don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第157节

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good　pension。　But　I；　to　my　misfortune；　always　served　place…hunters　and
adventurers；　whose　keep　and　wages　were　so　miserable　and　scanty　that
half　went　in　paying　for　the　starching　of　one's　collars；　it　would　be
a　miracle　indeed　if　a　page　volunteer　ever　got　anything　like　a
reasonable　bounty。〃
　　〃And　tell　me；　for　heaven's　sake；〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃is　it
possible；　my　friend；　that　all　the　time　you　served　you　never　got　any
livery？〃
　　〃They　gave　me　two；〃　replied　the　page；　〃but　just　as　when　one　quits
a　religious　community　before　making　profession；　they　strip　him　of
the　dress　of　the　order　and　give　him　back　his　own　clothes；　so　did　my
masters　return　me　mine；　for　as　soon　as　the　business　on　which　they　came
to　court　was　finished；　they　went　home　and　took　back　the　liveries
they　had　given　merely　for　show。〃
　　〃What　spilorceria！…　as　an　Italian　would　say；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but
for　all　that；　consider　yourself　happy　in　having　left　court　with　as
worthy　an　object　as　you　have；　for　there　is　nothing　on　earth　more
honourable　or　profitable　than　serving；　first　of　all　God；　and　then
one's　king　and　natural　lord；　particularly　in　the　profession　of　arms；
by　which；　if　not　more　wealth；　at　least　more　honour　is　to　be　won　than
by　letters；　as　I　have　said　many　a　time；　for　though　letters　may　have
founded　more　great　houses　than　arms；　still　those　founded　by　arms
have　I　know　not　what　superiority　over　those　founded　by　letters；　and
a　certain　splendour　belonging　to　them　that　distinguishes　them　above
all。　And　bear　in　mind　what　I　am　now　about　to　say　to　you；　for　it　will
be　of　great　use　and　comfort　to　you　in　time　of　trouble；　it　is；　not　to
let　your　mind　dwell　on　the　adverse　chances　that　may　befall　you；　for
the　worst　of　all　is　death；　and　if　it　be　a　good　death；　the　best　of
all　is　to　die。　They　asked　Julius　Caesar；　the　valiant　Roman　emperor；
what　was　the　best　death。　He　answered；　that　which　is　unexpected；
which　comes　suddenly　and　unforeseen；　and　though　he　answered　like　a
pagan；　and　one　without　the　knowledge　of　the　true　God；　yet；　as　far　as
sparing　our　feelings　is　concerned；　he　was　right；　for　suppose　you　are
killed　in　the　first　engagement　or　skirmish；　whether　by　a　cannon　ball
or　blown　up　by　mine；　what　matters　it？　It　is　only　dying；　and　all　is
over；　and　according　to　Terence；　a　soldier　shows　better　dead　in　battle；
than　alive　and　safe　in　flight；　and　the　good　soldier　wins　fame　in
proportion　as　he　is　obedient　to　his　captains　and　those　in　command　over
him。　And　remember；　my　son；　that　it　is　better　for　the　soldier　to
smell　of　gunpowder　than　of　civet；　and　that　if　old　age　should　come　upon
you　in　this　honourable　calling；　though　you　may　be　covered　with
wounds　and　crippled　and　lame；　it　will　not　come　upon　you　without
honour；　and　that　such　as　poverty　cannot　lessen；　especially　now　that
provisions　are　being　made　for　supporting　and　relieving　old　and
disabled　soldiers；　for　it　is　not　right　to　deal　with　them　after　the
fashion　of　those　who　set　free　and　get　rid　of　their　black　slaves　when
they　are　old　and　useless；　and；　turning　them　out　of　their　houses
under　the　pretence　of　making　them　free；　make　them　slaves　to　hunger；
from　which　they　cannot　expect　to　be　released　except　by　death。　But
for　the　present　I　won't　say　more　than　get　ye　up　behind　me　on　my
horse　as　far　as　the　inn；　and　sup　with　me　there；　and　to…morrow　you
shall　pursue　your　journey；　and　God　give　you　as　good　speed　as　your
intentions　deserve。〃
　　The　page　did　not　accept　the　invitation　to　mount；　though　he　did
that　to　supper　at　the　inn；　and　here　they　say　Sancho　said　to　himself；
〃God　be　with　you　for　a　master；　is　it　possible　that　a　man　who　can　say
things　so　many　and　so　good　as　he　has　said　just　now；　can　say　that　he
saw　the　impossible　absurdities　he　reports　about　the　cave　of
Montesinos？　Well；　well；　we　shall　see。〃
　　And　now；　just　as　night　was　falling；　they　reached　the　inn；　and　it　was
not　without　satisfaction　that　Sancho　perceived　his　master　took　it
for　a　real　inn；　and　not　for　a　castle　as　usual。　The　instant　they
entered　Don　Quixote　asked　the　landlord　after　the　man　with　the　lances
and　halberds；　and　was　told　that　he　was　in　the　stable　seeing　to　his
mule；　which　was　what　Sancho　and　the　cousin　proceeded　to　do　for　their
beasts；　giving　the　best　manger　and　the　best　place　in　the　stable　to
Rocinante。

　　CHAPTER　XXV
　　WHEREIN　IS　SET　DOWN　THE　BRAYING　ADVENTURE；　AND　THE　DROLL　ONE　OF
THE　PUPPET…SHOWMAN；　TOGETHER　WITH　THE　MEMORABLE　DIVINATIONS　OF　THE
DIVINING　APE

　　DON　QUIXOTE'S　bread　would　not　bake；　as　the　common　saying　is；　until
he　had　heard　and　learned　the　curious　things　promised　by　the　man　who
carried　the　arms。　He　went　to　seek　him　where　the　innkeeper　said　be
was　and　having　found　him；　bade　him　say　now　at　any　rate　what　he　had
to　say　in　answer　to　the　question　he　had　asked　him　on　the　road。　〃The
tale　of　my　wonders　must　be　taken　more　leisurely　and　not　standing；〃
said　the　man；　〃let　me　finish　foddering　my　beast；　good　sir；　and　then
I'll　tell　you　things　that　will　astonish　you。〃
　　〃Don't　wait　for　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I'll　help　you　in
everything；〃　and　so　he　did；　sifting　the　barley　for　him　and　cleaning
out　the　manger；　a　degree　of　humility　which　made　the　other　feel　bound
to　tell　him　with　a　good　grace　what　he　had　asked；　so　seating　himself　on
a　bench；　with　Don　Quixote　beside　him；　and　the　cousin；　the　page；　Sancho
Panza；　and　the　landlord；　for　a　senate　and　an　audience；　he　began　his
story　in　this　way：
　　〃You　must　know　that　in　a　village　four　leagues　and　a　half　from　this
inn；　it　so　happened　that　one　of　the　regidors；　by　the　tricks　and
roguery　of　a　servant　girl　of　his　（it's　too　long　a　tale　to　tell）；
lost　an　ass；　and　though　he　did　all　he　possibly　could　to　find　it；　it
was　all　to　no　purpose。　A　fortnight　might　have　gone　by；　so　the　story
goes；　since　the　ass　had　been　missing；　when；　as　the　regidor　who　had
lost　it　was　standing　in　the　plaza；　another　regidor　of　the　same　town
said　to　him；　'Pay　me　for　good　news；　gossip；　your　ass　has　turned　up。'
'That　I　will；　and　well；　gossip；'　said　the　other；　'but　tell　us；　where
has　he　turned　up？'　'In　the　forest；'　said　the　finder；　'I　saw　him　this
morning　without　pack…saddle　or　harness　of　any　sort；　and　so　lean　that
it　went　to　one's　heart　to　see　him。　I　tried　to　drive　him　before　me
and　bring　him　to　you；　but　he　is　already　so　wild　and　shy　that　when　I
went　near　him　he　made　off　into　the　thickest　part　of　the　forest。　If　you
have　a　mind　that　we　two　should　go　back　and　look　for　him；　let　me　put　up
this　she…ass　at　my　house　and　I'll　be　back　at　once。'　'You　will　be　doing
me　a　great　kindness；'　said　the　owner　of　the　ass；　'and　I'll　try　to
pay　it　back　in　the　same　coin。'　It　is　with　all　these　circumstances；　and
in　the　very　same　way　I　am　telling　it　now；　that　those　who　know　all
about　the　matter　tell　the　story。　Well　then；　the　two　regidors　set　off
on　foot；　arm　in　arm；　for　the　forest；　and　coming　to　the　place　where
they　hoped　to　find　the　ass　they　could　not　find　him；　nor　was　he　to　be
seen　anywhere　about；　search　as　they　might。　Seeing；　then；　that　there
was　no　sign　of　him；　the　regidor　who　had　seen　him　said　to　the　other；
'Look　here；　gossip；　a　plan　has　occurred　to　me；　by　which；　beyond　a
doubt；　we　shall　manage　to　discover　the　animal；　even　if　he　is　stowed
away　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　not　to　say　the　forest。　Here　it　is。
I　can　bray　to　perfection；　and　if　you　can　ever　so　little；　the　thing's
as　good　as　done。'　'Ever　so　little　did　you　say；　gossip？'　said　the
other；　'by　God；　I'll　not　give　in　to　anybody；　not　even　to　the　asses
themselves。'　'We'll　soon　see；'　said　the　second　regidor；　'for　my　plan
is　that　you　should　go　one　side　of　the　forest；　and　I　the　other；　so　as
to　go　all　round　about　it；　and　every　now　and　then　you　will　bray　and　I
will　bray；　and　it　cannot　be　but　that　the　ass　will　hear　us；　and
answer　us　if　he　is　in　the　forest。'　To　which　the　owner　of　the　ass
replied；　'It's　an　excellent　plan；　I　declare；　gossip；　and　worthy　of
your　great　genius；'　and　the　two　separating　as　agreed；　it　so　fell　out
that　they　brayed　almost　at　the　same　moment；　and　each；　deceived　by
the　braying　of　the　other；　ran　to　look；　fancying　the　ass　had　turned
up　at　last。　When　they　came　in　sight　of　one　another；　said　the　loser；
'Is　it　possible；　gossip；　that　it　was　not　my　ass　that　brayed？'　'No；
it　was　I；'　said　the　other。　'Well　then；　I　can　tell　you；　gossip；'　said
the　ass's　owner；　'that　between　you　and　an　ass　there　is　not　an　atom
of　difference　as　far　as　braying　goes；　for　I　never　in　all　my　life　saw
or　heard　anything　more　natural。'　'Those　praises　and　compliments　belong
to　you　more　justly　than　to　me；　gossip；'　said　the　inventor　of　the　plan；
'for；　by　the　God　that　made　me；　you　might　give　a　couple　of　brays　odds
to　the　best　and　most　finished　brayer　in　the　world；　the　tone　you　have
got　is　deep；　your　voice　is　well　kept　up　as　to　time　and　pitch；　and　your
finishing　notes　come　thick　and　fast；　in　fact；　I　own　myself　beaten；　and
yield　the　palm　to　you；　and　give　in　to　you　in　this　rare
accomplishment。'　'Well　then；'　said　the　owner；　'I'll　set　a　higher　value
on　myself　for　the　future；　and　consider　that　I　know　something；　as　I
have　an　excellence　of　some　sort；　for　though　I　always　thought　I
brayed　well；　I　never　supposed　I　came　up　to　the　pitch　of　perfection　you
say。'　'And　I　say　too；'　said　the　second；　'that　there　are　rare　gifts
going　to　loss　in　the　world；　and　that　the