don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第158节

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going　to　loss　in　the　world；　and　that　they　are　ill　bestowed　upon
those　who　don't　know　how　to　make　use　of　them。'　'Ours；'　said　the
owner　of　the　ass；　'unless　it　is　in　cases　like　this　we　have　now　in
hand；　cannot　be　of　any　service　to　us；　and　even　in　this　God　grant
they　may　be　of　some　use。'　So　saying　they　separated；　and　took　to
their　braying　once　more；　but　every　instant　they　were　deceiving　one
another；　and　coming　to　meet　one　another　again；　until　they　arranged
by　way　of　countersign；　so　as　to　know　that　it　was　they　and　not　the　ass；
to　give　two　brays；　one　after　the　other。　In　this　way；　doubling　the
brays　at　every　step；　they　made　the　complete　circuit　of　the　forest；　but
the　lost　ass　never　gave　them　an　answer　or　even　the　sign　of　one。　How
could　the　poor　ill…starred　brute　have　answered；　when；　in　the
thickest　part　of　the　forest；　they　found　him　devoured　by　wolves？　As
soon　as　he　saw　him　his　owner　said；　'I　was　wondering　he　did　not　answer；
for　if　he　wasn't　dead　he'd　have　brayed　when　he　heard　us；　or　he'd
have　been　no　ass；　but　for　the　sake　of　having　heard　you　bray　to　such
perfection；　gossip；　I　count　the　trouble　I　have　taken　to　look　for　him
well　bestowed；　even　though　I　have　found　him　dead。'　'It's　in　a　good
hand；　gossip；'　said　the　other；　'if　the　abbot　sings　well；　the　acolyte
is　not　much　behind　him。'　So　they　returned　disconsolate　and　hoarse　to
their　village；　where　they　told　their　friends；　neighbours；　and
acquaintances　what　had　befallen　them　in　their　search　for　the　ass；　each
crying　up　the　other's　perfection　in　braying。　The　whole　story　came　to
be　known　and　spread　abroad　through　the　villages　of　the
neighbourhood；　and　the　devil；　who　never　sleeps；　with　his　love　for
sowing　dissensions　and　scattering　discord　everywhere；　blowing　mischief
about　and　making　quarrels　out　of　nothing；　contrived　to　make　the　people
of　the　other　towns　fall　to　braying　whenever　they　saw　anyone　from　our
village；　as　if　to　throw　the　braying　of　our　regidors　in　our　teeth。　Then
the　boys　took　to　it；　which　was　the　same　thing　for　it　as　getting　into
the　hands　and　mouths　of　all　the　devils　of　hell；　and　braying　spread
from　one　town　to　another　in　such　a　way　that　the　men　of　the　braying
town　are　as　easy　to　be　known　as　blacks　are　to　be　known　from　whites；
and　the　unlucky　joke　has　gone　so　far　that　several　times　the　scoffed
have　come　out　in　arms　and　in　a　body　to　do　battle　with　the　scoffers；
and　neither　king　nor　rook；　fear　nor　shame；　can　mend　matters。　To…morrow
or　the　day　after；　I　believe；　the　men　of　my　town；　that　is；　of　the
braying　town；　are　going　to　take　the　field　against　another　village
two　leagues　away　from　ours；　one　of　those　that　persecute　us　most；　and
that　we　may　turn　out　well　prepared　I　have　bought　these　lances　and
halberds　you　have　seen。　These　are　the　curious　things　I　told　you　I
had　to　tell；　and　if　you　don't　think　them　so；　I　have　got　no　others；〃
and　with　this　the　worthy　fellow　brought　his　story　to　a　close。
　　Just　at　this　moment　there　came　in　at　the　gate　of　the　inn　a　man
entirely　clad　in　chamois　leather；　hose；　breeches；　and　doublet；　who
said　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Senor　host；　have　you　room？　Here's　the
divining　ape　and　the　show　of　the　Release　of　Melisendra　just　coming。〃
　　〃Ods　body！〃　said　the　landlord；　〃why；　it's　Master　Pedro！　We're　in　for
a　grand　night！〃　I　forgot　to　mention　that　the　said　Master　Pedro　had　his
left　eye　and　nearly　half　his　cheek　covered　with　a　patch　of　green
taffety；　showing　that　something　ailed　all　that　side。　〃Your　worship
is　welcome；　Master　Pedro；〃　continued　the　landlord；　〃but　where　are
the　ape　and　the　show；　for　I　don't　see　them？〃　〃They　are　close　at　hand；〃
said　he　in　the　chamois　leather；　〃but　I　came　on　first　to　know　if
there　was　any　room。〃　〃I'd　make　the　Duke　of　Alva　himself　clear　out　to
make　room　for　Master　Pedro；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃bring　in　the　ape
and　the　show；　there's　company　in　the　inn　to…night　that　will　pay　to　see
that　and　the　cleverness　of　the　ape。〃　〃So　be　it　by　all　means；〃　said　the
man　with　the　patch；　〃I'll　lower　the　price；　and　he　well　satisfied　if
I　only　pay　my　expenses；　and　now　I'll　go　back　and　hurry　on　the　cart
with　the　ape　and　the　show；〃　and　with　this　he　went　out　of　the　inn。
　　Don　Quixote　at　once　asked　the　landlord　what　this　Master　Pedro　was；
and　what　was　the　show　and　what　was　the　ape　he　had　with　him；　which
the　landlord　replied；　〃This　is　a　famous　puppet…showman；　who　for　some
time　past　has　been　going　about　this　Mancha　de　Aragon；　exhibiting　a
show　of　the　release　of　Melisendra　by　the　famous　Don　Gaiferos；　one　of
the　best　and　best…represented　stories　that　have　been　seen　in　this　part
of　the　kingdom　for　many　a　year；　he　has　also　with　him　an　ape　with　the
most　extraordinary　gift　ever　seen　in　an　ape　or　imagined　in　a　human
being；　for　if　you　ask　him　anything；　he　listens　attentively　to　the
question；　and　then　jumps　on　his　master's　shoulder；　and　pressing
close　to　his　ear　tells　him　the　answer　which　Master　Pedro　then
delivers。　He　says　a　great　deal　more　about　things　past　than　about
things　to　come；　and　though　he　does　not　always　hit　the　truth　in　every
case；　most　times　he　is　not　far　wrong；　so　that　he　makes　us　fancy　he　has
got　the　devil　in　him。　He　gets　two　reals　for　every　question　if　the
ape　answers；　I　mean　if　his　master　answers　for　him　after　he　has
whispered　into　his　ear；　and　so　it　is　believed　that　this　same　Master
Pedro　is　very　rich。　He　is　a　'gallant　man'　as　they　say　in　Italy；　and
good　company；　and　leads　the　finest　life　in　the　world；　talks　more
than　six；　drinks　more　than　a　dozen；　and　all　by　his　tongue；　and　his
ape；　and　his　show。〃
　　Master　Pedro　now　came　back；　and　in　a　cart　followed　the　show　and
the　ape…　a　big　one；　without　a　tail　and　with　buttocks　as　bare　as
felt；　but　not　vicious…looking。　As　soon　as　Don　Quixote　saw　him；　he
asked　him；　〃Can　you　tell　me；　sir　fortune…teller；　what　fish　do　we
catch；　and　how　will　it　be　with　us？　See；　here　are　my　two　reals；〃　and　he
bade　Sancho　give　them　to　Master　Pedro；　but　he　answered　for　the　ape　and
said；　〃Senor；　this　animal　does　not　give　any　answer　or　information
touching　things　that　are　to　come；　of　things　past　he　knows　something；
and　more　or　less　of　things　present。〃
　　〃Gad；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　would　not　give　a　farthing　to　be　told　what's
past　with　me；　for　who　knows　that　better　than　I　do　myself？　And　to　pay
for　being　told　what　I　know　would　be　mighty　foolish。　But　as　you　know
things　present；　here　are　my　two　reals；　and　tell　me；　most　excellent　sir
ape；　what　is　my　wife　Teresa　Panza　doing　now；　and　what　is　she　diverting
herself　with？〃
　　Master　Pedro　refused　to　take　the　money；　saying；　〃I　will　not
receive　payment　in　advance　or　until　the　service　has　been　first
rendered；〃　and　then　with　his　right　hand　he　gave　a　couple　of　slaps　on
his　left　shoulder；　and　with　one　spring　the　ape　perched　himself　upon
it；　and　putting　his　mouth　to　his　master's　ear　began　chattering　his
teeth　rapidly；　and　having　kept　this　up　as　long　as　one　would　be
saying　a　credo；　with　another　spring　he　brought　himself　to　the
ground；　and　the　same　instant　Master　Pedro　ran　in　great　haste　and
fell　upon　his　knees　before　Don　Quixote；　and　embracing　his　legs
exclaimed；　〃These　legs　do　I　embrace　as　I　would　embrace　the　two　pillars
of　Hercules；　O　illustrious　reviver　of　knight…errantry；　so　long
consigned　to　oblivion！　O　never　yet　duly　extolled　knight；　Don　Quixote
of　La　Mancha；　courage　of　the　faint…hearted；　prop　of　the　tottering；　arm
of　the　fallen；　staff　and　counsel　of　all　who　are　unfortunate！〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　thunderstruck；　Sancho　astounded；　the　cousin
staggered；　the　page　astonished；　the　man　from　the　braying　town　agape；
the　landlord　in　perplexity；　and；　in　short；　everyone　amazed　at　the
words　of　the　puppet…showman；　who　went　on　to　say；　〃And　thou；　worthy
Sancho　Panza；　the　best　squire　and　squire　to　the　best　knight　in　the
world！　Be　of　good　cheer；　for　thy　good　wife　Teresa　is　well；　and　she
is　at　this　moment　hackling　a　pound　of　flax；　and　more　by　token　she
has　at　her　left　hand　a　jug　with　a　broken　spout　that　holds　a　good
drop　of　wine；　with　which　she　solaces　herself　at　her　work。〃
　　〃That　I　can　well　believe；〃　said　Sancho。　〃She　is　a　lucky　one；　and
if　it　was　not　for　her　jealousy　I　would　not　change　her　for　the　giantess
Andandona；　who　by　my　master's　account　was　a　very　clever　and　worthy
woman；　my　Teresa　is　one　of　those　that　won't　let　themselves　want　for
anything；　though　their　heirs　may　have　to　pay　for　it。〃
　　〃Now　I　declare；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃he　who　reads　much　and　travels
much　sees　and　knows　a　great　deal。　I　say　so　because　what　amount　of
persuasion　could　have　persuaded　me　that　there　are　apes　in　the　world
that　can　divine　as　I　have　seen　now　with　my　own　eyes？　For　I　am　that
very　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　this　worthy　animal　refers　to；　though
he　has　gone　rather　too　far　in　my　praise；　but　whatever　I　may　be；　I
thank　heaven　that　it　has　endowed　me　with　a　tender　and　compassionate
heart；　always　disposed　to　do　good　to　all　and　harm　to　none。〃
　　〃If　I　had　money；〃　said　the　page；　〃I　would　ask　senor　ape　what　will
happen　me　in　the　peregrination　I　am　making。〃
　　To　this　Master　Pedro；　who　had　by　this　time　risen　from　Don
Quixote's　feet；　replied；　〃I　have　already　said　that　this　little　beast
gives　no　answer　as　to　the　future；　but　if　he　did；　not　having　money
would　be　of　no　consequence；　for　to　oblige　Senor　Don　Quixote；　here
present；　I　would　give　up　all　the　profits　i