The Alhambra 32

The Alhambra 32

“As I was prying about one of the loftiest towers of the palace,” said

he, “I beheld through a casement a beautiful princess. She was reclining

on a couch with attendants and physicians around her, but she would none

of their ministry and relief. When they retired, I beheld her draw forth

a letter from her bosom, and read and kiss it, and give way to loud

lamentations; at which, philosopher as I am, I could but be greatly

moved.”

 

The tender heart of Ahmed was distressed at these tidings. “Too true

were thy words, O sage Eben Bonabben,” cried he; “care and sorrow and

sleepless nights are the lot of lovers. Allah preserve the princess from

the blighting influence of this thing called love!”

 

Further intelligence from Toledo corroborated the report of the owl. The

city was a prey to uneasiness and alarm. The princess was conveyed to

the highest tower of the palace, every avenue to which was strongly

guarded. In the mean time a devouring melancholy had seized upon her, of

which no one could divine the cause--she refused food and turned a deaf

ear to every consolation. The most skilful physicians had essayed their

art in vain; it was thought some magic spell had been practised upon

her, and the king made proclamation, declaring that whoever should

effect her cure should receive the richest jewel in the royal treasury.

 

When the owl, who was dozing in a corner, heard of this proclamation, he

rolled his large eyes and looked more mysterious than ever.

 

“Allah Akbar!” exclaimed he, “happy the man that shall effect that cure,

should he but know what to choose from the royal treasury.”

 

“What mean you, most reverend owl?” said Ahmed.

 

“Hearken, O prince, to what I shall relate. We owls, you must know, are

a learned body, and much given to dark and dusty research. During my

late prowling at night about the domes and turrets of Toledo, I

discovered a college of antiquarian owls, who hold their meetings in a

great vaulted tower where the royal treasury is deposited. Here they

were discussing the forms and inscriptions and designs of ancient gems

and jewels, and of golden and silver vessels, heaped up in the treasury,

the fashion of every country and age; but mostly they were interested

about certain relics and talismans that have remained in the treasury

since the time of Roderick the Goth. Among these was a box of

sandal-wood secured by bands of steel of Oriental workmanship, and

inscribed with mystic characters known only to the learned few. This

box and its inscription had occupied the college for several sessions,

and had caused much long and grave dispute. At the time of my visit a

very ancient owl, who had recently arrived from Egypt, was seated on the

lid of the box, lecturing upon the inscription, and he proved from it

that the coffer contained the silken carpet of the throne of Solomon the

Wise; which doubtless had been brought to Toledo by the Jews who took

refuge there after the downfall of Jerusalem.”

 

When the owl had concluded his antiquarian harangue, the prince remained

for a time absorbed in thought. “I have heard,” said he, “from the sage

Eben Bonabben, of the wonderful properties of that talisman, which

disappeared at the fall of Jerusalem, and was supposed to be lost to

mankind. Doubtless it remains a sealed mystery to the Christians of

Toledo. If I can get possession of that carpet, my fortune is secure.”

 

The next day the prince laid aside his rich attire, and arrayed himself

in the simple garb of an Arab of the desert. He dyed his complexion to a

tawny hue, and no one could have recognized in him the splendid warrior

who had caused such admiration and dismay at the tournament. With staff

in hand, and scrip by his side, and a small pastoral reed, he repaired

to Toledo, and presenting himself at the gate of the royal palace,

announced himself as a candidate for the reward offered for the cure of

the princess. The guards would have driven him away with blows. “What

can a vagrant Arab like thyself pretend to do,” said they, “in a case

where the most learned of the land have failed?” The king, however,

overheard the tumult, and ordered the Arab to be brought into his

presence.

 

“Most potent king,” said Ahmed, “you behold before you a Bedouin Arab,

the greater part of whose life has been passed in the solitudes of the

desert. These solitudes, it is well known, are the haunts of demons and

evil spirits, who beset us poor shepherds in our lonely watchings, enter

into and possess our flocks and herds, and sometimes render even the

patient camel furious; against these, our counter-charm is music; and we

have legendary airs handed down from generation to generation, that we

chant and pipe, to cast forth these evil spirits. I am of a gifted line,

and possess this power in its fullest force. If it be any evil influence

of the kind that holds a spell over thy daughter, I pledge my head to

free her from its sway.”

 

The king, who was a man of understanding, and knew the wonderful secrets

possessed by the Arabs, was inspired with hope by the confident language

of the prince. He conducted him immediately to the lofty tower, secured

by several doors, in the summit of which was the chamber of the

princess. The windows opened upon a terrace with balustrades, commanding

a view over Toledo and all the surrounding country. The windows were

darkened, for the princess lay within, a prey to a devouring grief that

refused all alleviation.

 

The prince seated himself on the terrace, and performed several wild

Arabian airs on his pastoral pipe, which he had learnt from his

attendants in the Generalife at Granada. The princess continued

insensible, and the doctors who were present shook their heads, and

smiled with incredulity and contempt: at length the prince laid aside

the reed, and, to a simple melody, chanted the amatory verses of the

letter which had declared his passion.

 

The princess recognized the strain--a fluttering joy stole to her heart;

she raised her head and listened; tears rushed to her eyes and streamed

down her cheeks; her bosom rose and fell with a tumult of emotions. She

would have asked for the minstrel to be brought into her presence, but

maiden coyness held her silent. The king read her wishes, and at his

command Ahmed was conducted into the chamber. The lovers were discreet:

they but exchanged glances, yet those glances spoke volumes. Never was

triumph of music more complete. The rose had returned to the soft cheek

of the princess, the freshness to her lip, and the dewy light to her

languishing eyes.

 

All the physicians present stared at each other with astonishment. The

king regarded the Arab minstrel with admiration mixed with awe.

“Wonderful youth!” exclaimed he, “thou shalt henceforth be the first

physician of my court, and no other prescription will I take but thy

melody. For the present receive thy reward, the most precious jewel in

my treasury.”

 

“O king,” replied Ahmed, “I care not for silver or gold or precious

stones. One relic hast thou in thy treasury, handed down from the

Moslems who once owned Toledo--a box of sandal-wood containing a silken

carpet: give me that box, and I am content.”

 

All present were surprised at the moderation of the Arab, and still more

when the box of sandal-wood was brought and the carpet drawn forth. It

was of fine green silk, covered with Hebrew and Chaldaic characters. The

court physicians looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and

smiled at the simplicity of this new practitioner, who could be content

with so paltry a fee.

 

“This carpet,” said the prince, “once covered the throne of Solomon the

Wise; it is worthy of being placed beneath the feet of beauty.”

 

So saying, he spread it on the terrace beneath an ottoman that had been

brought forth for the princess; then seating himself at her feet--

 

“Who,” said he, “shall counteract what is written in the book of fate?

Behold the prediction of the astrologers verified. Know, O king, that

your daughter and I have long loved each other in secret. Behold in me

the Pilgrim of Love!”

 

These words were scarcely from his lips when the carpet rose in the air,

bearing off the prince and princess. The king and the physicians gazed

after it with open mouths and straining eyes until it became a little

speck on the white bosom of a cloud, and then disappeared in the blue

vault of heaven.

 

The king in a rage summoned his treasurer. “How is this,” said he, “that

thou hast suffered an infidel to get possession of such a talisman?”

 

“Alas, sir, we knew not its nature, nor could we decipher the

inscription of the box. If it be indeed the carpet of the throne of the

wise Solomon, it is possessed of magic power, and can transport its

owner from place to place through the air.”

 

The king assembled a mighty army, and set off for Granada in pursuit of

the fugitives. His march was long and toilsome. Encamping in the Vega,

he sent a herald to demand restitution of his daughter. The king himself

came forth with all his court to meet him. In the king he beheld the

real minstrel, for Ahmed had succeeded to the throne on the death of his

father, and the beautiful Aldegonda was his sultana.

 

The Christian king was easily pacified when he found that his daughter

was suffered to continue in her faith; not that he was particularly

pious, but religion is always a point of pride and etiquette with

princes. Instead of bloody battles, there was a succession of feasts and

rejoicings, after which the king returned well pleased to Toledo, and

the youthful couple continued to reign as happily as wisely, in the

Alhambra.

 

It is proper to add, that the owl and the parrot had severally followed

the prince by easy stages to Granada; the former travelling by night,

and stopping at the various hereditary possessions of his family; the

latter figuring in gay circles of every town and city on his route.

 

Ahmed gratefully requited the services which they had rendered on his

pilgrimage. He appointed the owl his prime minister, the parrot his

master of ceremonies. It is needless to say that never was a realm more

sagely administered, nor a court conducted with more exact punctilio.

 

 

 

 

A RAMBLE AMONG THE HILLS

 

 

I used frequently to amuse myself towards the close of the day, when the

heat had subsided, with taking long rambles about the neighboring hills

and the deep umbrageous valleys, accompanied by my historiographic

squire, Mateo, to whose passion for gossiping I on such occasions gave

the most unbounded license; and there was scarce a rock, or ruin, or

broken fountain, or lon