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over the gossip of the fortress； and question every water…carrier that
arrives about the news of the city； and make long comments on every
thing they hear and see。 Not an hour of the day but loitering
housewives and idle maid…servants may be seen； lingering with
pitcher on head； or in hand； to hear the last of the endless tattle of
these worthies。
Among the water…carriers who once resorted to this well； there was a
sturdy； strong…backed； bandy…legged little fellow； named Pedro Gil；
but called Peregil for shortness。 Being a water…carrier； he was a
Gallego； or native of Galicia； of course。 Nature seems to have
formed races of men； as she has of animals； for different kinds of
drudgery。 In France the shoeblacks are all Savoyards； the porters of
hotels all Swiss； and in the days of hoops and hair…powder in England；
no man could give the regular swing to a sedan…chair but a
bog…trotting Irishman。 So in Spain； the carriers of water and
bearers of burdens are all sturdy little natives of Galicia。 No man
says； 〃Get me a porter；〃 but； 〃Call a Gallego。〃
To return from this digression； Peregil the Gallego had begun
business with merely a great earthen jar which he carried upon his
shoulder； by degrees he rose in the world； and was enabled to purchase
an assistant of a correspondent class of animals； being a stout
shaggy…haired donkey。 On each side of this his long…eared
aide…de…camp； in a kind of pannier； were slung his water…jars； covered
with fig…leaves to protect them from the sun。 There was not a more
industrious water…carrier in all Granada； nor one more merry withal。
The streets rang with his cheerful voice as he trudged after his
donkey； singing forth the usual summer note that resounds through
the Spanish towns： 〃Quien quiere agua… agua mas fria que la nieve？〃…
〃Who wants water… water colder than snow？ Who wants water from the
well of the Alhambra； cold as ice and clear as crystal？〃 When he
served a customer with a sparkling glass； it was always with a
pleasant word that caused a smile； and if； perchance； it was a
comely dame or dimpling damsel； it was always with a sly leer and a
compliment to her beauty that was irresistible。 Thus Peregil the
Gallego was noted throughout all Granada for being one of the
civilest； pleasantest； and happiest of mortals。
Yet it is not he who sings loudest and jokes most that has the
lightest heart。 Under all this air of merriment； honest Peregil had
his cares and troubles。 He had a large family of ragged children to
support； who were hungry and clamorous as a nest of young swallows；
and beset him with their outcries for food whenever he came home of an
evening。 He had a helpmate； too； who was any thing but a help to
him。 She had been a village beauty before marriage； noted for her
skill at dancing the bolero and rattling the castanets； and she
still retained her early propensities； spending the hard earnings of
honest Peregil in frippery； and laying the very donkey under
requisition for junketing parties into the country on Sundays； and
saints' days； and those innumerable holidays which are rather more
numerous in Spain than the days of the week。 With all this she was a
little of a slattern； something more of a lie…abed； and； above all；
a gossip of the first water； neglecting house； household； and every
thing else； to loiter slipshod in the houses of her gossip neighbors。
He； however； who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb； accommodates
the yoke of matrimony to the submissive neck。 Peregil bore all the
heavy dispensations of wife and children with as meek a spirit as
his donkey bore the water…jars； and； however he might shake his ears
in private； never ventured to question the household virtues of his
slattern spouse。
He loved his children too even as an owl loves its owlets； seeing in
them his own image multiplied and perpetuated； for they were a sturdy；
long…backed； bandy…legged little brood。 The great pleasure of honest
Peregil was； whenever he could afford himself a scanty holiday； and
had a handful of marevedis to spare； to take the whole litter forth
with him； some in his arms； some tugging at his skirts； and some
trudging at his heels； and to treat them to a gambol among the
orchards of the Vega； while his wife was dancing with her holiday
friends in the Angosturas of the Darro。
It was a late hour one summer night； and most of the
water…carriers had desisted from their toils。 The day had been
uncommonly sultry； the night was one of those delicious moonlights；
which tempt the inhabitants of southern climes to indemnify themselves
for the heat and inaction of the day； by lingering in the open air；
and enjoying its tempered sweetness until after midnight。 Customers
for water were therefore still abroad。 Peregil； like a considerate；
painstaking father； thought of his hungry children。 〃One more
journey to the well；〃 said he to himself； 〃to earn a Sunday's
puchero for the little ones。〃 So saying； he trudged manfully up the
steep avenue of the Alhambra； singing as he went； and now and then
bestowing a hearty thwack with a cudgel on the flanks of his donkey；
either by way of cadence to the song； or refreshment to the animal；
for dry blows serve in lieu of provender in Spain for all beasts of
burden。
When arrived at the well； he found it deserted by every one except a
solitary stranger in Moorish garb； seated on a stone bench in the
moonlight。 Peregil paused at first and regarded him with surprise； not
unmixed with awe； but the Moor feebly beckoned him to approach。 〃I
am faint and ill；〃 said he； 〃aid me to return to the city； and I
will pay thee double what thou couldst gain by thy jars of water。〃
The honest heart of the little water…carrier was touched with
compassion at the appeal of the stranger。 〃God forbid；〃 said he； 〃that
I should ask fee or reward for doing a common act of humanity。〃 He
accordingly helped the Moor on his donkey； and set off slowly for
Granada； the poor Moslem being so weak that it was necessary to hold
him on the animal to keep him from falling to the earth。
When they entered the city； the water…carrier demanded whither he
should conduct him。 〃Alas！〃 said the Moor； faintly； 〃I have neither
home nor habitation； I am a stranger in the land。 Suffer me to lay
my head this night beneath thy roof； and thou shalt be amply repaid。〃
Honest Peregil thus saw himself unexpectedly saddled with an infidel
guest； but he was too humane to refuse a night's shelter to a fellow
being in so forlorn a plight； so he conducted the Moor to his
dwelling。 The children； who had sallied forth open…mouthed as usual on
hearing the tramp of the donkey； ran back with affright； when they
beheld the turbaned stranger； and hid themselves behind their
mother。 The latter stepped forth intrepidly； like a ruffling hen
before her brood when a vagrant dog approaches。
〃What infidel companion；〃 cried she； 〃is this you have brought
home at this late hour； to draw upon us the eyes of the Inquisition？〃
〃Be quiet； wife；〃 replied the Gallego； 〃here is a poor sick
stranger； without friend or home； wouldst thou turn him forth to
perish in the streets？〃
The wife would still have remonstrated； for although she lived in
a hovel she was a furious stickler for the credit of her house； the
little water…carrier； however； for once was stiff…necked； and
refused to bend beneath the yoke。 He assisted the poor Moslem to
alight； and spread a mat and a sheep…skin for him； on the ground； in
the coolest part of the house； being the only kind of bed that his
poverty afforded。
In a little while the Moor was seized with violent convulsions；
which defied all the ministering skill of the simple water…carrier。
The eye of the poor patient acknowledged his kindness。 During an
interval of his fits he called him to his side； and addressing him
in a low voice； 〃My end；〃 said he； 〃I fear is at hand。 If I die； I
bequeath you this box as a reward for your charity〃： so saying； he
opened his albornoz； or cloak； and showed a small box of sandalwood；
strapped round his body。 〃God grant； my friend；〃 replied the worthy
little Gallego； 〃that you may live many years to enjoy your
treasure； whatever it may be。〃 The Moor shook his head； he laid his
hand upon the box； and would have said something more concerning it；
but his convulsions returned with increasing violence； and in a little
while he expired。
The water…carrier's wife was now as one distracted。 〃This comes；〃
said she； 〃of your foolish good nature； always running into scrapes to
oblige others。 What will become of us when this corpse is found in our
house？ We shall be sent to prison as murderers； and if we escape
with our lives； shall be ruined by notaries and alguazils。〃
Poor Peregil was in equal tribulation； and almost repented himself
of having done a good deed。 At length a thought struck him。 〃It is not
yet day；〃 said he； 〃I can convey the dead body out of the city； and
bu