don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第165节

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Ptolemy；　the　greatest　cosmographer　known；　we　shall　have　travelled
one…half　when　we　come　to　the　line　I　spoke　of。〃
　　〃By　God；〃　said　Sancho；　〃your　worship　gives　me　a　nice　authority　for
what　you　say；　putrid　Dolly　something　transmogrified；　or　whatever　it
is。〃
　　Don　Quixote　laughed　at　the　interpretation　Sancho　put　upon
〃computed；〃　and　the　name　of　the　cosmographer　Ptolemy；　and　said　he；
〃Thou　must　know；　Sancho；　that　with　the　Spaniards　and　those　who
embark　at　Cadiz　for　the　East　Indies；　one　of　the　signs　they　have　to
show　them　when　they　have　passed　the　equinoctial　line　I　told　thee　of；
is；　that　the　lice　die　upon　everybody　on　board　the　ship；　and　not　a
single　one　is　left；　or　to　be　found　in　the　whole　vessel　if　they　gave
its　weight　in　gold　for　it；　so；　Sancho；　thou　mayest　as　well　pass　thy
hand　down　thy　thigh；　and　if　thou　comest　upon　anything　alive　we　shall
be　no　longer　in　doubt；　if　not；　then　we　have　crossed。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　a　bit　of　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃still；　I'll　do　as
your　worship　bids　me；　though　I　don't　know　what　need　there　is　for
trying　these　experiments；　for　I　can　see　with　my　own　eyes　that　we
have　not　moved　five　yards　away　from　the　bank；　or　shifted　two　yards
from　where　the　animals　stand；　for　there　are　Rocinante　and　Dapple　in
the　very　same　place　where　we　left　them；　and　watching　a　point；　as　I
do　now；　I　swear　by　all　that's　good；　we　are　not　stirring　or　moving　at
the　pace　of　an　ant。〃
　　〃Try　the　test　I　told　thee　of；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and
don't　mind　any　other；　for　thou　knowest　nothing　about　colures；　lines；
parallels；　zodiacs；　ecliptics；　poles；　solstices；　equinoxes；　planets；
signs；　bearings；　the　measures　of　which　the　celestial　and　terrestrial
spheres　are　composed；　if　thou　wert　acquainted　with　all　these　things；
or　any　portion　of　them；　thou　wouldst　see　clearly　how　many　parallels　we
have　cut；　what　signs　we　have　seen；　and　what　constellations　we　have
left　behind　and　are　now　leaving　behind。　But　again　I　tell　thee；　feel
and　hunt；　for　I　am　certain　thou　art　cleaner　than　a　sheet　of　smooth
white　paper。〃
　　Sancho　felt；　and　passing　his　hand　gently　and　carefully　down　to　the
hollow　of　his　left　knee；　he　looked　up　at　his　master　and　said；
〃Either　the　test　is　a　false　one；　or　we　have　not　come　to　where　your
worship　says；　nor　within　many　leagues　of　it。〃
　　〃Why；　how　so？〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃hast　thou　come　upon　aught？〃
　　〃Ay；　and　aughts；〃　replied　Sancho；　and　shaking　his　fingers　he
washed　his　whole　hand　in　the　river　along　which　the　boat　was　quietly
gliding　in　midstream；　not　moved　by　any　occult　intelligence　or
invisible　enchanter；　but　simply　by　the　current；　just　there　smooth
and　gentle。
　　They　now　came　in　sight　of　some　large　water　mills　that　stood　in　the
middle　of　the　river；　and　the　instant　Don　Quixote　saw　them　he　cried
out；　〃Seest　thou　there；　my　friend？　there　stands　the　castle　or
fortress；　where　there　is；　no　doubt；　some　knight　in　durance；　or
ill…used　queen；　or　infanta；　or　princess；　in　whose　aid　I　am　brought
hither。〃
　　〃What　the　devil　city；　fortress；　or　castle　is　your　worship　talking
about；　senor？〃　said　Sancho；　〃don't　you　see　that　those　are　mills　that
stand　in　the　river　to　grind　corn？〃
　　〃Hold　thy　peace；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃though　they　look　like
mills　they　are　not　so；　I　have　already　told　thee　that　enchantments
transform　things　and　change　their　proper　shapes；　I　do　not　mean　to
say　they　really　change　them　from　one　form　into　another；　but　that　it
seems　as　though　they　did；　as　experience　proved　in　the　transformation
of　Dulcinea；　sole　refuge　of　my　hopes。〃
　　By　this　time；　the　boat；　having　reached　the　middle　of　the　stream；
began　to　move　less　slowly　than　hitherto。　The　millers　belonging　to
the　mills；　when　they　saw　the　boat　coming　down　the　river；　and　on　the
point　of　being　sucked　in　by　the　draught　of　the　wheels；　ran　out　in
haste；　several　of　them；　with　long　poles　to　stop　it；　and　being　all
mealy；　with　faces　and　garments　covered　with　flour；　they　presented　a
sinister　appearance。　They　raised　loud　shouts；　crying；　〃Devils　of
men；　where　are　you　going　to？　Are　you　mad？　Do　you　want　to　drown
yourselves；　or　dash　yourselves　to　pieces　among　these　wheels？〃
　　〃Did　I　not　tell　thee；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃that　we
had　reached　the　place　where　I　am　to　show　what　the　might　of　my　arm
can　do？　See　what　ruffians　and　villains　come　out　against　me；　see　what
monsters　oppose　me；　see　what　hideous　countenances　come　to　frighten　us！
You　shall　soon　see；　scoundrels！〃　And　then　standing　up　in　the　boat　he
began　in　a　loud　voice　to　hurl　threats　at　the　millers；　exclaiming；
〃Ill…conditioned　and　worse…counselled　rabble；　restore　to　liberty　and
freedom　the　person　ye　hold　in　durance　in　this　your　fortress　or　prison；
high　or　low　or　of　whatever　rank　or　quality　he　be；　for　I　am　Don　Quixote
of　La　Mancha；　otherwise　called　the　Knight　of　the　Lions；　for　whom；　by
the　disposition　of　heaven　above；　it　is　reserved　to　give　a　happy
issue　to　this　adventure；〃　and　so　saying　he　drew　his　sword　and　began
making　passes　in　the　air　at　the　millers；　who；　hearing　but　not
understanding　all　this　nonsense；　strove　to　stop　the　boat；　which　was
now　getting　into　the　rushing　channel　of　the　wheels。　Sancho　fell　upon
his　knees　devoutly　appealing　to　heaven　to　deliver　him　from　such
imminent　peril；　which　it　did　by　the　activity　and　quickness　of　the
millers；　who；　pushing　against　the　boat　with　their　poles；　stopped　it；
not；　however；　without　upsetting　and　throwing　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho
into　the　water；　and　lucky　it　was　for　Don　Quixote　that　he　could　swim
like　a　goose；　though　the　weight　of　his　armour　carried　him　twice　to　the
bottom；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　millers；　who　plunged　in　and
hoisted　them　both　out；　it　would　have　been　Troy　town　with　the　pair　of
them。　As　soon　as；　more　drenched　than　thirsty；　they　were　landed；　Sancho
went　down　on　his　knees　and　with　clasped　hands　and　eyes　raised　to
heaven；　prayed　a　long　and　fervent　prayer　to　God　to　deliver　him
evermore　from　the　rash　projects　and　attempts　of　his　master。　The
fishermen；　the　owners　of　the　boat；　which　the　mill…wheels　had　knocked
to　pieces；　now　came　up；　and　seeing　it　smashed　they　proceeded　to
strip　Sancho　and　to　demand　payment　for　it　from　Don　Quixote；　but　he
with　great　calmness；　just　as　if　nothing　had　happened　him；　told　the
millers　and　fishermen　that　he　would　pay　for　the　bark　most
cheerfully；　on　condition　that　they　delivered　up　to　him；　free　and
unhurt；　the　person　or　persons　that　were　in　durance　in　that　castle　of
theirs。
　　〃What　persons　or　what　castle　art　thou　talking　of；　madman？　Art　thou
for　carrying　off　the　people　who　come　to　grind　corn　in　these　mills？〃
　　〃That's　enough；〃　said　Don　Quixote　to　himself；　〃it　would　be　preaching
in　the　desert　to　attempt　by　entreaties　to　induce　this　rabble　to　do　any
virtuous　action。　In　this　adventure　two　mighty　enchanters　must　have
encountered　one　another；　and　one　frustrates　what　the　other　attempts；
one　provided　the　bark　for　me；　and　the　other　upset　me；　God　help　us；
this　world　is　all　machinations　and　schemes　at　cross　purposes　one
with　the　other。　I　can　do　no　more。〃　And　then　turning　towards　the
mills　he　said　aloud；　〃Friends；　whoe'er　ye　be　that　are　immured　in
that　prison；　forgive　me　that；　to　my　misfortune　and　yours；　I　cannot
deliver　you　from　your　misery；　this　adventure　is　doubtless　reserved　and
destined　for　some　other　knight。〃
　　So　saying　he　settled　with　the　fishermen；　and　paid　fifty　reals　for
the　boat；　which　Sancho　handed　to　them　very　much　against　the　grain；
saying；　〃With　a　couple　more　bark　businesses　like　this　we　shall　have
sunk　our　whole　capital。〃
　　The　fishermen　and　the　millers　stood　staring　in　amazement　at　the
two　figures；　so　very　different　to　all　appearance　from　ordinary　men；
and　were　wholly　unable　to　make　out　the　drift　of　the　observations　and
questions　Don　Quixote　addressed　to　them；　and　coming　to　the
conclusion　that　they　were　madmen；　they　left　them　and　betook
themselves；　the　millers　to　their　mills；　and　the　fishermen　to　their
huts。　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　returned　to　their　beasts；　and　to　their
life　of　beasts；　and　so　ended　the　adventure　of　the　enchanted　bark。

　　CHAPTER　XXX
　　OF　DON　QUIXOTE'S　ADVENTURE　WITH　A　FAIR　HUNTRESS

　　THEY　reached　their　beasts　in　low　spirits　and　bad　humour　enough；
knight　and　squire；　Sancho　particularly；　for　with　him　what　touched
the　stock　of　money　touched　his　heart；　and　when　any　was　taken　from
him　he　felt　as　if　he　was　robbed　of　the　apples　of　his　eyes。　In　fine；
without　exchanging　a　word；　they　mounted　and　quitted　the　famous
river；　Don　Quixote　absorbed　in　thoughts　of　his　love；　Sancho　in
thinking　of　his　advancement；　which　just　then；　it　seemed　to　him；　he　was
very　far　from　securing；　for；　fool　as　he　was；　he　saw　clearly　enough
that　his　master's　acts　were　all　or　most　of　them　utterly　senseless；　and
he　began　to　cast　about　for　an　opportunity　of　retiring　from　his　service
and　going　home　some　day；　without　entering　into　any　explanations　or
taking　any　farewell　of　him。　Fortune；　however；　ordered　matters　after
a　fashion　very　much　the　opposite　of　what　he　contemplated。
　　It　so　happened　that　the　next　day　towards　sunset；　on　coming　out　of
a　wood；　Don　Quixote　cast　his　eyes　over　a　green　meadow；　and　at　the
far　end　of　it　observed　some　people；　and　as　he　drew　nearer　saw　that
it　was　a　hawking　party。　Coming　closer；　he　distinguished　among　them　a
lad