don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第182节
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far as name goes； he may compare with the famous Rocinante。〃
〃I have nothing to say against his name；〃 said Sancho； 〃but with
what sort of bridle or halter is he managed？〃
〃I have said already；〃 said the Trifaldi； 〃that it is with a peg； by
turning which to one side or the other the knight who rides him
makes him go as he pleases； either through the upper air； or
skimming and almost sweeping the earth； or else in that middle
course that is sought and followed in all well…regulated proceedings。〃
〃I'd like to see him；〃 said Sancho； 〃but to fancy I'm going to mount
him； either in the saddle or on the croup； is to ask pears of the
elm tree。 A good joke indeed！ I can hardly keep my seat upon Dapple；
and on a pack…saddle softer than silk itself； and here they'd have
me hold on upon haunches of plank without pad or cushion of any
sort！ Gad； I have no notion of bruising myself to get rid of
anyone's beard； let each one shave himself as best he can； I'm not
going to accompany my master on any such long journey； besides； I
can't give any help to the shaving of these beards as I can to the
disenchantment of my lady Dulcinea。〃
〃Yes； you can； my friend；〃 replied the Trifaldi； 〃and so much；
that without you； so I understand； we shall be able to do nothing。〃
〃In the king's name！〃 exclaimed Sancho； 〃what have squires got to do
with the adventures of their masters？ Are they to have the fame of
such as they go through； and we the labour？ Body o' me！ if the
historians would only say； 'Such and such a knight finished such and
such an adventure； but with the help of so and so； his squire； without
which it would have been impossible for him to accomplish it；' but
they write curtly； 〃Don Paralipomenon of the Three Stars
accomplished the adventure of the six monsters；' without mentioning
such a person as his squire； who was there all the time； just as if
there was no such being。 Once more； sirs； I say my master may go
alone； and much good may it do him； and I'll stay here in the
company of my lady the duchess； and maybe when he comes back； he
will find the lady Dulcinea's affair ever so much advanced； for I mean
in leisure hours； and at idle moments； to give myself a spell of
whipping without so much as a hair to cover me。〃
〃For all that you must go if it be necessary； my good Sancho；〃
said the duchess； 〃for they are worthy folk who ask you； and the faces
of these ladies must not remain overgrown in this way because of
your idle fears； that would be a hard case indeed。〃
〃In the king's name； once more！〃 said Sancho； 〃If this charitable
work were to be done for the sake of damsels in confinement or
charity…girls； a man might expose himself to some hardships； but to
bear it for the sake of stripping beards off duennas！ Devil take it！
I'd sooner see them all bearded； from the highest to the lowest； and
from the most prudish to the most affected。〃
〃You are very hard on duennas； Sancho my friend；〃 said the
duchess； 〃you incline very much to the opinion of the Toledo
apothecary。 But indeed you are wrong； there are duennas in my house
that may serve as patterns of duennas； and here is my Dona
Rodriguez； who will not allow me to say otherwise。〃
〃Your excellence may say it if you like；〃 said the Rodriguez； 〃for
God knows the truth of everything； and whether we duennas are good
or bad； bearded or smooth； we are our mothers' daughters like other
women； and as God sent us into the world； he knows why he did； and
on his mercy I rely； and not on anybody's beard。〃
〃Well； Senora Rodriguez； Senora Trifaldi； and present company；〃 said
Don Quixote； 〃I trust in Heaven that it will look with kindly eyes
upon your troubles； for Sancho will do as I bid him。 Only let
Clavileno come and let me find myself face to face with Malambruno；
and I am certain no razor will shave you more easily than my sword
shall shave Malambruno's head off his shoulders； for 'God bears with
the wicked； but not for ever。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed the Distressed One at this； 〃may all the stars of
the celestial regions look down upon your greatness with benign
eyes； valiant knight； and shed every prosperity and valour upon your
heart； that it may be the shield and safeguard of the abused and
downtrodden race of duennas； detested by apothecaries； sneered at by
squires； and made game of by pages。 Ill betide the jade that in the
flower of her youth would not sooner become a nun than a duenna！
Unfortunate beings that we are； we duennas！ Though we may be descended
in the direct male line from Hector of Troy himself； our mistresses
never fail to address us as 'you' if they think it makes queens of
them。 O giant Malambruno； though thou art an enchanter； thou art
true to thy promises。 Send us now the peerless Clavileno； that our
misfortune may be brought to an end； for if the hot weather sets in
and these beards of ours are still there； alas for our lot！〃
The Trifaldi said this in such a pathetic way that she drew tears
from the eyes of all and even Sancho's filled up； and he resolved in
his heart to accompany his master to the uttermost ends of the
earth； if so be the removal of the wool from those venerable
countenances depended upon it。
CHAPTER XLI
OF THE ARRIVAL OF CLAVILENO AND THE END OF THIS PROTRACTED ADVENTURE
AND now night came； and with it the appointed time for the arrival
of the famous horse Clavileno； the non…appearance of which was already
beginning to make Don Quixote uneasy； for it struck him that； as
Malambruno was so long about sending it； either he himself was not the
knight for whom the adventure was reserved； or else Malambruno did not
dare to meet him in single combat。 But lo！ suddenly there came into
the garden four wild…men all clad in green ivy bearing on their
shoulders a great wooden horse。 They placed it on its feet on the
ground； and one of the wild…men said； 〃Let the knight who has heart
for it mount this machine。〃
Here Sancho exclaimed； 〃I don't mount； for neither have I the
heart nor am I a knight。〃
〃And let the squire； if he has one；〃 continued the wild…man； 〃take
his seat on the croup； and let him trust the valiant Malambruno； for
by no sword save his； nor by the malice of any other； shall he be
assailed。 It is but to turn this peg the horse has in his neck； and he
will bear them through the air to where Malambruno awaits them； but
lest the vast elevation of their course should make them giddy；
their eyes must be covered until the horse neighs； which will be the
sign of their having completed their journey。〃
With these words； leaving Clavileno behind them； they retired with
easy dignity the way they came。 As soon as the Distressed One saw
the horse； almost in tears she exclaimed to Don Quixote； 〃Valiant
knight； the promise of Malambruno has proved trustworthy； the horse
has come； our beards are growing； and by every hair in them all of
us implore thee to shave and shear us； as it is only mounting him with
thy squire and making a happy beginning with your new journey。〃
〃That I will； Senora Countess Trifaldi；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃most
gladly and with right goodwill； without stopping to take a cushion
or put on my spurs； so as not to lose time； such is my desire to see
you and all these duennas shaved clean。〃
〃That I won't；〃 said Sancho； 〃with good…will or bad…will； or any way
at all； and if this shaving can't be done without my mounting on the
croup； my master had better look out for another squire to go with
him； and these ladies for some other way of making their faces smooth；
I'm no witch to have a taste for travelling through the air。 What
would my islanders say when they heard their governor was going；
strolling about on the winds？ And another thing； as it is three
thousand and odd leagues from this to Kandy； if the horse tires； or
the giant takes huff； we'll he half a dozen years getting back； and
there won't be isle or island in the world that will know me： and
so； as it is a common saying 'in delay there's danger；' and 'when they
offer thee a heifer run with a halter；' these ladies' beards must
excuse me； 'Saint Peter is very well in Rome；' I mean I am very well
in this house where so much is made of me； and I hope for such a
good thing from the master as to see myself a governor。〃
〃Friend Sancho；〃 said the duke at this； 〃the island that I have
promised you is not a moving one； or one that will run away； it has
roots so deeply buried in the bowels of the earth that it will be no
easy matter to pluck it up or shift it from where it is； you know as
well as I do that there is no sort of office of any importance that is
not obtained by a bribe of some kind； great or small； well then；
that which I look to receive for this government is that you go with
your master Don Quixote； and bring this memorable adventure to a
conclusion； and whether you return on Clavileno as quickly as his
speed seems to promise； or adverse fortune brings you back on foot
travelling as a pilgrim from hostel to hostel and from inn to inn； you
will always find your island on your return where you left it； and
your islanders with the same eagerness they have always had to receive
you as their governor； and my good…will will remain the sa
