don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第195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！


the　world。　Is　there　a　duenna　on　earth　that　has　fair　flesh？　Is　there
a　duenna　in　the　world　that　escapes　being　ill…tempered；　wrinkled；　and
prudish？　Avaunt；　then；　ye　duenna　crew；　undelightful　to　all　mankind。
Oh；　but　that　lady　did　well　who；　they　say；　had　at　the　end　of　her
reception　room　a　couple　of　figures　of　duennas　with　spectacles　and
lace…cushions；　as　if　at　work；　and　those　statues　served　quite　as　well
to　give　an　air　of　propriety　to　the　room　as　if　they　had　been　real
duennas。〃
　　So　saying　he　leaped　off　the　bed；　intending　to　close　the　door　and　not
allow　Senora　Rodriguez　to　enter；　but　as　he　went　to　shut　it　Senora
Rodriguez　returned　with　a　wax　candle　lighted；　and　having　a　closer　view
of　Don　Quixote；　with　the　coverlet　round　him；　and　his　bandages　and
night…cap；　she　was　alarmed　afresh；　and　retreating　a　couple　of　paces；
exclaimed；　〃Am　I　safe；　sir　knight？　for　I　don't　look　upon　it　as　a
sign　of　very　great　virtue　that　your　worship　should　have　got　up　out
of　bed。〃
　　〃I　may　well　ask　the　same；　senora；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　I　do　ask
whether　I　shall　be　safe　from　being　assailed　and　forced？〃
　　〃Of　whom　and　against　whom　do　you　demand　that　security；　sir
knight？〃　said　the　duenna。
　　〃Of　you　and　against　you　I　ask　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　am　not
marble；　nor　are　you　brass；　nor　is　it　now　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；
but　midnight；　or　a　trifle　past　it　I　fancy；　and　we　are　in　a　room　more
secluded　and　retired　than　the　cave　could　have　been　where　the
treacherous　and　daring　AEneas　enjoyed　the　fair　soft…hearted　Dido。
But　give　me　your　hand；　senora；　I　require　no　better　protection　than
my　own　continence；　and　my　own　sense　of　propriety；　as　well　as　that
which　is　inspired　by　that　venerable　head…dress；〃　and　so　saying　he
kissed　her　right　hand　and　took　it　in　his　own；　she　yielding　it　to　him
with　equal　ceremoniousness。　And　here　Cide　Hamete　inserts　a　parenthesis
in　which　he　says　that　to　have　seen　the　pair　marching　from　the　door
to　the　bed；　linked　hand　in　hand　in　this　way；　he　would　have　given　the
best　of　the　two　tunics　he　had。
　　Don　Quixote　finally　got　into　bed；　and　Dona　Rodriguez　took　her　seat
on　a　chair　at　some　little　distance　from　his　couch；　without　taking
off　her　spectacles　or　putting　aside　the　candle。　Don　Quixote　wrapped
the　bedclothes　round　him　and　covered　himself　up　completely；　leaving
nothing　but　his　face　visible；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　both　regained
their　composure　he　broke　silence；　saying；　〃Now；　Senora　Dona　Rodriguez；
you　may　unbosom　yourself　and　out　with　everything　you　have　in　your
sorrowful　heart　and　afflicted　bowels；　and　by　me　you　shall　be
listened　to　with　chaste　ears；　and　aided　by　compassionate　exertions。〃
　　〃I　believe　it；〃　replied　the　duenna；　〃from　your　worship's　gentle
and　winning　presence　only　such　a　Christian　answer　could　be　expected。
The　fact　is；　then；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　though　you　see　me　seated　in
this　chair；　here　in　the　middle　of　the　kingdom　of　Aragon；　and　in　the
attire　of　a　despised　outcast　duenna；　I　am　from　the　Asturias　of　Oviedo；
and　of　a　family　with　which　many　of　the　best　of　the　province　are
connected　by　blood；　but　my　untoward　fate　and　the　improvidence　of　my
parents；　who；　I　know　not　how；　were　unseasonably　reduced　to　poverty；
brought　me　to　the　court　of　Madrid；　where　as　a　provision　and　to　avoid
greater　misfortunes；　my　parents　placed　me　as　seamstress　in　the　service
of　a　lady　of　quality；　and　I　would　have　you　know　that　for　hemming　and
sewing　I　have　never　been　surpassed　by　any　all　my　life。　My　parents　left
me　in　service　and　returned　to　their　own　country；　and　a　few　years　later
went；　no　doubt；　to　heaven；　for　they　were　excellent　good　Catholic
Christians。　I　was　left　an　orphan　with　nothing　but　the　miserable
wages　and　trifling　presents　that　are　given　to　servants　of　my　sort　in
palaces；　but　about　this　time；　without　any　encouragement　on　my　part；
one　of　the　esquires　of　the　household　fell　in　love　with　me；　a　man
somewhat　advanced　in　years；　full…bearded　and　personable；　and　above　all
as　good　a　gentleman　as　the　king　himself；　for　he　came　of　a　mountain
stock。　We　did　not　carry　on　our　loves　with　such　secrecy　but　that　they
came　to　the　knowledge　of　my　lady；　and　she；　not　to　have　any　fuss
about　it；　had　us　married　with　the　full　sanction　of　the　holy　mother
Roman　Catholic　Church；　of　which　marriage　a　daughter　was　born　to　put　an
end　to　my　good　fortune；　if　I　had　any；　not　that　I　died　in　childbirth；
for　I　passed　through　it　safely　and　in　due　season；　but　because
shortly　afterwards　my　husband　died　of　a　certain　shock　he　received；　and
had　I　time　to　tell　you　of　it　I　know　your　worship　would　be
surprised；〃　and　here　she　began　to　weep　bitterly　and　said；　〃Pardon
me；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　if　I　am　unable　to　control　myself；　for　every
time　I　think　of　my　unfortunate　husband　my　eyes　fill　up　with　tears。　God
bless　me；　with　what　an　air　of　dignity　he　used　to　carry　my　lady
behind　him　on　a　stout　mule　as　black　as　jet！　for　in　those　days　they　did
not　use　coaches　or　chairs；　as　they　say　they　do　now；　and　ladies　rode
behind　their　squires。　This　much　at　least　I　cannot　help　telling　you；
that　you　may　observe　the　good　breeding　and　punctiliousness　of　my
worthy　husband。　As　he　was　turning　into　the　Calle　de　Santiago　in
Madrid；　which　is　rather　narrow；　one　of　the　alcaldes　of　the　Court；　with
two　alguacils　before　him；　was　coming　out　of　it；　and　as　soon　as　my　good
squire　saw　him　he　wheeled　his　mule　about　and　made　as　if　he　would
turn　and　accompany　him。　My　lady；　who　was　riding　behind　him；　said　to
him　in　a　low　voice；　'What　are　you　about；　you　sneak；　don't　you　see　that
I　am　here？'　The　alcalde　like　a　polite　man　pulled　up　his　horse　and　said
to　him；　'Proceed；　senor；　for　it　is　I；　rather；　who　ought　to　accompany
my　lady　Dona　Casilda'…　for　that　was　my　mistress's　name。　Still　my
husband；　cap　in　hand；　persisted　in　trying　to　accompany　the　alcalde；
and　seeing　this　my　lady；　filled　with　rage　and　vexation；　pulled　out　a
big　pin；　or；　I　rather　think；　a　bodkin；　out　of　her　needle…case　and
drove　it　into　his　back　with　such　force　that　my　husband　gave　a　loud
yell；　and　writhing　fell　to　the　ground　with　his　lady。　Her　two
lacqueys　ran　to　rise　her　up；　and　the　alcalde　and　the　alguacils　did　the
same；　the　Guadalajara　gate　was　all　in　commotion　…I　mean　the　idlers
congregated　there；　my　mistress　came　back　on　foot；　and　my　husband
hurried　away　to　a　barber's　shop　protesting　that　he　was　run　right
through　the　guts。　The　courtesy　of　my　husband　was　noised　abroad　to　such
an　extent；　that　the　boys　gave　him　no　peace　in　the　street；　and　on
this　account；　and　because　he　was　somewhat　shortsighted；　my　lady
dismissed　him；　and　it　was　chagrin　at　this　I　am　convinced　beyond　a
doubt　that　brought　on　his　death。　I　was　left　a　helpless　widow；　with　a
daughter　on　my　hands　growing　up　in　beauty　like　the　sea…foam；　at
length；　however；　as　I　had　the　character　of　being　an　excellent
needlewoman；　my　lady　the　duchess；　then　lately　married　to　my　lord　the
duke；　offered　to　take　me　with　her　to　this　kingdom　of　Aragon；　and　my
daughter　also；　and　here　as　time　went　by　my　daughter　grew　up　and　with
her　all　the　graces　in　the　world；　she　sings　like　a　lark；　dances　quick
as　thought；　foots　it　like　a　gipsy；　reads　and　writes　like　a
schoolmaster；　and　does　sums　like　a　miser；　of　her　neatness　I　say
nothing；　for　the　running　water　is　not　purer；　and　her　age　is　now；　if　my
memory　serves　me；　sixteen　years　five　months　and　three　days；　one　more
or　less。　To　come　to　the　point；　the　son　of　a　very　rich　farmer；　living
in　a　village　of　my　lord　the　duke's　not　very　far　from　here；　fell　in
love　with　this　girl　of　mine；　and　in　short；　how　I　know　not；　they　came
together；　and　under　the　promise　of　marrying　her　he　made　a　fool　of　my
daughter；　and　will　not　keep　his　word。　And　though　my　lord　the　duke　is
aware　of　it　（for　I　have　complained　to　him；　not　once　but　many　and
many　a　time；　and　entreated　him　to　order　the　farmer　to　marry　my
daughter）；　he　turns　a　deaf　ear　and　will　scarcely　listen　to　me；　the
reason　being　that　as　the　deceiver's　father　is　so　rich；　and　lends　him
money；　and　is　constantly　going　security　for　his　debts；　he　does　not
like　to　offend　or　annoy　him　in　any　way。　Now；　senor；　I　want　your
worship　to　take　it　upon　yourself　to　redress　this　wrong　either　by
entreaty　or　by　arms；　for　by　what　all　the　world　says　you　came　into　it
to　redress　grievances　and　right　wrongs　and　help　the　unfortunate。　Let
your　worship　put　before　you　the　unprotected　condition　of　my
daughter；　her　youth；　and　all　the　perfections　I　have　said　she
possesses；　and　before　God　and　on　my　conscience；　out　of　all　the　damsels
my　lady　has；　there　is　not　one　that　comes　up　to　the　sole　of　her　shoe；
and　the　one　they　call　Altisidora；　and　look　upon　as　the　boldest　and
gayest　of　them；　put　in　comparison　with　my　daughter；　does　not　come
within　two　leagues　of　her。　For　I　would　have　you　know；　senor；　all　is
not　gold　that　glitters；　and　that　same　little　Altisidora　has　more
forwardness　than　good　looks；　and　more　impudence　than　modesty；
besides　being　not　very　sound；　for　she　has　such　a　disagreeable　breath
that　one　cannot　bear　to　be　near　her　for　a　moment；　and　even　my　lady　the
duchess…　but　I'll　hold　my　tongue；　for　they　say　that　walls　have　ears。〃
　　〃For　heaven's　sake；　Dona　Rodriguez；　what　ails　my　lady　the
duchess？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Adjured　in　that　way；〃　replied　the　duenna；　〃I　cannot　help
answering　the　que