don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第146节

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proves　to　me　that　you　are！〃
　　For　four　days　was　Don　Quixote　most　sumptuously　entertained　in　Don
Diego's　house；　at　the　end　of　which　time　he　asked　his　permission　to
depart；　telling　him　he　thanked　him　for　the　kindness　and　hospitality　he
had　received　in　his　house；　but　that；　as　it　did　not　become
knights…errant　to　give　themselves　up　for　long　to　idleness　and
luxury；　he　was　anxious　to　fulfill　the　duties　of　his　calling　in　seeking
adventures；　of　which　he　was　informed　there　was　an　abundance　in　that
neighbourhood；　where　he　hoped　to　employ　his　time　until　the　day　came
round　for　the　jousts　at　Saragossa；　for　that　was　his　proper
destination；　and　that；　first　of　all；　he　meant　to　enter　the　cave　of
Montesinos；　of　which　so　many　marvellous　things　were　reported　all
through　the　country；　and　at　the　same　time　to　investigate　and　explore
the　origin　and　true　source　of　the　seven　lakes　commonly　called　the
lakes　of　Ruidera。
　　Don　Diego　and　his　son　commended　his　laudable　resolution；　and　bade
him　furnish　himself　with　all　he　wanted　from　their　house　and
belongings；　as　they　would　most　gladly　be　of　service　to　him；　which；
indeed；　his　personal　worth　and　his　honourable　profession　made
incumbent　upon　them。
　　The　day　of　his　departure　came　at　length；　as　welcome　to　Don　Quixote
as　it　was　sad　and　sorrowful　to　Sancho　Panza；　who　was　very　well
satisfied　with　the　abundance　of　Don　Diego's　house；　and　objected　to
return　to　the　starvation　of　the　woods　and　wilds　and　the
short…commons　of　his　ill…stocked　alforjas；　these；　however；　he　filled
and　packed　with　what　he　considered　needful。　On　taking　leave；　Don
Quixote　said　to　Don　Lorenzo；　〃I　know　not　whether　I　have　told　you
already；　but　if　I　have　I　tell　you　once　more；　that　if　you　wish　to　spare
yourself　fatigue　and　toil　in　reaching　the　inaccessible　summit　of　the
temple　of　fame；　you　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　turn　aside　out　of　the
somewhat　narrow　path　of　poetry　and　take　the　still　narrower　one　of
knight…errantry；　wide　enough；　however；　to　make　you　an　emperor　in　the
twinkling　of　an　eye。〃
　　In　this　speech　Don　Quixote　wound　up　the　evidence　of　his　madness；　but
still　better　in　what　he　added　when　he　said；　〃God　knows；　I　would　gladly
take　Don　Lorenzo　with　me　to　teach　him　how　to　spare　the　humble；　and
trample　the　proud　under　foot；　virtues　that　are　part　and　parcel　of
the　profession　I　belong　to；　but　since　his　tender　age　does　not　allow　of
it；　nor　his　praiseworthy　pursuits　permit　it；　I　will　simply　content
myself　with　impressing　it　upon　your　worship　that　you　will　become
famous　as　a　poet　if　you　are　guided　by　the　opinion　of　others　rather
than　by　your　own；　because　no　fathers　or　mothers　ever　think　their　own
children　ill…favoured；　and　this　sort　of　deception　prevails　still
more　strongly　in　the　case　of　the　children　of　the　brain。〃
　　Both　father　and　son　were　amazed　afresh　at　the　strange　medley　Don
Quixote　talked；　at　one　moment　sense；　at　another　nonsense；　and　at　the
pertinacity　and　persistence　he　displayed　in　going　through　thick　and
thin　in　quest　of　his　unlucky　adventures；　which　he　made　the　end　and　aim
of　his　desires。　There　was　a　renewal　of　offers　of　service　and
civilities；　and　then；　with　the　gracious　permission　of　the　lady　of
the　castle；　they　took　their　departure；　Don　Quixote　on　Rocinante；　and
Sancho　on　Dapple。
　　
CHAPTER　XIX
　　IN　WHICH　IS　RELATED　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　ENAMOURED　SHEPHERD；
TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　TRULY　DROLL　INCIDENTS

　　DON　QUIXOTE　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　beyond　Don　Diego's
village；　when　he　fell　in　with　a　couple　of　either　priests　or
students；　and　a　couple　of　peasants；　mounted　on　four　beasts　of　the
ass　kind。　One　of　the　students　carried；　wrapped　up　in　a　piece　of
green　buckram　by　way　of　a　portmanteau；　what　seemed　to　be　a　little
linen　and　a　couple　of　pairs　of…ribbed　stockings；　the　other　carried
nothing　but　a　pair　of　new　fencing…foils　with　buttons。　The　peasants
carried　divers　articles　that　showed　they　were　on　their　way　from　some
large　town　where　they　had　bought　them；　and　were　taking　them　home　to
their　village；　and　both　students　and　peasants　were　struck　with　the
same　amazement　that　everybody　felt　who　saw　Don　Quixote　for　the　first
time；　and　were　dying　to　know　who　this　man；　so　different　from
ordinary　men；　could　be。　Don　Quixote　saluted　them；　and　after
ascertaining　that　their　road　was　the　same　as　his；　made　them　an　offer
of　his　company；　and　begged　them　to　slacken　their　pace；　as　their
young　asses　travelled　faster　than　his　horse；　and　then；　to　gratify
them；　he　told　them　in　a　few　words　who　he　was　and　the　calling　and
profession　he　followed；　which　was　that　of　a　knight…errant　seeking
adventures　in　all　parts　of　the　world。　He　informed　them　that　his　own
name　was　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　and　that　he　was　called；　by　way　of
surname；　the　Knight　of　the　Lions。
　　All　this　was　Greek　or　gibberish　to　the　peasants；　but　not　so　to　the
students；　who　very　soon　perceived　the　crack　in　Don　Quixote's　pate；　for
all　that；　however；　they　regarded　him　with　admiration　and　respect；
and　one　of　them　said　to　him；　〃If　you；　sir　knight；　have　no　fixed
road；　as　it　is　the　way　with　those　who　seek　adventures　not　to　have　any；
let　your　worship　come　with　us；　you　will　see　one　of　the　finest　and
richest　weddings　that　up　to　this　day　have　ever　been　celebrated　in　La
Mancha；　or　for　many　a　league　round。〃
　　Don　Quixote　asked　him　if　it　was　some　prince's；　that　he　spoke　of　it
in　this　way。　〃Not　at　all；〃　said　the　student；　〃it　is　the　wedding　of　a
farmer　and　a　farmer's　daughter；　he　the　richest　in　all　this　country；
and　she　the　fairest　mortal　ever　set　eyes　on。　The　display　with　which　it
is　to　be　attended　will　be　something　rare　and　out　of　the　common；　for　it
will　be　celebrated　in　a　meadow　adjoining　the　town　of　the　bride；　who　is
called；　par　excellence；　Quiteria　the　fair；　as　the　bridegroom　is　called
Camacho　the　rich。　She　is　eighteen；　and　he　twenty…two；　and　they　are
fairly　matched；　though　some　knowing　ones；　who　have　all　the　pedigrees
in　the　world　by　heart；　will　have　it　that　the　family　of　the　fair
Quiteria　is　better　than　Camacho's；　but　no　one　minds　that　now…a…days；
for　wealth　can　solder　a　great　many　flaws。　At　any　rate；　Camacho　is
free…handed；　and　it　is　his　fancy　to　screen　the　whole　meadow　with
boughs　and　cover　it　in　overhead；　so　that　the　sun　will　have　hard　work
if　he　tries　to　get　in　to　reach　the　grass　that　covers　the　soil。　He
has　provided　dancers　too；　not　only　sword　but　also　bell…dancers；　for　in
his　own　town　there　are　those　who　ring　the　changes　and　jingle　the　bells
to　perfection；　of　shoe…dancers　I　say　nothing；　for　of　them　he　has
engaged　a　host。　But　none　of　these　things；　nor　of　the　many　others　I
have　omitted　to　mention；　will　do　more　to　make　this　a　memorable　wedding
than　the　part　which　I　suspect　the　despairing　Basilio　will　play　in
it。　This　Basilio　is　a　youth　of　the　same　village　as　Quiteria；　and　he
lived　in　the　house　next　door　to　that　of　her　parents；　of　which
circumstance　Love　took　advantage　to　reproduce　to　the　word　the
long…forgotten　loves　of　Pyramus　and　Thisbe；　for　Basilio　loved　Quiteria
from　his　earliest　years；　and　she　responded　to　his　passion　with
countless　modest　proofs　of　affection；　so　that　the　loves　of　the　two
children；　Basilio　and　Quiteria；　were　the　talk　and　the　amusement　of　the
town。　As　they　grew　up；　the　father　of　Quiteria　made　up　his　mind　to
refuse　Basilio　his　wonted　freedom　of　access　to　the　house；　and　to
relieve　himself　of　constant　doubts　and　suspicions；　he　arranged　a　match
for　his　daughter　with　the　rich　Camacho；　as　he　did　not　approve　of
marrying　her　to　Basilio；　who　had　not　so　large　a　share　of　the　gifts
of　fortune　as　of　nature；　for　if　the　truth　be　told　ungrudgingly；　he
is　the　most　agile　youth　we　know；　a　mighty　thrower　of　the　bar；　a
first…rate　wrestler；　and　a　great　ball…player；　he　runs　like　a　deer；　and
leaps　better　than　a　goat；　bowls　over　the　nine…pins　as　if　by　magic；
sings　like　a　lark；　plays　the　guitar　so　as　to　make　it　speak；　and；　above
all；　handles　a　sword　as　well　as　the　best。〃
　　〃For　that　excellence　alone；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃the　youth
deserves　to　marry；　not　merely　the　fair　Quiteria；　but　Queen　Guinevere
herself；　were　she　alive　now；　in　spite　of　Launcelot　and　all　who　would
try　to　prevent　it。〃
　　〃Say　that　to　my　wife；〃　said　Sancho；　who　had　until　now　listened　in
silence；　〃for　she　won't　hear　of　anything　but　each　one　marrying　his
equal；　holding　with　the　proverb　'each　ewe　to　her　like。'　What　I　would
like　is　that　this　good　Basilio　（for　I　am　beginning　to　take　a　fancy
to　him　already）　should　marry　this　lady　Quiteria；　and　a　blessing　and
good　luck…　I　meant　to　say　the　opposite…　on　people　who　would　prevent
those　who　love　one　another　from　marrying。〃
　　〃If　all　those　who　love　one　another　were　to　marry；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃it　would　deprive　parents　of　the　right　to　choose；　and　marry　their
children　to　the　proper　person　and　at　the　proper　time；　and　if　it　was
left　to　daughters　to　choose　husbands　as　they　pleased；　one　would　be　for
choosing　her　father's　servant；　and　another；　some　one　she　has　seen
passing　in　the　street　and　fancies　gallant　and　dashing；　though　he　may
be　a　drunken　bully；　for　love　and　fancy　easily　blind　the　eyes　of　the
judgment；　so　much　wanted　in　choosing　one's　way　of　life；　and　the
matrimonial　choice　is　very　liable　to　error；　and　it　needs　great　caution
and　the　special　favour　of　heaven　to　make　it　a　good　one