《石榴之屋》第14章

to…day　he　seemed　to　see　her　again；　as　he　had　seen　her　first　at　the
castle　of　fontainebleau；　when　he　was　but　fifteen　years　of　age；　and
she　still　younger。 they　had　been　formally　betrothed　on　that
occasion　by　the　papal　nuncio　in　the　presence　of　the　french　king　and
all　the　court；　and　he　had　returned　to　the　escurial　bearing　with　him
a　little　ringlet　of　yellow　hair；　and　the　memory　of　two　childish
lips　bending　down　to　kiss　his　hand　as　he　stepped　into　his　carriage。
later　on　had　followed　the　marriage；　hastily　performed　at　burgos；　a
small　town　on　the　frontier　between　the　two　countries；　and　the　grand
public　entry　into　madrid　with　the　customary　celebration　of　high
mass　at　the　church　of　la　atocha；　and　a　more　than　usually　solemn
auto…da…fe；　in　which　nearly　three　hundred　heretics；　amongst　whom
were　many　englishmen；　had　been　delivered　over　to　the　secular　arm　to
be　burned。
certainly　he　had　loved　her　madly；　and　to　the　ruin；　many　thought；　of
his　country；　then　at　war　with　england　for　the　possession　of　the
empire　of　the　new　world。 he　had　hardly　ever　permitted　her　to　be
out　of　his　sight；　for　her；　he　had　forgotten；　or　seemed　to　have
forgotten；　all　grave　affairs　of　state；　and；　with　that　terrible
blindness　that　passion　brings　upon　its　servants；　he　had　failed　to
notice　that　the　elaborate　ceremonies　by　which　he　sought　to　please
her　did　but　aggravate　the　strange　malady　from　which　she　suffered。
when　she　died　he　was；　for　a　time；　like　one　bereft　of　reason。
indeed；　there　is　no　doubt　but　that　he　would　have　formally　abdicated
and　retired　to　the　great　trappist　monastery　at　granada；　of　which　he
was　already　titular　prior；　had　he　not　been　afraid　to　leave　the
little　infanta　at　the　mercy　of　his　brother；　whose　cruelty；　even　in
spain；　was　notorious；　and　who　was　suspected　by　many　of　having
caused　the　queens　death　by　means　of　a　pair　of　poisoned　gloves　that
he　had　presented　to　her　on　the　occasion　of　her　visiting　his　castle
in　aragon。 even　after　the　expiration　of　the　three　years　of　public
mourning　that　he　had　ordained　throughout　his　whole　dominions　by
royal　edict；　he　would　never　suffer　his　ministers　to　speak　about　any
new　alliance；　and　when　the　emperor　himself　sent　to　him；　and　offered
him　the　hand　of　the　lovely　archduchess　of　bohemia；　his　niece；　in
marriage；　he　bade　the　ambassadors　tell　their　master　that　the　king
of　spain　was　already　wedded　to　sorrow；　and　that　though　she　was　but
a　barren　bride　he　loved　her　better　than　beauty；　an　answer　that　cost
his　crown　the　rich　provinces　of　the　netherlands；　which　soon　after；
at　the　emperors　instigation；　revolted　against　him　under　the
leadership　of　some　fanatics　of　the　reformed　church。
his　whole　married　life；　with　its　fierce；　fiery…coloured　joys　and
the　terrible　agony　of　its　sudden　ending；　seemed　to　e　back　to　him
to…day　as　he　watched　the　infanta　playing　on　the　terrace。 she　had
all　the　queens　pretty　petulance　of　manner；　the　same　wilful　way　of
tossing　her　head；　the　same　proud　curved　beautiful　mouth；　the　same
wonderful　smile　…　vrai　sourire　de　france　indeed　…　as　she　glanced　up
now　and　then　at　the　window；　or　stretched　out　her　little　hand　for
the　stately　spanish　gentlemen　to　kiss。 but　the　shrill　laughter　of
the　children　grated　on　his　ears；　and　the　bright　pitiless　sunlight
mocked　his　sorrow；　and　a　dull　odour　of　strange　spices；　spices　such
as　embalmers　use；　seemed　to　taint　…　or　was　it　fancy？　…　the　clear
morning　air。 he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　when　the　infanta
looked　up　again　the　curtains　had　been　drawn；　and　the　king　had
retired。
she　made　a　little　moue　of　disappointment；　and　shrugged　her
shoulders。 surely　he　might　have　stayed　with　her　on　her　birthday。
what　did　the　stupid　state…affairs　matter？ or　had　he　gone　to　that
gloomy　chapel；　where　the　candles　were　always　burning；　and　where　she
was　never　allowed　to　enter？ how　silly　of　him；　when　the　sun　was
shining　so　brightly；　and　everybody　was　so　happy！ besides；　he　would
miss　the　sham　bull…fight　for　which　the　trumpet　was　already
sounding；　to　say　nothing　of　the　puppet…show　and　the　other　wonderful
things。 her　uncle　and　the　grand　inquisitor　were　much　more
sensible。 they　had　e　out　on　the　terrace；　and　paid　her　nice
pliments。 so　she　tossed　her　pretty　head；　and　taking　don　pedro
by　the　hand；　she　walked　slowly　down　the　steps　towards　a　long
pavilion　of　purple　silk　that　had　been　erected　at　the　end　of　the
garden；　the　other　children　following　in　strict　order　of　precedence；
those　who　had　the　longest　names　going　first。
a　procession　of　noble　boys；　fantastically　dressed　as　toreadors；
came　out　to　meet　her；　and　the　young　count　of　tierra…nueva；　a
wonderfully　handsome　lad　of　about　fourteen　years　of　age；　uncovering
his　head　with　all　the　grace　of　a　born　hidalgo　and　grandee　of　spain；
led　her　solemnly　in　to　a　little　gilt　and　ivory　chair　that　was
placed　on　a　raised　dais　above　the　arena。 the　children　grouped
themselves　all　round；　fluttering　their　big　fans　and　whispering　to
each　other；　and　don　pedro　and　the　grand　inquisitor　stood　laughing
at　the　entrance。 even　the　duchess　…　the　camerera…mayor　as　she　was
called　…　a　thin；　hard…featured　woman　with　a　yellow　ruff；　did　not
look　quite　so　bad…tempered　as　usual；　and　something　like　a　chill
smile　flitted　across　her　wrinkled　face　and　twitched　her　thin
bloodless　lips。
it　certainly　was　a　marvellous　bull…fight；　and　much　nicer；　the
infanta　thought；　than　the　real　bull…fight　that　she　had　been　brought
to　see　at　seville；　on　the　occasion　of　the　visit　of　the　duke　of
parma　to　her　father。 some　of　the　boys　pranced　about　on　richly…
caparisoned　hobby…horses　brandishing　long　javelins　with　gay
streamers　of　bright　ribands　attached　to　them；　others　went　on　foot
waving　their　scarlet　cloaks　before　the　bull；　and　vaulting　lightly
over　the　barrier　when　he　charged　them；　and　as　for　the　bull　himself；
he　was　just　like　a　live　bull；　though　he　was　only　made　of　wicker…
work　and　stretched　hide；　and　sometimes　insisted　on　running　round
the　arena　on　his　hind　legs；　which　no　live　bull　ever　dreams　of
doing。 he　made　a　splendid　figh