don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第203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！


hoped　to　win　there　the　suit　of　armour　which　is　the　prize　at
festivals　of　the　sort。　But　one　day　at　table　with　the　duke　and　duchess；
just　as　he　was　about　to　carry　his　resolution　into　effect　and　ask　for
their　permission；　lo　and　behold　suddenly　there　came　in　through　the
door　of　the　great　hall　two　women；　as　they　afterwards　proved　to　be；
draped　in　mourning　from　head　to　foot；　one　of　whom　approaching　Don
Quixote　flung　herself　at　full　length　at　his　feet；　pressing　her　lips　to
them；　and　uttering　moans　so　sad；　so　deep；　and　so　doleful　that　she
put　all　who　heard　and　saw　her　into　a　state　of　perplexity；　and　though
the　duke　and　duchess　supposed　it　must　be　some　joke　their　servants　were
playing　off　upon　Don　Quixote；　still　the　earnest　way　the　woman　sighed
and　moaned　and　wept　puzzled　them　and　made　them　feel　uncertain；　until
Don　Quixote；　touched　with　compassion；　raised　her　up　and　made　her
unveil　herself　and　remove　the　mantle　from　her　tearful　face。　She
complied　and　disclosed　what　no　one　could　have　ever　anticipated；　for
she　disclosed　the　countenance　of　Dona　Rodriguez；　the　duenna　of　the
house；　the　other　female　in　mourning　being　her　daughter；　who　had　been
made　a　fool　of　by　the　rich　farmer's　son。　All　who　knew　her　were
filled　with　astonishment；　and　the　duke　and　duchess　more　than　any；
for　though　they　thought　her　a　simpleton　and　a　weak　creature；　they
did　not　think　her　capable　of　crazy　pranks。　Dona　Rodriguez；　at
length；　turning　to　her　master　and　mistress　said　to　them；　〃Will　your
excellences　be　pleased　to　permit　me　to　speak　to　this　gentleman　for　a
moment；　for　it　is　requisite　I　should　do　so　in　order　to　get
successfully　out　of　the　business　in　which　the　boldness　of　an
evil…minded　clown　has　involved　me？〃
　　The　duke　said　that　for　his　part　he　gave　her　leave；　and　that　she
might　speak　with　Senor　Don　Quixote　as　much　as　she　liked。
　　She　then；　turning　to　Don　Quixote　and　addressing　herself　to　him　said；
〃Some　days　since；　valiant　knight；　I　gave　you　an　account　of　the
injustice　and　treachery　of　a　wicked　farmer　to　my　dearly　beloved
daughter；　the　unhappy　damsel　here　before　you；　and　you　promised　me　to
take　her　part　and　right　the　wrong　that　has　been　done　her；　but　now　it
has　come　to　my　hearing　that　you　are　about　to　depart　from　this　castle
in　quest　of　such　fair　adventures　as　God　may　vouchsafe　to　you；
therefore；　before　you　take　the　road；　I　would　that　you　challenge　this
froward　rustic；　and　compel　him　to　marry　my　daughter　in　fulfillment
of　the　promise　he　gave　her　to　become　her　husband　before　he　seduced
her；　for　to　expect　that　my　lord　the　duke　will　do　me　justice　is　to
ask　pears　from　the　elm　tree；　for　the　reason　I　stated　privately　to　your
worship；　and　so　may　our　Lord　grant　you　good　health　and　forsake　us
not。〃
　　To　these　words　Don　Quixote　replied　very　gravely　and　solemnly；
〃Worthy　duenna；　check　your　tears；　or　rather　dry　them；　and　spare　your
sighs；　for　I　take　it　upon　myself　to　obtain　redress　for　your
daughter；　for　whom　it　would　have　been　better　not　to　have　been　so　ready
to　believe　lovers'　promises；　which　are　for　the　most　part　quickly
made　and　very　slowly　performed；　and　so；　with　my　lord　the　duke's　leave；
I　will　at　once　go　in　quest　of　this　inhuman　youth；　and　will　find　him
out　and　challenge　him　and　slay　him；　if　so　be　he　refuses　to　keep　his
promised　word；　for　the　chief　object　of　my　profession　is　to　spare　the
humble　and　chastise　the　proud；　I　mean；　to　help　the　distressed　and
destroy　the　oppressors。〃
　　〃There　is　no　necessity；〃　said　the　duke；　〃for　your　worship　to　take
the　trouble　of　seeking　out　the　rustic　of　whom　this　worthy　duenna
complains；　nor　is　there　any　necessity；　either；　for　asking　my　leave
to　challenge　him；　for　I　admit　him　duly　challenged；　and　will　take
care　that　he　is　informed　of　the　challenge；　and　accepts　it；　and　comes
to　answer　it　in　person　to　this　castle　of　mine；　where　I　shall　afford　to
both　a　fair　field；　observing　all　the　conditions　which　are　usually
and　properly　observed　in　such　trials；　and　observing　too　justice　to
both　sides；　as　all　princes　who　offer　a　free　field　to　combatants　within
the　limits　of　their　lordships　are　bound　to　do。〃
　　〃Then　with　that　assurance　and　your　highness's　good　leave；〃　said
Don　Quixote；　〃I　hereby　for　this　once　waive　my　privilege　of　gentle
blood；　and　come　down　and　put　myself　on　a　level　with　the　lowly　birth　of
the　wrong…doer；　making　myself　equal　with　him　and　enabling　him　to　enter
into　combat　with　me；　and　so；　I　challenge　and　defy　him；　though
absent；　on　the　plea　of　his　malfeasance　in　breaking　faith　with　this
poor　damsel；　who　was　a　maiden　and　now　by　his　misdeed　is　none；　and
say　that　he　shall　fulfill　the　promise　he　gave　her　to　become　her　lawful
husband；　or　else　stake　his　life　upon　the　question。〃
　　And　then　plucking　off　a　glove　he　threw　it　down　in　the　middle　of
the　hall；　and　the　duke　picked　it　up；　saying；　as　he　had　said　before；
that　he　accepted　the　challenge　in　the　name　of　his　vassal；　and　fixed
six　days　thence　as　the　time；　the　courtyard　of　the　castle　as　the　place；
and　for　arms　the　customary　ones　of　knights；　lance　and　shield　and
full　armour；　with　all　the　other　accessories；　without　trickery；
guile；　or　charms　of　any　sort；　and　examined　and　passed　by　the　judges　of
the　field。　〃But　first　of　all；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　requisite　that　this
worthy　duenna　and　unworthy　damsel　should　place　their　claim　for　justice
in　the　hands　of　Don　Quixote；　for　otherwise　nothing　can　be　done；　nor
can　the　said　challenge　be　brought　to　a　lawful　issue。〃
　　〃I　do　so　place　it；〃　replied　the　duenna。
　　〃And　I　too；〃　added　her　daughter；　all　in　tears　and　covered　with　shame
and　confusion。
　　This　declaration　having　been　made；　and　the　duke　having　settled　in
his　own　mind　what　he　would　do　in　the　matter；　the　ladies　in　black
withdrew；　and　the　duchess　gave　orders　that　for　the　future　they　were
not　to　be　treated　as　servants　of　hers；　but　as　lady　adventurers　who
came　to　her　house　to　demand　justice；　so　they　gave　them　a　room　to
themselves　and　waited　on　them　as　they　would　on　strangers；　to　the
consternation　of　the　other　women…servants；　who　did　not　know　where
the　folly　and　imprudence　of　Dona　Rodriguez　and　her　unlucky　daughter
would　stop。
　　And　now；　to　complete　the　enjoyment　of　the　feast　and　bring　the　dinner
to　a　satisfactory　end；　lo　and　behold　the　page　who　had　carried　the
letters　and　presents　to　Teresa　Panza；　the　wife　of　the　governor　Sancho；
entered　the　hall；　and　the　duke　and　duchess　were　very　well　pleased　to
see　him；　being　anxious　to　know　the　result　of　his　journey；　but　when
they　asked　him　the　page　said　in　reply　that　he　could　not　give　it　before
so　many　people　or　in　a　few　words；　and　begged　their　excellences　to　be
pleased　to　let　it　wait　for　a　private　opportunity；　and　in　the
meantime　amuse　themselves　with　these　letters；　and　taking　out　the
letters　he　placed　them　in　the　duchess's　hand。　One　bore　by　way　of
address；　Letter　for　my　lady　the　Duchess　So…and…so；　of　I　don't　know
where；　and　the　other　To　my　husband　Sancho　Panza；　governor　of　the
island　of　Barataria；　whom　God　prosper　longer　than　me。　The　duchess's
bread　would　not　bake；　as　the　saying　is；　until　she　had　read　her　letter；
and　having　looked　over　it　herself　and　seen　that　it　might　be　read　aloud
for　the　duke　and　all　present　to　hear；　she　read　out　as　follows。

　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA'S　LETTER　TO　THE　DUCHESS。

　　The　letter　your　highness　wrote　me；　my　lady；　gave　me　great
pleasure；　for　indeed　I　found　it　very　welcome。　The　string　of　coral
beads　is　very　fine；　and　my　husband's　hunting　suit　does　not　fall
short　of　it。　All　this　village　is　very　much　pleased　that　your
ladyship　has　made　a　governor　of　my　good　man　Sancho；　though　nobody　will
believe　it；　particularly　the　curate；　and　Master　Nicholas　the　barber；
and　the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco；　but　I　don't　care　for　that；　for　so
long　as　it　is　true；　as　it　is；　they　may　all　say　what　they　like；　though；
to　tell　the　truth；　if　the　coral　beads　and　the　suit　had　not　come　I
would　not　have　believed　it　either；　for　in　this　village　everybody
thinks　my　husband　a　numskull；　and　except　for　governing　a　flock　of
goats；　they　cannot　fancy　what　sort　of　government　he　can　be　fit　for。
God　grant　it；　and　direct　him　according　as　he　sees　his　children　stand
in　need　of　it。　I　am　resolved　with　your　worship's　leave；　lady　of　my
soul；　to　make　the　most　of　this　fair　day；　and　go　to　Court　to　stretch
myself　at　ease　in　a　coach；　and　make　all　those　I　have　envying　me
already　burst　their　eyes　out；　so　I　beg　your　excellence　to　order　my
husband　to　send　me　a　small　trifle　of　money；　and　to　let　it　be　something
to　speak　of；　because　one's　expenses　are　heavy　at　the　Court；　for　a　loaf
costs　a　real；　and　meat　thirty　maravedis　a　pound；　which　is　beyond
everything；　and　if　he　does　not　want　me　to　go　let　him　tell　me　in
time；　for　my　feet　are　on　the　fidgets　to　he　off；　and　my　friends　and
neighbours　tell　me　that　if　my　daughter　and　I　make　a　figure　and　a　brave
show　at　Court；　my　husband　will　come　to　be　known　far　more　by　me　than
I　by　him；　for　of　course　plenty　of　people　will　ask；　〃Who　are　those
ladies　in　that　coach？〃　and　some　servant　of　mine　will　answer；　〃The　wife
and　daughter　of　Sancho　Panza；　governor　of　the　island　of　Barataria；〃
and　in　this　way　Sancho　will　become　known；　and　I'll　be　thought　well　of；
and　〃to　Rome　for　everything。〃　I　am　as　vexed　as　vexed　can　be　that
they　have　gathered　no　acorns　this　year　in　ou