The Alhambra . Entrafue to Hall cf Abenccrrages. about twilight, passing through the court of Lions, he heardfootsteps on the hall of the Abencerrages ; supposing somestrangers to be lingering there, he advanced to attend uponthem, when to his astonishment he beheld four Moors richlydressed, with gilded cuirasses and cimeters, and poniardsglittering with precious stones. They were walking to andfro, with solemn pace ; but paused and beckoned to him. Theold soldier, however, took to flight, and could never afterwards PALACE OF THE ALHAMBRA 73 be prevailed upon to enter the Alhambra. Thus it is
The Alhambra . Entrafue to Hall cf Abenccrrages. about twilight, passing through the court of Lions, he heardfootsteps on the hall of the Abencerrages ; supposing somestrangers to be lingering there, he advanced to attend uponthem, when to his astonishment he beheld four Moors richlydressed, with gilded cuirasses and cimeters, and poniardsglittering with precious stones. They were walking to andfro, with solemn pace ; but paused and beckoned to him. Theold soldier, however, took to flight, and could never afterwards PALACE OF THE ALHAMBRA 73 be prevailed upon to enter the Alhambra. Thus it is thatmen sometimes turn their backs upon fortune ; for it is thefirm opinion of Mateo, that the ]\Ioors intended to revealthe place where their treasures lay buried. A successorto the invalid soldier was more knowing ; he came to the /^0M- I. Court of Lions. Alhambra poor ; but at the end of a year went off to Malaga,bought houses, set up a carriage, and still lives there, oneof the richest as well as oldest men of the place; all which,Mateo sagely surmised, was in consequence of his finding outthe golden secret of these phantom Moors. 74 THE ALHAMBRA I now perceived 1 had made an invaluable acquaintance inthis son of the Alhambra, one who knew all the apocryphalhistory of the place and firmly believed in it, and whosememory was stuffed with a kind of knowledge for which Ihave a lurking fancy, but which is too apt to be consideredrubbish by less indulgent philosophers. I determined tocultivate the acquaintance of this learned Theban. Immediately opposite the hall of the Abencerrages, a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear190
