don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第159节

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would　be　of　no　consequence；　for　to　oblige　Senor　Don　Quixote；　here
present；　I　would　give　up　all　the　profits　in　the　world。　And　now；
because　I　have　promised　it；　and　to　afford　him　pleasure；　I　will　set
up　my　show　and　offer　entertainment　to　all　who　are　in　the　inn；
without　any　charge　whatever。〃　As　soon　as　he　heard　this；　the
landlord；　delighted　beyond　measure；　pointed　out　a　place　where　the　show
might　be　fixed；　which　was　done　at　once。
　　Don　Quixote　was　not　very　well　satisfied　with　the　divinations　of
the　ape；　as　he　did　not　think　it　proper　that　an　ape　should　divine
anything；　either　past　or　future；　so　while　Master　Pedro　was　arranging
the　show；　he　retired　with　Sancho　into　a　corner　of　the　stable；　where；
without　being　overheard　by　anyone；　he　said　to　him；　〃Look　here；　Sancho；
I　have　been　seriously　thinking　over　this　ape's　extraordinary　gift；　and
have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　beyond　doubt　this　Master　Pedro；　his
master；　has　a　pact；　tacit　or　express；　with　the　devil。〃
　　〃If　the　packet　is　express　from　the　devil；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　must
be　a　very　dirty　packet　no　doubt；　but　what　good　can　it　do　Master
Pedro　to　have　such　packets？〃
　　〃Thou　dost　not　understand　me；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　only
mean　he　must　have　made　some　compact　with　the　devil　to　infuse　this
power　into　the　ape；　that　he　may　get　his　living；　and　after　he　has　grown
rich　he　will　give　him　his　soul；　which　is　what　the　enemy　of　mankind
wants；　this　I　am　led　to　believe　by　observing　that　the　ape　only　answers
about　things　past　or　present；　and　the　devil's　knowledge　extends　no
further；　for　the　future　he　knows　only　by　guesswork；　and　that　not
always；　for　it　is　reserved　for　God　alone　to　know　the　times　and　the
seasons；　and　for　him　there　is　neither　past　nor　future；　all　is　present。
This　being　as　it　is；　it　is　clear　that　this　ape　speaks　by　the　spirit　of
the　devil；　and　I　am　astonished　they　have　not　denounced　him　to　the　Holy
Office；　and　put　him　to　the　question；　and　forced　it　out　of　him　by　whose
virtue　it　is　that　he　divines；　because　it　is　certain　this　ape　is　not　an
astrologer；　neither　his　master　nor　he　sets　up；　or　knows　how　to　set　up；
those　figures　they　call　judiciary；　which　are　now　so　common　in　Spain
that　there　is　not　a　jade；　or　page；　or　old　cobbler；　that　will　not
undertake　to　set　up　a　figure　as　readily　as　pick　up　a　knave　of　cards
from　the　ground；　bringing　to　nought　the　marvellous　truth　of　the
science　by　their　lies　and　ignorance。　I　know　of　a　lady　who　asked　one　of
these　figure　schemers　whether　her　little　lap…dog　would　be　in　pup　and
would　breed；　and　how　many　and　of　what　colour　the　little　pups　would　be。
To　which　senor　astrologer；　after　having　set　up　his　figure；　made　answer
that　the　bitch　would　be　in　pup；　and　would　drop　three　pups；　one
green；　another　bright　red；　and　the　third　parti…coloured；　provided
she　conceived　between　eleven　and　twelve　either　of　the　day　or　night；
and　on　a　Monday　or　Saturday；　but　as　things　turned　out；　two　days
after　this　the　bitch　died　of　a　surfeit；　and　senor　planet…ruler　had　the
credit　all　over　the　place　of　being　a　most　profound　astrologer；　as　most
of　these　planet…rulers　have。〃
　　〃Still；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　would　be　glad　if　your　worship　would　make
Master　Pedro　ask　his　ape　whether　what　happened　your　worship　in　the
cave　of　Montesinos　is　true；　for；　begging　your　worship's　pardon；　I；　for
my　part；　take　it　to　have　been　all　flam　and　lies；　or　at　any　rate
something　you　dreamt。〃
　　〃That　may　be；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃however；　I　will　do　what　you
suggest；　though　I　have　my　own　scruples　about　it。〃
　　At　this　point　Master　Pedro　came　up　in　quest　of　Don　Quixote；　to
tell　him　the　show　was　now　ready　and　to　come　and　see　it；　for　it　was
worth　seeing。　Don　Quixote　explained　his　wish；　and　begged　him　to　ask
his　ape　at　once　to　tell　him　whether　certain　things　which　had
happened　to　him　in　the　cave　of　Montesinos　were　dreams　or　realities；
for　to　him　they　appeared　to　partake　of　both。　Upon　this　Master　Pedro；
without　answering；　went　back　to　fetch　the　ape；　and；　having　placed　it
in　front　of　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho；　said：　〃See　here；　senor　ape；　this
gentleman　wishes　to　know　whether　certain　things　which　happened　to
him　in　the　cave　called　the　cave　of　Montesinos　were　false　or　true。〃
On　his　making　the　usual　sign　the　ape　mounted　on　his　left　shoulder
and　seemed　to　whisper　in　his　ear；　and　Master　Pedro　said　at　once；
〃The　ape　says　that　the　things　you　saw　or　that　happened　to　you　in
that　cave　are；　part　of　them　false；　part　true；　and　that　he　only　knows
this　and　no　more　as　regards　this　question；　but　if　your　worship
wishes　to　know　more；　on　Friday　next　he　will　answer　all　that　may　be
asked　him；　for　his　virtue　is　at　present　exhausted；　and　will　not　return
to　him　till　Friday；　as　he　has　said。〃
　　〃Did　I　not　say；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　I　could　not　bring
myself　to　believe　that　all　your　worship　said　about　the　adventures　in
the　cave　was　true；　or　even　the　half　of　it？〃
　　〃The　course　of　events　will　tell；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；
〃time；　that　discloses　all　things；　leaves　nothing　that　it　does　not　drag
into　the　light　of　day；　though　it　be　buried　in　the　bosom　of　the
earth。　But　enough　of　that　for　the　present；　let　us　go　and　see　Master
Pedro's　show；　for　I　am　sure　there　must　be　something　novel　in　it。〃
　　〃Something！〃　said　Master　Pedro；　〃this　show　of　mine　has　sixty
thousand　novel　things　in　it；　let　me　tell　you；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　it　is
one　of　the　best…worth…seeing　things　in　the　world　this　day；　but
operibus　credite　et　non　verbis；　and　now　let's　get　to　work；　for　it　is
growing　late；　and　we　have　a　great　deal　to　do　and　to　say　and　show。〃
　　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　obeyed　him　and　went　to　where　the　show　was
already　put　up　and　uncovered；　set　all　around　with　lighted　wax　tapers
which　made　it　look　splendid　and　bright。　When　they　came　to　it　Master
Pedro　ensconced　himself　inside　it；　for　it　was　he　who　had　to　work　the
puppets；　and　a　boy；　a　servant　of　his；　posted　himself　outside　to　act　as
showman　and　explain　the　mysteries　of　the　exhibition；　having　a　wand
in　his　hand　to　point　to　the　figures　as　they　came　out。　And　so；　all
who　were　in　the　inn　being　arranged　in　front　of　the　show；　some　of
them　standing；　and　Don　Quixote；　Sancho；　the　page；　and　cousin；
accommodated　with　the　best　places；　the　interpreter　began　to　say　what
he　will　hear　or　see　who　reads　or　hears　the　next　chapter。
　　

CHAPTER　XXVI
　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTINUED　THE　DROLL　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　PUPPET…SHOWMAN；
TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　THINGS　IN　TRUTH　RIGHT　GOOD

　　ALL　were　silent；　Tyrians　and　Trojans；　I　mean　all　who　were　watching
the　show　were　hanging　on　the　lips　of　the　interpreter　of　its　wonders；
when　drums　and　trumpets　were　heard　to　sound　inside　it　and　cannon　to　go
off。　The　noise　was　soon　over；　and　then　the　boy　lifted　up　his　voice　and
said；　〃This　true　story　which　is　here　represented　to　your　worships　is
taken　word　for　word　from　the　French　chronicles　and　from　the　Spanish
ballads　that　are　in　everybody's　mouth；　and　in　the　mouth　of　the　boys
about　the　streets。　Its　subject　is　the　release　by　Senor　Don　Gaiferos　of
his　wife　Melisendra；　when　a　captive　in　Spain　at　the　hands　of　the　Moors
in　the　city　of　Sansuena；　for　so　they　called　then　what　is　now　called
Saragossa；　and　there　you　may　see　how　Don　Gaiferos　is　playing　at　the
tables；　just　as　they　sing　it…

　　　　　　　At　tables　playing　Don　Gaiferos　sits；
　　　　　　　For　Melisendra　is　forgotten　now。

And　that　personage　who　appears　there　with　a　crown　on　his　head　and　a
sceptre　in　his　hand　is　the　Emperor　Charlemagne；　the　supposed　father　of
Melisendra；　who；　angered　to　see　his　son…in…law's　inaction　and
unconcern；　comes　in　to　chide　him；　and　observe　with　what　vehemence
and　energy　he　chides　him；　so　that　you　would　fancy　he　was　going　to　give
him　half　a　dozen　raps　with　his　sceptre；　and　indeed　there　are　authors
who　say　he　did　give　them；　and　sound　ones　too；　and　after　having　said
a　great　deal　to　him　about　imperilling　his　honour　by　not　effecting
the　release　of　his　wife；　he　said；　so　the　tale　runs；

　　　　　　　Enough　I've　said；　see　to　it　now。

Observe；　too；　how　the　emperor　turns　away；　and　leaves　Don　Gaiferos
fuming；　and　you　see　now　how　in　a　burst　of　anger；　he　flings　the　table
and　the　board　far　from　him　and　calls　in　haste　for　his　armour；　and　asks
his　cousin　Don　Roland　for　the　loan　of　his　sword；　Durindana；　and　how
Don　Roland　refuses　to　lend　it；　offering　him　his　company　in　the
difficult　enterprise　he　is　undertaking；　but　he；　in　his　valour　and
anger；　will　not　accept　it；　and　says　that　he　alone　will　suffice　to
rescue　his　wife；　even　though　she　were　imprisoned　deep　in　the　centre　of
the　earth；　and　with　this　he　retires　to　arm　himself　and　set　out　on
his　journey　at　once。　Now　let　your　worships　turn　your　eyes　to　that
tower　that　appears　there；　which　is　supposed　to　be　one　of　the　towers　of
the　alcazar　of　Saragossa；　now　called　the　Aljaferia；　that　lady　who
appears　on　that　balcony　dressed　in　Moorish　fashion　is　the　peerless
Melisendra；　for　many　a　time　she　used　to　gaze　from　thence　upon　the　road
to　France；　and　seek　consolation　in　her　captivity　by　thinking　of
Paris　and　her　husband。　Observe；　too；　a　new　incident　which　now
occurs；　such　as；　perhaps；　never　was　seen。　Do　you　not　see　that　Moor；
who　silently　and　stealthily；　with　his　finger　on　his　lip；　approaches
Melisendra　from　behind？　Observe　now　how　he　prints　a　kiss　upon　her
lips；　and　what　a　hur