don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第212节

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Quixote　saw　it　he　said；　〃This　knight　too　was　one　of　the　Christian
adventurers；　but　I　believe　he　was　generous　rather　than　valiant；　as
thou　mayest　perceive；　Sancho；　by　his　dividing　his　cloak　with　the
beggar　and　giving　him　half　of　it；　no　doubt　it　was　winter　at　the
time；　for　otherwise　he　would　have　given　him　the　whole　of　it；　so
charitable　was　he。〃
　　〃It　was　not　that；　most　likely；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　that　he　held
with　the　proverb　that　says；　'For　giving　and　keeping　there's　need　of
brains。'〃
　　Don　Quixote　laughed；　and　asked　them　to　take　off　the　next　cloth；
underneath　which　was　seen　the　image　of　the　patron　saint　of　the
Spains　seated　on　horseback；　his　sword　stained　with　blood；　trampling　on
Moors　and　treading　heads　underfoot；　and　on　seeing　it　Don　Quixote
exclaimed；　〃Ay；　this　is　a　knight；　and　of　the　squadrons　of　Christ！　This
one　is　called　Don　Saint　James　the　Moorslayer；　one　of　the　bravest
saints　and　knights　the　world　ever　had　or　heaven　has　now。〃
　　They　then　raised　another　cloth　which　it　appeared　covered　Saint
Paul　falling　from　his　horse；　with　all　the　details　that　are　usually
given　in　representations　of　his　conversion。　When　Don　Quixote　saw　it；
rendered　in　such　lifelike　style　that　one　would　have　said　Christ　was
speaking　and　Paul　answering；　〃This；〃　he　said；　〃was　in　his　time　the
greatest　enemy　that　the　Church　of　God　our　Lord　had；　and　the　greatest
champion　it　will　ever　have；　a　knight…errant　in　life；　a　steadfast　saint
in　death；　an　untiring　labourer　in　the　Lord's　vineyard；　a　teacher　of
the　Gentiles；　whose　school　was　heaven；　and　whose　instructor　and　master
was　Jesus　Christ　himself。〃
　　There　were　no　more　images；　so　Don　Quixote　bade　them　cover　them　up
again；　and　said　to　those　who　had　brought　them；　〃I　take　it　as　a　happy
omen；　brothers；　to　have　seen　what　I　have；　for　these　saints　and　knights
were　of　the　same　profession　as　myself；　which　is　the　calling　of　arms；
only　there　is　this　difference　between　them　and　me；　that　they　were
saints；　and　fought　with　divine　weapons；　and　I　am　a　sinner　and　fight
with　human　ones。　They　won　heaven　by　force　of　arms；　for　heaven
suffereth　violence；　and　I；　so　far；　know　not　what　I　have　won　by　dint　of
my　sufferings；　but　if　my　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　were　to　be　released
from　hers；　perhaps　with　mended　fortunes　and　a　mind　restored　to
itself　I　might　direct　my　steps　in　a　better　path　than　I　am　following　at
present。〃
　　〃May　God　hear　and　sin　be　deaf；〃　said　Sancho　to　this。
　　The　men　were　filled　with　wonder；　as　well　at　the　figure　as　at　the
words　of　Don　Quixote；　though　they　did　not　understand　one　half　of
what　he　meant　by　them。　They　finished　their　dinner；　took　their　images
on　their　backs；　and　bidding　farewell　to　Don　Quixote　resumed　their
journey。
　　Sancho　was　amazed　afresh　at　the　extent　of　his　master's　knowledge；　as
much　as　if　he　had　never　known　him；　for　it　seemed　to　him　that　there　was
no　story　or　event　in　the　world　that　he　had　not　at　his　fingers'　ends
and　fixed　in　his　memory；　and　he　said　to　him；　〃In　truth；　master　mine；
if　this　that　has　happened　to　us　to…day　is　to　be　called　an　adventure；
it　has　been　one　of　the　sweetest　and　pleasantest　that　have　befallen
us　in　the　whole　course　of　our　travels；　we　have　come　out　of　it
unbelaboured　and　undismayed；　neither　have　we　drawn　sword　nor　have　we
smitten　the　earth　with　our　bodies；　nor　have　we　been　left　famishing；
blessed　be　God　that　he　has　let　me　see　such　a　thing　with　my　own　eyes！〃
　　〃Thou　sayest　well；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　remember　all
times　are　not　alike　nor　do　they　always　run　the　same　way；　and　these
things　the　vulgar　commonly　call　omens；　which　are　not　based　upon　any
natural　reason；　will　by　him　who　is　wise　be　esteemed　and　reckoned　happy
accidents　merely。　One　of　these　believers　in　omens　will　get　up　of　a
morning；　leave　his　house；　and　meet　a　friar　of　the　order　of　the　blessed
Saint　Francis；　and；　as　if　he　had　met　a　griffin；　he　will　turn　about　and
go　home。　With　another　Mendoza　the　salt　is　spilt　on　his　table；　and
gloom　is　spilt　over　his　heart；　as　if　nature　was　obliged　to　give
warning　of　coming　misfortunes　by　means　of　such　trivial　things　as
these。　The　wise　man　and　the　Christian　should　not　trifle　with　what　it
may　please　heaven　to　do。　Scipio　on　coming　to　Africa　stumbled　as　he
leaped　on　shore；　his　soldiers　took　it　as　a　bad　omen；　but　he；
clasping　the　soil　with　his　arms；　exclaimed；　'Thou　canst　not　escape　me；
Africa；　for　I　hold　thee　tight　between　my　arms。'　Thus；　Sancho；
meeting　those　images　has　been　to　me　a　most　happy　occurrence。〃
　　〃I　can　well　believe　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I　wish　your　worship　would
tell　me　what　is　the　reason　that　the　Spaniards；　when　they　are　about
to　give　battle；　in　calling　on　that　Saint　James　the　Moorslayer；　say
'Santiago　and　close　Spain！'　Is　Spain；　then；　open；　so　that　it　is
needful　to　close　it；　or　what　is　the　meaning　of　this　form？〃
　　〃Thou　art　very　simple；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃God；　look　you；
gave　that　great　knight　of　the　Red　Cross　to　Spain　as　her　patron　saint
and　protector；　especially　in　those　hard　struggles　the　Spaniards　had
with　the　Moors；　and　therefore　they　invoke　and　call　upon　him　as　their
defender　in　all　their　battles；　and　in　these　he　has　been　many　a　time
seen　beating　down；　trampling　under　foot；　destroying　and　slaughtering
the　Hagarene　squadrons　in　the　sight　of　all；　of　which　fact　I　could　give
thee　many　examples　recorded　in　truthful　Spanish　histories。〃
　　Sancho　changed　the　subject；　and　said　to　his　master；　〃I　marvel；
senor；　at　the　boldness　of　Altisidora；　the　duchess's　handmaid；　he
whom　they　call　Love　must　have　cruelly　pierced　and　wounded　her；　they
say　he　is　a　little　blind　urchin　who；　though　blear…eyed；　or　more
properly　speaking　sightless；　if　he　aims　at　a　heart；　be　it　ever　so
small；　hits　it　and　pierces　it　through　and　through　with　his　arrows。　I
have　heard　it　said　too　that　the　arrows　of　Love　are　blunted　and
robbed　of　their　points　by　maidenly　modesty　and　reserve；　but　with
this　Altisidora　it　seems　they　are　sharpened　rather　than　blunted。〃
　　〃Bear　in　mind；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　love　is　influenced
by　no　consideration；　recognises　no　restraints　of　reason；　and　is　of　the
same　nature　as　death；　that　assails　alike　the　lofty　palaces　of　kings
and　the　humble　cabins　of　shepherds；　and　when　it　takes　entire
possession　of　a　heart；　the　first　thing　it　does　is　to　banish　fear　and
shame　from　it；　and　so　without　shame　Altisidora　declared　her　passion；
which　excited　in　my　mind　embarrassment　rather　than　commiseration。〃
　　〃Notable　cruelty！〃　exclaimed　Sancho；　〃unheard…of　ingratitude！　I
can　only　say　for　myself　that　the　very　smallest　loving　word　of　hers
would　have　subdued　me　and　made　a　slave　of　me。　The　devil！　What　a
heart　of　marble；　what　bowels　of　brass；　what　a　soul　of　mortar！　But　I
can't　imagine　what　it　is　that　this　damsel　saw　in　your　worship　that
could　have　conquered　and　captivated　her　so。　What　gallant　figure　was
it；　what　bold　bearing；　what　sprightly　grace；　what　comeliness　of
feature；　which　of　these　things　by　itself；　or　what　all　together；
could　have　made　her　fall　in　love　with　you？　For　indeed　and　in　truth
many　a　time　I　stop　to　look　at　your　worship　from　the　sole　of　your
foot　to　the　topmost　hair　of　your　head；　and　I　see　more　to　frighten
one　than　to　make　one　fall　in　love；　moreover　I　have　heard　say　that
beauty　is　the　first　and　main　thing　that　excites　love；　and　as　your
worship　has　none　at　all；　I　don't　know　what　the　poor　creature　fell　in
love　with。〃
　　〃Recollect；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃there　are　two　sorts　of
beauty；　one　of　the　mind；　the　other　of　the　body；　that　of　the　mind
displays　and　exhibits　itself　in　intelligence；　in　modesty；　in
honourable　conduct；　in　generosity；　in　good　breeding；　and　all　these
qualities　are　possible　and　may　exist　in　an　ugly　man；　and　when　it　is
this　sort　of　beauty　and　not　that　of　the　body　that　is　the　attraction；
love　is　apt　to　spring　up　suddenly　and　violently。　I；　Sancho；　perceive
clearly　enough　that　I　am　not　beautiful；　but　at　the　same　time　I　know
I　am　not　hideous；　and　it　is　enough　for　an　honest　man　not　to　be　a
monster　to　he　an　object　of　love；　if　only　he　possesses　the　endowments
of　mind　I　have　mentioned。〃
　　While　engaged　in　this　discourse　they　were　making　their　way　through　a
wood　that　lay　beyond　the　road；　when　suddenly；　without　expecting
anything　of　the　kind；　Don　Quixote　found　himself　caught　in　some　nets　of
green　cord　stretched　from　one　tree　to　another；　and　unable　to
conceive　what　it　could　be；　he　said　to　Sancho；　〃Sancho；　it　strikes　me
this　affair　of　these　nets　will　prove　one　of　the　strangest　adventures
imaginable。　May　I　die　if　the　enchanters　that　persecute　me　are　not
trying　to　entangle　me　in　them　and　delay　my　journey；　by　way　of
revenge　for　my　obduracy　towards　Altisidora。　Well　then　let　me　tell　them
that　if　these　nets；　instead　of　being　green　cord；　were　made　of　the
hardest　diamonds；　or　stronger　than　that　wherewith　the　jealous　god　of
blacksmiths　enmeshed　Venus　and　Mars；　I　would　break　them　as　easily　as
if　they　were　made　of　rushes　or　cotton　threads。〃　But　just　as　he　was
about　to　press　forward　and　break　through　all；　suddenly　from　among　some
trees　two　shepherdesses　of　surpassing　beauty　presented　themselves　to
his　sight…　or　at　least　damsels　dressed　like　shepherdesses；　save　that
their　jerkins　and　sayas　were　of　fine　brocade；　that　is　to　say；　the
sayas　were　rich　farthingales