don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第167节

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found　infinite　enjoyment　in　listening　to　his　shrewd　remarks。　Sancho
required　no　pressing；　but　pushed　himself　in　between　them　and　the　duke；
who　thought　it　rare　good　fortune　to　receive　such　a　knight…errant　and
such　a　homely　squire　in　their　castle。

　　CHAPTER　XXXI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　MANY　AND　GREAT　MATTERS

　　SUPREME　was　the　satisfaction　that　Sancho　felt　at　seeing　himself；
as　it　seemed；　an　established　favourite　with　the　duchess；　for　he　looked
forward　to　finding　in　her　castle　what　he　had　found　in　Don　Diego's
house　and　in　Basilio's；　he　was　always　fond　of　good　living；　and
always　seized　by　the　forelock　any　opportunity　of　feasting　himself
whenever　it　presented　itself。　The　history　informs　us；　then；　that
before　they　reached　the　country　house　or　castle；　the　duke　went　on　in
advance　and　instructed　all　his　servants　how　they　were　to　treat　Don
Quixote；　and　so　the　instant　he　came　up　to　the　castle　gates　with　the
duchess；　two　lackeys　or　equerries；　clad　in　what　they　call　morning
gowns　of　fine　crimson　satin　reaching　to　their　feet；　hastened　out；
and　catching　Don　Quixote　in　their　arms　before　he　saw　or　heard　them；
said　to　him；　〃Your　highness　should　go　and　take　my　lady　the　duchess　off
her　horse。〃　Don　Quixote　obeyed；　and　great　bandying　of　compliments
followed　between　the　two　over　the　matter；　but　in　the　end　the　duchess's
determination　carried　the　day；　and　she　refused　to　get　down　or　dismount
from　her　palfrey　except　in　the　arms　of　the　duke；　saying　she　did　not
consider　herself　worthy　to　impose　so　unnecessary　a　burden　on　so
great　a　knight。　At　length　the　duke　came　out　to　take　her　down；　and　as
they　entered　a　spacious　court　two　fair　damsels　came　forward　and
threw　over　Don　Quixote's　shoulders　a　large　mantle　of　the　finest
scarlet　cloth；　and　at　the　same　instant　all　the　galleries　of　the
court　were　lined　with　the　men…servants　and　women…servants　of　the
household；　crying；　〃Welcome；　flower　and　cream　of　knight…errantry！〃
while　all　or　most　of　them　flung　pellets　filled　with　scented　water　over
Don　Quixote　and　the　duke　and　duchess；　at　all　which　Don　Quixote　was
greatly　astonished；　and　this　was　the　first　time　that　he　thoroughly
felt　and　believed　himself　to　be　a　knight…errant　in　reality　and　not
merely　in　fancy；　now　that　he　saw　himself　treated　in　the　same　way　as　he
had　read　of　such　knights　being　treated　in　days　of　yore。
　　Sancho；　deserting　Dapple；　hung　on　to　the　duchess　and　entered　the
castle；　but　feeling　some　twinges　of　conscience　at　having　left　the
ass　alone；　he　approached　a　respectable　duenna　who　had　come　out　with
the　rest　to　receive　the　duchess；　and　in　a　low　voice　he　said　to　her；
〃Senora　Gonzalez；　or　however　your　grace　may　be　called…〃
　　〃I　am　called　Dona　Rodriguez　de　Grijalba；〃　replied　the　duenna；
〃what　is　your　will；　brother？〃　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　〃I　should
be　glad　if　your　worship　would　do　me　the　favour　to　go　out　to　the　castle
gate；　where　you　will　find　a　grey　ass　of　mine；　make　them；　if　you
please；　put　him　in　the　stable；　or　put　him　there　yourself；　for　the　poor
little　beast　is　rather　easily　frightened；　and　cannot　bear　being
alone　at　all。〃
　　〃If　the　master　is　as　wise　as　the　man；〃　said　the　duenna；　〃we　have　got
a　fine　bargain。　Be　off　with　you；　brother；　and　bad　luck　to　you　and
him　who　brought　you　here；　go；　look　after　your　ass；　for　we；　the　duennas
of　this　house；　are　not　used　to　work　of　that　sort。〃
　　〃Well　then；　in　troth；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃I　have　heard　my　master；　who
is　the　very　treasure…finder　of　stories；　telling　the　story　of
Lancelot　when　he　came　from　Britain；　say　that　ladies　waited　upon　him
and　duennas　upon　his　hack；　and；　if　it　comes　to　my　ass；　I　wouldn't
change　him　for　Senor　Lancelot's　hack。〃
　　〃If　you　are　a　jester；　brother；〃　said　the　duenna；　〃keep　your
drolleries　for　some　place　where　they'll　pass　muster　and　be　paid　for；
for　you'll　get　nothing　from　me　but　a　fig。〃
　　〃At　any　rate；　it　will　be　a　very　ripe　one；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　you
won't　lose　the　trick　in　years　by　a　point　too　little。〃
　　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　said　the　duenna；　all　aglow　with　anger；　〃whether
I'm　old　or　not；　it's　with　God　I　have　to　reckon；　not　with　you；　you
garlic…stuffed　scoundrel！〃　and　she　said　it　so　loud；　that　the　duchess
heard　it；　and　turning　round　and　seeing　the　duenna　in　such　a　state　of
excitement；　and　her　eyes　flaming　so；　asked　whom　she　was　wrangling
with。
　　〃With　this　good　fellow　here；〃　said　the　duenna；　〃who　has　particularly
requested　me　to　go　and　put　an　ass　of　his　that　is　at　the　castle　gate
into　the　stable；　holding　it　up　to　me　as　an　example　that　they　did　the
same　I　don't　know　where…　that　some　ladies　waited　on　one　Lancelot；
and　duennas　on　his　hack；　and　what　is　more；　to　wind　up　with；　he
called　me　old。〃
　　〃That；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃I　should　have　considered　the　greatest
affront　that　could　be　offered　me；〃　and　addressing　Sancho；　she　said
to　him；　〃You　must　know；　friend　Sancho；　that　Dona　Rodriguez　is　very
youthful；　and　that　she　wears　that　hood　more　for　authority　and　custom
sake　than　because　of　her　years。〃
　　〃May　all　the　rest　of　mine　be　unlucky；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　I　meant　it
that　way；　I　only　spoke　because　the　affection　I　have　for　my　ass　is　so
great；　and　I　thought　I　could　not　commend　him　to　a　more　kind…hearted
person　than　the　lady　Dona　Rodriguez。〃
　　Don　Quixote；　who　was　listening；　said　to　him；　〃Is　this　proper
conversation　for　the　place；　Sancho？〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃every　one　must　mention　what　he　wants
wherever　he　may　be；　I　thought　of　Dapple　here；　and　I　spoke　of　him　here；
if　I　had　thought　of　him　in　the　stable　I　would　have　spoken　there。〃
　　On　which　the　duke　observed；　〃Sancho　is　quite　right；　and　there　is
no　reason　at　all　to　find　fault　with　him；　Dapple　shall　be　fed　to　his
heart's　content；　and　Sancho　may　rest　easy；　for　he　shall　be　treated
like　himself。〃
　　While　this　conversation；　amusing　to　all　except　Don　Quixote；　was
proceeding；　they　ascended　the　staircase　and　ushered　Don　Quixote　into　a
chamber　hung　with　rich　cloth　of　gold　and　brocade；　six　damsels　relieved
him　of　his　armour　and　waited　on　him　like　pages；　all　of　them　prepared
and　instructed　by　the　duke　and　duchess　as　to　what　they　were　to　do；　and
how　they　were　to　treat　Don　Quixote；　so　that　he　might　see　and　believe
they　were　treating　him　like　a　knight…errant。　When　his　armour　was
removed；　there　stood　Don　Quixote　in　his　tight…fitting　breeches　and
chamois　doublet；　lean；　lanky；　and　long；　with　cheeks　that　seemed　to
be　kissing　each　other　inside；　such　a　figure；　that　if　the　damsels
waiting　on　him　had　not　taken　care　to　check　their　merriment　（which
was　one　of　the　particular　directions　their　master　and　mistress　had
given　them）；　they　would　have　burst　with　laughter。　They　asked　him　to
let　himself　be　stripped　that　they　might　put　a　shirt　on　him；　but　he
would　not　on　any　account；　saying　that　modesty　became　knights…errant
just　as　much　as　valour。　However；　he　said　they　might　give　the　shirt
to　Sancho；　and　shutting　himself　in　with　him　in　a　room　where　there
was　a　sumptuous　bed；　he　undressed　and　put　on　the　shirt；　and　then；
finding　himself　alone　with　Sancho；　he　said　to　him；　〃Tell　me；　thou
new…fledged　buffoon　and　old　booby；　dost　thou　think　it　right　to
offend　and　insult　a　duenna　so　deserving　of　reverence　and　respect　as
that　one　just　now？　Was　that　a　time　to　bethink　thee　of　thy　Dapple；　or
are　these　noble　personages　likely　to　let　the　beasts　fare　badly　when
they　treat　their　owners　in　such　elegant　style？　For　God's　sake；　Sancho；
restrain　thyself；　and　don't　show　the　thread　so　as　to　let　them　see　what
a　coarse；　boorish　texture　thou　art　of。　Remember；　sinner　that　thou　art；
the　master　is　the　more　esteemed　the　more　respectable　and　well…bred　his
servants　are；　and　that　one　of　the　greatest　advantages　that　princes
have　over　other　men　is　that　they　have　servants　as　good　as　themselves
to　wait　on　them。　Dost　thou　not　see…　shortsighted　being　that　thou
art；　and　unlucky　mortal　that　I　am！…　that　if　they　perceive　thee　to　be　a
coarse　clown　or　a　dull　blockhead；　they　will　suspect　me　to　be　some
impostor　or　swindler？　Nay；　nay；　Sancho　friend；　keep　clear；　oh；　keep
clear　of　these　stumbling…blocks；　for　he　who　falls　into　the　way　of
being　a　chatterbox　and　droll；　drops　into　a　wretched　buffoon　the
first　time　he　trips；　bridle　thy　tongue；　consider　and　weigh　thy　words
before　they　escape　thy　mouth；　and　bear　in　mind　we　are　now　in
quarters　whence；　by　God's　help；　and　the　strength　of　my　arm；　we　shall
come　forth　mightily　advanced　in　fame　and　fortune。〃
　　Sancho　promised　him　with　much　earnestness　to　keep　his　mouth　shut；
and　to　bite　off　his　tongue　before　he　uttered　a　word　that　was　not
altogether　to　the　purpose　and　well　considered；　and　told　him　he　might
make　his　mind　easy　on　that　point；　for　it　should　never　be　discovered
through　him　what　they　were。
　　Don　Quixote　dressed　himself；　put　on　his　baldric　with　his　sword；
threw　the　scarlet　mantle　over　his　shoulders；　placed　on　his　head　a
montera　of　green　satin　that　the　damsels　had　given　him；　and　thus
arrayed　passed　out　into　the　large　room；　where　he　found　the　damsels
drawn　up　in　double　file；　the　same　number　on　each　side；　all　with　the
appliances　for　washing　the　hands；　which　they　presented　to　him　with
profuse　obeisances　and　ceremonies。　Then　came　twelve　pages；　together
with　the　seneschal；　to　lead　him　to　dinner；　as　his　hosts　were　already
waiting　for　him。　They　placed　him　in　the　mid