fain　have　profited　by　it；　but　the　fine　speeches　he　would　have
  uttered　died　upon　his　lips；　his　attempts　at　gallantry　were　awkward　and
  ineffectual；　and　to　his　surprise；　the　adroit　page；　who　had　figured
  with　such　grace　and　effrontery　among　the　most　knowing　and
  experienced　ladies　of　the　court；　found　himself　awed　and　abashed　in　the
  presence　of　a　simple　damsel　of　fifteen。
  In　fact；　the　artless　maiden；　in　her　own　modesty　and　innocence；　had
  guardians　more　effectual　than　the　bolts　and　bars　prescribed　by　her
  vigilant　aunt。　Still；　where　is　the　female　bosom　proof　against　the
  first　whisperings　of　love？　The　little　damsel；　with　all　her
  artlessness；　instinctively　comprehended　all　that　the　faltering
  tongue　of　the　page　failed　to　express；　and　her　heart　was　fluttered　at
  beholding；　for　the　first　time；　a　lover　at　her　feet…　and　such　a　lover！
  The　diffidence　of　the　page；　though　genuine；　was　short…lived；　and
  he　was　recovering　his　usual　ease　and　confidence；　when　a　shrill　voice
  was　heard　at　a　distance。
  〃My　aunt　is　returning　from　mass！〃　cried　the　damsel　in　affright；　〃I
  pray　you；　senor；　depart。〃
  〃Not　until　you　grant　me　that　rose　from　your　hair　as　a　remembrance。〃
  She　hastily　untwisted　the　rose　from　her　raven　locks。　〃Take　it；〃
  cried　she；　agitated　and　blushing；　〃but　pray　begone。〃
  The　page　took　the　rose；　and　at　the　same　time　covered　with　kisses　the
  fair　hand　that　gave　it。　Then；　placing　the　flower　in　his　bonnet；　and
  taking　the　falcon　upon　his　fist；　he　bounded　off　through　the　garden；
  bearing　away　with　him　the　heart　of　the　gentle　Jacinta。
  When　the　vigilant　aunt　arrived　at　the　tower；　she　remarked　the
  agitation　of　her　niece；　and　an　air　of　confusion　in　the　hall；　but　a
  word　of　explanation　sufficed。　〃A　gerfalcon　had　pursued　his　prey　into
  the　hall。〃
  〃Mercy　on　us！　to　think　of　a　falcon　flying　into　the　tower。　Did　ever
  one　hear　of　so　saucy　a　hawk？　Why；　the　very　bird　in　the　cage　is　not
  safe！〃
  The　vigilant　Fredegonda　was　one　of　the　most　wary　of　ancient
  spinsters。　She　had　a　becoming　terror　and　distrust　of　what　she
  denominated　〃the　opposite　sex；〃　which　had　gradually　increased
  through　a　long　life　of　celibacy。　Not　that　the　good　lady　had　ever
  suffered　from　their　wiles；　nature　having　set　up　a　safeguard　in　her
  face　that　forbade　all　trespass　upon　her　premises；　but　ladies　who
  have　least　cause　to　fear　for　themselves　are　most　ready　to　keep　a　watch
  over　their　more　tempting　neighbors。
  The　niece　was　the　orphan　of　an　officer　who　had　fallen　in　the　wars。
  She　had　been　educated　in　a　convent；　and　had　recently　been
  transferred　from　her　sacred　asylum　to　the　immediate　guardianship　of
  her　aunt；　under　whose　overshadowing　care　she　vegetated　in　obscurity；
  like　an　opening　rose　blooming　beneath　a　brier。　Nor　indeed　is　this
  comparison　entirely　accidental；　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　her　fresh
  and　dawning　beauty　had　caught　the　public　eye；　even　in　her　seclusion；
  and；　with　that　poetical　turn　common　to　the　people　of　Andalusia；　the
  peasantry　of　the　neighborhood　had　given　her　the　appellation　of　〃the
  Rose　of　the　Alhambra。〃
  The　wary　aunt　continued　to　keep　a　faithful　watch　over　her　tempting
  little　niece　as　long　as　the　court　continued　at　Granada；　and
  flattered　herself　that　her　vigilance　had　been　successful。　It　is
  true；　the　good　lady　was　now　and　then　discomposed　by　the　tinkling　of
  guitars　and　chanting　of　love　ditties　from　the　moonlit　groves　beneath
  the　tower；　but　she　would　exhort　her　niece　to　shut　her　ears　against
  such　idle　minstrelsy；　assuring　her　that　it　was　one　of　the　arts　of
  the　opposite　sex；　by　which　simple　maids　were　often　lured　to　their
  undoing。　Alas！　what　chance　with　a　simple　maid　has　a　dry　lecture
  against　a　moonlight　serenade？
  At　length　King　Philip　cut　short　his　sojourn　at　Granada；　and　suddenly
  departed　with　all　his　train。　The　vigilant　Fredegonda　watched　the　royal
  pageant　as　it　issued　forth　from　the　Gate　of　Justice；　and　descended　the
  great　avenue　leading　to　the　city。　When　the　last　banner　disappeared
  from　her　sight；　she　returned　exulting　to　her　tower；　for　all　her
  cares　were　over。　To　her　surprise；　a　light　Arabian　steed　pawed　the
  ground　at　the　wicket…gate　of　the　garden…　to　her　horror；　she　saw
  through　the　thickets　of　roses　a　youth；　in　gayly…embroidered　dress；
  at　the　feet　of　her　niece。　At　the　sound　of　her　footsteps　he　gave　a
  tender　adieu；　bounded　lightly　over　the　barrier　of　reeds　and　myrtles；
  sprang　upon　his　horse；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。
  The　tender　Jacinta；　in　the　agony　of　her　grief；　lost　all　thought　of
  her　aunt's　displeasure。　Throwing　herself　into　her　arms；　she　broke
  forth　into　sobs　and　tears。
  〃Ay　de　mi！〃　cried　she；　〃he's　gone！…　he's　gone！…　he's　gone！　and　I
  shall　never　see　him　more！〃
  〃Gone！…　who　is　gone？…　what　youth　is　that　I　saw　at　your　feet？〃
  〃A　queen's　page；　aunt；　who　came　to　bid　me　farewell。〃
  〃A　queen's　page；　child！〃　echoed　the　vigilant　Fredegonda；　faintly；
  〃and　when　did　you　become　acquainted　with　the　queen's　page？〃
  〃The　morning　that　the　gerfalcon　came　into　the　tower。　It　was　the
  queen's　gerfalcon；　and　he　came　in　pursuit　of　it。〃
  〃Ah　silly；　silly　girl！　know　that　there　are　no　gerfalcons　half　so
  dangerous　as　these　young　prankling　pages；　and　it　is　precisely　such
  simple　birds　as　thee　that　they　pounce　upon。〃
  The　aunt　was　at　first　indignant　at　learning　that　in　despite　of　her
  boasted　vigilance；　a　tender　intercourse　had　been　carried　on　by　the
  youthful　lovers；　almost　beneath　her　eye；　but　when　she　found　that　her
  simple…hearted　niece；　though　thus　exposed；　without　the　protection　of
  bolt　or　bar；　to　all　the　machinations　of　the　opposite　sex；　had　come
  forth　unsinged　from　the　fiery　ordeal；　she　consoled　herself　with　the
  persuasion　that　it　was　owing　to　the　chaste　and　cautious　maxims　in
  which　she　had；　as　it　were；　steeped　her　to　the　very　lips。
  While　the　aunt　laid　this　soothing　unction　to　her　pride；　the　niece
  treasured　up　the　oft…repeated　vows　of　fidelity　of　the　page。　But　what
  is　the　love　of　restless；　roving　man？　A　vagrant　stream　that　dallies　for
  a　time　with　each　flower　upon　its　bank；　then　passes　on；　and　leaves　them
  all　in　tears。
  Days；　weeks；　months　elapsed；　and　nothing　more　was　heard　of　the　page。
  The　pomegranate　ripened；　the　vine　yielded　up　its　fruit；　the　autumnal
  rains　descended　in　torrents　from　the　mountains；　the　Sierra　Nevada
  became　covered　with　a　snowy　mantle；　and　wintry　blasts　howled　through
  the　halls　of　the　Alhambra…　still　he　came　not。　The　winter　passed
  away。　Again　the　genial　spring　burst　forth　with　song　and　blossom　and
  balmy　zephyr；　the　snows　melted　from　the　mountains；　until　none　remained
  but　on　the　lofty　summit　of　Nevada；　glistening　through　the　sultry
  summer　air。　Still　nothing　was　heard　of　the　forgetful　page。
  In　the　mean　time；　the　poor　little　Jacinta　grew　pale　and
  thoughtful。　Her　former　occupations　and　amusements　were　abandoned；
  her　silk　lay　entangled；　her　guitar　unstrung；　her　flowers　were
  neglected；　the　notes　of　her　bird　unheeded；　and　her　eyes；　once　so
  bright；　were　dimmed　with　secret　weeping。　If　any　solitude　could　be
  devised　to　foster　the　passion　of　a　love…lorn　damsel；　it　would　be
  such　a　place　as　the　Alhambra；　where　every　thing　seems　disposed　to
  produce　tender　and　romantic　reveries。　It　is　a　very　paradise　for
  lovers：　how　hard　then　to　be　alone　in　such　a　paradise…　and　not　merely
  alone；　but　forsaken！
  〃Alas；　silly　child！〃　would　the　staid　and　immaculate　Fredegonda
  say；　when　she　found　her　niece　in　one　of　her　desponding　moods…　〃did　I
  not　warn　thee　against　the　wiles　and　deceptions　of　these　men？　What
  couldst　thou　expect；　too；　from　one　of　a　haughty　and　aspiring　family…
  thou　an　orphan；　the　descendant　of　a　fallen　and　impoverished　line？　Be
  assured；　if　the　youth　were　true；　his　father；　who　is　one　of　the
  proudest　nobles　about　the　court；　would　prohibit　his　union　with　one
  so　humble　and　portionless　as　thou。　Pluck　up　thy　resolution；　therefore；
  and　drive　these　idle　notions　from　thy　mind。〃
  The　words　of　the　immaculate　Fredegonda　only　served　to　increase　the
  melancholy　of　her　niece；　but　she　sought　to　indulge　it　in　private。　At　a
  late　hour　one　midsummer　night；　after　her　aunt　had　retired　to　rest；　she
  remained　alone　in　the　hall　of　the　tower；　seated　beside　the　alabaster
  fountain。　It　was　here　that　the　faithless　page　had　first　knelt　and
  kissed　her　hand；　it　was　here　that　he　had　often　vowed　eternal　fidelity。
  The　poor　little　damsel's　heart　was　overladen　with　sad　and　tender
  recollections；　her　tears　began　to　flow；　and　slowly　fell　drop　by　drop
  into　the　fountain。　By　degrees　the　crystal　water　became　agitated；
  and…　bubble…　bubble…　bubble…　boiled　up　and　was　tossed　about；　until　a
  female　figure；　richly　clad　in　Moorish　robes；　slowly　rose　to　view。
  Jacinta　was　so　frightened　that　she　fled　from　the　hall；　and　did　not
  venture　to　return。　The　next　morning　she　related　what　she　had　seen　to
  her　aunt；　but　the　good　lady　treated　it　as　a　phantasy　of　her　troubled
  mind；　or　supposed　she　had　fallen　asleep　and　dreamt　beside　the
  fountain。　〃Thou　hast　been　thinking　of　the　story　of　the　three　Moorish
  princesses　that　once　in