don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第152节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


name　merely　by　being　good；　but　by　letting　it　he　seen　that　she　is　so；
and　open　looseness　and　freedom　do　much　more　damage　to　a　woman's　honour
than　secret　depravity。　If　you　take　a　good　woman　into　your　house　it
will　he　an　easy　matter　to　keep　her　good；　and　even　to　make　her　still
better；　but　if　you　take　a　bad　one　you　will　find　it　hard　work　to　mend
her；　for　it　is　no　very　easy　matter　to　pass　from　one　extreme　to
another。　I　do　not　say　it　is　impossible；　but　I　look　upon　it　as
difficult。〃
　　Sancho；　listening　to　all　this；　said　to　himself；　〃This　master　of
mine；　when　I　say　anything　that　has　weight　and　substance；　says　I
might　take　a　pulpit　in　hand；　and　go　about　the　world　preaching　fine
sermons；　but　I　say　of　him　that；　when　he　begins　stringing　maxims
together　and　giving　advice　not　only　might　he　take　a　pulpit　in　hand；
but　two　on　each　finger；　and　go　into　the　market…places　to　his　heart's
content。　Devil　take　you　for　a　knight…errant；　what　a　lot　of　things
you　know！　I　used　to　think　in　my　heart　that　the　only　thing　he　knew
was　what　belonged　to　his　chivalry；　but　there　is　nothing　he　won't
have　a　finger　in。〃
　　Sancho　muttered　this　somewhat　aloud；　and　his　master　overheard　him；
and　asked；　〃What　art　thou　muttering　there；　Sancho？〃
　　〃I'm　not　saying　anything　or　muttering　anything；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　was
only　saying　to　myself　that　I　wish　I　had　heard　what　your　worship　has
said　just　now　before　I　married；　perhaps　I'd　say　now；　'The　ox　that's
loose　licks　himself　well。'〃
　　〃Is　thy　Teresa　so　bad　then；　Sancho？〃
　　〃She　is　not　very　bad；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　she　is　not　very　good；　at
least　she　is　not　as　good　as　I　could　wish。〃
　　〃Thou　dost　wrong；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃to　speak　ill　of　thy
wife；　for　after　all　she　is　the　mother　of　thy　children。〃　〃We　are
quits；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃for　she　speaks　ill　of　me　whenever　she
takes　it　into　her　head；　especially　when　she　is　jealous；　and　Satan
himself　could　not　put　up　with　her　then。〃
　　In　fine；　they　remained　three　days　with　the　newly　married　couple；
by　whom　they　were　entertained　and　treated　like　kings。　Don　Quixote
begged　the　fencing　licentiate　to　find　him　a　guide　to　show　him　the
way　to　the　cave　of　Montesinos；　as　he　had　a　great　desire　to　enter　it
and　see　with　his　own　eyes　if　the　wonderful　tales　that　were　told　of
it　all　over　the　country　were　true。　The　licentiate　said　he　would　get
him　a　cousin　of　his　own；　a　famous　scholar；　and　one　very　much　given
to　reading　books　of　chivalry；　who　would　have　great　pleasure　in
conducting　him　to　the　mouth　of　the　very　cave；　and　would　show　him　the
lakes　of　Ruidera；　which　were　likewise　famous　all　over　La　Mancha；　and
even　all　over　Spain；　and　he　assured　him　he　would　find　him
entertaining；　for　he　was　a　youth　who　could　write　books　good　enough
to　be　printed　and　dedicated　to　princes。　The　cousin　arrived　at　last；
leading　an　ass　in　foal；　with　a　pack…saddle　covered　with　a
parti…coloured　carpet　or　sackcloth；　Sancho　saddled　Rocinante；　got
Dapple　ready；　and　stocked　his　alforjas；　along　with　which　went　those　of
the　cousin；　likewise　well　filled；　and　so；　commending　themselves　to　God
and　bidding　farewell　to　all；　they　set　out；　taking　the　road　for　the
famous　cave　of　Montesinos。
　　On　the　way　Don　Quixote　asked　the　cousin　of　what　sort　and　character
his　pursuits；　avocations；　and　studies　were；　to　which　he　replied　that
he　was　by　profession　a　humanist；　and　that　his　pursuits　and　studies
were　making　books　for　the　press；　all　of　great　utility　and　no　less
entertainment　to　the　nation。　One　was　called　〃The　Book　of　Liveries；〃　in
which　he　described　seven　hundred　and　three　liveries；　with　their
colours；　mottoes；　and　ciphers；　from　which　gentlemen　of　the　court　might
pick　and　choose　any　they　fancied　for　festivals　and　revels；　without
having　to　go　a…begging　for　them　from　anyone；　or　puzzling　their　brains；
as　the　saying　is；　to　have　them　appropriate　to　their　objects　and
purposes；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃I　give　the　jealous；　the　rejected；　the
forgotten；　the　absent；　what　will　suit　them；　and　fit　them　without　fail。
I　have　another　book；　too；　which　I　shall　call　'Metamorphoses；　or　the
Spanish　Ovid；'　one　of　rare　and　original　invention；　for　imitating
Ovid　in　burlesque　style；　I　show　in　it　who　the　Giralda　of　Seville　and
the　Angel　of　the　Magdalena　were；　what　the　sewer　of　Vecinguerra　at
Cordova　was；　what　the　bulls　of　Guisando；　the　Sierra　Morena；　the
Leganitos　and　Lavapies　fountains　at　Madrid；　not　forgetting　those　of
the　Piojo；　of　the　Cano　Dorado；　and　of　the　Priora；　and　all　with　their
allegories；　metaphors；　and　changes；　so　that　they　are　amusing；
interesting；　and　instructive；　all　at　once。　Another　book　I　have　which　I
call　'The　Supplement　to　Polydore　Vergil；'　which　treats　of　the
invention　of　things；　and　is　a　work　of　great　erudition　and　research；
for　I　establish　and　elucidate　elegantly　some　things　of　great
importance　which　Polydore　omitted　to　mention。　He　forgot　to　tell　us　who
was　the　first　man　in　the　world　that　had　a　cold　in　his　head；　and　who
was　the　first　to　try　salivation　for　the　French　disease；　but　I　give
it　accurately　set　forth；　and　quote　more　than　five…and…twenty　authors
in　proof　of　it；　so　you　may　perceive　I　have　laboured　to　good　purpose
and　that　the　book　will　be　of　service　to　the　whole　world。〃
　　Sancho；　who　had　been　very　attentive　to　the　cousin's　words；　said　to
him；　〃Tell　me；　senor…　and　God　give　you　luck　in　printing　your　books…
can　you　tell　me　（for　of　course　you　know；　as　you　know　everything）　who
was　the　first　man　that　scratched　his　head？　For　to　my　thinking　it
must　have　been　our　father　Adam。〃
　　〃So　it　must；〃　replied　the　cousin；　〃for　there　is　no　doubt　but　Adam
had　a　head　and　hair；　and　being　the　first　man　in　the　world　he　would
have　scratched　himself　sometimes。〃
　　〃So　I　think；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　now　tell　me；　who　was　the　first
tumbler　in　the　world？〃
　　〃Really；　brother；〃　answered　the　cousin；　〃I　could　not　at　this
moment　say　positively　without　having　investigated　it；　I　will　look　it
up　when　I　go　back　to　where　I　have　my　books；　and　will　satisfy　you　the
next　time　we　meet；　for　this　will　not　be　the　last　time。〃
　　〃Look　here；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃don't　give　yourself　any　trouble
about　it；　for　I　have　just　this　minute　hit　upon　what　I　asked　you。　The
first　tumbler　in　the　world；　you　must　know；　was　Lucifer；　when　they　cast
or　pitched　him　out　of　heaven；　for　he　came　tumbling　into　the　bottomless
pit。〃
　　〃You　are　right；　friend；〃　said　the　cousin；　and　said　Don　Quixote；
〃Sancho；　that　question　and　answer　are　not　thine　own；　thou　hast　heard
them　from　some　one　else。〃
　　〃Hold　your　peace；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃faith；　if　I　take　to　asking
questions　and　answering；　I'll　go　on　from　this　till　to…morrow
morning。　Nay！　to　ask　foolish　things　and　answer　nonsense　I　needn't　go
looking　for　help　from　my　neighbours。〃
　　〃Thou　hast　said　more　than　thou　art　aware　of；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　there　are　some　who　weary　themselves　out　in　learning
and　proving　things　that；　after　they　are　known　and　proved；　are　not
worth　a　farthing　to　the　understanding　or　memory。〃
　　In　this　and　other　pleasant　conversation　the　day　went　by；　and　that
night　they　put　up　at　a　small　hamlet　whence　it　was　not　more　than　two
leagues　to　the　cave　of　Montesinos；　so　the　cousin　told　Don　Quixote；
adding；　that　if　he　was　bent　upon　entering　it；　it　would　be　requisite
for　him　to　provide　himself　with　ropes；　so　that　he　might　be　tied　and
lowered　into　its　depths。　Don　Quixote　said　that　even　if　it　reached　to
the　bottomless　pit　he　meant　to　see　where　it　went　to；　so　they　bought
about　a　hundred　fathoms　of　rope；　and　next　day　at　two　in　the
afternoon　they　arrived　at　the　cave；　the　mouth　of　which　is　spacious　and
wide；　but　full　of　thorn　and　wild…fig　bushes　and　brambles　and　briars；
so　thick　and　matted　that　they　completely　close　it　up　and　cover　it
over。
　　On　coming　within　sight　of　it　the　cousin；　Sancho；　and　Don　Quixote
dismounted；　and　the　first　two　immediately　tied　the　latter　very
firmly　with　the　ropes；　and　as　they　were　girding　and　swathing　him
Sancho　said　to　him；　〃Mind　what　you　are　about；　master　mine；　don't　go
burying　yourself　alive；　or　putting　yourself　where　you'll　be　like　a
bottle　put　to　cool　in　a　well；　it's　no　affair　or　business　of　your
worship's　to　become　the　explorer　of　this；　which　must　be　worse　than　a
Moorish　dungeon。〃
　　〃Tie　me　and　hold　thy　peace；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　an　emprise
like　this；　friend　Sancho；　was　reserved　for　me；〃　and　said　the　guide；　〃I
beg　of　you；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　to　observe　carefully　and　examine　with　a
hundred　eyes　everything　that　is　within　there；　perhaps　there　may　be
some　things　for　me　to　put　into　my　book　of　'Transformations。'〃
　　〃The　drum　is　in　hands　that　will　know　how　to　beat　it　well　enough；〃
said　Sancho　Panza。
　　When　he　had　said　this　and　finished　the　tying　（which　was　not　over　the
armour　but　only　over　the　doublet）　Don　Quixote　observed；　〃It　was
careless　of　us　not　to　have　provided　ourselves　with　a　small　cattle…bell
to　be　tied　on　the　rope　close　to　me；　the　sound　of　which　would　show　that
I　was　still　descending　and　alive；　but　as　that　is　out　of　the　question
now；　in　God's　hand　be　it　to　guide　me；〃　and　forthwith　he　fell　on　his
knees　and　in　a　low　voice　offered　up　a　prayer　to　heaven；　imploring
God　to　aid　him　and　grant　him　success　in　this　to　all　appearance
perilous　and　untried　adventure；　and　then　exclaimed　aloud；　〃O
mistress　of　my　actions　a