don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第13节

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of　the　cathedral；　and　begged　him　to　turn　all　these　pamphlets　that
related　to　Don　Quixote　into　the　Castilian　tongue；　without　omitting
or　adding　anything　to　them；　offering　him　whatever　payment　he
pleased。　He　was　satisfied　with　two　arrobas　of　raisins　and　two
bushels　of　wheat；　and　promised　to　translate　them　faithfully　and　with
all　despatch；　but　to　make　the　matter　easier；　and　not　to　let　such　a
precious　find　out　of　my　hands；　I　took　him　to　my　house；　where　in　little
more　than　a　month　and　a　half　he　translated　the　whole　just　as　it　is　set
down　here。
　　In　the　first　pamphlet　the　battle　between　Don　Quixote　and　the
Biscayan　was　drawn　to　the　very　life；　they　planted　in　the　same　attitude
as　the　history　describes；　their　swords　raised；　and　the　one　protected
by　his　buckler；　the　other　by　his　cushion；　and　the　Biscayan's　mule　so
true　to　nature　that　it　could　be　seen　to　be　a　hired　one　a　bowshot
off。　The　Biscayan　had　an　inscription　under　his　feet　which　said；　〃Don
Sancho　de　Azpeitia；〃　which　no　doubt　must　have　been　his　name；　and　at
the　feet　of　Rocinante　was　another　that　said；　〃Don　Quixote。〃
Rocinante　was　marvellously　portrayed；　so　long　and　thin；　so　lank　and
lean；　with　so　much　backbone　and　so　far　gone　in　consumption；　that　he
showed　plainly　with　what　judgment　and　propriety　the　name　of
Rocinante　had　been　bestowed　upon　him。　Near　him　was　Sancho　Panza
holding　the　halter　of　his　ass；　at　whose　feet　was　another　label　that
said；　〃Sancho　Zancas；〃　and　according　to　the　picture；　he　must　have
had　a　big　belly；　a　short　body；　and　long　shanks；　for　which　reason；　no
doubt；　the　names　of　Panza　and　Zancas　were　given　him；　for　by　these
two　surnames　the　history　several　times　calls　him。　Some　other
trifling　particulars　might　be　mentioned；　but　they　are　all　of　slight
importance　and　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　true　relation　of　the
history；　and　no　history　can　be　bad　so　long　as　it　is　true。
　　If　against　the　present　one　any　objection　be　raised　on　the　score　of
its　truth；　it　can　only　be　that　its　author　was　an　Arab；　as　lying　is　a
very　common　propensity　with　those　of　that　nation；　though；　as　they
are　such　enemies　of　ours；　it　is　conceivable　that　there　were
omissions　rather　than　additions　made　in　the　course　of　it。　And　this
is　my　own　opinion；　for；　where　he　could　and　should　give　freedom　to
his　pen　in　praise　of　so　worthy　a　knight；　he　seems　to　me　deliberately
to　pass　it　over　in　silence；　which　is　ill　done　and　worse　contrived；　for
it　is　the　business　and　duty　of　historians　to　be　exact；　truthful；　and
wholly　free　from　passion；　and　neither　interest　nor　fear；　hatred　nor
love；　should　make　them　swerve　from　the　path　of　truth；　whose　mother
is　history；　rival　of　time；　storehouse　of　deeds；　witness　for　the
past；　example　and　counsel　for　the　present；　and　warning　for　the　future。
In　this　I　know　will　be　found　all　that　can　be　desired　in　the
pleasantest；　and　if　it　be　wanting　in　any　good　quality；　I　maintain　it
is　the　fault　of　its　hound　of　an　author　and　not　the　fault　of　the
subject。　To　be　brief；　its　Second　Part；　according　to　the　translation；
began　in　this　way：
　　With　trenchant　swords　upraised　and　poised　on　high；　it　seemed　as
though　the　two　valiant　and　wrathful　combatants　stood　threatening
heaven；　and　earth；　and　hell；　with　such　resolution　and　determination
did　they　bear　themselves。　The　fiery　Biscayan　was　the　first　to　strike　a
blow；　which　was　delivered　with　such　force　and　fury　that　had　not　the
sword　turned　in　its　course；　that　single　stroke　would　have　sufficed
to　put　an　end　to　the　bitter　struggle　and　to　all　the　adventures　of
our　knight；　but　that　good　fortune　which　reserved　him　for　greater
things；　turned　aside　the　sword　of　his　adversary；　so　that　although　it
smote　him　upon　the　left　shoulder；　it　did　him　no　more　harm　than　to
strip　all　that　side　of　its　armour；　carrying　away　a　great　part　of　his
helmet　with　half　of　his　ear；　all　which　with　fearful　ruin　fell　to　the
ground；　leaving　him　in　a　sorry　plight。
　　Good　God！　Who　is　there　that　could　properly　describe　the　rage　that
filled　the　heart　of　our　Manchegan　when　he　saw　himself　dealt　with　in
this　fashion？　All　that　can　be　said　is；　it　was　such　that　he　again
raised　himself　in　his　stirrups；　and；　grasping　his　sword　more　firmly
with　both　hands；　he　came　down　on　the　Biscayan　with　such　fury；
smiting　him　full　over　the　cushion　and　over　the　head；　that…　even　so
good　a　shield　proving　useless…　as　if　a　mountain　had　fallen　on　him；
he　began　to　bleed　from　nose；　mouth；　and　ears；　reeling　as　if　about　to
fall　backwards　from　his　mule；　as　no　doubt　he　would　have　done　had　he
not　flung　his　arms　about　its　neck；　at　the　same　time；　however；　he
slipped　his　feet　out　of　the　stirrups　and　then　unclasped　his　arms；
and　the　mule；　taking　fright　at　the　terrible　blow；　made　off　across
the　plain；　and　with　a　few　plunges　flung　its　master　to　the　ground。
Don　Quixote　stood　looking　on　very　calmly；　and；　when　he　saw　him　fall；
leaped　from　his　horse　and　with　great　briskness　ran　to　him；　and；
presenting　the　point　of　his　sword　to　his　eyes；　bade　him　surrender；
or　he　would　cut　his　head　off。　The　Biscayan　was　so　bewildered　that　he
was　unable　to　answer　a　word；　and　it　would　have　gone　hard　with　him；
so　blind　was　Don　Quixote；　had　not　the　ladies　in　the　coach；　who　had
hitherto　been　watching　the　combat　in　great　terror；　hastened　to　where
he　stood　and　implored　him　with　earnest　entreaties　to　grant　them　the
great　grace　and　favour　of　sparing　their　squire's　life；　to　which　Don
Quixote　replied　with　much　gravity　and　dignity；　〃In　truth；　fair　ladies；
I　am　well　content　to　do　what　ye　ask　of　me；　but　it　must　be　on　one
condition　and　understanding；　which　is　that　this　knight　promise　me　to
go　to　the　village　of　El　Toboso；　and　on　my　behalf　present　himself
before　the　peerless　lady　Dulcinea；　that　she　deal　with　him　as　shall
be　most　pleasing　to　her。〃
　　The　terrified　and　disconsolate　ladies；　without　discussing　Don
Quixote's　demand　or　asking　who　Dulcinea　might　be；　promised　that
their　squire　should　do　all　that　had　been　commanded。
　　〃Then；　on　the　faith　of　that　promise；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　shall
do　him　no　further　harm；　though　he　well　deserves　it　of　me。〃

　　CHAPTER　X
　　OF　THE　PLEASANT　DISCOURSE　THAT　PASSED　BETWEEN　DON　QUIXOTE　AND　HIS
SQUIRE　SANCHO　PANZA

　　NOW　by　this　time　Sancho　had　risen；　rather　the　worse　for　the　handling
of　the　friars'　muleteers；　and　stood　watching　the　battle　of　his　master；
Don　Quixote；　and　praying　to　God　in　his　heart　that　it　might　be　his　will
to　grant　him　the　victory；　and　that　he　might　thereby　win　some　island　to
make　him　governor　of；　as　he　had　promised。　Seeing；　therefore；　that
the　struggle　was　now　over；　and　that　his　master　was　returning　to
mount　Rocinante；　he　approached　to　hold　the　stirrup　for　him；　and；
before　he　could　mount；　he　went　on　his　knees　before　him；　and　taking　his
hand；　kissed　it　saying；　〃May　it　please　your　worship；　Senor　Don
Quixote；　to　give　me　the　government　of　that　island　which　has　been　won
in　this　hard　fight；　for　be　it　ever　so　big　I　feel　myself　in
sufficient　force　to　be　able　to　govern　it　as　much　and　as　well　as　anyone
in　the　world　who　has　ever　governed　islands。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Thou　must　take　notice；　brother
Sancho；　that　this　adventure　and　those　like　it　are　not　adventures　of
islands；　but　of　cross…roads；　in　which　nothing　is　got　except　a　broken
head　or　an　ear　the　less：　have　patience；　for　adventures　will　present
themselves　from　which　I　may　make　you；　not　only　a　governor；　but
something　more。〃
　　Sancho　gave　him　many　thanks；　and　again　kissing　his　hand　and　the
skirt　of　his　hauberk；　helped　him　to　mount　Rocinante；　and　mounting
his　ass　himself；　proceeded　to　follow　his　master；　who　at　a　brisk
pace；　without　taking　leave；　or　saying　anything　further　to　the　ladies
belonging　to　the　coach；　turned　into　a　wood　that　was　hard　by。　Sancho
followed　him　at　his　ass's　best　trot；　but　Rocinante　stepped　out　so
that；　seeing　himself　left　behind；　he　was　forced　to　call　to　his
master　to　wait　for　him。　Don　Quixote　did　so；　reining　in　Rocinante　until
his　weary　squire　came　up；　who　on　reaching　him　said；　〃It　seems　to　me；
senor；　it　would　be　prudent　in　us　to　go　and　take　refuge　in　some　church；
for；　seeing　how　mauled　he　with　whom　you　fought　has　been　left；　it
will　be　no　wonder　if　they　give　information　of　the　affair　to　the　Holy
Brotherhood　and　arrest　us；　and；　faith；　if　they　do；　before　we　come
out　of　gaol　we　shall　have　to　sweat　for　it。〃
　　〃Peace；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃where　hast　thou　ever　seen　or　heard
that　a　knight…errant　has　been　arraigned　before　a　court　of　justice；
however　many　homicides　he　may　have　committed？〃
　　〃I　know　nothing　about　omecils；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃nor　in　my　life
have　had　anything　to　do　with　one；　I　only　know　that　the　Holy
Brotherhood　looks　after　those　who　fight　in　the　fields；　and　in　that
other　matter　I　do　not　meddle。〃
　　〃Then　thou　needst　have　no　uneasiness；　my　friend；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　I　will　deliver　thee　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Chaldeans；
much　more　out　of　those　of　the　Brotherhood。　But　tell　me；　as　thou
livest；　hast　thou　seen　a　more　valiant　knight　than　I　in　all　the　known
world；　hast　thou　read　in　history　of　any　who　has　or　had　higher　mettle
in　attack；　more　spirit　in　maintaining　it；　more　dexterity　in　wounding
or　skill　in　overthrowing？〃
　　〃The　truth　is；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃that　I　have　never　read　any
history；　for　I　can　neither　read　nor　write；　b