Bright days in sunny lands . waiting forthis religious rite to begin. It was between five andsix in the afternoon when the dance was on, and thenthe dark interior made it seem like the twilight first, in measured steps, the dancers advanced tothe altar. They were probably from ten to twelveyears of age, mere lads, but with graceful carriage,bright-blue eyes, and Murillo heads. As they madetheir genuflections, their hats were removed, as,if inreverence, and they took positions like those for asquare dance and sang a sacred song. Solemn andsweet, it penetrated the whole edifice. With eye
Bright days in sunny lands . waiting forthis religious rite to begin. It was between five andsix in the afternoon when the dance was on, and thenthe dark interior made it seem like the twilight first, in measured steps, the dancers advanced tothe altar. They were probably from ten to twelveyears of age, mere lads, but with graceful carriage,bright-blue eyes, and Murillo heads. As they madetheir genuflections, their hats were removed, as,if inreverence, and they took positions like those for asquare dance and sang a sacred song. Solemn andsweet, it penetrated the whole edifice. With eyesclosed one could suppose it was a song from the heav-enly city. The artless singing of young children, likethe warbling of songsters in a tropical forest, alwaysimpresses the heart as if heaven had come down a lit-tle nearer so that its melodies might reach human dancing was measured and slow at times, at timesmore rapid, but always rhythmical, always graceful, al-ways stately. With easy step the dancers approached. THE CITY OF SEVILLE 61 each other, joined hands, moved off to their properplaces, parted and joined again, and every movementwas to the Strains of deUcious, tender music, whichdid not cease for an instant while the dance the castanets, which were almost incessant intheir gentle clatter, disturbed no one and marred notthe harmony of the occasion. It seemed religious andsacred. It was an event of gladness, a solemn procla-mation of joy, a paean of thanksgiving, a strophe ofpraise. When the music ceased, and the dancing stopped,I left this sacred place of dignified song and holychords, and said to myself, almost aloud: Are wequite so sure the Great Master Himself has not beenhere at this vesper hour, bending His ears in forgivinglove to catch the symphonies of His little children? IV.—THE MOSQUE AT CORDOVA. FROM SEVILLE to Madrid is a short distanceupon the map, yet it measures three hundredand fifty-five miles. Cordova is at about sev-enty m
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectvoyagesandtravels
