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part06-第7章

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  The parrot took the picture in his claw; turned his head from side

to side; and examined it curiously with either eye。 〃Upon my honor;〃

said he; 〃a very pretty face; very pretty: but then one sees so many

pretty women in one's travels that one can hardly… but hold… bless me!

now I look at it again… sure enough this is the princess Aldegonda:

how could I forget one that is so prodigious a favorite with me!〃

  〃The princess Aldegonda!〃 echoed the prince; 〃and where is she to be

found?〃

  〃Softly; softly;〃 said the parrot; 〃easier to be found than

gained。 She is the only daughter of the Christian king who reigns at

Toledo; and is shut up from the world until her seventeenth birth…day;

on account of some prediction of those meddlesome fellows the

astrologers。 You'll not get a sight of her; no mortal man can see her。

I was admitted to her presence to entertain her; and I assure you;

on the word of a parrot; who has seen the world; I have conversed with

much sillier princesses in my time。〃

  〃A word in confidence; my dear parrot;〃 said the prince; 〃I am

heir to a kingdom; and shall one day sit upon a throne。 I see that you

are a bird of parts; and understand the world。 Help me to gain

possession of this princess; and I will advance you to some

distinguished place about court。〃

  〃With all my heart;〃 said the parrot; 〃but let it be a sinecure if

possible; for we wits have a great dislike to labor。〃

  Arrangements were promptly made; the prince sallied forth from

Cordova through the same gate by which he had entered; called the

owl down from the hole in the wall; introduced him to his new

travelling companion as a brother savant; and away they set off on

their journey。

  They travelled much more slowly than accorded with the impatience of

the prince; but the parrot was accustomed to high life; and did not

like to be disturbed early in the morning。 The owl; on the other hand;

was for sleeping at mid…day; and lost a great deal of time by his long

siestas。 His antiquarian taste also was in the way; for he insisted on

pausing and inspecting every ruin; and had long legendary tales to

tell about every old tower and castle in the country。 The prince had

supposed that he and the parrot; being both birds of learning; would

delight in each other's society; but never had he been more

mistaken。 They were eternally bickering。 The one was a wit; the

other a philosopher。 The parrot quoted poetry; was critical on new

readings and eloquent on small points of erudition; the owl treated

all such knowledge as trifling; and relished nothing but

metaphysics。 Then the parrot would sing songs and repeat bon mots

and crack jokes upon his solemn neighbor; and laugh outrageously at

his own wit; all which proceedings the owl considered as a grievous

invasion of his dignity; and would scowl and sulk and swell; and be

silent for a whole day together。

  The prince heeded not the wranglings of his companions; being

wrapped up in the dreams of his own fancy and the contemplation of the

portrait of the beautiful princess。 In this way they journeyed through

the stern passes of the Sierra Morena; across the sunburnt plains of

La Mancha and Castile; and along the banks of the 〃Golden Tagus;〃

which winds its wizard mazes over one half of Spain and Portugal。 At

length they came in sight of a strong city with walls and towers built

on a rocky promontory; round the foot of which the Tagus circled

with brawling violence。

  〃Behold;〃 exclaimed the owl; 〃the ancient and renowned city of

Toledo; a city famous for its antiquities。 Behold those venerable

domes and towers; hoary with time and clothed with legendary grandeur;

in which so many of my ancestors have meditated。〃

  〃Pish!〃 cried the parrot; interrupting his solemn antiquarian

rapture; 〃what have we to do with antiquities; and legends; and your

ancestry? Behold what is more to the purpose… behold the abode of

youth and beauty… behold at length; O prince; the abode of your

long…sought princess。〃

  The prince looked in the direction indicated by the parrot; and

beheld; in a delightful meadow on the banks of the Tagus; a stately

palace rising from amidst the bowers of a delicious garden。 It was

just such a place as had been described by the dove as the residence

of the original of the picture。 He gazed at it with a throbbing heart。

〃Perhaps at this moment;〃 thought he; 〃the beautiful princess is

sporting beneath those shady bowers; or pacing with delicate step

those stately terraces; or reposing beneath those lofty roofs!〃 As

he looked more narrowly he perceived that the walls of the garden were

of great height; so as to defy access; while numbers of armed guards

patrolled around them。

  The prince turned to the parrot。 〃O most accomplished of birds;〃

said he; 〃thou hast the gift of human speech。 Hie thee to yon

garden; seek the idol of my soul; and tell her that Prince Ahmed; a

pilgrim of love; and guided by the stars; has arrived in quest of

her on the flowery banks of the Tagus。〃

  The parrot; proud of his embassy; flew away to the garden; mounted

above its lofty walls; and after soaring for a time over the lawns and

groves; alighted on the balcony of a pavilion that overhung the river。

Here; looking in at the casement; he beheld the princess reclining

on a couch; with her eyes fixed on a paper; while tears gently stole

after each other down her pallid cheek。

  Pluming his wings for a moment; adjusting his bright green coat; and

elevating his top…knot; the parrot perched himself beside her with a

gallant air: then assuming a tenderness of tone; 〃Dry thy tears;

most beautiful of princesses;〃 said he; 〃I come to bring solace to thy

heart。〃

  The princess was startled on hearing a voice; but turning and seeing

nothing but a little green…coated bird bobbing and bowing before

her; 〃Alas! what solace canst thou yield;〃 said she; 〃seeing thou

art but a parrot?〃

  The parrot was nettled at the question。 〃I have consoled many

beautiful ladies in my time;〃 said he; 〃but let that pass。 At

present I come ambassador from a royal prince。 Know that Ahmed; the

prince of Granada; has arrived in quest of thee; and is encamped

even now on the flowery banks of the Tagus。〃

  The eyes of the beautiful princess sparkled at these words even

brighter than the diamonds in her coronet。 〃O sweetest of parrots;〃

cried she; 〃joyful indeed are thy tidings; for I was faint and

weary; and sick almost unto death with doubt of the constancy of

Ahmed。 Hie thee back; and tell him that the words of his letter are

engraven in my heart; and his poetry has been the food of my soul。

Tell him; however; that he must prepare to prove his love by force

of arms; to…morrow is my seventeenth birth…day; when the king my

father holds a great tournament; several princes are to enter the

lists; and my hand is to be the prize of the victor。〃

  The parrot again took wing; and rustling through the groves; flew

back to where the prince awaited his return。 The rapture of Ahmed on

finding the original of his adored portrait; and finding her kind

and true; can only be conceived by those favored mortals who have

had the good fortune to realize day…dreams and turn a shadow into

substance: still there was one thing that alloyed his transport…

this impending tournament。 In fact; the banks of the Tagus were

already glittering with arms; and resounding with trumpets of the

various knights; who; with proud retinues; were prancing on towards

Toledo to attend the ceremonial。 The same star that had controlled the

destiny of the prince had governed that of the princess; and until her

seventeenth birth…day she had been shut up from the world; to guard

her from the tender passion。 The fame of her charms; however; had been

enhanced rather than obscured by this seclusion。 Several powerful

princes had contended for her hand; and her father; who was a king

of wondrous shrewdness; to avoid making enemies by showing partiality;

had referred them to the arbitrament of arms。 Among the rival

candidates were several renowned for strength and prowess。 What a

predicament for the unfortunate Ahmed; unprovided as he was with

weapons; and unskilled in the exercise of chivalry! 〃Luckless prince

that I am!〃 said he; 〃to have been brought up in seclusion under the

eye of a philosopher! Of what avail are algebra and philosophy in

affairs of love? Alas; Eben Bonabben! why hast thou neglected to

instruct me in the management of arms?〃 Upon this the owl broke

silence; preluding his harangue with a pious ejaculation; for he was a

devout Mussulman。

  〃Allah Akbar! God is great!〃 exclaimed he; 〃in his hands are all

secret things… he alone governs the destiny of princes! Know; O

prince; that this land is full of mysteries; hidden from all but those

who; like myself; can grope after knowledge in the dark。 Know that

in the neighboring mountains there is a cave; and in that cave there

is an iron table; and on that
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