fortress；　and　think　on　the　hint　I　dropped　about　stopping　up　the
  entrances　to　the　mountain。〃
  Here　ended　the　scene。　The　prisoner　was　conducted　to　a　strong　dungeon
  in　the　Vermilion　Tower；　the　Arabian　steed　was　led　to　his
  excellency's　stable；　and　the　trooper's　sack　was　deposited　in　his
  excellency's　strong　box。　To　the　latter；　it　is　true；　the　friar　made
  some　demur；　questioning　whether　the　sacred　relics；　which　were
  evidently　sacrilegious　spoils；　should　not　be　placed　in　custody　of
  the　church；　but　as　the　governor　was　peremptory　on　the　subject；　and　was
  absolute　lord　in　the　Alhambra；　the　friar　discreetly　dropped　the
  discussion；　but　determined　to　convey　intelligence　of　the　fact　to　the
  church　dignitaries　in　Granada。
  To　explain　these　prompt　and　rigid　measures　on　the　part　of　old
  Governor　Manco；　it　is　proper　to　observe；　that　about　this　time　the
  Alpuxarra　mountains　in　the　neighborhood　of　Granada　were　terribly
  infested　by　a　gang　of　robbers；　under　the　command　of　a　daring　chief
  named　Manuel　Borasco；　who　were　accustomed　to　prowl　about　the
  country；　and　even　to　enter　the　city　in　various　disguises；　to　gain
  intelligence　of　the　departure　of　convoys　of　merchandise；　or　travellers
  with　well…lined　purses；　whom　they　took　care　to　waylay　in　distant　and
  solitary　passes　of　the　road。　These　repeated　and　daring　outrages　had
  awakened　the　attention　of　government；　and　the　commanders　of　the
  various　posts　had　received　instructions　to　be　on　the　alert；　and　to
  take　up　all　suspicious　stragglers。　Governor　Manco　was　particularly
  zealous　in　consequence　of　the　various　stigmas　that　had　been　cast
  upon　his　fortress；　and　he　now　doubted　not　he　had　entrapped　some
  formidable　desperado　of　this　gang。
  In　the　mean　time　the　story　took　wind；　and　became　the　talk；　not
  merely　of　the　fortress；　but　of　the　whole　city　of　Granada。　It　was
  said　that　the　noted　robber　Manuel　Borasco；　the　terror　of　the
  Alpuxarras；　had　fallen　into　the　clutches　of　old　Governor　Manco；　and
  been　cooped　up　by　him　in　a　dungeon　of　the　Vermilion　Tower；　and　every
  one　who　had　been　robbed　by　him　flocked　to　recognize　the　marauder。
  The　Vermilion　Tower；　as　is　well　known；　stands　apart　from　the
  Alhambra　on　a　sister　hill；　separated　from　the　main　fortress　by　the
  ravine　down　which　passes　the　main　avenue。　There　were　no　outer　walls；
  but　a　sentinel　patrolled　before　the　tower。　The　window　of　the　chamber
  in　which　the　soldier　was　confined　was　strongly　grated；　and　looked　upon
  a　small　esplanade。　Here　the　good　folks　of　Granada　repaired　to　gaze
  at　him；　as　they　would　at　a　laughing　hyena；　grinning　through　the　cage
  of　a　menagerie。　Nobody；　however；　recognized　him　for　Manuel　Borasco；
  for　that　terrible　robber　was　noted　for　a　ferocious　physiognomy；　and
  had　by　no　means　the　good…humored　squint　of　the　prisoner。　Visitors　came
  not　merely　from　the　city；　but　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　but
  nobody　knew　him；　and　there　began　to　be　doubts　in　the　minds　of　the
  common　people　whether　there　might　not　be　some　truth　in　his　story。　That
  Boabdil　and　his　army　were　shut　up　in　the　mountain；　was　an　old
  tradition　which　many　of　the　ancient　inhabitants　had　heard　from　their
  fathers。　Numbers　went　up　to　the　mountain　of　the　sun；　or　rather　of
  St。　Elena；　in　search　of　the　cave　mentioned　by　the　soldier；　and　saw　and
  peeped　into　the　deep　dark　pit；　descending；　no　one　knows　how　far；
  into　the　mountain；　and　which　remains　there　to　this　day…　the　fabled
  entrance　to　the　subterranean　abode　of　Boabdil。
  By　degrees　the　soldier　became　popular　with　the　common　people。　A
  freebooter　of　the　mountains　is　by　no　means　the　opprobrious　character
  in　Spain　that　a　robber　is　in　any　other　country：　on　the　contrary；　he　is
  a　kind　of　chivalrous　personage　in　the　eyes　of　the　lower　classes。　There
  is　always　a　disposition；　also；　to　cavil　at　the　conduct　of　those　in
  command；　and　many　began　to　murmur　at　the　high…handed　measures　of　old
  Governor　Manco；　and　to　look　upon　the　prisoner　in　the　light　of　a
  martyr。
  The　soldier；　moreover；　was　a　merry；　waggish　fellow；　that　had　a
  joke　for　every　one　who　came　near　his　window；　and　a　soft　speech　for
  every　female。　He　had　procured　an　old　guitar　also；　and　would　sit　by　his
  window　and　sing　ballads　and　love…ditties　to　the　delight　of　the　women
  of　the　neighborhood；　who　would　assemble　on　the　esplanade　in　the
  evening　and　dance　boleros　to　his　music。　Having　trimmed　off　his　rough
  beard；　his　sunburnt　face　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　fair；　and
  the　demure　handmaid　of　the　governor　declared　that　his　squint　was
  perfectly　irresistible。　This　kind…hearted　damsel　had　from　the　first
  evinced　a　deep　sympathy　in　his　fortunes；　and　having　in　vain　tried　to
  mollify　the　governor；　had　set　to　work　privately　to　mitigate　the
  rigor　of　his　dispensations。　Every　day　she　brought　the　prisoner　some
  crumbs　of　comfort　which　had　fallen　from　the　governor's　table；　or
  been　abstracted　from　his　larder；　together　with；　now　and　then；　a
  consoling　bottle　of　choice　Val　de　Penas；　or　rich　Malaga。
  While　this　petty　treason　was　going　on；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　old
  governor's　citadel；　a　storm　of　open　war　was　brewing　up　among　his
  external　foes。　The　circumstance　of　a　bag　of　gold　and　jewels　having
  been　found　upon　the　person　of　the　supposed　robber；　had　been
  reported；　with　many　exaggerations；　in　Granada。　A　question　of
  territorial　jurisdiction　was　immediately　started　by　the　governor's
  inveterate　rival；　the　captain…general。　He　insisted　that　the　prisoner
  had　been　captured　without　the　precincts　of　the　Alhambra；　and　within
  the　rules　of　his　authority。　He　demanded　his　body　therefore；　and　the
  spolia　opima　taken　with　him。　Due　information　having　been　carried
  likewise　by　the　friar　to　the　grand　inquisitor　of　the　crosses　and
  rosaries；　and　other　relics　contained　in　the　bag；　he　claimed　the
  culprit　as　having　been　guilty　of　sacrilege；　and　insisted　that　his
  plunder　was　due　to　the　church；　and　his　body　to　the　next　auto…da…fe。
  The　feuds　ran　high；　the　governor　was　furious；　and　swore；　rather　than
  surrender　his　captive；　he　would　hang　him　up　within　the　Alhambra；　as
  a　spy　caught　within　the　purlieus　of　the　fortress。
  The　captain…general　threatened　to　send　a　body　of　soldiers　to
  transfer　the　prisoner　from　the　Vermilion　Tower　to　the　city。　The
  grand　inquisitor　was　equally　bent　upon　dispatching　a　number　of　the
  familiars　of　the　Holy　Office。　Word　was　brought　late　at　night　to　the
  governor　of　these　machinations。　〃Let　them　come；〃　said　he；　〃they'll
  find　me　beforehand　with　them；　he　must　rise　bright　and　early　who
  would　take　in　an　old　soldier。〃　He　accordingly　issued　orders　to　have
  the　prisoner　removed；　at　daybreak；　to　the　donjon　keep　within　the　walls
  of　the　Alhambra。　〃And　d'ye　hear；　child；〃　said　he　to　his　demure
  handmaid；　〃tap　at　my　door；　and　wake　me　before　cock…crowing；　that　I　may
  see　to　the　matter　myself。〃
  The　day　dawned；　the　cock　crowed；　but　nobody　tapped　at　the　door　of
  the　governor。　The　sun　rose　high　above　the　mountain…tops；　and　glittered
  in　at　his　casement；　ere　the　governor　was　awakened　from　his　morning
  dreams　by　his　veteran　corporal；　who　stood　before　him　with　terror
  stamped　upon　his　iron　visage。
  〃He's　off！　he's　gone！〃　cried　the　corporal；　gasping　for　breath。
  〃Who's　off…　who's　gone？〃
  〃The　soldier…　the　robber…　the　devil；　for　aught　I　know；　his　dungeon
  is　empty；　but　the　door　locked：　no　one　knows　how　he　has　escaped　out
  of　it。〃
  〃Who　saw　him　last？〃
  〃Your　handmaid；　she　brought　him　his　supper。〃
  〃Let　her　be　called　instantly。〃
  Here　was　new　matter　of　confusion。　The　chamber　of　the　demure　damsel
  was　likewise　empty；　her　bed　had　not　been　slept　in：　she　had　doubtless
  gone　off　with　the　culprit；　as　she　had　appeared；　for　some　days　past；　to
  have　frequent　conversations　with　him。
  This　was　wounding　the　old　governor　in　a　tender　part；　but　he　had
  scarce　time　to　wince　at　it；　when　new　misfortunes　broke　upon　his
  view。　On　going　into　his　cabinet　he　found　his　strong　box　open；　the
  leather　purse　of　the　trooper　abstracted；　and　with　it；　a　couple　of
  corpulent　bags　of　doubloons。
  But　how；　and　which　way　had　the　fugitives　escaped？　An　old　peasant　who
  lived　in　a　cottage　by　the　road…side；　leading　up　into　the　Sierra；
  declared　that　he　had　heard　the　tramp　of　a　powerful　steed　just　before
  daybreak；　passing　up　into　the　mountains。　He　had　looked　out　at　his
  casement；　and　could　just　distinguish　a　horseman；　with　a　female
  seated　before　him。
  〃Search　the　stables！〃　cried　Governor　Manco。　The　stables　were
  searched；　all　the　horses　were　in　their　stalls；　excepting　the　Arabian
  steed。　In　his　place　was　a　stout　cudgel　tied　to　the　manger；　and　on　it　a
  label　bearing　these　words；　〃A　gift　to　Governor　Manco；　from　an　Old
  Soldier。〃