B0040702LQ EBOK by Margaret Jull Costa;Annella McDermott Read Free Book Online Page A

luminous, the
thought occurred to me that she was no earthly creature, but a
spirit who, momentarily taking on human shape, had come
down on a moonbeam, leaving in the air behind her a bluish
trail that fell from the mullioned windows onto the opposite
wall, piercing the darkness of that mysterious, gloomy place.'

    `But,' cried his former fellow-cadet, interrupting him,
`how did that woman come to be there? Did you not speak to
her? Did she not explain her presence in that place?'
    `I could not bring myself to speak to her, for I was sure she
would not answer me, nor see me, nor hear me.'
    `Was she deaf?'
    `Was she blind?'
    `Was she dumb?' cried two or three of his listeners at the
same time.
    `She was all of those things at once,' the captain finally
explained, after a moment's pause, `because she was ... made
of marble.'
    On hearing this amazing end to such a strange adventure,
the whole company roared with laughter, while one them said
to the storyteller, who alone remained silent and serious:
    `So that's it! I have more than a thousand women of that
kind, a veritable harem, in San Juan de los Reyes. A harem
which, from now on, I place at your disposal, since it seems
you are as happy with a woman of stone as with one of flesh
and blood.'
    `No, thank you,' said the captain, paying no heed to the
laughter of his companions. `I am sure they are not like mine.
Mine is a true Castilian lady, who by a miracle of sculpture
seems not to be buried in her grave, but to be still alive, kneeling motionless on the stone that covers her, hands joined in a
supplicant gesture, deep in an ecstasy of mystical love.'
    `From the way you speak, you will soon have us convinced
that the myth of Pygmalion was true.'
    `For my part, I confess I always thought it nonsense; but
since last night I have begun to understand that Greek
sculptor's passion.'

    `In view of the very particular nature of your new mistress,
I imagine you will have no objection to introducing us to her.
I for one cannot wait to see this wonder. But ... what the
devil is wrong with you? You seem almost reluctant to perform these introductions. Aha, don't tell me we're making
you jealous already?'
    `Jealous', the captain hastened to reply, jealous ... No, not
of men ... Yet judge, nevertheless, the extent of my madness.
Near the statue of this woman is a warrior, also made of
marble, solemn and seemingly alive, like her ... Her husband,
no doubt ... Well, now, I shall confess all, though you may
laugh at my foolishness ... Had I not feared to be taken for a
madman, I believe I should by now have smashed him into a
thousand pieces.'
    An even louder burst of laughter from his fellow officers
greeted this droll revelation by the eccentric lover of the stone
statue.
    `That's it,' said some, `we must see her.'
    `Absolutely!' said others. `We must find out if your beloved
merits such intense passion,' exclaimed others.
    `When can we meet up to have a drink in the church
where you're lodging?' demanded the rest.
    `Whenever you like. This very night, if you wish,' the
young captain responded, recovering his usual good humour,
which had vanished for a moment with that flash of jealousy.
`By the way, in my baggage I have brought no fewer than a
dozen bottles of champagne, real champagne, the remains of a
gift to our general, to whom, as you know, I am distantly
related.'
    `Bravo, bravo!' chorused the officers, adding various joyful
comments.
    `Here's to good French wine!'
    `We'll sing a song by Ronsard!'
    `And talk about women, especially our host's mistress!'
    `Till tonight, then!'
    `Till tonight!'

    III
    The tranquil inhabitants of Toledo had long since locked and
barred the heavy doors of their ancient houses, the great bell
of the cathedral was announcing the curfew hour, and, from
the heights of the Alcazar, now a barracks, the bugles were
sounding lights out as ten or twelve officers, who had been
slowly gathering in the Plaza de