She drew near to her
father, with a timid and almost faltering step, and would have taken
his hand to kiss, but on looking up into his face, and seeing it
beaming with a paternal smile, the tenderness of her nature broke
forth, and she threw herself upon his neck.
Mohamed the Left-handed surveyed his blooming daughters with mingled
pride and perplexity; for while he exulted in their charms, he
bethought himself of the prediction of the astrologers. "Three
daughters! three daughters!" muttered he repeatedly to himself, "and
all of a marriageable age! Here's tempting Hesperian fruit, that
requires a dragon watch!"
He prepared for his return to Granada, by sending heralds before
him, commanding every one to keep out of the road by which he was to
pass, and that all doors and windows should be closed at the
approach of the princesses. This done, he set forth, escorted by a
troop of black horsemen of hideous aspect, and clad in shining armor.
The princesses rode beside the king, closely veiled, on beautiful
white palfreys, with velvet caparisons, embroidered with gold, and
sweeping the ground; the bits and stirrups were of gold, and the
silken bridles adorned with pearls and precious stones. The palfreys
were covered with little silver bells, which made the most musical
tinkling as they ambled gently along. Woe to the unlucky wight,
however, who lingered in the way when he heard the tinkling of these
bells!- the guards were ordered to cut him down without mercy.
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