don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第129节

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　　〃Yes；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I　have　heard　say　that　there　are　more　friars
in　heaven　than　knights…errant。〃
　　〃That；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃is　because　those　in　religious　orders
are　more　numerous　than　knights。〃
　　〃The　errants　are　many；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Many；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃but　few　they　who　deserve　the　name　of
knights。〃
　　With　these；　and　other　discussions　of　the　same　sort；　they　passed　that
night　and　the　following　day；　without　anything　worth　mention
happening　to　them；　whereat　Don　Quixote　was　not　a　little　dejected；
but　at　length　the　next　day；　at　daybreak；　they　descried　the　great
city　of　El　Toboso；　at　the　sight　of　which　Don　Quixote's　spirits　rose
and　Sancho's　fell；　for　he　did　not　know　Dulcinea's　house；　nor　in　all
his　life　had　he　ever　seen　her；　any　more　than　his　master；　so　that
they　were　both　uneasy；　the　one　to　see　her；　the　other　at　not　having
seen　her；　and　Sancho　was　at　a　loss　to　know　what　he　was　to　do　when
his　master　sent　him　to　El　Toboso。　In　the　end；　Don　Quixote　made　up
his　mind　to　enter　the　city　at　nightfall；　and　they　waited　until　the
time　came　among　some　oak　trees　that　were　near　El　Toboso；　and　when
the　moment　they　had　agreed　upon　arrived；　they　made　their　entrance　into
the　city；　where　something　happened　them　that　may　fairly　be　called
something。

　　CHAPTER　IX
　　WHEREIN　IS　RELATED　WHAT　WILL　BE　SEEN　THERE

　　'TWAS　at　the　very　midnight　hour…　more　or　less…　when　Don　Quixote
and　Sancho　quitted　the　wood　and　entered　El　Toboso。　The　town　was　in
deep　silence；　for　all　the　inhabitants　were　asleep；　and　stretched　on
the　broad　of　their　backs；　as　the　saying　is。　The　night　was　darkish；
though　Sancho　would　have　been　glad　had　it　been　quite　dark；　so　as　to
find　in　the　darkness　an　excuse　for　his　blundering。　All　over　the
place　nothing　was　to　be　heard　except　the　barking　of　dogs；　which
deafened　the　ears　of　Don　Quixote　and　troubled　the　heart　of　Sancho。　Now
and　then　an　ass　brayed；　pigs　grunted；　cats　mewed；　and　the　various
noises　they　made　seemed　louder　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　all
which　the　enamoured　knight　took　to　be　of　evil　omen；　nevertheless　he
said　to　Sancho；　〃Sancho；　my　son；　lead　on　to　the　palace　of　Dulcinea；　it
may　be　that　we　shall　find　her　awake。〃
　　〃Body　of　the　sun！　what　palace　am　I　to　lead　to；〃　said　Sancho；　〃when
what　I　saw　her　highness　in　was　only　a　very　little　house？〃
　　〃Most　likely　she　had　then　withdrawn　into　some　small　apartment　of　her
palace；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃to　amuse　herself　with　damsels；　as　great
ladies　and　princesses　are　accustomed　to　do。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　your　worship　will　have　it　in　spite　of　me
that　the　house　of　my　lady　Dulcinea　is　a　palace；　is　this　an　hour；　think
you；　to　find　the　door　open；　and　will　it　be　right　for　us　to　go　knocking
till　they　hear　us　and　open　the　door；　making　a　disturbance　and
confusion　all　through　the　household？　Are　we　going；　do　you　fancy；　to
the　house　of　our　wenches；　like　gallants　who　come　and　knock　and　go　in
at　any　hour；　however　late　it　may　be？〃
　　〃Let　us　first　of　all　find　out　the　palace　for　certain；〃　replied　Don
Quixote；　〃and　then　I　will　tell　thee；　Sancho；　what　we　had　best　do；
but　look；　Sancho；　for　either　I　see　badly；　or　that　dark　mass　that　one
sees　from　here　should　be　Dulcinea's　palace。〃
　　〃Then　let　your　worship　lead　the　way；〃　said　Sancho；　〃perhaps　it　may
be　so；　though　I　see　it　with　my　eyes　and　touch　it　with　my　hands；　I'll
believe　it　as　much　as　I　believe　it　is　daylight　now。〃
　　Don　Quixote　took　the　lead；　and　having　gone　a　matter　of　two　hundred
paces　he　came　upon　the　mass　that　produced　the　shade；　and　found　it
was　a　great　tower；　and　then　he　perceived　that　the　building　in　question
was　no　palace；　but　the　chief　church　of　the　town；　and　said　he；　〃It's
the　church　we　have　lit　upon；　Sancho。〃
　　〃So　I　see；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　God　grant　we　may　not　light　upon　our
graves；　it　is　no　good　sign　to　find　oneself　wandering　in　a　graveyard　at
this　time　of　night；　and　that；　after　my　telling　your　worship；　if　I
don't　mistake；　that　the　house　of　this　lady　will　be　in　an　alley　without
an　outlet。〃
　　〃The　curse　of　God　on　thee　for　a　blockhead！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃where
hast　thou　ever　heard　of　castles　and　royal　palaces　being　built　in
alleys　without　an　outlet？〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃every　country　has　a　way　of　its　own；
perhaps　here　in　El　Toboso　it　is　the　way　to　build　palaces　and　grand
buildings　in　alleys；　so　I　entreat　your　worship　to　let　me　search
about　among　these　streets　or　alleys　before　me；　and　perhaps；　in　some
corner　or　other；　I　may　stumble　on　this　palace…　and　I　wish　I　saw　the
dogs　eating　it　for　leading　us　such　a　dance。〃
　　〃Speak　respectfully　of　what　belongs　to　my　lady；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃let　us　keep　the　feast　in　peace；　and　not　throw　the　rope　after
the　bucket。〃
　　〃I'll　hold　my　tongue；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　how　am　I　to　take　it
patiently　when　your　worship　wants　me；　with　only　once　seeing　the
house　of　our　mistress；　to　know　always；　and　find　it　in　the　middle　of
the　night；　when　your　worship　can't　find　it；　who　must　have　seen　it
thousands　of　times？〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　drive　me　to　desperation；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Look
here；　heretic；　have　I　not　told　thee　a　thousand　times　that　I　have　never
once　in　my　life　seen　the　peerless　Dulcinea　or　crossed　the　threshold　of
her　palace；　and　that　I　am　enamoured　solely　by　hearsay　and　by　the　great
reputation　she　bears　for　beauty　and　discretion？〃
　　〃I　hear　it　now；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃and　I　may　tell　you　that　if　you
have　not　seen　her；　no　more　have　I。〃
　　〃That　cannot　be；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for；　at　any　rate；　thou
saidst；　on　bringing　back　the　answer　to　the　letter　I　sent　by　thee；　that
thou　sawest　her　sifting　wheat。〃
　　〃Don't　mind　that；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　must　tell　you　that　my
seeing　her　and　the　answer　I　brought　you　back　were　by　hearsay　too；
for　I　can　no　more　tell　who　the　lady　Dulcinea　is　than　I　can　hit　the
sky。〃
　　〃Sancho；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃there　are　times　for　jests　and
times　when　jests　are　out　of　place；　if　I　tell　thee　that　I　have
neither　seen　nor　spoken　to　the　lady　of　my　heart；　it　is　no　reason　why
thou　shouldst　say　thou　hast　not　spoken　to　her　or　seen　her；　when　the
contrary　is　the　case；　as　thou　well　knowest。〃
　　While　the　two　were　engaged　in　this　conversation；　they　perceived　some
one　with　a　pair　of　mules　approaching　the　spot　where　they　stood；　and
from　the　noise　the　plough　made；　as　it　dragged　along　the　ground；　they
guessed　him　to　be　some　labourer　who　had　got　up　before　daybreak　to　go
to　his　work；　and　so　it　proved　to　be。　He　came　along　singing　the
ballad　that　says…

　　　　　　　Ill　did　ye　fare；　ye　men　of　France；
　　　　　　　　　In　Roncesvalles　chase…

　　〃May　I　die；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　when　he　heard　him；　〃if　any
good　will　come　to　us　tonight！　Dost　thou　not　hear　what　that　clown　is
singing？〃
　　〃I　do；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　what　has　Roncesvalles　chase　to　do　with
what　we　have　in　hand？　He　might　just　as　well　be　singing　the　ballad　of
Calainos；　for　any　good　or　ill　that　can　come　to　us　in　our　business。〃
　　By　this　time　the　labourer　had　come　up；　and　Don　Quixote　asked　him；
〃Can　you　tell　me；　worthy　friend；　and　God　speed　you；　whereabouts　here
is　the　palace　of　the　peerless　princess　Dona　Dulcinea　del　Toboso？〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　the　lad；　〃I　am　a　stranger；　and　I　have　been　only　a
few　days　in　the　town；　doing　farm　work　for　a　rich　farmer。　In　that　house
opposite　there　live　the　curate　of　the　village　and　the　sacristan；　and
both　or　either　of　them　will　be　able　to　give　your　worship　some
account　of　this　lady　princess；　for　they　have　a　list　of　all　the
people　of　El　Toboso；　though　it　is　my　belief　there　is　not　a　princess
living　in　the　whole　of　it；　many　ladies　there　are；　of　quality；　and　in
her　own　house　each　of　them　may　be　a　princess。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　she　I　am　inquiring　for　will　be　one　of　these；　my
friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃May　be　so；〃　replied　the　lad；　〃God　be　with　you；　for　here　comes　the
daylight；〃　and　without　waiting　for　any　more　of　his　questions；　he
whipped　on　his　mules。
　　Sancho；　seeing　his　master　downcast　and　somewhat　dissatisfied；　said
to　him；　〃Senor；　daylight　will　be　here　before　long；　and　it　will　not
do　for　us　to　let　the　sun　find　us　in　the　street；　it　will　be　better
for　us　to　quit　the　city；　and　for　your　worship　to　hide　in　some　forest
in　the　neighbourhood；　and　I　will　come　back　in　the　daytime；　and　I　won't
leave　a　nook　or　corner　of　the　whole　village　that　I　won't　search　for
the　house；　castle；　or　palace；　of　my　lady；　and　it　will　be　hard　luck　for
me　if　I　don't　find　it；　and　as　soon　as　I　have　found　it　I　will　speak
to　her　grace；　and　tell　her　where　and　how　your　worship　is　waiting　for
her　to　arrange　some　plan　for　you　to　see　her　without　any　damage　to
her　honour　and　reputation。〃
　　〃Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　hast　delivered　a　thousand
sentences　condensed　in　the　compass　of　a　few　words；　I　thank　thee　for
the　advice　thou　hast　given　me；　and　take　it　most　gladly。　Come；　my
son；　let　us　go　look　for　some　place　where　I　may　hide；　while　thou　dost
return；　as　thou　sayest；　to　seek；　and　speak　with　my　lady；　from　whose
discretion　and　courtesy　I　look　for　favours　more　than　miraculous。〃
　　　Sancho　was　in　a　fever　to　get　his　master　out　of　the　town；　lest　he
should　discover　the　falsehood　of　the　reply　he　had　brought　to　him　in
the　Sierra　Morena　on　behalf　of　Dulcinea；　so　he　hastened　their
departure；　which　they　took　at　once；　and　two　m