don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第202节

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weakness　they　will　bring　their　batteries　to　bear　upon　thee　in　that
quarter；　till　they　have　brought　thee　down　to　the　depths　of
perdition。　Consider　and　reconsider；　con　and　con　over　again　the　advices
and　the　instructions　I　gave　thee　before　thy　departure　hence　to　thy
government；　and　thou　wilt　see　that　in　them；　if　thou　dost　follow
them；　thou　hast　a　help　at　hand　that　will　lighten　for　thee　the　troubles
and　difficulties　that　beset　governors　at　every　step。　Write　to　thy　lord
and　lady　and　show　thyself　grateful　to　them；　for　ingratitude　is　the
daughter　of　pride；　and　one　of　the　greatest　sins　we　know　of；　and　he　who
is　grateful　to　those　who　have　been　good　to　him　shows　that　he　will　be
so　to　God　also　who　has　bestowed　and　still　bestows　so　many　blessings
upon　him。
　　My　lady　the　duchess　sent　off　a　messenger　with　thy　suit　and　another
present　to　thy　wife　Teresa　Panza；　we　expect　the　answer　every　moment。　I
have　been　a　little　indisposed　through　a　certain　scratching　I　came　in
for；　not　very　much　to　the　benefit　of　my　nose；　but　it　was　nothing；
for　if　there　are　enchanters　who　maltreat　me；　there　are　also　some　who
defend　me。　Let　me　know　if　the　majordomo　who　is　with　thee　had　any　share
in　the　Trifaldi　performance；　as　thou　didst　suspect；　and　keep　me
informed　of　everything　that　happens　thee；　as　the　distance　is　so　short；
all　the　more　as　I　am　thinking　of　giving　over　very　shortly　this　idle
life　I　am　now　leading；　for　I　was　not　born　for　it。　A　thing　has　occurred
to　me　which　I　am　inclined　to　think　will　put　me　out　of　favour　with
the　duke　and　duchess；　but　though　I　am　sorry　for　it　I　do　not　care；
for　after　all　I　must　obey　my　calling　rather　than　their　pleasure；　in
accordance　with　the　common　saying；　amicus　Plato；　sed　magis　amica
veritas。　I　quote　this　Latin　to　thee　because　I　conclude　that　since　thou
hast　been　a　governor　thou　wilt　have　learned　it。　Adieu；　God　keep　thee
from　being　an　object　of　pity　to　anyone。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thy　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA。

　　Sancho　listened　to　the　letter　with　great　attention；　and　it　was
praised　and　considered　wise　by　all　who　heard　it；　he　then　rose　up
from　table；　and　calling　his　secretary　shut　himself　in　with　him　in
his　own　room；　and　without　putting　it　off　any　longer　set　about
answering　his　master　Don　Quixote　at　once；　and　he　bade　the　secretary
write　down　what　he　told　him　without　adding　or　suppressing　anything；
which　he　did；　and　the　answer　was　to　the　following　effect。

　　　　　　SANCHO　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA。

　　The　pressure　of　business　is　so　great　upon　me　that　I　have　no　time
to　scratch　my　head　or　even　to　cut　my　nails；　and　I　have　them　so　long…
God　send　a　remedy　for　it。　I　say　this；　master　of　my　soul；　that　you
may　not　be　surprised　if　I　have　not　until　now　sent　you　word　of　how　I
fare；　well　or　ill；　in　this　government；　in　which　I　am　suffering　more
hunger　than　when　we　two　were　wandering　through　the　woods　and　wastes。
　　My　lord　the　duke　wrote　to　me　the　other　day　to　warn　me　that　certain
spies　had　got　into　this　island　to　kill　me；　but　up　to　the　present　I
have　not　found　out　any　except　a　certain　doctor　who　receives　a　salary
in　this　town　for　killing　all　the　governors　that　come　here；　he　is
called　Doctor　Pedro　Recio；　and　is　from　Tirteafuera；　so　you　see　what
a　name　he　has　to　make　me　dread　dying　under　his　hands。　This　doctor　says
of　himself　that　he　does　not　cure　diseases　when　there　are　any；　but
prevents　them　coming；　and　the　medicines　he　uses　are　diet　and　more　diet
until　he　brings　one　down　to　bare　bones；　as　if　leanness　was　not　worse
than　fever。
　　In　short　he　is　killing　me　with　hunger；　and　I　am　dying　myself　of
vexation；　for　when　I　thought　I　was　coming　to　this　government　to　get　my
meat　hot　and　my　drink　cool；　and　take　my　ease　between　holland　sheets　on
feather　beds；　I　find　I　have　come　to　do　penance　as　if　I　was　a　hermit；
and　as　I　don't　do　it　willingly　I　suspect　that　in　the　end　the　devil
will　carry　me　off。
　　So　far　I　have　not　handled　any　dues　or　taken　any　bribes；　and　I
don't　know　what　to　think　of　it；　for　here　they　tell　me　that　the
governors　that　come　to　this　island；　before　entering　it　have　plenty
of　money　either　given　to　them　or　lent　to　them　by　the　people　of　the
town；　and　that　this　is　the　usual　custom　not　only　here　but　with　all　who
enter　upon　governments。
　　Last　night　going　the　rounds　I　came　upon　a　fair　damsel　in　man's
clothes；　and　a　brother　of　hers　dressed　as　a　woman；　my　head…carver
has　fallen　in　love　with　the　girl；　and　has　in　his　own　mind　chosen　her
for　a　wife；　so　he　says；　and　I　have　chosen　youth　for　a　son…in…law；
to…day　we　are　going　to　explain　our　intentions　to　the　father　of　the
pair；　who　is　one　Diego　de　la　Llana；　a　gentleman　and　an　old　Christian
as　much　as　you　please。
　　I　have　visited　the　market…places；　as　your　worship　advises　me；　and
yesterday　I　found　a　stall…keeper　selling　new　hazel　nuts　and　proved　her
to　have　mixed　a　bushel　of　old　empty　rotten　nuts　with　a　bushel　of
new；　I　confiscated　the　whole　for　the　children　of　the　charity…school；
who　will　know　how　to　distinguish　them　well　enough；　and　I　sentenced　her
not　to　come　into　the　market…place　for　a　fortnight；　they　told　me　I
did　bravely。　I　can　tell　your　worship　it　is　commonly　said　in　this
town　that　there　are　no　people　worse　than　the　market…women；　for　they
are　all　barefaced；　unconscionable；　and　impudent；　and　I　can　well
believe　it　from　what　I　have　seen　of　them　in　other　towns。
　　I　am　very　glad　my　lady　the　duchess　has　written　to　my　wife　Teresa
Panza　and　sent　her　the　present　your　worship　speaks　of；　and　I　will
strive　to　show　myself　grateful　when　the　time　comes；　kiss　her　hands　for
me；　and　tell　her　I　say　she　has　not　thrown　it　into　a　sack　with　a　hole
in　it；　as　she　will　see　in　the　end。　I　should　not　like　your　worship　to
have　any　difference　with　my　lord　and　lady；　for　if　you　fall　out　with
them　it　is　plain　it　must　do　me　harm；　and　as　you　give　me　advice　to　be
grateful　it　will　not　do　for　your　worship　not　to　be　so　yourself　to
those　who　have　shown　you　such　kindness；　and　by　whom　you　have　been
treated　so　hospitably　in　their　castle。
　　That　about　the　scratching　I　don't　understand；　but　I　suppose　it
must　be　one　of　the　ill…turns　the　wicked　enchanters　are　always　doing
your　worship；　when　we　meet　I　shall　know　all　about　it。　I　wish　I　could
send　your　worship　something；　but　I　don't　know　what　to　send；　unless
it　be　some　very　curious　clyster　pipes；　to　work　with　bladders；　that
they　make　in　this　island；　but　if　the　office　remains　with　me　I'll
find　out　something　to　send；　one　way　or　another。　If　my　wife　Teresa
Panza　writes　to　me；　pay　the　postage　and　send　me　the　letter；　for　I　have
a　very　great　desire　to　hear　how　my　house　and　wife　and　children　are
going　on。　And　so；　may　God　deliver　your　worship　from　evil…minded
enchanters；　and　bring　me　well　and　peacefully　out　of　this　government；
which　I　doubt；　for　I　expect　to　take　leave　of　it　and　my　life
together；　from　the　way　Doctor　Pedro　Recio　treats　me。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　worship's　servant
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SANCHO　PANZA　THE　GOVERNOR。

　　The　secretary　sealed　the　letter；　and　immediately　dismissed　the
courier；　and　those　who　were　carrying　on　the　joke　against　Sancho
putting　their　heads　together　arranged　how　he　was　to　be　dismissed
from　the　government。　Sancho　spent　the　afternoon　in　drawing　up
certain　ordinances　relating　to　the　good　government　of　what　he
fancied　the　island；　and　he　ordained　that　there　were　to　be　no　provision
hucksters　in　the　State；　and　that　men　might　import　wine　into　it　from
any　place　they　pleased；　provided　they　declared　the　quarter　it　came
from；　so　that　a　price　might　be　put　upon　it　according　to　its　quality；
reputation；　and　the　estimation　it　was　held　in；　and　he　that　watered　his
wine；　or　changed　the　name；　was　to　forfeit　his　life　for　it。　He
reduced　the　prices　of　all　manner　of　shoes；　boots；　and　stockings；　but
of　shoes　in　particular；　as　they　seemed　to　him　to　run　extravagantly
high。　He　established　a　fixed　rate　for　servants'　wages；　which　were
becoming　recklessly　exorbitant。　He　laid　extremely　heavy　penalties　upon
those　who　sang　lewd　or　loose　songs　either　by　day　or　night。　He
decreed　that　no　blind　man　should　sing　of　any　miracle　in　verse；
unless　he　could　produce　authentic　evidence　that　it　was　true；　for　it
was　his　opinion　that　most　of　those　the　blind　men　sing　are　trumped
up；　to　the　detriment　of　the　true　ones。　He　established　and　created　an
alguacil　of　the　poor；　not　to　harass　them；　but　to　examine　them　and
see　whether　they　really　were　so；　for　many　a　sturdy　thief　or　drunkard
goes　about　under　cover　of　a　make…believe　crippled　limb　or　a　sham　sore。
In　a　word；　he　made　so　many　good　rules　that　to　this　day　they　are
preserved　there；　and　are　called　The　constitutions　of　the　great
governor　Sancho　Panza。


　　CHAPTER　LII
　　WHEREIN　IS　RELATED　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　SECOND　DISTRESSED　OR
AFFLICTED　DUENNA；　OTHERWISE　CALLED　DONA　RODRIGUEZ

　　CIDE　HAMETE　relates　that　Don　Quixote　being　now　cured　of　his
scratches　felt　that　the　life　he　was　leading　in　the　castle　was　entirely
inconsistent　with　the　order　of　chivalry　he　professed；　so　he　determined
to　ask　the　duke　and　duchess　to　permit　him　to　take　his　departure　for
Saragossa；　as　the　time　of　the　festival　was　now　drawing　near；　and　he
hoped　to　win　there　the　suit　of　armour　which　is　the　prize　at
festiv