don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第11节

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very　fortunate　in　being　found　worthy　to　come　and　see　them；　and　be　an
eyewitness　of　things　that　will　with　difficulty　be　believed。〃
　　〃Be　that　as　God　will；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　believe　it　all　as　your
worship　says　it；　but　straighten　yourself　a　little；　for　you　seem　all　on
one　side；　may　be　from　the　shaking　of　the　fall。〃
　　〃That　is　the　truth；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　if　I　make　no　complaint
of　the　pain　it　is　because　knights…errant　are　not　permitted　to　complain
of　any　wound；　even　though　their　bowels　be　coming　out　through　it。〃
　　〃If　so；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　have　nothing　to　say；　but　God　knows　I
would　rather　your　worship　complained　when　anything　ailed　you。　For　my
part；　I　confess　I　must　complain　however　small　the　ache　may　be；
unless　this　rule　about　not　complaining　extends　to　the　squires　of
knights…errant　also。〃
　　Don　Quixote　could　not　help　laughing　at　his　squire's　simplicity；
and　he　assured　him　he　might　complain　whenever　and　however　he　chose；
just　as　he　liked；　for；　so　far；　he　had　never　read　of　anything　to　the
contrary　in　the　order　of　knighthood。
　　Sancho　bade　him　remember　it　was　dinner…time；　to　which　his　master
answered　that　he　wanted　nothing　himself　just　then；　but　that　he　might
eat　when　he　had　a　mind。　With　this　permission　Sancho　settled　himself　as
comfortably　as　he　could　on　his　beast；　and　taking　out　of　the　alforjas
what　he　had　stowed　away　in　them；　he　jogged　along　behind　his　master
munching　deliberately；　and　from　time　to　time　taking　a　pull　at　the　bota
with　a　relish　that　the　thirstiest　tapster　in　Malaga　might　have　envied；
and　while　he　went　on　in　this　way；　gulping　down　draught　after
draught；　he　never　gave　a　thought　to　any　of　the　promises　his　master　had
made　him；　nor　did　he　rate　it　as　hardship　but　rather　as　recreation
going　in　quest　of　adventures；　however　dangerous　they　might　be。　Finally
they　passed　the　night　among　some　trees；　from　one　of　which　Don
Quixote　plucked　a　dry　branch　to　serve　him　after　a　fashion　as　a
lance；　and　fixed　on　it　the　head　he　had　removed　from　the　broken　one。
All　that　night　Don　Quixote　lay　awake　thinking　of　his　lady　Dulcinea；　in
order　to　conform　to　what　he　had　read　in　his　books；　how　many　a　night　in
the　forests　and　deserts　knights　used　to　lie　sleepless　supported　by　the
memory　of　their　mistresses。　Not　so　did　Sancho　Panza　spend　it；　for
having　his　stomach　full　of　something　stronger　than　chicory　water　he
made　but　one　sleep　of　it；　and；　if　his　master　had　not　called　him；
neither　the　rays　of　the　sun　beating　on　his　face　nor　all　the　cheery
notes　of　the　birds　welcoming　the　approach　of　day　would　have　had
power　to　waken　him。　On　getting　up　he　tried　the　bota　and　found　it
somewhat　less　full　than　the　night　before；　which　grieved　his　heart
because　they　did　not　seem　to　be　on　the　way　to　remedy　the　deficiency
readily。　Don　Quixote　did　not　care　to　break　his　fast；　for；　as　has
been　already　said；　he　confined　himself　to　savoury　recollections　for
nourishment。
　　They　returned　to　the　road　they　had　set　out　with；　leading　to　Puerto
Lapice；　and　at　three　in　the　afternoon　they　came　in　sight　of　it。　〃Here；
brother　Sancho　Panza；〃　said　Don　Quixote　when　he　saw　it；　〃we　may　plunge
our　hands　up　to　the　elbows　in　what　they　call　adventures；　but
observe；　even　shouldst　thou　see　me　in　the　greatest　danger　in　the
world；　thou　must　not　put　a　hand　to　thy　sword　in　my　defence；　unless
indeed　thou　perceivest　that　those　who　assail　me　are　rabble　or　base
folk；　for　in　that　case　thou　mayest　very　properly　aid　me；　but　if　they
be　knights　it　is　on　no　account　permitted　or　allowed　thee　by　the　laws
of　knighthood　to　help　me　until　thou　hast　been　dubbed　a　knight。〃
　　〃Most　certainly；　senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃your　worship　shall　be
fully　obeyed　in　this　matter；　all　the　more　as　of　myself　I　am　peaceful
and　no　friend　to　mixing　in　strife　and　quarrels：　it　is　true　that　as
regards　the　defence　of　my　own　person　I　shall　not　give　much　heed　to
those　laws；　for　laws　human　and　divine　allow　each　one　to　defend　himself
against　any　assailant　whatever。〃
　　〃That　I　grant；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　in　this　matter　of　aiding　me
against　knights　thou　must　put　a　restraint　upon　thy　natural
impetuosity。〃
　　〃I　will　do　so；　I　promise　you；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃and　will　keep
this　precept　as　carefully　as　Sunday。〃
　　While　they　were　thus　talking　there　appeared　on　the　road　two　friars
of　the　order　of　St。　Benedict；　mounted　on　two　dromedaries；　for　not　less
tall　were　the　two　mules　they　rode　on。　They　wore　travelling
spectacles　and　carried　sunshades；　and　behind　them　came　a　coach
attended　by　four　or　five　persons　on　horseback　and　two　muleteers　on
foot。　In　the　coach　there　was；　as　afterwards　appeared；　a　Biscay　lady　on
her　way　to　Seville；　where　her　husband　was　about　to　take　passage　for
the　Indies　with　an　appointment　of　high　honour。　The　friars；　though
going　the　same　road；　were　not　in　her　company；　but　the　moment　Don
Quixote　perceived　them　he　said　to　his　squire；　〃Either　I　am　mistaken；
or　this　is　going　to　be　the　most　famous　adventure　that　has　ever　been
seen；　for　those　black　bodies　we　see　there　must　be；　and　doubtless
are；　magicians　who　are　carrying　off　some　stolen　princess　in　that
coach；　and　with　all　my　might　I　must　undo　this　wrong。〃
　　〃This　will　be　worse　than　the　windmills；〃　said　Sancho。　〃Look；
senor；　those　are　friars　of　St。　Benedict；　and　the　coach　plainly　belongs
to　some　travellers：　I　tell　you　to　mind　well　what　you　are　about　and
don't　let　the　devil　mislead　you。〃
　　〃I　have　told　thee　already；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　on
the　subject　of　adventures　thou　knowest　little。　What　I　say　is　the
truth；　as　thou　shalt　see　presently。〃
　　So　saying；　he　advanced　and　posted　himself　in　the　middle　of　the
road　along　which　the　friars　were　coming；　and　as　soon　as　he　thought
they　had　come　near　enough　to　hear　what　he　said；　he　cried　aloud；
〃Devilish　and　unnatural　beings；　release　instantly　the　highborn
princesses　whom　you　are　carrying　off　by　force　in　this　coach；　else
prepare　to　meet　a　speedy　death　as　the　just　punishment　of　your　evil
deeds。〃
　　The　friars　drew　rein　and　stood　wondering　at　the　appearance　of　Don
Quixote　as　well　as　at　his　words；　to　which　they　replied；　〃Senor
Caballero；　we　are　not　devilish　or　unnatural；　but　two　brothers　of　St。
Benedict　following　our　road；　nor　do　we　know　whether　or　not　there　are
any　captive　princesses　coming　in　this　coach。〃
　　〃No　soft　words　with　me；　for　I　know　you；　lying　rabble；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　and　without　waiting　for　a　reply　he　spurred　Rocinante　and　with
levelled　lance　charged　the　first　friar　with　such　fury　and
determination；　that；　if　the　friar　had　not　flung　himself　off　the
mule；　he　would　have　brought　him　to　the　ground　against　his　will；　and
sore　wounded；　if　not　killed　outright。　The　second　brother；　seeing　how
his　comrade　was　treated；　drove　his　heels　into　his　castle　of　a　mule　and
made　off　across　the　country　faster　than　the　wind。
　　Sancho　Panza；　when　he　saw　the　friar　on　the　ground；　dismounting
briskly　from　his　ass；　rushed　towards　him　and　began　to　strip　off　his
gown。　At　that　instant　the　friars　muleteers　came　up　and　asked　what　he
was　stripping　him　for。　Sancho　answered　them　that　this　fell　to　him
lawfully　as　spoil　of　the　battle　which　his　lord　Don　Quixote　had　won。
The　muleteers；　who　had　no　idea　of　a　joke　and　did　not　understand　all
this　about　battles　and　spoils；　seeing　that　Don　Quixote　was　some
distance　off　talking　to　the　travellers　in　the　coach；　fell　upon　Sancho；
knocked　him　down；　and　leaving　hardly　a　hair　in　his　beard；　belaboured
him　with　kicks　and　left　him　stretched　breathless　and　senseless　on
the　ground；　and　without　any　more　delay　helped　the　friar　to　mount；　who；
trembling；　terrified；　and　pale；　as　soon　as　he　found　himself　in　the
saddle；　spurred　after　his　companion；　who　was　standing　at　a　distance
looking　on；　watching　the　result　of　the　onslaught；　then；　not　caring
to　wait　for　the　end　of　the　affair　just　begun；　they　pursued　their
journey　making　more　crosses　than　if　they　had　the　devil　after　them。
　　Don　Quixote　was；　as　has　been　said；　speaking　to　the　lady　in　the
coach：　〃Your　beauty；　lady　mine；〃　said　he；　〃may　now　dispose　of　your
person　as　may　be　most　in　accordance　with　your　pleasure；　for　the
pride　of　your　ravishers　lies　prostrate　on　the　ground　through　this
strong　arm　of　mine；　and　lest　you　should　be　pining　to　know　the　name
of　your　deliverer；　know　that　I　am　called　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；
knight…errant　and　adventurer；　and　captive　to　the　peerless　and
beautiful　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso：　and　in　return　for　the　service
you　have　received　of　me　I　ask　no　more　than　that　you　should　return　to
El　Toboso；　and　on　my　behalf　present　yourself　before　that　lady　and　tell
her　what　I　have　done　to　set　you　free。〃
　　One　of　the　squires　in　attendance　upon　the　coach；　a　Biscayan；　was
listening　to　all　Don　Quixote　was　saying；　and；　perceiving　that　he　would
not　allow　the　coach　to　go　on；　but　was　saying　it　must　return　at　once　to
El　Toboso；　he　made　at　him；　and　seizing　his　lance　addressed　him　in
bad　Castilian　and　worse　Biscayan　after　his　fashion；　〃Begone；
caballero；　and　ill　go　with　thee；　by　the　God　that　made　me；　unless
thou　quittest　coach；　slayest　thee　as　art　here　a　Biscayan。〃
　　Don　Quixote　understood　him　quite　well；　and　answered　him　very
quietly；　〃If　thou　wert　a　knight；　as　thou　art　none；　I　should　have
already　chastised　thy　folly　and　rashness；　miserable　creature。〃　To
which　the　Bi