友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

part05-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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。

返回目录 上一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!