don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第143节

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ill…matched　as　to　arms；　and　did　not　think　it　prudent　to　come　to
blows　with　a　madman；　for　such　Don　Quixote　now　showed　himself　to　be
in　every　respect；　and　the　latter；　renewing　his　commands　to　the
keeper　and　repeating　his　threats；　gave　warning　to　the　gentleman　to
spur　his　mare；　Sancho　his　Dapple；　and　the　carter　his　mules；　all
striving　to　get　away　from　the　cart　as　far　as　they　could　before　the
lions　broke　loose。　Sancho　was　weeping　over　his　master's　death；　for
this　time　he　firmly　believed　it　was　in　store　for　him　from　the　claws　of
the　lions；　and　he　cursed　his　fate　and　called　it　an　unlucky　hour　when
he　thought　of　taking　service　with　him　again；　but　with　all　his　tears
and　lamentations　he　did　not　forget　to　thrash　Dapple　so　as　to　put　a
good　space　between　himself　and　the　cart。　The　keeper；　seeing　that　the
fugitives　were　now　some　distance　off；　once　more　entreated　and　warned
him　as　before；　but　he　replied　that　he　heard　him；　and　that　he　need
not　trouble　himself　with　any　further　warnings　or　entreaties；　as　they
would　be　fruitless；　and　bade　him　make　haste。
　　During　the　delay　that　occurred　while　the　keeper　was　opening　the
first　cage；　Don　Quixote　was　considering　whether　it　would　not　be　well
to　do　battle　on　foot；　instead　of　on　horseback；　and　finally　resolved　to
fight　on　foot；　fearing　that　Rocinante　might　take　fright　at　the　sight
of　the　lions；　he　therefore　sprang　off　his　horse；　flung　his　lance
aside；　braced　his　buckler　on　his　arm；　and　drawing　his　sword；
advanced　slowly　with　marvellous　intrepidity　and　resolute　courage；　to
plant　himself　in　front　of　the　cart；　commending　himself　with　all　his
heart　to　God　and　to　his　lady　Dulcinea。
　　It　is　to　be　observed；　that　on　coming　to　this　passage；　the　author
of　this　veracious　history　breaks　out　into　exclamations。　〃O　doughty　Don
Quixote！　high…mettled　past　extolling！　Mirror；　wherein　all　the　heroes
of　the　world　may　see　themselves！　Second　modern　Don　Manuel　de　Leon；
once　the　glory　and　honour　of　Spanish　knighthood！　In　what　words　shall　I
describe　this　dread　exploit；　by　what　language　shall　I　make　it　credible
to　ages　to　come；　what　eulogies　are　there　unmeet　for　thee；　though
they　be　hyperboles　piled　on　hyperboles！　On　foot；　alone；　undaunted；
high…souled；　with　but　a　simple　sword；　and　that　no　trenchant　blade　of
the　Perrillo　brand；　a　shield；　but　no　bright　polished　steel　one；
there　stoodst　thou；　biding　and　awaiting　the　two　fiercest　lions　that
Africa's　forests　ever　bred！　Thy　own　deeds　be　thy　praise；　valiant
Manchegan；　and　here　I　leave　them　as　they　stand；　wanting　the　words
wherewith　to　glorify　them！〃
　　Here　the　author's　outburst　came　to　an　end；　and　he　proceeded　to
take　up　the　thread　of　his　story；　saying　that　the　keeper；　seeing　that
Don　Quixote　had　taken　up　his　position；　and　that　it　was　impossible
for　him　to　avoid　letting　out　the　male　without　incurring　the　enmity
of　the　fiery　and　daring　knight；　flung　open　the　doors　of　the　first
cage；　containing；　as　has　been　said；　the　lion；　which　was　now　seen　to　be
of　enormous　size；　and　grim　and　hideous　mien。　The　first　thing　he　did
was　to　turn　round　in　the　cage　in　which　he　lay；　and　protrude　his　claws；
and　stretch　himself　thoroughly；　he　next　opened　his　mouth；　and　yawned
very　leisurely；　and　with　near　two　palms'　length　of　tongue　that　he
had　thrust　forth；　he　licked　the　dust　out　of　his　eyes　and　washed　his
face；　having　done　this；　he　put　his　head　out　of　the　cage　and　looked　all
round　with　eyes　like　glowing　coals；　a　spectacle　and　demeanour　to
strike　terror　into　temerity　itself。　Don　Quixote　merely　observed　him
steadily；　longing　for　him　to　leap　from　the　cart　and　come　to　close
quarters　with　him；　when　he　hoped　to　hew　him　in　pieces。
　　So　far　did　his　unparalleled　madness　go；　but　the　noble　lion；　more
courteous　than　arrogant；　not　troubling　himself　about　silly　bravado；
after　having　looked　all　round；　as　has　been　said；　turned　about　and
presented　his　hind…quarters　to　Don　Quixote；　and　very　coolly　and
tranquilly　lay　down　again　in　the　cage。　Seeing　this；　Don　Quixote
ordered　the　keeper　to　take　a　stick　to　him　and　provoke　him　to　make
him　come　out。
　　〃That　I　won't；〃　said　the　keeper；　〃for　if　I　anger　him；　the　first
he'll　tear　in　pieces　will　be　myself。　Be　satisfied；　sir　knight；　with
what　you　have　done；　which　leaves　nothing　more　to　be　said　on　the
score　of　courage；　and　do　not　seek　to　tempt　fortune　a　second　time。
The　lion　has　the　door　open；　he　is　free　to　come　out　or　not　to　come　out；
but　as　he　has　not　come　out　so　far；　he　will　not　come　out　to…day。　Your
worship's　great　courage　has　been　fully　manifested　already；　no　brave
champion；　so　it　strikes　me；　is　bound　to　do　more　than　challenge　his
enemy　and　wait　for　him　on　the　field；　if　his　adversary　does　not　come；
on　him　lies　the　disgrace；　and　he　who　waits　for　him　carries　off　the
crown　of　victory。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃close　the　door；　my　friend；　and
let　me　have；　in　the　best　form　thou　canst；　what　thou　hast　seen　me　do；
by　way　of　certificate；　to　wit；　that　thou　didst　open　for　the　lion；　that
I　waited　for　him；　that　he　did　not　come　out；　that　I　still　waited　for
him；　and　that　still　he　did　not　come　out；　and　lay　down　again。　I　am
not　bound　to　do　more；　enchantments　avaunt；　and　God　uphold　the　right；
the　truth；　and　true　chivalry！　Close　the　door　as　I　bade　thee；　while　I
make　signals　to　the　fugitives　that　have　left　us；　that　they　may　learn
this　exploit　from　thy　lips。〃
　　The　keeper　obeyed；　and　Don　Quixote；　fixing　on　the　point　of　his　lance
the　cloth　he　had　wiped　his　face　with　after　the　deluge　of　curds；
proceeded　to　recall　the　others；　who　still　continued　to　fly；　looking
back　at　every　step；　all　in　a　body；　the　gentleman　bringing　up　the　rear。
Sancho；　however；　happening　to　observe　the　signal　of　the　white　cloth；
exclaimed；　〃May　I　die；　if　my　master　has　not　overcome　the　wild
beasts；　for　he　is　calling　to　us。〃
　　They　all　stopped；　and　perceived　that　it　was　Don　Quixote　who　was
making　signals；　and　shaking　off　their　fears　to　some　extent；　they
approached　slowly　until　they　were　near　enough　to　hear　distinctly　Don
Quixote's　voice　calling　to　them。　They　returned　at　length　to　the
cart；　and　as　they　came　up；　Don　Quixote　said　to　the　carter；　〃Put　your
mules　to　once　more；　brother；　and　continue　your　journey；　and　do　thou；
Sancho；　give　him　two　gold　crowns　for　himself　and　the　keeper；　to
compensate　for　the　delay　they　have　incurred　through　me。〃
　　〃That　will　I　give　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　what　has
become　of　the　lions？　Are　they　dead　or　alive？〃
　　The　keeper；　then；　in　full　detail；　and　bit　by　bit；　described　the
end　of　the　contest；　exalting　to　the　best　of　his　power　and　ability
the　valour　of　Don　Quixote；　at　the　sight　of　whom　the　lion　quailed；
and　would　not　and　dared　not　come　out　of　the　cage；　although　he　had　held
the　door　open　ever　so　long；　and　showing　how；　in　consequence　of　his
having　represented　to　the　knight　that　it　was　tempting　God　to　provoke
the　lion　in　order　to　force　him　out；　which　he　wished　to　have　done；　he
very　reluctantly；　and　altogether　against　his　will；　had　allowed　the
door　to　be　closed。
　　〃What　dost　thou　think　of　this；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Are　there
any　enchantments　that　can　prevail　against　true　valour？　The
enchanters　may　be　able　to　rob　me　of　good　fortune；　but　of　fortitude　and
courage　they　cannot。〃
　　Sancho　paid　the　crowns；　the　carter　put　to；　the　keeper　kissed　Don
Quixote's　hands　for　the　bounty　bestowed　upon　him；　and　promised　to　give
an　account　of　the　valiant　exploit　to　the　King　himself；　as　soon　as　he
saw　him　at　court。
　　〃Then；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃if　his　Majesty　should　happen　to　ask　who
performed　it；　you　must　say　THE　KNIGHT　OF　THE　LIONS；　for　it　is　my
desire　that　into　this　the　name　I　have　hitherto　borne　of　Knight　of
the　Rueful　Countenance　be　from　this　time　forward　changed；　altered；
transformed；　and　turned；　and　in　this　I　follow　the　ancient　usage　of
knights…errant；　who　changed　their　names　when　they　pleased；　or　when
it　suited　their　purpose。〃
　　The　cart　went　its　way；　and　Don　Quixote；　Sancho；　and　he　of　the
green　gaban　went　theirs。　All　this　time；　Don　Diego　de　Miranda　had　not
spoken　a　word；　being　entirely　taken　up　with　observing　and　noting　all
that　Don　Quixote　did　and　said；　and　the　opinion　he　formed　was　that　he
was　a　man　of　brains　gone　mad；　and　a　madman　on　the　verge　of
rationality。　The　first　part　of　his　history　had　not　yet　reached　him；
for；　had　he　read　it；　the　amazement　with　which　his　words　and　deeds
filled　him　would　have　vanished；　as　he　would　then　have　understood　the
nature　of　his　madness；　but　knowing　nothing　of　it；　he　took　him　to　be
rational　one　moment；　and　crazy　the　next；　for　what　he　said　was
sensible；　elegant；　and　well　expressed；　and　what　he　did；　absurd；
rash；　and　foolish；　and　said　he　to　himself；　〃What　could　be　madder
than　putting　on　a　helmet　full　of　curds；　and　then　persuading　oneself
that　enchanters　are　softening　one's　skull；　or　what　could　be　greater
rashness　and　folly　than　wanting　to　fight　lions　tooth　and　nail？〃
　　Don　Quixote　roused　him　from　these　reflections　and　this　soliloquy
by　saying；　〃No　doubt；　Senor　Don　Diego　de　Miranda；　you　set　me　down　in
your　mind　as　a　fool　and　a　madman；　and　it　would　be　no　wonder　if　you
did；　for　my　deeds　do　not　argue　anything　else。　But　for　all　that；　I
would　have　you　take　notice　that　I　am　neither　so　mad　nor　so　foolish
as　I　must　have　seemed　to　you。　A　gallant　knight