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The Mysterious Chambers。
AS I WAS rambling one day about the Moorish halls； my attention was；
for the first time； attracted to a door in a remote gallery；
communicating apparently with some part of the Alhambra which I had
not yet explored。 I attempted to open it； but it was locked。 I
knocked； but no one answered； and the sound seemed to reverberate
through empty chambers。 Here then was a mystery。 Here was the
haunted wing of the castle。 How was I to get at the dark secrets
here shut up from the public eye？ Should I come privately at night
with lamp and sword； according to the prying custom of heroes of
romance； or should I endeavor to draw the secret from Pepe the
stuttering gardener； or the ingenuous Dolores； or the loquacious
Mateo？ Or should I go frankly and openly to Dame Antonia the
chatelaine； and ask her all about it？ I chose the latter course； as
being the simplest though the least romantic； and found； somewhat to
my disappointment； that there was no mystery in the case。 I was
welcome to explore the apartment； and there was the key。
Thus provided； I returned forthwith to the door。 It opened； as I had
surmised； to a range of vacant chambers； but they were quite different
from the rest of the palace。 The architecture； though rich and
antiquated； was European。 There was nothing Moorish about it。 The
first two rooms were lofty； the ceilings； broken in many places；
were of cedar； deeply panelled and skilfully carved with fruits and
flowers； intermingled with grotesque masks or faces。
The walls had evidently in ancient times been hung with damask；
but now were naked； and scrawled over by that class of aspiring
travellers who defile noble monuments with their worthless names。
The windows； dismantled and open to wind and weather； looked out
into a charming little secluded garden； where an alabaster fountain
sparkled among roses and myrtles； and was surrounded by orange and
citron trees； some of which flung their branches into the chambers。
Beyond these rooms were two saloons； longer but less lofty； looking
also into the garden。 In the compartments of the panelled ceilings
were baskets of fruit and garlands of flowers； painted by no mean
hand； and in tolerable preservation。 The walls also had been painted
in fresco in the Italian style； but the paintings were nearly
obliterated； the windows were in the same shattered state with those
of the other chambers。 This fanciful suite of rooms terminated in an
open gallery with balustrades； running at right angles along another
side of the garden。 The whole apartment； so delicate and elegant in
its decorations； so choice and sequestered in its situation along this
retired little garden； and so different in architecture from the
neighboring halls； awakened an interest in its history。 I found on
inquiry that it was an apartment fitted up by Italian artists in the
early part of the last century； at the time when Philip V and his
second wife； the beautiful Elizabetta of Farnese； daughter of the Duke
of Parma； were expected at the Alhambra。 It was destined for the queen
and the ladies of her train。 One of the loftiest chambers had been her
sleeping room。 A narrow staircase； now walled up； led up to a
delightful belvidere； originally a mirador of the Moorish sultanas；
communicating with the harem； but which was fitted up as a boudoir for
the fair Elizabetta； and still retains the name of el tocador de la
Reyna； or the queen's toilette。
One window of the royal sleeping…room commanded a prospect of the
Generalife and its embowered terraces； another looked out into the
little secluded garden I have mentioned； which was decidedly Moorish
in its character； and also had its history。 It was in fact the
garden of Lindaraxa； so often mentioned in descriptions of the
Alhambra； but who this Lindaraxa was I have never heard explained。 A
little research gave me the few particulars known about her。 She was a
Moorish beauty who flourished in the court of Muhamed the Left…handed；
and was the daughter of his loyal adherent； the alcayde of Malaga； who
sheltered him in his city when driven from the throne。 On regaining
his crown； the alcayde was rewarded for his fidelity。 His daughter had
her apartment in the Alhambra； and was given by the king in marriage
to Nasar； a young Cetimerien prince descended from Aben Hud the
Just。 Their espousals were doubtless celebrated in the royal palace；
and their honeymoon may have passed among these very bowers。*
* Una de las cosas en que tienen precisa intervencion los Reyes
Moros es en el matrimonio de sus grandes： de aqui nace que todos los
senores llegadas a la persona real si casan en palacio； y siempre huvo
su quarto destinado para esta ceremonia。
One of the things in which the Moorish kings interfered was in the
marriage of their nobles： hence it came that all the senores
attached to the royal person were married in the palace； and there was
always a chamber destined for the ceremony。… Paseos por Granada。
Four centuries had elapsed since the fair Lindaraxa passed away； yet
how much of the fragile beauty of the scenes she inhabited remained！
The garden still bloomed in which she delighted； the fountain still
presented the crystal mirror in which her charms may once have been
reflected； the alabaster； it is true； had lost its whiteness； the
basin beneath； overrun with weeds； had become the lurking…place of the
lizard； but there was something in the very decay that enhanced the
interest of the scene； speaking as it did of that mutability； the
irrevocable lot of man and all his works。
The desolation too of these chambers； once the abode of the proud
and elegant Elizabetta； had a more touching charm for me than if I had
beheld them in their pristine splendor； glittering with the
pageantry of a court。
When I returned to my quarters； in the governor's apartment； every
thing seemed tame and common…place after the poetic region I had left。
The thought suggested itself： Why could I not change my quarters to
these vacant chambers？ that would indeed be living in the Alhambra；
surrounded by its gardens and fountains； as in the time of the Moorish
sovereigns。 I proposed the change to Dame Antonia and her family；
and it occasioned vast surprise。 They could not conceive any
rational inducement for the choice of an apartment so forlorn；
remote and solitary。 Dolores exclaimed at its frightful loneliness；
nothing but bats and owls flitting about… and then a fox and wild…cat；
kept in the vaults of the neighboring baths； roamed about at night。
The good Tia had more reasonable objections。 The neighborhood was
infested by vagrants； gipsies swarmed in the caverns of the adjacent
hills； the palace was ruinous and easy to be entered in many places；
the rumor of a stranger quartered alone in one of the remote and
ruined apartments； out of the hearing of the rest of the
inhabitants； might tempt unwelcome visitors in the night； especially