don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第226节

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they　carried　him　into　the　city　in　a　hand…chair　which　the　viceroy
sent　for；　and　thither　the　viceroy　himself　returned；　cager　to　ascertain
who　this　Knight　of　the　White　Moon　was　who　had　left　Don　Quixote　in　such
a　sad　plight。


　　CHAPTER　LXV
　　WHEREIN　IS　MADE　KNOWN　WHO　THE　KNIGHT　OF　THE　WHITE　MOON　WAS；　LIKEWISE
DON　GREGORIO'S　RELEASE；　AND　OTHER　EVENTS

　　DON　ANTONIO　MORENO　followed　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon；　and　a
number　of　boys　followed　him　too；　nay　pursued　him；　until　they　had　him
fairly　housed　in　a　hostel　in　the　heart　of　the　city。　Don　Antonio；　eager
to　make　his　acquaintance；　entered　also；　a　squire　came　out　to　meet
him　and　remove　his　armour；　and　he　shut　himself　into　a　lower　room；
still　attended　by　Don　Antonio；　whose　bread　would　not　bake　until　he　had
found　out　who　he　was。　He　of　the　White　Moon；　seeing　then　that　the
gentleman　would　not　leave　him；　said；　〃I　know　very　well；　senor；　what
you　have　come　for；　it　is　to　find　out　who　I　am；　and　as　there　is　no
reason　why　I　should　conceal　it　from　you；　while　my　servant　here　is
taking　off　my　armour　I　will　tell　you　the　true　state　of　the　case；
without　leaving　out　anything。　You　must　know；　senor；　that　I　am　called
the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco。　I　am　of　the　same　village　as　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　craze　and　folly　make　all　of　us　who　know
him　feel　pity　for　him；　and　I　am　one　of　those　who　have　felt　it　most；
and　persuaded　that　his　chance　of　recovery　lay　in　quiet　and　keeping
at　home　and　in　his　own　house；　I　hit　upon　a　device　for　keeping　him
there。　Three　months　ago；　therefore；　I　went　out　to　meet　him　as　a
knight…errant；　under　the　assumed　name　of　the　Knight　of　the　Mirrors；
intending　to　engage　him　in　combat　and　overcome　him　without　hurting
him；　making　it　the　condition　of　our　combat　that　the　vanquished
should　be　at　the　disposal　of　the　victor。　What　I　meant　to　demand　of　him
（for　I　regarded　him　as　vanquished　already）　was　that　he　should　return
to　his　own　village；　and　not　leave　it　for　a　whole　year；　by　which　time
he　might　he　cured。　But　fate　ordered　it　otherwise；　for　he　vanquished　me
and　unhorsed　me；　and　so　my　plan　failed。　He　went　his　way；　and　I　came
back　conquered；　covered　with　shame；　and　sorely　bruised　by　my　fall；
which　was　a　particularly　dangerous　one。　But　this　did　not　quench　my
desire　to　meet　him　again　and　overcome　him；　as　you　have　seen　to…day。
And　as　he　is　so　scrupulous　in　his　observance　of　the　laws　of
knight…errantry；　he　will；　no　doubt；　in　order　to　keep　his　word；　obey
the　injunction　I　have　laid　upon　him。　This；　senor；　is　how　the　matter
stands；　and　I　have　nothing　more　to　tell　you。　I　implore　of　you　not　to
betray　me；　or　tell　Don　Quixote　who　I　am；　so　that　my　honest
endeavours　may　be　successful；　and　that　a　man　of　excellent　wits…　were
he　only　rid　of　the　fooleries　of　chivalry…　may　get　them　back　again。〃
　　〃O　senor；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃may　God　forgive　you　the　wrong　you　have
done　the　whole　world　in　trying　to　bring　the　most　amusing　madman　in
it　back　to　his　senses。　Do　you　not　see；　senor；　that　the　gain　by　Don
Quixote's　sanity　can　never　equal　the　enjoyment　his　crazes　give？　But　my
belief　is　that　all　the　senor　bachelor's　pains　will　be　of　no　avail　to
bring　a　man　so　hopelessly　cracked　to　his　senses　again；　and　if　it
were　not　uncharitable；　I　would　say　may　Don　Quixote　never　be　cured；　for
by　his　recovery　we　lose　not　only　his　own　drolleries；　but　his　squire
Sancho　Panza's　too；　any　one　of　which　is　enough　to　turn　melancholy
itself　into　merriment。　However；　I'll　hold　my　peace　and　say　nothing
to　him；　and　we'll　see　whether　I　am　right　in　my　suspicion　that　Senor
Carrasco's　efforts　will　be　fruitless。〃
　　The　bachelor　replied　that　at　all　events　the　affair　promised　well；
and　he　hoped　for　a　happy　result　from　it；　and　putting　his　services　at
Don　Antonio's　commands　he　took　his　leave　of　him；　and　having　had　his
armour　packed　at　once　upon　a　mule；　he　rode　away　from　the　city　the　same
day　on　the　horse　he　rode　to　battle；　and　returned　to　his　own　country
without　meeting　any　adventure　calling　for　record　in　this　veracious
history。
　　Don　Antonio　reported　to　the　viceroy　what　Carrasco　told　him；　and
the　viceroy　was　not　very　well　pleased　to　hear　it；　for　with　Don
Quixote's　retirement　there　was　an　end　to　the　amusement　of　all　who　knew
anything　of　his　mad　doings。
　　Six　days　did　Don　Quixote　keep　his　bed；　dejected；　melancholy；　moody
and　out　of　sorts；　brooding　over　the　unhappy　event　of　his　defeat。
Sancho　strove　to　comfort　him；　and　among　other　things　he　said　to　him；
〃Hold　up　your　head；　senor；　and　be　of　good　cheer　if　you　can；　and　give
thanks　to　heaven　that　if　you　have　had　a　tumble　to　the　ground　you
have　not　come　off　with　a　broken　rib；　and；　as　you　know　that　'where　they
give　they　take；'　and　that　'there　are　not　always　fletches　where　there
are　pegs；'　a　fig　for　the　doctor；　for　there's　no　need　of　him　to　cure
this　ailment。　Let　us　go　home；　and　give　over　going　about　in　search　of
adventures　in　strange　lands　and　places；　rightly　looked　at；　it　is　I
that　am　the　greater　loser；　though　it　is　your　worship　that　has　had
the　worse　usage。　With　the　government　I　gave　up　all　wish　to　be　a
governor　again；　but　I　did　not　give　up　all　longing　to　be　a　count；　and
that　will　never　come　to　pass　if　your　worship　gives　up　becoming　a
king　by　renouncing　the　calling　of　chivalry；　and　so　my　hopes　are
going　to　turn　into　smoke。〃
　　〃Peace；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　seest　my　suspension　and
retirement　is　not　to　exceed　a　year；　I　shall　soon　return　to　my　honoured
calling；　and　I　shall　not　be　at　a　loss　for　a　kingdom　to　win　and　a
county　to　bestow　on　thee。〃
　　〃May　God　hear　it　and　sin　be　deaf；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　have　always　heard
say　that　'a　good　hope　is　better　than　a　bad　holding。〃
　　As　they　were　talking　Don　Antonio　came　in　looking　extremely　pleased
and　exclaiming；　〃Reward　me　for　my　good　news；　Senor　Don　Quixote！　Don
Gregorio　and　the　renegade　who　went　for　him　have　come　ashore…　ashore　do
I　say？　They　are　by　this　time　in　the　viceroy's　house；　and　will　be
here　immediately。〃
　　Don　Quixote　cheered　up　a　little　and　said；　〃Of　a　truth　I　am　almost
ready　to　say　I　should　have　been　glad　had　it　turned　out　just　the
other　way；　for　it　would　have　obliged　me　to　cross　over　to　Barbary；
where　by　the　might　of　my　arm　I　should　have　restored　to　liberty；　not
only　Don　Gregorio；　but　all　the　Christian　captives　there　are　in
Barbary。　But　what　am　I　saying；　miserable　being　that　I　am？　Am　I　not
he　that　has　been　conquered？　Am　I　not　he　that　has　been　overthrown？　Am　I
not　he　who　must　not　take　up　arms　for　a　year？　Then　what　am　I　making
professions　for；　what　am　I　bragging　about；　when　it　is　fitter　for　me　to
handle　the　distaff　than　the　sword？〃
　　〃No　more　of　that；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃'let　the　hen　live；　even
though　it　be　with　her　pip；　'today　for　thee　and　to…morrow　for　me；'　in
these　affairs　of　encounters　and　whacks　one　must　not　mind　them；　for
he　that　falls　to…day　may　get　up　to…morrow；　unless　indeed　he　chooses　to
lie　in　bed；　I　mean　gives　way　to　weakness　and　does　not　pluck　up　fresh
spirit　for　fresh　battles；　let　your　worship　get　up　now　to　receive　Don
Gregorio；　for　the　household　seems　to　be　in　a　bustle；　and　no　doubt　he
has　come　by　this　time；〃　and　so　it　proved；　for　as　soon　as　Don
Gregorio　and　the　renegade　had　given　the　viceroy　an　account　of　the
voyage　out　and　home；　Don　Gregorio；　eager　to　see　Ana　Felix；　came　with
the　renegade　to　Don　Antonio's　house。　When　they　carried　him　away　from
Algiers　he　was　in　woman's　dress；　on　board　the　vessel；　however；　he
exchanged　it　for　that　of　a　captive　who　escaped　with　him；　but　in
whatever　dress　he　might　be　he　looked　like　one　to　be　loved　and　served
and　esteemed；　for　he　was　surpassingly　well…favoured；　and　to　judge　by
appearances　some　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　of　age。　Ricote　and　his
daughter　came　out　to　welcome　him；　the　father　with　tears；　the
daughter　with　bashfulness。　They　did　not　embrace　each　other；　for
where　there　is　deep　love　there　will　never　be　overmuch　boldness。　Seen
side　by　side；　the　comeliness　of　Don　Gregorio　and　the　beauty　of　Ana
Felix　were　the　admiration　of　all　who　were　present。　It　was　silence　that
spoke　for　the　lovers　at　that　moment；　and　their　eyes　were　the　tongues
that　declared　their　pure　and　happy　feelings。　The　renegade　explained
the　measures　and　means　he　had　adopted　to　rescue　Don　Gregorio；　and
Don　Gregorio　at　no　great　length；　but　in　a　few　words；　in　which　he
showed　that　his　intelligence　was　in　advance　of　his　years；　described
the　peril　and　embarrassment　he　found　himself　in　among　the　women　with
whom　he　had　sojourned。　To　conclude；　Ricote　liberally　recompensed　and
rewarded　as　well　the　renegade　as　the　men　who　had　rowed；　and　the
renegade　effected　his　readmission　into　the　body　of　the　Church　and
was　reconciled　with　it；　and　from　a　rotten　limb　became　by　penance　and
repentance　a　clean　and　sound　one。
　　Two　days　later　the　viceroy　discussed　with　Don　Antonio　the　steps　they
should　take　to　enable　Ana　Felix　and　her　father　to　stay　in　Spain；　for
it　seemed　to　them　there　could　be　no　objection　to　a　daughter　who　was　so
good　a　Christian　and　a　father　to　all　appearance　so　well　disposed
remaining　there。　Don　Antonio　offered　to　arrange　the　matter　at　the
capital；　whither　he　was　compelled　to　go　on　some　other　business；
hinting　that　many　a　difficult　affair　was　settled　there　with　the　help
of　favour　and　bribes。
　　〃Nay；〃　said　Ricote；　who　was　p