom…house　guards　do

not　attempt　it：　they　take　a　different　course。　When　they　hear　of　one　of

these　bands　returning　full　freighted　through　the　mountains；　they　go

out　in　force；　sometimes　twelve　infantry　and　eight　horsemen；　and　take

their　station　where　the　mountain　defile　opens　into　the　plain。　The

infantry；　who　lie　in　ambush　some　distance　within　the　defile；　suffer

the　band　to　pass；　then　rise　and　fire　upon　them。　The　contrabandistas

dash　forward；　but　are　met　in　front　by　the　horsemen。　A　wild　skirmish

ensues。　The　contrabandistas；　if　hard　pressed；　become　desperate。　Some

dismount；　use　their　horses　as　breast…works；　and　fire　over　their　backs；

others　cut　the　cords；　let　the　packs　fall　off　to　delay　the　enemy；　and

endeavor　to　escape　with　their　steeds。　Some　get　off　in　this　way　with

the　loss　of　their　packages；　some　are　taken；　horses；　packages；　and　all；

others　abandon　every　thing；　and　make　their　escape　by　scrambling　up　the

mountains。　〃And　then；〃　cried　Sancho；　who　had　been　listening　with　a

greedy　ear；　〃se　hacen　ladrones　legitimos〃…　and　then　they　become

legitimate　robbers。

　　I　could　not　help　laughing　at　Sancho's　idea　of　a　legitimate　calling

of　the　kind；　but　the　chief　of　customs　told　me　it　was　really　the　case

that　the　smugglers；　when　thus　reduced　to　extremity；　thought　they　had　a

kind　of　right　to　take　the　road；　and　lay　travellers　under　contribution；

until　they　had　collected　funds　enough　to　mount　and　equip　themselves　in

contrabandista　style。

　　Towards　noon　our　wayfaring　companion　took　leave　of　us　and　turned

up　a　steep　defile；　followed　by　his　escopetero；　and　shortly

afterwards　we　emerged　from　the　mountains；　and　entered　upon　the　far

famed　Vega　of　Granada。

　　Our　last　mid…day's　repast　was　taken　under　a　grove　of　olive…trees

on　the　border　of　a　rivulet。　We　were　in　a　classical　neighborhood；　for

not　far　off　were　the　groves　and　orchards　of　the　Soto　de　Roma。　This；

according　to　fabulous　tradition；　was　a　retreat　founded　by　Count　Julian

to　console　his　daughter　Florinda。　It　was　a　rural　resort　of　the　Moorish

kings　of　Granada；　and　has　in　modern　times　been　granted　to　the　Duke

of　Wellington。

　　Our　worthy　squire　made　a　half　melancholy　face　as　he　drew　forth；

for　the　last　time；　the　contents　of　his　alforjas；　lamenting　that　our

expedition　was　drawing　to　a　close；　for；　with　such　cavaliers；　he

said；　he　could　travel　to　the　world's　end。　Our　repast；　however；　was　a

gay　one；　made　under　such　delightful　auspices。　The　day　was　without　a

cloud。　The　heat　of　the　sun　was　tempered　by　cool　breezes　from　the

mountains。　Before　us　extended　the　glorious　Vega。　In　the　distance　was

romantic　Granada　surmounted　by　the　ruddy　towers　of　the　Alhambra；　while

far　above　it　the　snowy　summits　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　shone　like　silver。

　　Our　repast　finished；　we　spread　our　cloaks　and　took　our　last　siesta

al　fresco；　lulled　by　the　humming　of　bees　among　the　flowers　and　the

notes　of　doves　among　the　olive…trees。　When　the　sultry　hours　were

passed　we　resumed　our　journey。　After　a　time　we　overtook　a　pursy　little

man；　shaped　not　unlike　a　toad　and　mounted　on　a　mule。　He　fell　into

conversation　with　Sancho；　and　finding　we　were　strangers；　undertook

to　guide　us　to　a　good　posada。　He　was　an　escribano　（notary）；　he　said；

and　knew　the　city　as　thoroughly　as　his　own　pocket。　〃Ah　Dios；

senores！　what　a　city　you　are　going　to　see。　Such　streets！　such　squares！

such　palaces！　and　then　the　women…　ah　Santa　Maria　purisima…　what

women！〃　〃But　the　posada　you　talk　of；〃　said　I；　〃are　you　sure　it　is　a

good　one？〃

　　〃Good！　Santa　Maria！　the　best　in　Granada。　Salones　grandes…　camas　de

luxo…　colchones　de　pluma　（grand　saloons…　luxurious　sleeping　rooms…

beds　of　down）。　Ah；　senores；　you　will　fare　like　King　Chico　in　the

Alhambra。〃

　　〃And　how　will　my　horses　fare？〃　cried　Sancho。

　　〃Like　King　Chico's　horses。　Chocolate　con　leche　y　bollos　para

almuerza〃　（〃chocolate　and　milk　with　sugar　cakes　for　breakfast〃）；

giving　the　squire　a　knowing　wink　and　a　leer。

　　After　such　satisfactory　accounts　nothing　more　was　to　be　desired　on

that　head。　So　we　rode　quietly　on；　the　squab　little　notary　taking　the

lead；　and　turning　to　us　every　moment　with　some　fresh　exclamation　about

the　grandeurs　of　Granada　and　the　famous　times　we　were　to　have　at　the

posada。

　　Thus　escorted；　we　passed　between　hedges　of　aloes　and　Indian　figs；

and　through　that　wilderness　of　gardens　with　which　the　Vega　is

embroidered；　and　arrived　about　sunset　at　the　gates　of　the　city。　Our

officious　little　conductor　conveyed　us　up　one　street　and　down　another；

until　he　rode　into　the　courtyard　of　an　inn　where　he　appeared　to　be

perfectly　at　home。　Summoning　the　landlord　by　his　Christian　name；　he

committed　us　to　his　care　as　two　caballeros　de　mucho　valor；　worthy　of

his　best　apartments　and　most　sumptuous　fare。　We　were　instantly

reminded　of　the　patronizing　stranger　who　introduced　Gil　Blas　with　such

a　flourish　of　trumpets　to　the　host　and　hostess　of　the　inn　at

Pennaflor；　ordering　trouts　for　his　supper；　and　eating　voraciously　at

his　expense。　〃You　know　not　what　you　possess；〃　cried　he　to　the

innkeeper　and　his　wife。　〃You　have　a　treasure　in　your　house。　Behold

in　this　young　gentleman　the　eighth　wonder　of　the　world…　nothing　in

this　house　is　too　good　for　Senor　Gil　Blas　of　Santillane；　who

deserves　to　be　entertained　like　a　prince。〃

　　Determined　that　the　little　notary　should　not　eat　trouts　at　our

expense；　like　his　prototype　of　Pennaflor；　we　forbore　to　ask　him　to

supper；　nor　had　we　reason　to　reproach　ourselves　with　ingratitude；

for　we　found　before　morning　the　little　varlet；　who　was　no　doubt　a　good

friend　of　the　landlord；　had　decoyed　us　into　one　of　the　shabbiest

posadas　in　Granada。