《石榴之屋》第15章

the　arena　on　his　hind　legs；　which　no　live　bull　ever　dreams　of
doing。 he　made　a　splendid　fight　of　it　too；　and　the　children　got　so
excited　that　they　stood　up　upon　the　benches；　and　waved　their　lace
handkerchiefs　and　cried　out： bravo　toro！ bravo　toro！　just　as
sensibly　as　if　they　had　been　grown…up　people。 at　last；　however；
after　a　prolonged　bat；　during　which　several　of　the　hobby…horses
were　gored　through　and　through；　and；　their　riders　dismounted；　the
young　count　of　tierra…nueva　brought　the　bull　to　his　knees；　and
having　obtained　permission　from　the　infanta　to　give　the　coup　de
grace；　he　plunged　his　wooden　sword　into　the　neck　of　the　animal　with
such　violence　that　the　head　came　right　off；　and　disclosed　the
laughing　face　of　little　monsieur　de　lorraine；　the　son　of　the　french
ambassador　at　madrid。
the　arena　was　then　cleared　amidst　much　applause；　and　the　dead
hobbyhorses　dragged　solemnly　away　by　two　moorish　pages　in　yellow
and　black　liveries；　and　after　a　short　interlude；　during　which　a
french　posture…master　performed　upon　the　tightrope；　some　italian
puppets　appeared　in　the　semi…classical　tragedy　of　sophonisba　on　the
stage　of　a　small　theatre　that　had　been　built　up　for　the　purpose。
they　acted　so　well；　and　their　gestures　were　so　extremely　natural；
that　at　the　close　of　the　play　the　eyes　of　the　infanta　were　quite
dim　with　tears。 indeed　some　of　the　children　really　cried；　and　had
to　be　forted　with　sweetmeats；　and　the　grand　inquisitor　himself
was　so　affected　that　he　could　not　help　saying　to　don　pedro　that　it
seemed　to　him　intolerable　that　things　made　simply　out　of　wood　and
coloured　wax；　and　worked　mechanically　by　wires；　should　be　so
unhappy　and　meet　with　such　terrible　misfortunes。
an　african　juggler　followed；　who　brought　in　a　large　flat　basket
covered　with　a　red　cloth；　and　having　placed　it　in　the　centre　of　the
arena；　he　took　from　his　turban　a　curious　reed　pipe；　and　blew
through　it。 in　a　few　moments　the　cloth　began　to　move；　and　as　the
pipe　grew　shriller　and　shriller　two　green　and　gold　snakes　put　out
their　strange　wedge…shaped　heads　and　rose　slowly　up；　swaying　to　and
fro　with　the　music　as　a　plant　sways　in　the　water。 the　children；
however；　were　rather　frightened　at　their　spotted　hoods　and　quick
darting　tongues；　and　were　much　more　pleased　when　the　juggler　made　a
tiny　orange…tree　grow　out　of　the　sand　and　bear　pretty　white
blossoms　and　clusters　of　real　fruit；　and　when　he　took　the　fan　of
the　little　daughter　of　the　marquess　de　las…torres；　and　changed　it
into　a　blue　bird　that　flew　all　round　the　pavilion　and　sang；　their
delight　and　amazement　knew　no　bounds。 the　solemn　minuet；　too；
performed　by　the　dancing　boys　from　the　church　of　nuestra　senora　del
pilar；　was　charming。 the　infanta　had　never　before　seen　this
wonderful　ceremony　which　takes　place　every　year　at　maytime　in　front
of　the　high　altar　of　the　virgin；　and　in　her　honour；　and　indeed　none
of　the　royal　family　of　spain　had　entered　the　great　cathedral　of
saragossa　since　a　mad　priest；　supposed　by　many　to　have　been　in　the
pay　of　elizabeth　of　england；　had　tried　to　administer　a　poisoned
wafer　to　the　prince　of　the　asturias。 so　she　had　known　only　by
hearsay　of　our　ladys　dance；　as　it　was　called；　and　it　certainly
was　a　beautiful　sight。 the　boys　wore　old…fashioned　court　dresses
of　white　velvet；　and　their　curious　three…cornered　hats　were　fringed
with　silver　and　surmounted　with　huge　plumes　of　ostrich　feathers；
the　dazzling　whiteness　of　their　costumes；　as　they　moved　about　in
the　sunlight；　being　still　more　accentuated　by　their　swarthy　faces
and　long　black　hair。 everybody　was　fascinated　by　the　grave　dignity
with　which　they　moved　through　the　intricate　figures　of　the　dance；
and　by　the　elaborate　grace　of　their　slow　gestures；　and　stately
bows；　and　when　they　had　finished　their　performance　and　doffed　their
great　plumed　hats　to　the　infanta；　she　acknowledged　their　reverence
with　much　courtesy；　and　made　a　vow　that　she　would　send　a　large　wax
candle　to　the　shrine　of　our　lady　of　pilar　in　return　for　the
pleasure　that　she　had　given　her。
a　troop　of　handsome　egyptians　…　as　the　gipsies　were　termed　in　those
days　…　then　advanced　into　the　arena；　and　sitting　down　cross…legs；
in　a　circle；　began　to　play　softly　upon　their　zithers；　moving　their
bodies　to　the　tune；　and　humming；　almost　below　their　breath；　a　low
dreamy　air。 when　they　caught　sight　of　don　pedro　they　scowled　at
him；　and　some　of　them　looked　terrified；　for　only　a　few　weeks　before
he　had　had　two　of　their　tribe　hanged　for　sorcery　in　the　market…
place　at　seville；　but　the　pretty　infanta　charmed　them　as　she　leaned
back　peeping　over　her　fan　with　her　great　blue　eyes；　and　they　felt
sure　that　one　so　lovely　as　she　was　could　never　be　cruel　to　anybody。
so　they　played　on　very　gently　and　just　touching　the　cords　of　the
zithers　with　their　long　pointed　nails；　and　their　heads　began　to　nod
as　though　they　were　falling　asleep。 suddenly；　with　a　cry　so　shrill
that　all　the　children　were　startled　and　don　pedros　hand　clutched
at　the　agate　pommel　of　his　dagger；　they　leapt　to　their　feet　and
whirled　madly　round　the　enclosure　beating　their　tambourines；　and
chaunting　some　wild　love…song　in　their　strange　guttural　language。
then　at　another　signal　they　all　flung　themselves　again　to　the
ground　and　lay　there　quite　still；　the　dull　strumming　of　the　zithers
being　the　only　sound　that　broke　the　silence。 after　that　they　had
done　this　several　times；　they　disappeared　for　a　moment　and　came
back　leading　a　brown　shaggy　bear　by　a　chain；　and　carrying　on　their
shoulders　some　little　barbary　apes。 the　bear　stood　upon　his　head
with　the　utmost　gravity；　and　the　wizened　apes　played　all　kinds　of
amusing　tricks　with　two　gipsy　boys　who　seemed　to　be　their　masters；
and　fought　with　tiny　swords；　and　fired　off　guns；　and　went　through　a
regular　soldiers　drill　just　like　the　kings　own　bodyguard。 in
fact　the　gipsies　were　a　great　success。
but　the　funniest　part　of　the　whole　mornings　entertainment；　was
undoubtedly　the　dancing　of　the　little　dwarf。 when　he　stumbled　into