He swept down into the valley, and then rising upwards with a surge,
soared almost to the clouds. Never before had he risen to such a
height, or experienced such delight in flying; and, like a young
spendthrift just come to his estate, he seemed giddy with excess of
liberty, and with the boundless field of action suddenly opened to
him. For the whole day he has been circling about in capricious
flights, from tower to tower, and tree to tree. Every attempt has been
vain to lure him back by scattering grain upon the roofs; he seems
to have lost all thought of home, of his tender helpmate, and his
callow young. To add to the anxiety of Dolores, he has been joined
by two palomas ladrones, or robber pigeons, whose instinct it is to
entice wandering pigeons to their own dovecotes. The fugitive, like
many other thoughtless youths on their first launching upon the world,
seems quite fascinated with these knowing but graceless companions,
who have undertaken to show him life, and introduce him to society. He
has been soaring with them over all the roofs and steeples of Granada.
A thunder-storm has passed over the city, but he has not sought his
home; night has closed in, and still he comes not. To deepen the
pathos of the affair, the female pigeon, after remaining several hours
on the nest without being relieved, at length went forth to seek her
recreant mate; but stayed away so long that the young ones perished
for want of the warmth and shelter of the parent bosom.
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