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chosen attendants; ascended a steep and narrow road leading up the
hill。 Beside him; on a white palfrey; rode the Gothic princess; her
whole dress sparkling with jewels; while round her neck was
suspended her silver lyre。 The astrologer walked on the other side
of the king; assisting his steps with his hieroglyphic staff; for he
never mounted steed of any kind。
Aben Habuz looked to see the towers of the palace brightening
above him; and the imbowered terraces of its gardens stretching
along the heights; but as yet nothing of the kind was to be
descried。 〃That is the mystery and safeguard of the place;〃 said the
astrologer; 〃nothing can be discerned until you have passed the
spell…bound gateway; and been put in possession of the place。〃
As they approached the gateway; the astrologer paused; and pointed
out to the king the mystic hand and key carved upon the portal of
the arch。 〃These;〃 said he; 〃are the talismans which guard the
entrance to this paradise。 Until yonder hand shall reach down and
seize that key; neither mortal power nor magic artifice can prevail
against the lord of this mountain。〃
While Aben Habuz was gazing; with open mouth and silent wonder; at
these mystic talismans; the palfrey of the princess proceeded; and
bore her in at the portal; to the very centre of the barbican。
〃Behold;〃 cried the astrologer; 〃my promised reward; the first
animal with its burden which should enter the magic gateway。〃
Aben Habuz smiled at what he considered a pleasantry of the
ancient man; but when he found him to be in earnest; his gray beard
trembled with indignation。
〃Son of Abu Ayub;〃 said he; sternly; 〃what equivocation is this?
Thou knowest the meaning of my promise: the first beast of burden;
with its load; that should enter this portal。 Take the strongest
mule in my stables; load it with the most precious things of my
treasury; and it is thine; but dare not raise thy thoughts to her
who is the delight of my heart。〃
〃What need I of wealth;〃 cried the astrologer; scornfully; 〃have I
not the book of knowledge of Solomon the wise; and through it the
command of the secret treasures of the earth? The princess is mine
by right; thy royal word is pledged: I claim her as my own。〃
The princess looked down haughtily from her palfrey; and a light
smile of scorn curled her rosy lip at this dispute between two
gray…beards; for the possession of youth and beauty。 The wrath of
the monarch got the better of his discretion。 〃Base son of the
desert;〃 cried he; 〃thou may'st be master of many arts; but know me
for thy master; and presume not to juggle with thy king。〃
〃My master! my king!〃 echoed the astrologer。 〃The monarch of a
molehill to claim sway over him who possesses the talismans of
Solomon! Farewell; Aben Habuz; reign over thy petty kingdom; and revel
in thy paradise of fools; for me; I will laugh at thee in my
philosophic retirement。〃
So saying he seized the bridle of the palfrey; smote the earth
with his staff; and sank with the Gothic princess through the centre
of the barbican。 The earth closed over them; and no trace remained
of the opening by which they had descended。
Aben Habuz was struck dumb for a time with astonishment。
Recovering himself; he ordered a thousand workmen to dig; with pickaxe
and spade; into the ground where the astrologer had disappeared。
They digged and digged; but in vain; the flinty bosom of the hill
resisted their implements; or if they did penetrate a little way;
the earth filled in again as fast as they threw it out。 Aben Habuz
sought the mouth of the cavern at the foot of the hill; leading to the
subterranean palace of the astrologer; but it was nowhere to be found。
Where once had been an entrance; was now a solid surface of primeval
rock。 With the disappearance of Ibrahim Ebn Abu Ayub ceased the
benefit of his talismans。 The bronze horseman remained fixed; with his
face turned toward the hill; and his spear pointed to the spot where
the astrologer had descended; as if there still lurked the deadliest
foe of Aben Habuz。
From time to time the sound of music; and the tones of a female
voice; could be faintly heard from the bosom of the hill; and a
peasant one day brought word to the king; that in the preceding
night he had found a fissure in the rock; by which he had crept in;
until he looked down into a subterranean hall; in which sat the
astrologer; on a magnificent divan; slumbering and nodding to the
silver lyre of the princess; which seemed to hold a magic sway over
his senses。
Aben Habuz sought the fissure in the rock; but it was again
closed。 He renewed the attempt to unearth his rival; but all in
vain。 The spell of the hand and key was too potent to be
counteracted by human power。 As to the summit of the mountain; the
site of the promised palace and garden; it remained a naked waste;
either the boasted elysium was hidden from sight by enchantment; or
was a mere fable of the astrologer。 The world charitably supposed
the latter; and some used to call the place 〃The King's Folly;〃
while others named it 〃The Fool's Paradise。〃
To add to the chagrin of Aben Habuz; the neighbors whom he had
defied and taunted; and cut up at his leisure while master of the
talismanic horseman; finding him no longer protected by magic spell;
made inroads into his territories from all sides; and the remainder of
the life of the most pacific of monarchs was a tissue of turmoils。
At length Aben Habuz died; and was buried。 Ages have since rolled
away。 The Alhambra has been built on the eventful mountain; and in
some measure realizes the fabled delights of the garden of Irem。 The
spell…bound gateway still exists entire; protected no doubt by the
mystic hand and key; and now forms the Gate of Justice; the grand
entrance to the fortress。 Under that gateway; it is said; the old
astrologer remains in his subterranean hall; nodding on his divan;
lulled by the silver lyre of the princess。
The old invalid sentinels who mount guard at the gate hear the
strains occasionally in the summer nights; and; yielding to their
soporific power; doze quietly at their posts。 Nay; so drowsy an
influence pervades the place; that even those who watch by day may
generally be seen nodding on the stone benches of the barbican; or
sleeping under the neighboring trees; so that in fact it is the
drowsiest military post in all Christendom。 All this; say the
ancient legends; will endure from age to age。 The princess will remain
captive to the astrologer; and the astrologer; bound up in magic
slumber by the princess; until the last day; unless the mystic hand
shall grasp the fated key; and dispel the whole charm of this
enchanted mountain。