part01-第6部分

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the　brother　of　mine　hostess；　nay；　if　I　mistake　not；　he　was　a　favored

admirer　of　the　widow。　In　fact；　the　whole　inn　and　its　inmates　had

something　of　a　contrabandista　aspect；　and　a　blunderbuss　stood　in　a

corner　beside　the　guitar。　The　horseman　I　have　mentioned　passed　his

evening　in　the　posada；　and　sang　several　bold　mountain　romances　with

great　spirit。　As　we　were　at　supper；　two　poor　Asturians　put　in　in

distress；　begging　food　and　a　night's　lodging。　They　had　been　waylaid　by

robbers　as　they　came　from　a　fair　among　the　mountains；　robbed　of　a

horse；　which　carried　all　their　stock　in　trade；　stripped　of　their

money；　and　most　of　their　apparel；　beaten　for　having　offered

resistance；　and　left　almost　naked　in　the　road。　My　companion；　with　a

prompt　generosity　natural　to　him；　ordered　them　a　supper　and　a　bed；　and

gave　them　a　sum　of　money　to　help　them　forward　towards　their　home。

　　As　the　evening　advanced；　the　dramatis　personae　thickened。　A　large

man；　about　sixty　years　of　age；　of　powerful　frame；　came　strolling　in；

to　gossip　with　mine　hostess。　He　was　dressed　in　the　ordinary　Andalusian

costume；　but　had　a　huge　sabre　tucked　under　his　arm；　wore　large

moustaches；　and　had　something　of　a　lofty　swaggering　air。　Every　one

seemed　to　regard　him　with　great　deference。

　　Our　man　Sancho　whispered　to　us　that　he　was　Don　Ventura　Rodriguez；

the　hero　and　champion　of　Loxa；　famous　for　his　prowess　and　the　strength

of　his　arm。　In　the　time　of　the　French　invasion　he　surprised　six

troopers　who　were　asleep：　he　first　secured　their　horses；　then　attacked

them　with　his　sabre；　killed　some；　and　took　the　rest　prisoners。　For

this　exploit　the　king　allows　him　a　peseta　（the　fifth　of　a　duro；　or

dollar）　per　day；　and　has　dignified　him　with　the　title　of　Don。

　　I　was　amused　to　behold　his　swelling　language　and　demeanor。　He　was

evidently　a　thorough　Andalusian；　boastful　as　brave。　His　sabre　was

always　in　his　hand　or　under　his　arm。　He　carries　it　always　about　with

him　as　a　child　does　her　doll；　calls　it　his　Santa　Teresa；　and　says；

〃When　I　draw　it；　the　earth　trembles〃　（〃tiembla　la　tierra〃）。

　　I　sat　until　a　late　hour　listening　to　the　varied　themes　of　this

motley　group；　who　mingled　together　with　the　unreserve　of　a　Spanish

posada。　We　had　contrabandista　songs；　stories　of　robbers；　guerilla

exploits；　and　Moorish　legends。　The　last　were　from　our　handsome

landlady；　who　gave　a　poetical　account　of　the　infiernos；　or　infernal

regions　of　Loxa；　dark　caverns；　in　which　subterranean　streams　and

waterfalls　make　a　mysterious　sound。　The　common　people　say　that　there

are　money…coiners　shut　up　there　from　the　time　of　the　Moors；　and　that

the　Moorish　kings　kept　their　treasures　in　those　caverns。

　　I　retired　to　bed　with　my　imagination　excited　by　all　that　I　had

seen　and　heard　in　this　old　warrior　city。　Scarce　had　I　fallen　asleep

when　I　was　aroused　by　a　horrid　din　and　uproar；　that　might　have

confounded　the　hero　of　La　Mancha　himself　whose　experience　of　Spanish

inns　was　a　continual　uproar。　It　seemed　for　a　moment　as　if　the　Moors

were　once　more　breaking　into　the　town；　or　the　infiernos　of　which

mine　hostess　talked　had　broken　loose。　I　sallied　forth　half　dressed

to　reconnoiter。　It　was　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　charivari　to

celebrate　the　nuptials　of　an　old　man　with　a　buxom　damsel。　Wishing

him　joy　of　his　bride　and　his　serenade；　I　returned　to　my　more　quiet

bed；　and　slept　soundly　until　morning。

　　While　dressing；　I　amused　myself　in　reconnoitering　the　populace

from　my　window。　There　were　groups　of　fine…looking　young　men　in　the

trim　fanciful　Andalusian　costume；　with　brown　cloaks；　thrown　about　them

in　true　Spanish　style；　which　cannot　be　imitated；　and　little　round　majo

hats　stuck　on　with　a　peculiar　knowing　air。　They　had　the　same

galliard　look　which　I　have　remarked　among　the　dandy　mountaineers　of

Ronda。　Indeed；　all　this　part　of　Andalusia　abounds　with　such

game…looking　characters。　They　loiter　about　the　towns　and　villages；

seem　to　have　plenty　of　time　and　plenty　of　money：　〃horse　to　ride　and

weapon　to　wear。〃　Great　gossips；　great　smokers；　apt　at　touching　the

guitar；　singing　couplets　to　their　maja　belles；　and　famous　dancers　of

the　bolero。　Throughout　all　Spain　the　men；　however　poor；　have　a

gentleman…like　abundance　of　leisure；　seeming　to　consider　it　the

attribute　of　a　true　cavaliero　never　to　be　in　a　hurry；　but　the

Andalusians　are　gay　as　well　as　leisurely；　and　have　none　of　the　squalid

accompaniments　of　idleness。　The　adventurous　contraband　trade　which

prevails　throughout　these　mountain　regions；　and　along　the　maritime

borders　of　Andalusia；　is　doubtless　at　the　bottom　of　this　galliard

character。

　　In　contrast　to　the　costume　of　these　groups　was　that　of　two

long…legged　Valencians　conducting　a　donkey；　laden　with　articles　of

merchandise；　their　musket　slung　crosswise　over　his　back　ready　for

action。　They　wore　round　jackets　（jalecos）；　wide　linen　bragas　or

drawers　scarce　reaching　to　the　knees　and　looking　like　kilts；　red　fajas

or　sashes　swathed　tightly　round　their　waists；　sandals　of　espartal　or

bass　weed；　colored　kerchiefs　round　their　heads　somewhat　in　the　style

of　turbans　but　leaving　the　top　of　the　head　uncovered；　in　short；

their　whole　appearance　having　much　of　the　traditional　Moorish　stamp。

　　On　leaving　Loxa　we　were　joined　by　a　cavalier；　well　mounted　and

well　armed；　and　followed　on　foot　by　an　escopetero　or　musketeer。　He

saluted　us　courteously；　and　soon　let　us　into　his　quality。　He　was　chief

of　the　customs；　or　rather；　I　should　suppose；　chief　of　an　armed　company

whose　business　it　is　to　patrol　the　roads　and　look　out　for

contrabandistas。　The　escopetero　was　one　of　his　guards。　In　the　course

of　our　morning's　ride　I　drew　from　him　some　particulars　concerning

the　smugglers；　who　have　risen　to　be　a　kind　of　mongrel　chivalry　in

Spain。　They　come　into　Andalusia；　he　said；　from　various　parts；　but

especially　from　La　Mancha；　sometimes　to　receive　goods；　to　be

smuggled　on　an　appointed　night　across　the　line　at　the　plaza　or

strand　of　Gibraltar；　sometimes　to　meet　a　vessel；　which　is　to　hover

on　a　given　night　off　a　certain　part　of　the　coast。　They　keep　together

and　travel　in　the　night。　In　the　daytime　they　lie　quiet　in　barrancos；

gullies　of　the　mountains　or　lonely　farm…houses；　where　they　are

generally　well　received；　as　they　make　the　family　liberal　presents　of

their　smuggled　wares。　Indeed；　much　of　the　finery　and　trinkets　worn

by　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　mountain　hamlets　and　farm…houses　are

presents　from　the　gay　and　open…handed　contrabandistas。

　　Arrived　at　the　part　of　the　coast　where　a　vessel　is　to　meet　them；

they　look　out　at　night　from　some　rocky　point　or　headland。　If　they

descry　a　sail　near　the　shore　they　make　a　concerted　signal；　sometimes

it　consists　in　suddenly　displaying　a　lantern　three　times　from

beneath　the　folds　of　a　cloak。　If　the　signal　is　answered；　they

descend　to　the　shore　and　prepare　for　quick　work。　The　vessel　runs　close

in；　all　her　boats　are　busy　landing　the　smuggled　goods；　made　up　into

snug　packages　for　transportation　on　horseback。　These　are　hastily

thrown　on　the　beach；　as　hastily　gathered　up　and　packed　on　the

horses；　and　then　the　contrabandistas　clatter　off　to　the　mountains。

They　travel　by　the　roughest；　wildest；　and　most　solitary　roads；　where

it　is　almost　fruitless　to　pursue　them。　The　custom…house　guards　do

not　attempt　it：　they　take　a　different　course。　When　they　hear　of　one　of

these　bands　returning　full　freighted　through　the　mountains；　they　go

out　in　force；　sometimes　twelve　infantry　and　eight　horsemen；　and　take

their　station　where　the　mountain　defile　opens　into　the　plain。　The

infantry；　who　lie　in　ambush　some　distance　within　the　defile；　suffer

the　band　to　pass；　then　rise　and　fire　upon　them。　The　contrabandistas

dash　forward；　but　are　met　in　front　by　the　horsemen。　A　wild　skirmish

ensues。　The　contrabandistas；　if　hard　pressed；　become　desperate。　Some

dismount；　use　their　horses　as　breast…works；　and　fire　over　their　backs；

others　cut　the　cords；　let　the　packs　fall　off　to　delay　the　enemy；　and

endeavor　to　escape　with　their　steeds。　Some　get　off　in　this　way　with

the　loss　of　their　packages；　some　are　taken；　horses；　packages；　and　all；

others　abandon　every　thing；　and　make　their　escape　by　scrambling　up　the

mountains。　〃And　then；〃　cried　Sancho；　who　had　been　listening　with　a

greedy　ear；　〃se　hacen　ladrones　legitimos〃…　and　then　they　become

legitimate　robbers。

　　I　could　not　help　laughing　at　Sancho's　idea　of　a　legitimate　calling

of　the　kind；　but　the　chief　of　customs　told　me　it　was　really　the　case

that　the　smugglers；　when　thus　reduced　to　extremity；　thought　they　had　a

kind　of　right　to　take　the　road；　and　lay　travellers　under　contribution；

until　they　had　collected　funds　enough　to　mount　and　equip　themselves　in

contrabandista　style。

　　Towards　noon　our　wayfaring　companion　took　leave　of　us　and　turned

up　a　steep　defile；　followed　by　his　escopetero；　and　shortly

afterwards　we　emerged　from　the　mountains；　and　entered　upon　the　far

famed　Vega　of　Granada。

　　Our　last　mid…day's　repast　was　taken　under　a　grove　of　olive…trees

on　the　border　of　a　rivulet。　We　were　in　a　classical　neighborhood；　for

not　far　off　were　the　groves　and　orchards　of　the　Soto　de　Roma。　This；

according　to　fabulous　tradition；　was　a　retreat　founded　by　Count　Julian

to　console　his　daughter　Florinda。　It　was　a　rural　resort　of　the　Moorish

kings　of　Granada；　and　has　in　modern　times　been　granted　to　the　Duke

of　Wellington。

　　Our　worthy　squire　made　a　half　melancholy　face　as　he　drew　forth；

for　the　last　time；　the　contents　of　his　alforjas；　lamenting　that　our

expedition　was　drawing　to　a　close；　for；　with　such　cavaliers；　he

said；　he　could　travel　to　the　world's　end。　Our　repast；　however；　was　a

gay　one；　made　under　such　delightful　auspices。　The　day　was　without　a

cloud。　The　heat　of　the　sun　was　tempered　by　cool　breezes　from　the

mountains。　Before　us　extended　the　glorious　Vega。　In　the　distance　was

romantic　Granada　surmounted　by　the　ruddy　towers　of　the　Alhambra；　while

far　above　it　the　snowy　summits　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　shone　like　silver。

　　Our　repast　fi