don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第218节

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account　allow　him　to　accompany　her；　and　thanking　him　for　his　offers　as
well　as　she　could；　took　leave　of　him　in　tears。　The　servants　of　Don
Vicente　carried　away　his　body；　and　Roque　returned　to　his　comrades；　and
so　ended　the　love　of　Claudia　Jeronima；　but　what　wonder；　when　it　was
the　insuperable　and　cruel　might　of　jealousy　that　wove　the　web　of　her
sad　story？
　　Roque　Guinart　found　his　squires　at　the　place　to　which　he　had　ordered
them；　and　Don　Quixote　on　Rocinante　in　the　midst　of　them　delivering　a
harangue　to　them　in　which　he　urged　them　to　give　up　a　mode　of　life　so
full　of　peril；　as　well　to　the　soul　as　to　the　body；　but　as　most　of　them
were　Gascons；　rough　lawless　fellows；　his　speech　did　not　make　much
impression　on　them。　Roque　on　coming　up　asked　Sancho　if　his　men　had
returned　and　restored　to　him　the　treasures　and　jewels　they　had
stripped　off　Dapple。　Sancho　said　they　had；　but　that　three　kerchiefs
that　were　worth　three　cities　were　missing。
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　man？〃　said　one　of　the　bystanders；　〃I
have　got　them；　and　they　are　not　worth　three　reals。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　my　squire　values　them　at
the　rate　he　says；　as　having　been　given　me　by　the　person　who　gave
them。〃
　　Roque　Guinart　ordered　them　to　be　restored　at　once；　and　making　his
men　fall　in　in　line　he　directed　all　the　clothing；　jewellery；　and　money
that　they　had　taken　since　the　last　distribution　to　be　produced；　and
making　a　hasty　valuation；　and　reducing　what　could　not　be　divided
into　money；　he　made　shares　for　the　whole　band　so　equitably　and
carefully；　that　in　no　case　did　he　exceed　or　fall　short　of　strict
distributive　justice。
　　When　this　had　been　done；　and　all　left　satisfied；　Roque　observed　to
Don　Quixote；　〃If　this　scrupulous　exactness　were　not　observed　with
these　fellows　there　would　be　no　living　with　them。〃
　　Upon　this　Sancho　remarked；　〃From　what　I　have　seen　here；　justice　is
such　a　good　thing　that　there　is　no　doing　without　it；　even　among　the
thieves　themselves。〃
　　One　of　the　squires　heard　this；　and　raising　the　butt…end　of　his
harquebuss　would　no　doubt　have　broken　Sancho's　head　with　it　had　not
Roque　Guinart　called　out　to　him　to　hold　his　hand。　Sancho　was
frightened　out　of　his　wits；　and　vowed　not　to　open　his　lips　so　long
as　he　was　in　the　company　of　these　people。
　　At　this　instant　one　or　two　of　those　squires　who　were　posted　as
sentinels　on　the　roads；　to　watch　who　came　along　them　and　report　what
passed　to　their　chief；　came　up　and　said；　〃Senor；　there　is　a　great
troop　of　people　not　far　off　coming　along　the　road　to　Barcelona。〃
　　To　which　Roque　replied；　〃Hast　thou　made　out　whether　they　are　of
the　sort　that　are　after　us；　or　of　the　sort　we　are　after？〃
　　〃The　sort　we　are　after；〃　said　the　squire。
　　〃Well　then；　away　with　you　all；〃　said　Roque；　〃and　bring　them　here
to　me　at　once　without　letting　one　of　them　escape。〃
　　They　obeyed；　and　Don　Quixote；　Sancho；　and　Roque；　left　by　themselves；
waited　to　see　what　the　squires　brought；　and　while　they　were　waiting
Roque　said　to　Don　Quixote；　〃It　must　seem　a　strange　sort　of　life　to
Senor　Don　Quixote；　this　of　ours；　strange　adventures；　strange
incidents；　and　all　full　of　danger；　and　I　do　not　wonder　that　it
should　seem　so；　for　in　truth　I　must　own　there　is　no　mode　of　life
more　restless　or　anxious　than　ours。　What　led　me　into　it　was　a
certain　thirst　for　vengeance；　which　is　strong　enough　to　disturb　the
quietest　hearts。　I　am　by　nature　tender…hearted　and　kindly；　but；　as　I
said；　the　desire　to　revenge　myself　for　a　wrong　that　was　done　me　so
overturns　all　my　better　impulses　that　I　keep　on　in　this　way　of　life　in
spite　of　what　conscience　tells　me；　and　as　one　depth　calls　to
another；　and　one　sin　to　another　sin；　revenges　have　linked　themselves
together；　and　I　have　taken　upon　myself　not　only　my　own　but　those　of
others：　it　pleases　God；　however；　that；　though　I　see　myself　in　this
maze　of　entanglements；　I　do　not　lose　all　hope　of　escaping　from　it
and　reaching　a　safe　port。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　amazed　to　hear　Roque　utter　such　excellent　and　just
sentiments；　for　he　did　not　think　that　among　those　who　followed　such
trades　as　robbing；　murdering；　and　waylaying；　there　could　be　anyone
capable　of　a　virtuous　thought；　and　he　said　in　reply；　〃Senor　Roque；　the
beginning　of　health　lies　in　knowing　the　disease　and　in　the　sick
man's　willingness　to　take　the　medicines　which　the　physician
prescribes；　you　are　sick；　you　know　what　ails　you；　and　heaven；　or
more　properly　speaking　God；　who　is　our　physician；　will　administer
medicines　that　will　cure　you；　and　cure　gradually；　and　not　of　a
sudden　or　by　a　miracle；　besides；　sinners　of　discernment　are　nearer
amendment　than　those　who　are　fools；　and　as　your　worship　has　shown　good
sense　in　your　remarks；　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　keep　up　a　good　heart
and　trust　that　the　weakness　of　your　conscience　will　be　strengthened。
And　if　you　have　any　desire　to　shorten　the　journey　and　put　yourself
easily　in　the　way　of　salvation；　come　with　me；　and　I　will　show　you
how　to　become　a　knight…errant；　a　calling　wherein　so　many　hardships　and
mishaps　are　encountered　that　if　they　be　taken　as　penances　they　will
lodge　you　in　heaven　in　a　trice。〃
　　Roque　laughed　at　Don　Quixote's　exhortation；　and　changing　the
conversation　he　related　the　tragic　affair　of　Claudia　Jeronima；　at
which　Sancho　was　extremely　grieved；　for　he　had　not　found　the　young
woman's　beauty；　boldness；　and　spirit　at　all　amiss。
　　And　now　the　squires　despatched　to　make　the　prize　came　up；　bringing
with　them　two　gentlemen　on　horseback；　two　pilgrims　on　foot；　and　a
coach　full　of　women　with　some　six　servants　on　foot　and　on　horseback　in
attendance　on　them；　and　a　couple　of　muleteers　whom　the　gentlemen　had
with　them。　The　squires　made　a　ring　round　them；　both　victors　and
vanquished　maintaining　profound　silence；　waiting　for　the　great　Roque
Guinart　to　speak。　He　asked　the　gentlemen　who　they　were；　whither　they
were　going；　and　what　money　they　carried　with　them；　〃Senor；〃　replied
one　of　them；　〃we　are　two　captains　of　Spanish　infantry；　our　companies
are　at　Naples；　and　we　are　on　our　way　to　embark　in　four　galleys　which
they　say　are　at　Barcelona　under　orders　for　Sicily；　and　we　have　about
two　or　three　hundred　crowns；　with　which　we　are；　according　to　our
notions；　rich　and　contented；　for　a　soldier's　poverty　does　not　allow
a　more　extensive　hoard。〃
　　Roque　asked　the　pilgrims　the　same　questions　he　had　put　to　the
captains；　and　was　answered　that　they　were　going　to　take　ship　for　Rome；
and　that　between　them　they　might　have　about　sixty　reals。　He　asked　also
who　was　in　the　coach；　whither　they　were　bound　and　what　money　they　had；
and　one　of　the　men　on　horseback　replied；　〃The　persons　in　the　coach　are
my　lady　Dona　Guiomar　de　Quinones；　wife　of　the　regent　of　the　Vicaria　at
Naples；　her　little　daughter；　a　handmaid　and　a　duenna；　we　six
servants　are　in　attendance　upon　her；　and　the　money　amounts　to　six
hundred　crowns。〃
　　〃So　then；〃　said　Roque　Guinart；　〃we　have　got　here　nine　hundred　crowns
and　sixty　reals；　my　soldiers　must　number　some　sixty；　see　how　much
there　falls　to　each；　for　I　am　a　bad　arithmetician。〃　As　soon　as　the
robbers　heard　this　they　raised　a　shout　of　〃Long　life　to　Roque　Guinart；
in　spite　of　the　lladres　that　seek　his　ruin！〃
　　The　captains　showed　plainly　the　concern　they　felt；　the　regent's　lady
was　downcast；　and　the　pilgrims　did　not　at　all　enjoy　seeing　their
property　confiscated。　Roque　kept　them　in　suspense　in　this　way　for　a
while；　but　he　had　no　desire　to　prolong　their　distress；　which　might
be　seen　a　bowshot　off；　and　turning　to　the　captains　he　said；　〃Sirs；
will　your　worships　be　pleased　of　your　courtesy　to　lend　me　sixty
crowns；　and　her　ladyship　the　regent's　wife　eighty；　to　satisfy　this
band　that　follows　me；　for　'it　is　by　his　singing　the　abbot　gets　his
dinner；'　and　then　you　may　at　once　proceed　on　your　journey；　free　and
unhindered；　with　a　safe…conduct　which　I　shall　give　you；　so　that　if　you
come　across　any　other　bands　of　mine　that　I　have　scattered　in　these
parts；　they　may　do　you　no　harm；　for　I　have　no　intention　of　doing
injury　to　soldiers；　or　to　any　woman；　especially　one　of　quality。〃
　　Profuse　and　hearty　were　the　expressions　of　gratitude　with　which
the　captains　thanked　Roque　for　his　courtesy　and　generosity；　for　such
they　regarded　his　leaving　them　their　own　money。　Senora　Dona　Guiomar　de
Quinones　wanted　to　throw　herself　out　of　the　coach　to　kiss　the　feet　and
hands　of　the　great　Roque；　but　he　would　not　suffer　it　on　any　account；
so　far　from　that；　he　begged　her　pardon　for　the　wrong　he　had　done　her
under　pressure　of　the　inexorable　necessities　of　his　unfortunate
calling。　The　regent's　lady　ordered　one　of　her　servants　to　give　the
eighty　crowns　that　had　been　assessed　as　her　share　at　once；　for　the
captains　had　already　paid　down　their　sixty。　The　pilgrims　were　about　to
give　up　the　whole　of　their　little　hoard；　but　Roque　bade　them　keep
quiet；　and　turning　to　his　men　he　said；　〃Of　these　crowns　two　fall　to
each　man　and　twenty　remain　over；　let　ten　be　given　to　these　pilgrims；
and　the　other　ten　to　this　worthy　squire　that　he　may　be　able　to　speak
favourably　of　this　adventure；〃　and　then　having　writing　materials；　with
which　he　always　went　provided；　brought　to　him；　he　gave　them　in　writing
a　safe…conduct　to　the　leaders　of　his　bands；　and　bidding　them
farewell　let　th