don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第160节

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Melisendra　from　behind？　Observe　now　how　he　prints　a　kiss　upon　her
lips；　and　what　a　hurry　she　is　in　to　spit；　and　wipe　them　with　the　white
sleeve　of　her　smock；　and　how　she　bewails　herself；　and　tears　her　fair
hair　as　though　it　were　to　blame　for　the　wrong。　Observe；　too；　that
the　stately　Moor　who　is　in　that　corridor　is　King　Marsilio　of　Sansuena；
who；　having　seen　the　Moor's　insolence；　at　once　orders　him　（though
his　kinsman　and　a　great　favourite　of　his）　to　be　seized　and　given　two
hundred　lashes；　while　carried　through　the　streets　of　the　city
according　to　custom；　with　criers　going　before　him　and　officers　of
justice　behind；　and　here　you　see　them　come　out　to　execute　the
sentence；　although　the　offence　has　been　scarcely　committed；　for
among　the　Moors　there　are　no　indictments　nor　remands　as　with　us。〃
　　Here　Don　Quixote　called　out；　〃Child；　child；　go　straight　on　with　your
story；　and　don't　run　into　curves　and　slants；　for　to　establish　a　fact
clearly　there　is　need　of　a　great　deal　of　proof　and　confirmation；〃
and　said　Master　Pedro　from　within；　〃Boy；　stick　to　your　text　and　do
as　the　gentleman　bids　you；　it's　the　best　plan；　keep　to　your　plain
song；　and　don't　attempt　harmonies；　for　they　are　apt　to　break　down　from
being　over　fine。〃
　　〃I　will；〃　said　the　boy；　and　he　went　on　to　say；　〃This　figure　that　you
see　here　on　horseback；　covered　with　a　Gascon　cloak；　is　Don　Gaiferos
himself；　whom　his　wife；　now　avenged　of　the　insult　of　the　amorous　Moor；
and　taking　her　stand　on　the　balcony　of　the　tower　with　a　calmer　and
more　tranquil　countenance；　has　perceived　without　recognising　him；
and　she　addresses　her　husband；　supposing　him　to　be　some　traveller；　and
holds　with　him　all　that　conversation　and　colloquy　in　the　ballad　that
runs…

　　　　　　　If　you；　sir　knight；　to　France　are　bound；
　　　　　　　Oh！　for　Gaiferos　ask…

which　I　do　not　repeat　here　because　prolixity　begets　disgust；　suffice
it　to　observe　how　Don　Gaiferos　discovers　himself；　and　that　by　her
joyful　gestures　Melisendra　shows　us　she　has　recognised　him；　and　what
is　more；　we　now　see　she　lowers　herself　from　the　balcony　to　place
herself　on　the　haunches　of　her　good　husband's　horse。　But　ah！　unhappy
lady；　the　edge　of　her　petticoat　has　caught　on　one　of　the　bars　of　the
balcony　and　she　is　left　hanging　in　the　air；　unable　to　reach　the
ground。　But　you　see　how　compassionate　heaven　sends　aid　in　our　sorest
need；　Don　Gaiferos　advances；　and　without　minding　whether　the　rich
petticoat　is　torn　or　not；　he　seizes　her　and　by　force　brings　her　to　the
ground；　and　then　with　one　jerk　places　her　on　the　haunches　of　his
horse；　astraddle　like　a　man；　and　bids　her　hold　on　tight　and　clasp
her　arms　round　his　neck；　crossing　them　on　his　breast　so　as　not　to
fall；　for　the　lady　Melisendra　was　not　used　to　that　style　of　riding。
You　see；　too；　how　the　neighing　of　the　horse　shows　his　satisfaction
with　the　gallant　and　beautiful　burden　he　bears　in　his　lord　and　lady。
You　see　how　they　wheel　round　and　quit　the　city；　and　in　joy　and
gladness　take　the　road　to　Paris。　Go　in　peace；　O　peerless　pair　of
true　lovers！　May　you　reach　your　longed…for　fatherland　in　safety；　and
may　fortune　interpose　no　impediment　to　your　prosperous　journey；　may
the　eyes　of　your　friends　and　kinsmen　behold　you　enjoying　in　peace
and　tranquillity　the　remaining　days　of　your　life…　and　that　they　may　be
as　many　as　those　of　Nestor！〃
　　Here　Master　Pedro　called　out　again　and　said；　〃Simplicity；　boy！
None　of　your　high　flights；　all　affectation　is　bad。〃
　　The　interpreter　made　no　answer；　but　went　on　to　say；　〃There　was　no
want　of　idle　eyes；　that　see　everything；　to　see　Melisendra　come　down
and　mount；　and　word　was　brought　to　King　Marsilio；　who　at　once　gave
orders　to　sound　the　alarm；　and　see　what　a　stir　there　is；　and　how　the
city　is　drowned　with　the　sound　of　the　bells　pealing　in　the　towers　of
all　the　mosques。〃
　　〃Nay；　nay；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃on　that　point　of　the　bells
Master　Pedro　is　very　inaccurate；　for　bells　are　not　in　use　among　the
Moors；　only　kettledrums；　and　a　kind　of　small　trumpet　somewhat　like　our
clarion；　to　ring　bells　this　way　in　Sansuena　is　unquestionably　a
great　absurdity。〃
　　On　hearing　this；　Master　Pedro　stopped　ringing；　and　said；　〃Don't　look
into　trifles；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　or　want　to　have　things　up　to　a
pitch　of　perfection　that　is　out　of　reach。　Are　there　not　almost　every
day　a　thousand　comedies　represented　all　round　us　full　of　thousands
of　inaccuracies　and　absurdities；　and；　for　all　that；　they　have　a
successful　run；　and　are　listened　to　not　only　with　applause；　but　with
admiration　and　all　the　rest　of　it？　Go　on；　boy；　and　don't　mind；　for
so　long　as　I　fill　my　pouch；　no　matter　if　I　show　as　many　inaccuracies
as　there　are　motes　in　a　sunbeam。〃
　　〃True　enough；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　and　the　boy　went　on：　〃See　what　a
numerous　and　glittering　crowd　of　horsemen　issues　from　the　city　in
pursuit　of　the　two　faithful　lovers；　what　a　blowing　of　trumpets　there
is；　what　sounding　of　horns；　what　beating　of　drums　and　tabors；　I　fear
me　they　will　overtake　them　and　bring　them　back　tied　to　the　tail　of
their　own　horse；　which　would　be　a　dreadful　sight。〃
　　Don　Quixote；　however；　seeing　such　a　swarm　of　Moors　and　hearing
such　a　din；　thought　it　would　be　right　to　aid　the　fugitives；　and
standing　up　he　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Never；　while　I　live；　will　I
permit　foul　play　to　be　practised　in　my　presence　on　such　a　famous
knight　and　fearless　lover　as　Don　Gaiferos。　Halt！　ill…born　rabble；
follow　him　not　nor　pursue　him；　or　ye　will　have　to　reckon　with　me　in
battle！〃　and　suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　he　drew　his　sword；　and
with　one　bound　placed　himself　close　to　the　show；　and　with　unexampled
rapidity　and　fury　began　to　shower　down　blows　on　the　puppet　troop　of
Moors；　knocking　over　some；　decapitating　others；　maiming　this　one　and
demolishing　that；　and　among　many　more　he　delivered　one　down　stroke
which；　if　Master　Pedro　had　not　ducked；　made　himself　small；　and　got　out
of　the　way；　would　have　sliced　off　his　head　as　easily　as　if　it　had　been
made　of　almond…paste。　Master　Pedro　kept　shouting；　〃Hold　hard！　Senor
Don　Quixote！　can't　you　see　they're　not　real　Moors　you're　knocking　down
and　killing　and　destroying；　but　only　little　pasteboard　figures！
Look…　sinner　that　I　am！…　how　you're　wrecking　and　ruining　all　that
I'm　worth！〃　But　in　spite　of　this；　Don　Quixote　did　not　leave　off
discharging　a　continuous　rain　of　cuts；　slashes；　downstrokes；　and
backstrokes；　and　at　length；　in　less　than　the　space　of　two　credos；　he
brought　the　whole　show　to　the　ground；　with　all　its　fittings　and
figures　shivered　and　knocked　to　pieces；　King　Marsilio　badly　wounded；
and　the　Emperor　Charlemagne　with　his　crown　and　head　split　in　two。
The　whole　audience　was　thrown　into　confusion；　the　ape　fled　to　the　roof
of　the　inn；　the　cousin　was　frightened；　and　even　Sancho　Panza　himself
was　in　mighty　fear；　for；　as　he　swore　after　the　storm　was　over；　he
had　never　seen　his　master　in　such　a　furious　passion。
　　The　complete　destruction　of　the　show　being　thus　accomplished；　Don
Quixote　became　a　little　calmer；　said；　〃I　wish　I　had　here　before　me　now
all　those　who　do　not　or　will　not　believe　how　useful　knights…errant　are
in　the　world；　just　think；　if　I　had　not　been　here　present；　what　would
have　become　of　the　brave　Don　Gaiferos　and　the　fair　Melisendra！
Depend　upon　it；　by　this　time　those　dogs　would　have　overtaken　them
and　inflicted　some　outrage　upon　them。　So；　then；　long　live
knight…errantry　beyond　everything　living　on　earth　this　day！〃
　　〃Let　it　live；　and　welcome；〃　said　Master　Pedro　at　this　in　a　feeble
voice；　〃and　let　me　die；　for　I　am　so　unfortunate　that　I　can　say　with
King　Don　Rodrigo…

　　　　　　　　　Yesterday　was　I　lord　of　Spain
　　　　　　　　　To…day　I've　not　a　turret　left
　　　　　　　　　That　I　may　call　mine　own。

Not　half　an　hour；　nay；　barely　a　minute　ago；　I　saw　myself　lord　of　kings
and　emperors；　with　my　stables　filled　with　countless　horses；　and　my
trunks　and　bags　with　gay　dresses　unnumbered；　and　now　I　find　myself
ruined　and　laid　low；　destitute　and　a　beggar；　and　above　all　without
my　ape；　for；　by　my　faith；　my　teeth　will　have　to　sweat　for　it　before
I　have　him　caught；　and　all　through　the　reckless　fury　of　sir　knight
here；　who；　they　say；　protects　the　fatherless；　and　rights　wrongs；　and
does　other　charitable　deeds；　but　whose　generous　intentions　have　been
found　wanting　in　my　case　only；　blessed　and　praised　be　the　highest
heavens！　Verily；　knight　of　the　rueful　figure　he　must　be　to　have
disfigured　mine。〃
　　Sancho　Panza　was　touched　by　Master　Pedro's　words；　and　said　to　him；
〃Don't　weep　and　lament；　Master　Pedro；　you　break　my　heart；　let　me
tell　you　my　master；　Don　Quixote；　is　so　catholic　and　scrupulous　a
Christian　that；　if　he　can　make　out　that　he　has　done　you　any　wrong；
he　will　own　it；　and　be　willing　to　pay　for　it　and　make　it　good；　and
something　over　and　above。〃
　　〃Only　let　Senor　Don　Quixote　pay　me　for　some　part　of　the　work　he
has　destroyed；〃　said　Master　Pedro；　〃and　I　would　be　content；　and　his
worship　would　ease　his　conscience；　for　he　cannot　be　saved　who　keeps
what　is　another's　against　the　owner's　will；　and　makes　no　restitution。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　at　present　I　am　not　aware
that　I　have　got　anything　of　yours；　Master　Pedro。〃
　　〃What！〃　returned　Master　Pedro；　〃and　these　relics　lying　here　on　the
bare　hard　ground…　wh