don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第185节

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　　THE　duke　and　duchess　were　so　well　pleased　with　the　successful　and
droll　result　of　the　adventure　of　the　Distressed　One；　that　they
resolved　to　carry　on　the　joke；　seeing　what　a　fit　subject　they　had　to
deal　with　for　making　it　all　pass　for　reality。　So　having　laid　their
plans　and　given　instructions　to　their　servants　and　vassals　how　to
behave　to　Sancho　in　his　government　of　the　promised　island；　the　next
day；　that　following　Clavileno's　flight；　the　duke　told　Sancho　to
prepare　and　get　ready　to　go　and　be　governor；　for　his　islanders　were
already　looking　out　for　him　as　for　the　showers　of　May。
　　Sancho　made　him　an　obeisance；　and　said；　〃Ever　since　I　came　down　from
heaven；　and　from　the　top　of　it　beheld　the　earth；　and　saw　how　little　it
is；　the　great　desire　I　had　to　be　a　governor　has　been　partly　cooled
in　me；　for　what　is　there　grand　in　being　ruler　on　a　grain　of　mustard
seed；　or　what　dignity　or　authority　in　governing　half　a　dozen　men　about
as　big　as　hazel　nuts；　for；　so　far　as　I　could　see；　there　were　no　more
on　the　whole　earth？　If　your　lordship　would　be　so　good　as　to　give　me
ever　so　small　a　bit　of　heaven；　were　it　no　more　than　half　a　league；　I'd
rather　have　it　than　the　best　island　in　the　world。〃
　　〃Recollect；　Sancho；〃　said　the　duke；　〃I　cannot　give　a　bit　of
heaven；　no　not　so　much　as　the　breadth　of　my　nail；　to　anyone；　rewards
and　favours　of　that　sort　are　reserved　for　God　alone。　What　I　can　give　I
give　you；　and　that　is　a　real；　genuine　island；　compact；　well
proportioned；　and　uncommonly　fertile　and　fruitful；　where；　if　you
know　how　to　use　your　opportunities；　you　may；　with　the　help　of　the
world's　riches；　gain　those　of　heaven。〃
　　〃Well　then；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let　the　island　come；　and　I'll　try　and
be　such　a　governor；　that　in　spite　of　scoundrels　I'll　go　to　heaven；　and
it's　not　from　any　craving　to　quit　my　own　humble　condition　or　better
myself；　but　from　the　desire　I　have　to　try　what　it　tastes　like　to　be
a　governor。〃
　　〃If　you　once　make　trial　of　it；　Sancho；〃　said　the　duke；　〃you'll　eat
your　fingers　off　after　the　government；　so　sweet　a　thing　is　it　to
command　and　be　obeyed。　Depend　upon　it　when　your　master　comes　to　be
emperor　（as　he　will　beyond　a　doubt　from　the　course　his　affairs　are
taking）；　it　will　be　no　easy　matter　to　wrest　the　dignity　from　him；
and　he　will　be　sore　and　sorry　at　heart　to　have　been　so　long　without
becoming　one。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　is　my　belief　it's　a　good　thing　to　be　in
command；　if　it's　only　over　a　drove　of　cattle。〃
　　〃May　I　be　buried　with　you；　Sancho；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　you　know
everything；　I　hope　you　will　make　as　good　a　governor　as　your　sagacity
promises；　and　that　is　all　I　have　to　say；　and　now　remember　to…morrow　is
the　day　you　must　set　out　for　the　government　of　the　island；　and　this
evening　they　will　provide　you　with　the　proper　attire　for　you　to
wear；　and　all　things　requisite　for　your　departure。〃
　　〃Let　them　dress　me　as　they　like；〃　said　Sancho；　〃however　I'm
dressed　I'll　be　Sancho　Panza。〃
　　〃That's　true；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　one's　dress　must　be　suited　to　the
office　or　rank　one　holds；　for　it　would　not　do　for　a　jurist　to　dress
like　a　soldier；　or　a　soldier　like　a　priest。　You；　Sancho；　shall　go
partly　as　a　lawyer；　partly　as　a　captain；　for；　in　the　island　I　am
giving　you；　arms　are　needed　as　much　as　letters；　and　letters　as　much　as
arms。〃
　　〃Of　letters　I　know　but　little；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　I　don't　even
know　the　A　B　C；　but　it　is　enough　for　me　to　have　the　Christus　in　my
memory　to　be　a　good　governor。　As　for　arms；　I'll　handle　those　they　give
me　till　I　drop；　and　then；　God　be　my　help！〃
　　〃With　so　good　a　memory；〃　said　the　duke；　〃Sancho　cannot　go　wrong　in
anything。〃
　　Here　Don　Quixote　joined　them；　and　learning　what　passed；　and　how　soon
Sancho　was　to　go　to　his　government；　he　with　the　duke's　permission　took
him　by　the　hand；　and　retired　to　his　room　with　him　for　the　purpose　of
giving　him　advice　as　to　how　he　was　to　demean　himself　in　his　office。　As
soon　as　they　had　entered　the　chamber　he　closed　the　door　after　him；　and
almost　by　force　made　Sancho　sit　down　beside　him；　and　in　a　quiet　tone
thus　addressed　him：　〃I　give　infinite　thanks　to　heaven；　friend
Sancho；　that；　before　I　have　met　with　any　good　luck；　fortune　has　come
forward　to　meet　thee。　I　who　counted　upon　my　good　fortune　to
discharge　the　recompense　of　thy　services；　find　myself　still　waiting
for　advancement；　while　thou；　before　the　time；　and　contrary　to　all
reasonable　expectation；　seest　thyself　blessed　in　the　fulfillment　of
thy　desires。　Some　will　bribe；　beg；　solicit；　rise　early；　entreat；
persist；　without　attaining　the　object　of　their　suit；　while　another
comes；　and　without　knowing　why　or　wherefore；　finds　himself　invested
with　the　place　or　office　so　many　have　sued　for；　and　here　it　is　that
the　common　saying；　'There　is　good　luck　as　well　as　bad　luck　in
suits；'　applies。　Thou；　who；　to　my　thinking；　art　beyond　all　doubt　a
dullard；　without　early　rising　or　night　watching　or　taking　any　trouble；
with　the　mere　breath　of　knight…errantry　that　has　breathed　upon　thee；
seest　thyself　without　more　ado　governor　of　an　island；　as　though　it
were　a　mere　matter　of　course。　This　I　say；　Sancho；　that　thou
attribute　not　the　favour　thou　hast　received　to　thine　own　merits；　but
give　thanks　to　heaven　that　disposes　matters　beneficently；　and　secondly
thanks　to　the　great　power　the　profession　of　knight…errantry　contains
in　itself。　With　a　heart；　then；　inclined　to　believe　what　I　have　said　to
thee；　attend；　my　son；　to　thy　Cato　here　who　would　counsel　thee　and　be
thy　polestar　and　guide　to　direct　and　pilot　thee　to　a　safe　haven　out　of
this　stormy　sea　wherein　thou　art　about　to　ingulf　thyself；　for
offices　and　great　trusts　are　nothing　else　but　a　mighty　gulf　of
troubles。
　　〃First　of　all；　my　son；　thou　must　fear　God；　for　in　the　fear　of　him　is
wisdom；　and　being　wise　thou　canst　not　err　in　aught。
　　〃Secondly；　thou　must　keep　in　view　what　thou　art；　striving　to　know
thyself；　the　most　difficult　thing　to　know　that　the　mind　can　imagine。
If　thou　knowest　thyself；　it　will　follow　thou　wilt　not　puff　thyself
up　like　the　frog　that　strove　to　make　himself　as　large　as　the　ox；　if
thou　dost；　the　recollection　of　having　kept　pigs　in　thine　own　country
will　serve　as　the　ugly　feet　for　the　wheel　of　thy　folly。〃
　　〃That's　the　truth；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　that　was　when　I　was　a　boy；
afterwards　when　I　was　something　more　of　a　man　it　was　geese　I　kept；　not
pigs。　But　to　my　thinking　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；　for　all　who
are　governors　don't　come　of　a　kingly　stock。〃
　　〃True；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　for　that　reason　those　who　are　not
of　noble　origin　should　take　care　that　the　dignity　of　the　office　they
hold　he　accompanied　by　a　gentle　suavity；　which　wisely　managed　will
save　them　from　the　sneers　of　malice　that　no　station　escapes。
　　〃Glory　in　thy　humble　birth；　Sancho；　and　he　not　ashamed　of　saying
thou　art　peasant…born；　for　when　it　is　seen　thou　art　not　ashamed　no　one
will　set　himself　to　put　thee　to　the　blush；　and　pride　thyself　rather
upon　being　one　of　lowly　virtue　than　a　lofty　sinner。　Countless　are　they
who；　born　of　mean　parentage；　have　risen　to　the　highest　dignities；
pontifical　and　imperial；　and　of　the　truth　of　this　I　could　give　thee
instances　enough　to　weary　thee。
　　〃Remember；　Sancho；　if　thou　make　virtue　thy　aim；　and　take　a　pride
in　doing　virtuous　actions；　thou　wilt　have　no　cause　to　envy　those　who
have　princely　and　lordly　ones；　for　blood　is　an　inheritance；　but　virtue
an　acquisition；　and　virtue　has　in　itself　alone　a　worth　that　blood　does
not　possess。
　　〃This　being　so；　if　perchance　anyone　of　thy　kinsfolk　should　come　to
see　thee　when　thou　art　in　thine　island；　thou　art　not　to　repel　or
slight　him；　but　on　the　contrary　to　welcome　him；　entertain　him；　and
make　much　of　him；　for　in　so　doing　thou　wilt　be　approved　of　heaven
（which　is　not　pleased　that　any　should　despise　what　it　hath　made）；
and　wilt　comply　with　the　laws　of　well…ordered　nature。
　　〃If　thou　carriest　thy　wife　with　thee　（and　it　is　not　well　for　those
that　administer　governments　to　be　long　without　their　wives）；　teach　and
instruct　her；　and　strive　to　smooth　down　her　natural　roughness；　for　all
that　may　be　gained　by　a　wise　governor　may　be　lost　and　wasted　by　a
boorish　stupid　wife。
　　〃If　perchance　thou　art　left　a　widower…　a　thing　which　may　happen…　and
in　virtue　of　thy　office　seekest　a　consort　of　higher　degree；　choose　not
one　to　serve　thee　for　a　hook；　or　for　a　fishing…rod；　or　for　the　hood　of
thy　'won't　have　it；'　for　verily；　I　tell　thee；　for　all　the　judge's　wife
receives；　the　husband　will　be　held　accountable　at　the　general
calling　to　account；　where　he　will　have　repay　in　death　fourfold；
items　that　in　life　he　regarded　as　naught。
　　〃Never　go　by　arbitrary　law；　which　is　so　much　favoured　by　ignorant
men　who　plume　themselves　on　cleverness。
　　〃Let　the　tears　of　the　poor　man　find　with　thee　more　compassion；　but
not　more　justice；　than　the　pleadings　of　the　rich。
　　〃Strive　to　lay　bare　the　truth；　as　well　amid　the　promises　and
presents　of　the　rich　man；　as　amid　the　sobs　and　entreaties　of　the　poor。
　　〃When　equity　may　and　should　be　brought　into　play；　press　not　the
utmost　rigour　of　the　law　against　the　guilty；　for　the　reputation　of　the
stern　judge　stands　not　higher　than　that　of　the　compassionate。
　　〃If　perchance　thou　permittest　the　staff　of　justice　to　swerve；