don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第228节
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〃I thank you； sirs；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but I cannot stop for an
instant； for sad thoughts and unhappy circumstances force me to seem
discourteous and to travel apace；〃 and spurring Rocinante he pushed
on； leaving them wondering at what they had seen and heard； at his own
strange figure and at the shrewdness of his servant； for such they
took Sancho to be； and another of them observed； 〃If the servant is so
clever； what must the master be？ I'll bet； if they are going to
Salamanca to study； they'll come to be alcaldes of the Court in a
trice； for it's a mere joke… only to read and read； and have
interest and good luck； and before a man knows where he is he finds
himself with a staff in his hand or a mitre on his head。〃
That night master and man passed out in the fields in the open
air； and the next day as they were pursuing their journey they saw
coming towards them a man on foot with alforjas at the neck and a
javelin or spiked staff in his hand； the very cut of a foot courier；
who； as soon as he came close to Don Quixote； increased his pace and
half running came up to him； and embracing his right thigh； for he
could reach no higher； exclaimed with evident pleasure； 〃O Senor Don
Quixote of La Mancha； what happiness it will be to the heart of my
lord the duke when he knows your worship is coming back to his castle；
for he is still there with my lady the duchess！〃
〃I do not recognise you； friend；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃nor do I know
who you are； unless you tell me。〃
〃I am Tosilos； my lord the duke's lacquey； Senor Don Quixote；〃
replied the courier； 〃he who refused to fight your worship about
marrying the daughter of Dona Rodriguez。〃
〃God bless me！〃 exclaimed Don Quixote； 〃is it possible that you
are the one whom mine enemies the enchanters changed into the
lacquey you speak of in order to rob me of the honour of that battle？〃
〃Nonsense； good sir！〃 said the messenger； 〃there was no
enchantment or transformation at all； I entered the lists just as much
lacquey Tosilos as I came out of them lacquey Tosilos。 I thought to
marry without fighting； for the girl had taken my fancy； but my scheme
had a very different result； for as soon as your worship had left
the castle my lord the duke had a hundred strokes of the stick given
me for having acted contrary to the orders he gave me before
engaging in the combat； and the end of the whole affair is that the
girl has become a nun； and Dona Rodriguez has gone back to Castile；
and I am now on my way to Barcelona with a packet of letters for the
viceroy which my master is sending him。 If your worship would like a
drop； sound though warm； I have a gourd here full of the best； and
some scraps of Tronchon cheese that will serve as a provocative and
wakener of your thirst if so be it is asleep。〃
〃I take the offer；〃 said Sancho； 〃no more compliments about it； pour
out； good Tosilos； in spite of all the enchanters in the Indies。〃
〃Thou art indeed the greatest glutton in the world； Sancho；〃 said
Don Quixote； 〃and the greatest booby on earth； not to be able to see
that this courier is enchanted and this Tosilos a sham one； stop
with him and take thy fill； I will go on slowly and wait for thee to
come up with me。〃
The lacquey laughed； unsheathed his gourd； unwalletted his scraps；
and taking out a small loaf of bread he and Sancho seated themselves
on the green grass； and in peace and good fellowship finished off
the contents of the alforjas down to the bottom； so resolutely that
they licked the wrapper of the letters； merely because it smelt of
cheese。
Said Tosilos to Sancho； 〃Beyond a doubt； Sancho my friend； this
master of thine ought to be a madman。〃
〃Ought！〃 said Sancho； 〃he owes no man anything； he pays for
everything； particularly when the coin is madness。 I see it plain
enough； and I tell him so plain enough； but what's the use？ especially
now that it is all over with him； for here he is beaten by the
Knight of the White Moon。〃
Tosilos begged him to explain what had happened him； but Sancho
replied that it would not be good manners to leave his master
waiting for him； and that some other day if they met there would be
time enough for that； and then getting up； after shaking his doublet
and brushing the crumbs out of his beard； he drove Dapple on before
him； and bidding adieu to Tosilos left him and rejoined his master；
who was waiting for him under the shade of a tree。
CHAPTER LXVII
OF THE RESOLUTION DON QUIXOTE FORMED TO TURN SHEPHERD AND TAKE TO
A LIFE IN THE FIELDS WHILE THE YEAR FOR WHICH HE HAD GIVEN HIS WORD
WAS RUNNING ITS COURSE； WITH OTHER EVENTS TRULY DELECTABLE AND HAPPY
IF A multitude of reflections used to harass Don Quixote before he
had been overthrown； a great many more harassed him since his fall。 He
was under the shade of a tree； as has been said； and there； like flies
on honey； thoughts came crowding upon him and stinging him。 Some of
them turned upon the disenchantment of Dulcinea； others upon the
life he was about to lead in his enforced retirement。 Sancho came up
and spoke in high praise of the generous disposition of the lacquey
Tosilos。
〃Is it possible； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that thou dost still
think that he yonder is a real lacquey？ Apparently it has escaped
thy memory that thou hast seen Dulcinea turned and transformed into
a peasant wench； and the Knight of the Mirrors into the bachelor
Carrasco； all the work of the enchanters that persecute me。 But tell
me now； didst thou ask this Tosilos； as thou callest him； what has
become of Altisidora； did she weep over my absence； or has she already
consigned to oblivion the love thoughts that used to afflict her
when I was present？〃
〃The thoughts that I had；〃 said Sancho； 〃were not such as to leave
time for asking fool's questions。 Body o' me； senor！ is your worship
in a condition now to inquire into other people's thoughts； above
all love thoughts？〃
〃Look ye； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃there is a great difference
between what is done out of love and what is done out of gratitude。
A knight may very possibly he proof against love； but it is
impossible； strictly speaking； for him to be ungrateful。 Altisidora；
to all appearance； loved me truly； she gave me the three kerchiefs
thou knowest of； she wept at my departure； she cursed me； she abused
me； casting shame to the winds she bewailed herself in public； all
signs that she adored me； for the wrath of lovers always ends in
curses。 I had no hopes to give her； nor treasures to offer her； for
mine are given to Dulcinea； and the treasures of knights…errant are
like those of the fairies；' illusory and deceptive； all I can give her
is the place in my memory I keep for her； without prejudice；
however； to that which I hold devoted to Dulcinea； whom thou art
wronging by thy remissness in whipping thyself and scourging that
flesh… would that I saw it eaten by wolves… which would rather keep
itself for the worms than for the relief of that poor lady。〃
〃Senor；〃 replied Sancho； 〃if the truth is to be told； I cannot
persuade myself that the whipping of my backside has anything to do
with the disenchantment of the enchanted； it is like saying； 'If
your head aches rub ointment on your knees；' at any rate I'll make
bold to swear that in all the histories dealing with knight…errantry
that your worship has read you have never come across anybody
disenchanted by whipping； but whether or no I'll whip myself when I
have a fancy for it； and the opportunity serves for scourging myself
comfortably。〃
〃God grant it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and heaven give thee grace to
take it to heart and own the obligation thou art under to help my
lady； who is thine also； inasmuch as thou art mine。〃
As they pursued their journey talking in this way they came to the
very same spot where they had been trampled on by the bulls。 Don
Quixote recognised it； and said he to Sancho； 〃This is the meadow
where we came upon those gay shepherdesses and gallant shepherds who
were trying to revive and imitate the pastoral Arcadia there； an
idea as novel as it was happy； in emulation whereof； if so he thou
dost approve of it； Sancho； I would have ourselves turn shepherds；
at any rate for the time I have to live in retirement。 I will buy some
ewes and everything else requisite for the pastoral calling； and； I
under the name of the shepherd Quixotize and thou as the shepherd
Panzino； we will roam the woods and groves and meadows singing songs
here； lamenting in elegies there； drinking of the crystal waters of
the springs or limpid brooks or flowing rivers。 The oaks will yield us
their sweet fruit with bountiful hand； the trunks of the hard cork
trees a seat； the willows shade； the roses perfume； the widespread
meadows carpets tinted with a thousand dyes； the clear pure air will
give us breath； the moon and stars lighten the darkness of the night
for us； song shall be our delight； lamenting our joy； Apollo will
supply us with verses； and love with conceits whereby we shall make
ourselves famed for ever； not only in this but in ages to come。〃
〃Egad；〃 said Sancho； 〃but that sort of life squares； nay corners；
with my notions； and what is more the bachelor Samson
