don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第178节

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ungoverned　justice。〃
　　〃I　don't　mean　it　that　way；　senora；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　if　you　think
the　letter　doesn't　run　as　it　ought　to　do；　it's　only　to　tear　it　up
and　make　another；　and　maybe　it　will　be　a　worse　one　if　it　is　left　to　my
gumption。〃
　　〃No；　no；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃this　one　will　do；　and　I　wish　the　duke
to　see　it。〃
　　With　this　they　betook　themselves　to　a　garden　where　they　were　to
dine；　and　the　duchess　showed　Sancho's　letter　to　the　duke；　who　was
highly　delighted　with　it。　They　dined；　and　after　the　cloth　had　been
removed　and　they　had　amused　themselves　for　a　while　with　Sancho's
rich　conversation；　the　melancholy　sound　of　a　fife　and　harsh　discordant
drum　made　itself　heard。　All　seemed　somewhat　put　out　by　this　dull；
confused；　martial　harmony；　especially　Don　Quixote；　who　could　not
keep　his　seat　from　pure　disquietude；　as　to　Sancho；　it　is　needless　to
say　that　fear　drove　him　to　his　usual　refuge；　the　side　or　the　skirts　of
the　duchess；　and　indeed　and　in　truth　the　sound　they　heard　was　a　most
doleful　and　melancholy　one。　While　they　were　still　in　uncertainty
they　saw　advancing　towards　them　through　the　garden　two　men　clad　in
mourning　robes　so　long　and　flowing　that　they　trailed　upon　the
ground。　As　they　marched　they　beat　two　great　drums　which　were
likewise　draped　in　black；　and　beside　them　came　the　fife　player；
black　and　sombre　like　the　others。　Following　these　came　a　personage
of　gigantic　stature　enveloped　rather　than　clad　in　a　gown　of　the
deepest　black；　the　skirt　of　which　was　of　prodigious　dimensions。　Over
the　gown；　girdling　or　crossing　his　figure；　he　had　a　broad　baldric
which　was　also　black；　and　from　which　hung　a　huge　scimitar　with　a　black
scabbard　and　furniture。　He　had　his　face　covered　with　a　transparent
black　veil；　through　which　might　be　descried　a　very　long　beard　as　white
as　snow。　He　came　on　keeping　step　to　the　sound　of　the　drums　with
great　gravity　and　dignity；　and；　in　short；　his　stature；　his　gait；　the
sombreness　of　his　appearance　and　his　following　might　well　have
struck　with　astonishment；　as　they　did；　all　who　beheld　him　without
knowing　who　he　was。　With　this　measured　pace　and　in　this　guise　he
advanced　to　kneel　before　the　duke；　who；　with　the　others；　awaited　him
standing。　The　duke；　however；　would　not　on　any　account　allow　him　to
speak　until　he　had　risen。　The　prodigious　scarecrow　obeyed；　and
standing　up；　removed　the　veil　from　his　face　and　disclosed　the　most
enormous；　the　longest；　the　whitest　and　the　thickest　beard　that　human
eyes　had　ever　beheld　until　that　moment；　and　then　fetching　up　a
grave；　sonorous　voice　from　the　depths　of　his　broad；　capacious　chest；
and　fixing　his　eyes　on　the　duke；　he　said：
　　〃Most　high　and　mighty　senor；　my　name　is　Trifaldin　of　the　White
Beard；　I　am　squire　to　the　Countess　Trifaldi；　otherwise　called　the
Distressed　Duenna；　on　whose　behalf　I　bear　a　message　to　your
highness；　which　is　that　your　magnificence　will　be　pleased　to　grant　her
leave　and　permission　to　come　and　tell　you　her　trouble；　which　is　one　of
the　strangest　and　most　wonderful　that　the　mind　most　familiar　with
trouble　in　the　world　could　have　imagined；　but　first　she　desires　to
know　if　the　valiant　and　never　vanquished　knight；　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha；　is　in　this　your　castle；　for　she　has　come　in　quest　of　him　on
foot　and　without　breaking　her　fast　from　the　kingdom　of　Kandy　to　your
realms　here；　a　thing　which　may　and　ought　to　be　regarded　as　a　miracle
or　set　down　to　enchantment；　she　is　even　now　at　the　gate　of　this
fortress　or　plaisance；　and　only　waits　for　your　permission　to　enter。
I　have　spoken。〃　And　with　that　he　coughed；　and　stroked　down　his　beard
with　both　his　hands；　and　stood　very　tranquilly　waiting　for　the
response　of　the　duke；　which　was　to　this　effect：　〃Many　days　ago；　worthy
squire　Trifaldin　of　the　White　Beard；　we　heard　of　the　misfortune　of
my　lady　the　Countess　Trifaldi；　whom　the　enchanters　have　caused　to　be
called　the　Distressed　Duenna。　Bid　her　enter；　O　stupendous　squire；
and　tell　her　that　the　valiant　knight　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　is　here；
and　from　his　generous　disposition　she　may　safely　promise　herself　every
protection　and　assistance；　and　you　may　tell　her；　too；　that　if　my　aid
be　necessary　it　will　not　be　withheld；　for　I　am　bound　to　give　it　to　her
by　my　quality　of　knight；　which　involves　the　protection　of　women　of　all
sorts；　especially　widowed；　wronged；　and　distressed　dames；　such　as
her　ladyship　seems　to　be。〃
　　On　hearing　this　Trifaldin　bent　the　knee　to　the　ground；　and　making
a　sign　to　the　fifer　and　drummers　to　strike　up；　he　turned　and　marched
out　of　the　garden　to　the　same　notes　and　at　the　same　pace　as　when　he
entered；　leaving　them　all　amazed　at　his　bearing　and　solemnity。　Turning
to　Don　Quixote；　the　duke　said；　〃After　all；　renowned　knight；　the
mists　of　malice　and　ignorance　are　unable　to　hide　or　obscure　the
light　of　valour　and　virtue。　I　say　so；　because　your　excellence　has　been
barely　six　days　in　this　castle；　and　already　the　unhappy　and　the
afflicted　come　in　quest　of　you　from　lands　far　distant　and　remote；
and　not　in　coaches　or　on　dromedaries；　but　on　foot　and　fasting；
confident　that　in　that　mighty　arm　they　will　find　a　cure　for　their
sorrows　and　troubles；　thanks　to　your　great　achievements；　which　are
circulated　all　over　the　known　earth。〃
　　〃I　wish；　senor　duke；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　blessed
ecclesiastic；　who　at　table　the　other　day　showed　such　ill…will　and
bitter　spite　against　knights…errant；　were　here　now　to　see　with　his　own
eyes　whether　knights　of　the　sort　are　needed　in　the　world；　he　would
at　any　rate　learn　by　experience　that　those　suffering　any　extraordinary
affliction　or　sorrow；　in　extreme　cases　and　unusual　misfortunes　do
not　go　to　look　for　a　remedy　to　the　houses　of　jurists　or　village
sacristans；　or　to　the　knight　who　has　never　attempted　to　pass　the
bounds　of　his　own　town；　or　to　the　indolent　courtier　who　only　seeks　for
news　to　repeat　and　talk　of；　instead　of　striving　to　do　deeds　and
exploits　for　others　to　relate　and　record。　Relief　in　distress；　help
in　need；　protection　for　damsels；　consolation　for　widows；　are　to　be
found　in　no　sort　of　persons　better　than　in　knights…errant；　and　I
give　unceasing　thanks　to　heaven　that　I　am　one；　and　regard　any
misfortune　or　suffering　that　may　befall　me　in　the　pursuit　of　so
honourable　a　calling　as　endured　to　good　purpose。　Let　this　duenna
come　and　ask　what　she　will；　for　I　will　effect　her　relief　by　the
might　of　my　arm　and　the　dauntless　resolution　of　my　bold　heart。〃
　　

CHAPTER　XXXVII
　　WHEREIN　IS　CONTINUED　THE　NOTABLE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　DISTRESSED　DUENNA

　　THE　duke　and　duchess　were　extremely　glad　to　see　how　readily　Don
Quixote　fell　in　with　their　scheme；　but　at　this　moment　Sancho　observed；
〃I　hope　this　senora　duenna　won't　be　putting　any　difficulties　in　the
way　of　the　promise　of　my　government；　for　I　have　heard　a　Toledo
apothecary；　who　talked　like　a　goldfinch；　say　that　where　duennas　were
mixed　up　nothing　good　could　happen。　God　bless　me；　how　he　hated　them；
that　same　apothecary！　And　so　what　I'm　thinking　is；　if　all　duennas；
of　whatever　sort　or　condition　they　may　be；　are　plagues　and　busybodies；
what　must　they　be　that　are　distressed；　like　this　Countess　Three…skirts
or　Three…tails！…　for　in　my　country　skirts　or　tails；　tails　or　skirts；
it's　all　one。〃
　　〃Hush；　friend　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃since　this　lady　duenna
comes　in　quest　of　me　from　such　a　distant　land　she　cannot　be　one　of
those　the　apothecary　meant；　moreover　this　is　a　countess；　and　when
countesses　serve　as　duennas　it　is　in　the　service　of　queens　and
empresses；　for　in　their　own　houses　they　are　mistresses　paramount　and
have　other　duennas　to　wait　on　them。〃
　　To　this　Dona　Rodriguez；　who　was　present；　made　answer；　〃My　lady　the
duchess　has　duennas　in　her　service　that　might　be　countesses　if　it
was　the　will　of　fortune；　'but　laws　go　as　kings　like；'　let　nobody　speak
ill　of　duennas；　above　all　of　ancient　maiden　ones；　for　though　I　am
not　one　myself；　I　know　and　am　aware　of　the　advantage　a　maiden　duenna
has　over　one　that　is　a　widow；　but　'he　who　clipped　us　has　kept　the
scissors。'〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there's　so　much　to　be　clipped　about
duennas；　so　my　barber　said；　that　'it　will　be　better　not　to　stir　the
rice　even　though　it　sticks。'〃
　　〃These　squires；〃　returned　Dona　Rodriguez；　〃are　always　our　enemies；
and　as　they　are　the　haunting　spirits　of　the　antechambers　and　watch
us　at　every　step；　whenever　they　are　not　saying　their　prayers　（and
that's　often　enough）　they　spend　their　time　in　tattling　about　us；
digging　up　our　bones　and　burying　our　good　name。　But　I　can　tell　these
walking　blocks　that　we　will　live　in　spite　of　them；　and　in　great　houses
too；　though　we　die　of　hunger　and　cover　our　flesh；　be　it　delicate　or
not；　with　widow's　weeds；　as　one　covers　or　hides　a　dunghill　on　a
procession　day。　By　my　faith；　if　it　were　permitted　me　and　time　allowed；
I　could　prove；　not　only　to　those　here　present；　but　to　all　the　world；
that　there　is　no　virtue　that　is　not　to　be　found　in　a　duenna。〃
　　〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that　my　good　Dona　Rodriguez　is
right；　and　very　much　so；　but　she　had　better　bide　her　time　for　fighting
her　own　battle　and　that　of　the　rest　of　the　duennas；　so　as　to　crush　the
calumny　of　that　vile　apothecary；　and　root　out　the　prejudice　in　the
great　Sancho　Panza's　mind。〃
　　To　whic