University of Virginia Library

THE TRUANT.

Since writing the foregoing pages, we have had
a scene of petty tribulation in the Alhambra which
has thrown a cloud over the sunny countenance
of Dolores. This little damsel has a female passion
for pets of all kinds, from the superabundant
kindness of her disposition. One of the ruined
courts of the Alhambra is thronged with her favourites.
A stately peacock and his hen seem to
hold regal sway here, over pompous turkeys, querulous
guinea fowls, and a rabble rout of common cocks
and hens. The great delight of Dolores, however,
has for some time past been centred in a youthful
pair of pigeons, who have lately entered into the
holy state of wedlock, and who have even supplanted
a tortoise shell cat and kitten in her affections.

As a tenement for them to commence house-keeping
she had fitted up a small chamber adjacent

to the kitchen, the window of which looked
into one of the quiet Moorish courts. Here they
lived in happy ignorance of any world beyond
the court and its sunny roofs. In vain they aspired
to soar above the battlements, or to mount
to the summit of the towers. Their virtuous
union was at length crowned by two spotless and
milk white eggs, to the great joy of their cherishing
little mistress. Nothing could be more praise-worthy
than the conduct of the young married
folks on this interesting occasion. They took turns
to sit upon the nest until the eggs were hatched,
and while their callow progeny required warmth
and shelter. While one thus staid at home, the
other foraged abroad for food, and brought home
abundant supplies.

This scene of conjugal felicity has suddenly met
with a reverse. Early this morning, as Dolores was
feeding the male pigeon, she took a fancy to give
him a peep at the great world. Opening a window,
therefore, which looks down upon the valley
of the Darro, she launched him at once beyond
the walls of the Alhambra. For the first time in his
life the astonished bird had to try the full vigour
of his wings. 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 from tree to tree. Every attempt has been
made in 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 dove-cotes. 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
shower 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.

At a late hour in the evening, word was brought
to Dolores that the truant bird had been seen upon
the towers of the Generaliffe. Now, it so happens
that the Administrador of that ancient palace has
likewise a dove-cote, among the inmates of which
are said to be two or three of these inveigling birds,
the terror of all neighbouring pigeon fanciers. Dolores
immediately concluded that the two feathered
sharpers who had been seen with her fugitive, were
these bloods of the Generaliffe. A council of war
was forthwith held in the chamber of Tia Antonia.
The Generaliffe is a distinct jurisdiction from the
Alhambra, and of course some punctilio, if not jealousy,
exists between their custodians. It was determined,
therefore, to send Pepe, the stuttering lad of
the gardens, as ambassador to the Administrador,
requesting that if such fugitive should be found
in his dominions, he might be given up as a subject
of the Alhambra. Pepe departed, accordingly, on
his diplomatic expedition, through the moonlight
groves and avenues, but returned in an hour with
the afflicting intelligence that no such bird was to
be found in the dove-cote of the Generaliffe. The

administrador however, pledged his sovereign bird,
that if such vagrant should appear there, even
at midnight, he should instantly be arrested and
sent back prisoner to his little black-eyed mistress.

Thus stands this melancholy affair, which has occasioned
much distress throughout the palace, and
has sent the inconsolable Dolores to a sleepless
pillow.

—“Sorrow endureth for a night,” says the proverb,
“but joy ariseth in the morning.” The first
object that met my eyes on leaving my room this
morning was Dolores with the truant pigeon in
her hand, and her eyes sparkling with joy. He
had appeared at an early hour on the battlements,
hovering shyly about from roof to roof, but at
length entered the window and surrendered himself
prisoner. He gained little credit, however, by
his return, for the ravenous manner in which he
devoured the food set before him, showed that,
like the prodigal son, he had been driven home by
sheer famine. Dolores upbraided him for his faithless
conduct, calling him all manner of vagrant
names, though woman-like, she fondled him at the
same time to her bosom and covered him with
kisses. I observed, however, that she had taken

care to clip his wings to prevent all future soarings;
a precaution which I mention for the benefit
of all those who have truant wives or wandering
husbands. More than one valuable moral might
be drawn from the story of Dolores and her
pigeon.