don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第103节

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esteemed　lady；　because　it　seems　to　me　that　for　us　to　remain　any　longer
in　this　castle　now　is　useless；　and　may　be　injurious　to　us　in　a　way
that　we　shall　find　out　some　day；　for　who　knows　but　that　your　enemy　the
giant　may　have　learned　by　means　of　secret　and　diligent　spies　that　I　am
going　to　destroy　him；　and　if　the　opportunity　be　given　him　he　may　seize
it　to　fortify　himself　in　some　impregnable　castle　or　stronghold；
against　which　all　my　efforts　and　the　might　of　my　indefatigable　arm　may
avail　but　little？　Therefore；　lady；　let　us；　as　I　say；　forestall　his
schemes　by　our　activity；　and　let　us　depart　at　once　in　quest　of　fair
fortune；　for　your　highness　is　only　kept　from　enjoying　it　as　fully　as
you　could　desire　by　my　delay　in　encountering　your　adversary。〃
　　Don　Quixote　held　his　peace　and　said　no　more；　calmly　awaiting　the
reply　of　the　beauteous　princess；　who；　with　commanding　dignity　and　in　a
style　adapted　to　Don　Quixote's　own；　replied　to　him　in　these　words；
〃I　give　you　thanks；　sir　knight；　for　the　eagerness　you；　like　a　good
knight　to　whom　it　is　a　natural　obligation　to　succour　the　orphan　and
the　needy；　display　to　afford　me　aid　in　my　sore　trouble；　and　heaven
grant　that　your　wishes　and　mine　may　be　realised；　so　that　you　may　see
that　there　are　women　in　this　world　capable　of　gratitude；　as　to　my
departure；　let　it　be　forthwith；　for　I　have　no　will　but　yours；
dispose　of　me　entirely　in　accordance　with　your　good　pleasure；　for
she　who　has　once　entrusted　to　you　the　defence　of　her　person；　and
placed　in　your　hands　the　recovery　of　her　dominions；　must　not　think
of　offering　opposition　to　that　which　your　wisdom　may　ordain。〃
　　〃On；　then；　in　God's　name；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for；　when　a　lady
humbles　herself　to　me；　I　will　not　lose　the　opportunity　of　raising
her　up　and　placing　her　on　the　throne　of　her　ancestors。　Let　us　depart
at　once；　for　the　common　saying　that　in　delay　there　is　danger；　lends
spurs　to　my　eagerness　to　take　the　road；　and　as　neither　heaven　has
created　nor　hell　seen　any　that　can　daunt　or　intimidate　me；　saddle
Rocinante；　Sancho；　and　get　ready　thy　ass　and　the　queen's　palfrey；
and　let　us　take　leave　of　the　castellan　and　these　gentlemen；　and　go
hence　this　very　instant。〃
　　Sancho；　who　was　standing　by　all　the　time；　said；　shaking　his　head；
〃Ah！　master；　master；　there　is　more　mischief　in　the　village　than　one
hears　of；　begging　all　good　bodies'　pardon。〃
　　〃What　mischief　can　there　be　in　any　village；　or　in　all　the　cities
of　the　world；　you　booby；　that　can　hurt　my　reputation？〃　said　Don
Quixote。
　　〃If　your　worship　is　angry；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃I　will　hold　my　tongue
and　leave　unsaid　what　as　a　good　squire　I　am　bound　to　say；　and　what　a
good　servant　should　tell　his　master。〃
　　〃Say　what　thou　wilt；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃provided　thy　words　be
not　meant　to　work　upon　my　fears；　for　thou；　if　thou　fearest；　art
behaving　like　thyself；　but　I　like　myself；　in　not　fearing。〃
　　〃It　is　nothing　of　the　sort；　as　I　am　a　sinner　before　God；〃　said
Sancho；　〃but　that　I　take　it　to　be　sure　and　certain　that　this　lady；　who
calls　herself　queen　of　the　great　kingdom　of　Micomicon；　is　no　more　so
than　my　mother；　for；　if　she　was　what　she　says；　she　would　not　go
rubbing　noses　with　one　that　is　here　every　instant　and　behind　every
door。〃
　　Dorothea　turned　red　at　Sancho's　words；　for　the　truth　was　that　her
husband　Don　Fernando　had　now　and　then；　when　the　others　were　not
looking；　gathered　from　her　lips　some　of　the　reward　his　love　had
earned；　and　Sancho　seeing　this　had　considered　that　such　freedom　was
more　like　a　courtesan　than　a　queen　of　a　great　kingdom；　she；　however；
being　unable　or　not　caring　to　answer　him；　allowed　him　to　proceed；
and　he　continued；　〃This　I　say；　senor；　because；　if　after　we　have
travelled　roads　and　highways；　and　passed　bad　nights　and　worse　days；
one　who　is　now　enjoying　himself　in　this　inn　is　to　reap　the　fruit　of
our　labours；　there　is　no　need　for　me　to　be　in　a　hurry　to　saddle
Rocinante；　put　the　pad　on　the　ass；　or　get　ready　the　palfrey；　for　it
will　be　better　for　us　to　stay　quiet；　and　let　every　jade　mind　her
spinning；　and　let　us　go　to　dinner。〃
　　Good　God；　what　was　the　indignation　of　Don　Quixote　when　he　heard
the　audacious　words　of　his　squire！　So　great　was　it；　that　in　a　voice
inarticulate　with　rage；　with　a　stammering　tongue；　and　eyes　that
flashed　living　fire；　he　exclaimed；　〃Rascally　clown；　boorish；　insolent；
and　ignorant；　ill…spoken；　foul…mouthed；　impudent　backbiter　and
slanderer！　Hast　thou　dared　to　utter　such　words　in　my　presence　and　in
that　of　these　illustrious　ladies？　Hast　thou　dared　to　harbour　such
gross　and　shameless　thoughts　in　thy　muddled　imagination？　Begone　from
my　presence；　thou　born　monster；　storehouse　of　lies；　hoard　of　untruths；
garner　of　knaveries；　inventor　of　scandals；　publisher　of　absurdities；
enemy　of　the　respect　due　to　royal　personages！　Begone；　show　thyself
no　more　before　me　under　pain　of　my　wrath；〃　and　so　saying　he　knitted
his　brows；　puffed　out　his　cheeks；　gazed　around　him；　and　stamped　on　the
ground　violently　with　his　right　foot；　showing　in　every　way　the　rage
that　was　pent　up　in　his　heart；　and　at　his　words　and　furious　gestures
Sancho　was　so　scared　and　terrified　that　he　would　have　been　glad　if　the
earth　had　opened　that　instant　and　swallowed　him；　and　his　only
thought　was　to　turn　round　and　make　his　escape　from　the　angry
presence　of　his　master。
　　But　the　ready…witted　Dorothea；　who　by　this　time　so　well　understood
Don　Quixote's　humour；　said；　to　mollify　his　wrath；　〃Be　not　irritated　at
the　absurdities　your　good　squire　has　uttered；　Sir　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　for　perhaps　he　did　not　utter　them　without　cause；　and　from
his　good　sense　and　Christian　conscience　it　is　not　likely　that　he　would
bear　false　witness　against　anyone。　We　may　therefore　believe；　without
any　hesitation；　that　since；　as　you　say；　sir　knight；　everything　in　this
castle　goes　and　is　brought　about　by　means　of　enchantment；　Sancho；　I
say；　may　possibly　have　seen；　through　this　diabolical　medium；　what　he
says　he　saw　so　much　to　the　detriment　of　my　modesty。〃
　　〃I　swear　by　God　Omnipotent；〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃your
highness　has　hit　the　point；　and　that　some　vile　illusion　must　have　come
before　this　sinner　of　a　Sancho；　that　made　him　see　what　it　would　have
been　impossible　to　see　by　any　other　means　than　enchantments；　for　I
know　well　enough；　from　the　poor　fellow's　goodness　and　harmlessness；
that　he　is　incapable　of　bearing　false　witness　against　anybody。〃
　　〃True；　no　doubt；〃　said　Don　Fernando；　〃for　which　reason；　Senor　Don
Quixote；　you　ought　to　forgive　him　and　restore　him　to　the　bosom　of　your
favour；　sicut　erat　in　principio；　before　illusions　of　this　sort　had
taken　away　his　senses。〃
　　Don　Quixote　said　he　was　ready　to　pardon　him；　and　the　curate　went　for
Sancho；　who　came　in　very　humbly；　and　falling　on　his　knees　begged　for
the　hand　of　his　master；　who　having　presented　it　to　him　and　allowed　him
to　kiss　it；　gave　him　his　blessing　and　said；　〃Now；　Sancho　my　son；
thou　wilt　be　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　I　have　many　a　time　told
thee；　that　everything　in　this　castle　is　done　by　means　of　enchantment。〃
　　〃So　it　is；　I　believe；〃　said　Sancho；　〃except　the　affair　of　the
blanket；　which　came　to　pass　in　reality　by　ordinary　means。〃
　　〃Believe　it　not；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　had　it　been　so；　I　would
have　avenged　thee　that　instant；　or　even　now；　but　neither　then　nor
now　could　I；　nor　have　I　seen　anyone　upon　whom　to　avenge　thy　wrong。〃
　　They　were　all　eager　to　know　what　the　affair　of　the　blanket　was；
and　the　landlord　gave　them　a　minute　account　of　Sancho's　flights；　at
which　they　laughed　not　a　little；　and　at　which　Sancho　would　have　been
no　less　out　of　countenance　had　not　his　master　once　more　assured　him　it

was　all　enchantment。　For　all　that　his　simplicity　never　reached　so　high
a　pitch　that　he　could　persuade　himself　it　was　not　the　plain　and　simple
truth；　without　any　deception　whatever　about　it；　that　he　had　been
blanketed　by　beings　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　not　by　visionary　and
imaginary　phantoms；　as　his　master　believed　and　protested。
　　The　illustrious　company　had　now　been　two　days　in　the　inn；　and　as
it　seemed　to　them　time　to　depart；　they　devised　a　plan　so　that；　without
giving　Dorothea　and　Don　Fernando　the　trouble　of　going　back　with　Don
Quixote　to　his　village　under　pretence　of　restoring　Queen　Micomicona；
the　curate　and　the　barber　might　carry　him　away　with　them　as　they
proposed；　and　the　curate　be　able　to　take　his　madness　in　hand　at
home；　and　in　pursuance　of　their　plan　they　arranged　with　the　owner　of
an　oxcart　who　happened　to　be　passing　that　way　to　carry　him　after
this　fashion。　They　constructed　a　kind　of　cage　with　wooden　bars；
large　enough　to　hold　Don　Quixote　comfortably；　and　then　Don　Fernando
and　his　companions；　the　servants　of　Don　Luis；　and　the　officers　of
the　Brotherhood；　together　with　the　landlord；　by　the　directions　and
advice　of　the　curate；　covered　their　faces　and　disguised　themselves；
some　in　one　way；　some　in　another；　so　as　to　appear　to　Don　Quixote　quite
different　from　the　persons　he　had　seen　in　the　castle。　This　done；　in
profound　silence　they　entered　the　room　where　he　was　asleep；　taking　his
his　rest　after　the　past　frays；　and　advancing　to　where　he　was
sleeping　tranquilly；　not　dreaming　of　anything　of　the　kind　happening；
they　seized　him　firmly　a