don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第188节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


majordomo　of　the　duke's　here　is　the　very　face　of　the　Distressed　One。〃
　　Don　Quixote　regarded　the　majordomo　attentively；　and　having　done
so；　said　to　Sancho；　〃There　is　no　reason　why　the　devil　should　carry
thee　off；　Sancho；　either　righteous　or　believing…　and　what　thou　meanest
by　that　I　know　not；　the　face　of　the　Distressed　One　is　that　of　the
majordomo；　but　for　all　that　the　majordomo　is　not　the　Distressed　One；
for　his　being　so　would　involve　a　mighty　contradiction；　but　this　is　not
the　time　for　going　into　questions　of　the　sort；　which　would　be
involving　ourselves　in　an　inextricable　labyrinth。　Believe　me；　my
friend；　we　must　pray　earnestly　to　our　Lord　that　he　deliver　us　both
from　wicked　wizards　and　enchanters。〃
　　〃It　is　no　joke；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　before　this　I　heard　him
speak；　and　it　seemed　exactly　as　if　the　voice　of　the　Trifaldi　was
sounding　in　my　ears。　Well；　I'll　hold　my　peace；　but　I'll　take　care　to
be　on　the　look…out　henceforth　for　any　sign　that　may　be　seen　to　confirm
or　do　away　with　this　suspicion。〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　do　well；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　thou　wilt　let　me
know　all　thou　discoverest；　and　all　that　befalls　thee　in　thy
government。〃
　　Sancho　at　last　set　out　attended　by　a　great　number　of　people。　He
was　dressed　in　the　garb　of　a　lawyer；　with　a　gaban　of　tawny　watered
camlet　over　all　and　a　montera　cap　of　the　same　material；　and　mounted
a　la　gineta　upon　a　mule。　Behind　him；　in　accordance　with　the　duke's
orders；　followed　Dapple　with　brand　new　ass…trappings　and　ornaments
of　silk；　and　from　time　to　time　Sancho　turned　round　to　look　at　his　ass；
so　well　pleased　to　have　him　with　him　that　he　would　not　have　changed
places　with　the　emperor　of　Germany。　On　taking　leave　he　kissed　the
hands　of　the　duke　and　duchess　and　got　his　master's　blessing；　which　Don
Quixote　gave　him　with　tears；　and　he　received　blubbering。
　　Let　worthy　Sancho　go　in　peace；　and　good　luck　to　him；　Gentle
Reader；　and　look　out　for　two　bushels　of　laughter；　which　the　account　of
how　he　behaved　himself　in　office　will　give　thee。　In　the　meantime
turn　thy　attention　to　what　happened　his　master　the　same　night；　and
if　thou　dost　not　laugh　thereat；　at　any　rate　thou　wilt　stretch　thy
mouth　with　a　grin；　for　Don　Quixote's　adventures　must　be　honoured
either　with　wonder　or　with　laughter。
　　It　is　recorded；　then；　that　as　soon　as　Sancho　had　gone；　Don　Quixote
felt　his　loneliness；　and　had　it　been　possible　for　him　to　revoke　the
mandate　and　take　away　the　government　from　him　he　would　have　done　so。
The　duchess　observed　his　dejection　and　asked　him　why　he　was
melancholy；　because；　she　said；　if　it　was　for　the　loss　of　Sancho；　there
were　squires；　duennas；　and　damsels　in　her　house　who　would　wait　upon
him　to　his　full　satisfaction。
　　〃The　truth　is；　senora；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　I　do　feel　the
loss　of　Sancho；　but　that　is　not　the　main　cause　of　my　looking　sad；
and　of　all　the　offers　your　excellence　makes　me；　I　accept　only　the
good…will　with　which　they　are　made；　and　as　to　the　remainder　I
entreat　of　your　excellence　to　permit　and　allow　me　alone　to　wait　upon
myself　in　my　chamber。〃
　　〃Indeed；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that　must　not　be；
four　of　my　damsels；　as　beautiful　as　flowers；　shall　wait　upon　you。〃
　　〃To　me；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃they　will　not　be　flowers；　but　thorns
to　pierce　my　heart。　They；　or　anything　like　them；　shall　as　soon　enter
my　chamber　as　fly。　If　your　highness　wishes　to　gratify　me　still
further；　though　I　deserve　it　not；　permit　me　to　please　myself；　and　wait
upon　myself　in　my　own　room；　for　I　place　a　barrier　between　my
inclinations　and　my　virtue；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　break　this　rule
through　the　generosity　your　highness　is　disposed　to　display　towards
me；　and；　in　short；　I　will　sleep　in　my　clothes；　sooner　than　allow
anyone　to　undress　me。〃
　　〃Say　no　more；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　say　no　more；〃　said　the　duchess；
〃I　assure　you　I　will　give　orders　that　not　even　a　fly；　not　to　say　a
damsel；　shall　enter　your　room。　I　am　not　the　one　to　undermine　the
propriety　of　Senor　Don　Quixote；　for　it　strikes　me　that　among　his
many　virtues　the　one　that　is　pre…eminent　is　that　of　modesty。　Your
worship　may　undress　and　dress　in　private　and　in　your　own　way；　as　you
please　and　when　you　please；　for　there　will　be　no　one　to　hinder　you；
and　in　your　chamber　you　will　find　all　the　utensils　requisite　to　supply
the　wants　of　one　who　sleeps　with　his　door　locked；　to　the　end　that　no
natural　needs　compel　you　to　open　it。　May　the　great　Dulcinea　del　Toboso
live　a　thousand　years；　and　may　her　fame　extend　all　over　the　surface　of
the　globe；　for　she　deserves　to　be　loved　by　a　knight　so　valiant　and
so　virtuous；　and　may　kind　heaven　infuse　zeal　into　the　heart　of　our
governor　Sancho　Panza　to　finish　off　his　discipline　speedily；　so　that
the　world　may　once　more　enjoy　the　beauty　of　so　grand　a　lady。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Your　highness　has　spoken　like　what
you　are；　from　the　mouth　of　a　noble　lady　nothing　bad　can　come；　and
Dulcinea　will　be　more　fortunate；　and　better　known　to　the　world　by
the　praise　of　your　highness　than　by　all　the　eulogies　the　greatest
orators　on　earth　could　bestow　upon　her。〃
　　〃Well；　well；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the　duchess；　is　nearly
supper…time；　and　the　duke　is　is　probably　waiting；　come　let　us　go　to
supper；　and　retire　to　rest　early；　for　the　journey　you　made　yesterday
from　Kandy　was　not　such　a　short　one　but　that　it　must　have　caused　you
some　fatigue。〃
　　〃I　feel　none；　senora；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　would　go　so　far　as
to　swear　to　your　excellence　that　in　all　my　life　I　never　mounted　a
quieter　beast；　or　a　pleasanter　paced　one；　than　Clavileno；　and　I
don't　know　what　could　have　induced　Malambruno　to　discard　a　steed　so
swift　and　so　gentle；　and　burn　it　so　recklessly　as　he　did。〃
　　〃Probably；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃repenting　of　the　evil　he　had　done
to　the　Trifaldi　and　company；　and　others；　and　the　crimes　he　must　have
committed　as　a　wizard　and　enchanter；　he　resolved　to　make　away　with　all
the　instruments　of　his　craft；　and　so　burned　Clavileno　as　the　chief
one；　and　that　which　mainly　kept　him　restless；　wandering　from　land　to
land；　and　by　its　ashes　and　the　trophy　of　the　placard　the　valour　of　the
great　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　is　established　for　ever。〃
　　Don　Quixote　renewed　his　thanks　to　the　duchess；　and　having　supped；
retired　to　his　chamber　alone；　refusing　to　allow　anyone　to　enter　with
him　to　wait　on　him；　such　was　his　fear　of　encountering　temptations　that
might　lead　or　drive　him　to　forget　his　chaste　fidelity　to　his　lady
Dulcinea；　for　he　had　always　present　to　his　mind　the　virtue　of
Amadis；　that　flower　and　mirror　of　knights…errant。　He　locked　the　door
behind　him；　and　by　the　light　of　two　wax　candles　undressed　himself；　but
as　he　was　taking　off　his　stockings…　O　disaster　unworthy　of　such　a
personage！…　there　came　a　burst；　not　of　sighs；　or　anything　belying
his　delicacy　or　good　breeding；　but　of　some　two　dozen　stitches　in　one
of　his　stockings；　that　made　it　look　like　a　window…lattice。　The
worthy　gentleman　was　beyond　measure　distressed；　and　at　that　moment
he　would　have　given　an　ounce　of　silver　to　have　had　half　a　drachm　of
green　silk　there；　I　say　green　silk；　because　the　stockings　were　green。
　　Here　Cide　Hamete　exclaimed　as　he　was　writing；　〃O　poverty；　poverty！　I
know　not　what　could　have　possessed　the　great　Cordovan　poet　to　call
thee　'holy　gift　ungratefully　received。'　Although　a　Moor；　I　know　well
enough　from　the　intercourse　I　have　had　with　Christians　that　holiness
consists　in　charity；　humility；　faith；　obedience；　and　poverty；　but
for　all　that；　I　say　he　must　have　a　great　deal　of　godliness　who　can
find　any　satisfaction　in　being　poor；　unless；　indeed；　it　be　the　kind　of
poverty　one　of　their　greatest　saints　refers　to；　saying；　'possess　all
things　as　though　ye　possessed　them　not；'　which　is　what　they　call
poverty　in　spirit。　But　thou；　that　other　poverty…　for　it　is　of　thee　I
am　speaking　now…　why　dost　thou　love　to　fall　out　with　gentlemen　and　men
of　good　birth　more　than　with　other　people？　Why　dost　thou　compel　them
to　smear　the　cracks　in　their　shoes；　and　to　have　the　buttons　of　their
coats；　one　silk；　another　hair；　and　another　glass？　Why　must　their　ruffs
be　always　crinkled　like　endive　leaves；　and　not　crimped　with　a　crimping
iron？〃　（From　this　we　may　perceive　the　antiquity　of　starch　and
crimped　ruffs。）　Then　he　goes　on：　〃Poor　gentleman　of　good　family！
always　cockering　up　his　honour；　dining　miserably　and　in　secret；　and
making　a　hypocrite　of　the　toothpick　with　which　he　sallies　out　into　the
street　after　eating　nothing　to　oblige　him　to　use　it！　Poor　fellow；　I
say；　with　his　nervous　honour；　fancying　they　perceive　a　league　off
the　patch　on　his　shoe；　the　sweat…stains　on　his　hat；　the　shabbiness
of　his　cloak；　and　the　hunger　of　his　stomach！〃
　　All　this　was　brought　home　to　Don　Quixote　by　the　bursting　of　his
stitches；　however；　he　comforted　himself　on　perceiving　that　Sancho
had　left　behind　a　pair　of　travelling　boots；　which　he　resolved　to
wear　the　next　day。　At　last　he　went　to　bed；　out　of　spirits　and　heavy　at
heart；　as　much　because　he　missed　Sancho　as　because　of　the
irreparable　disaster　to　his　stockings；　the　stitches　of　which　he
would　have　even　taken　up　with　silk　of　another　colour；　which　is　one
of　the　greatest　signs　of　poverty　a　gentleman　can　show　in　the　course　of
his　never…faili