don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第231节

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signs；　for　their　amazement　at　all　they　saw　held　them　tongue…tied。
And　now　two　persons　of　distinction；　who　were　at　once　recognised　by　Don
Quixote　as　his　hosts　the　duke　and　duchess；　ascended　the　stage　attended
by　a　numerous　suite；　and　seated　themselves　on　two　gorgeous　chairs
close　to　the　two　kings；　as　they　seemed　to　be。　Who　would　not　have
been　amazed　at　this？　Nor　was　this　all；　for　Don　Quixote　had　perceived
that　the　dead　body　on　the　catafalque　was　that　of　the　fair
Altisidora。　As　the　duke　and　duchess　mounted　the　stage　Don　Quixote
and　Sancho　rose　and　made　them　a　profound　obeisance；　which　they
returned　by　bowing　their　heads　slightly。　At　this　moment　an　official
crossed　over；　and　approaching　Sancho　threw　over　him　a　robe　of　black
buckram　painted　all　over　with　flames　of　fire；　and　taking　off　his　cap
put　upon　his　head　a　mitre　such　as　those　undergoing　the　sentence　of　the
Holy　Office　wear；　and　whispered　in　his　ear　that　he　must　not　open　his
lips；　or　they　would　put　a　gag　upon　him；　or　take　his　life。　Sancho
surveyed　himself　from　head　to　foot　and　saw　himself　all　ablaze　with
flames；　but　as　they　did　not　burn　him；　he　did　not　care　two　farthings
for　them。　He　took　off　the　mitre　and　seeing　painted　with　devils　he
put　it　on　again；　saying　to　himself；　〃Well；　so　far　those　don't　burn
me　nor　do　these　carry　me　off。〃　Don　Quixote　surveyed　him　too；　and
though　fear　had　got　the　better　of　his　faculties；　he　could　not　help
smiling　to　see　the　figure　Sancho　presented。　And　now　from　underneath
the　catafalque；　so　it　seemed；　there　rose　a　low　sweet　sound　of
flutes；　which；　coming　unbroken　by　human　voice　（for　there　silence
itself　kept　silence）；　had　a　soft　and　languishing　effect。　Then；
beside　the　pillow　of　what　seemed　to　be　the　dead　body；　suddenly
appeared　a　fair　youth　in　a　Roman　habit；　who；　to　the　accompaniment　of　a
harp　which　he　himself　played；　sang　in　a　sweet　and　clear　voice　these
two　stanzas：

　　　　　While　fair　Altisidora；　who　the　sport
　　　　　　　Of　cold　Don　Quixote's　cruelty　hath　been；
　　　　　Returns　to　life；　and　in　this　magic　court
　　　　　　　The　dames　in　sables　come　to　grace　the　scene；
　　　　　And　while　her　matrons　all　in　seemly　sort
　　　　　　　My　lady　robes　in　baize　and　bombazine；
　　　　　Her　beauty　and　her　sorrows　will　I　sing
　　　　　With　defter　quill　than　touched　the　Thracian　string。

　　　　　But　not　in　life　alone；　methinks；　to　me
　　　　　　　Belongs　the　office；　Lady；　when　my　tongue
　　　　　Is　cold　in　death；　believe　me；　unto　thee
　　　　　　　My　voice　shall　raise　its　tributary　song。
　　　　　My　soul；　from　this　strait　prison…house　set　free；
　　　　　　　As　o'er　the　Stygian　lake　it　floats　along；
　　　　　Thy　praises　singing　still　shall　hold　its　way；
　　　　　And　make　the　waters　of　oblivion　stay。

　　At　this　point　one　of　the　two　that　looked　like　kings　exclaimed；
〃Enough；　enough；　divine　singer！　It　would　be　an　endless　task　to　put
before　us　now　the　death　and　the　charms　of　the　peerless　Altisidora；　not
dead　as　the　ignorant　world　imagines；　but　living　in　the　voice　of　fame
and　in　the　penance　which　Sancho　Panza；　here　present；　has　to　undergo　to
restore　her　to　the　long…lost　light。　Do　thou；　therefore；　O
Rhadamanthus；　who　sittest　in　judgment　with　me　in　the　murky　caverns
of　Dis；　as　thou　knowest　all　that　the　inscrutable　fates　have　decreed
touching　the　resuscitation　of　this　damsel；　announce　and　declare　it
at　once；　that　the　happiness　we　look　forward　to　from　her　restoration　be
no　longer　deferred。〃
　　No　sooner　had　Minos　the　fellow　judge　of　Rhadamanthus　said　this；　than
Rhadamanthus　rising　up　said：
　　〃Ho；　officials　of　this　house；　high　and　low；　great　and　small；　make
haste　hither　one　and　all；　and　print　on　Sancho's　face　four…and…twenty
smacks；　and　give　him　twelve　pinches　and　six　pin　thrusts　in　the　back
and　arms；　for　upon　this　ceremony　depends　the　restoration　of
Altisidora。〃
　　On　hearing　this　Sancho　broke　silence　and　cried　out；　〃By　all　that's
good；　I'll　as　soon　let　my　face　be　smacked　or　handled　as　turn　Moor。
Body　o'　me！　What　has　handling　my　face　got　to　do　with　the
resurrection　of　this　damsel？　'The　old　woman　took　kindly　to　the
blits；　they　enchant　Dulcinea；　and　whip　me　in　order　to　disenchant
her；　Altisidora　dies　of　ailments　God　was　pleased　to　send　her；　and　to
bring　her　to　life　again　they　must　give　me　four…and…twenty　smacks；
and　prick　holes　in　my　body　with　pins；　and　raise　weals　on　my　arms
with　pinches！　Try　those　jokes　on　a　brother…in…law；　'I'm　an　old　dog；
and　〃tus；　tus〃　is　no　use　with　me。'〃
　　〃Thou　shalt　die；〃　said　Rhadamanthus　in　a　loud　voice；　〃relent；　thou
tiger；　humble　thyself；　proud　Nimrod；　suffer　and　he　silent；　for　no
impossibilities　are　asked　of　thee；　it　is　not　for　thee　to　inquire
into　the　difficulties　in　this　matter；　smacked　thou　must　be；　pricked
thou　shalt　see　thyself；　and　with　pinches　thou　must　be　made　to　howl。
Ho；　I　say；　officials；　obey　my　orders；　or　by　the　word　of　an　honest　man；
ye　shall　see　what　ye　were　born　for。〃
　　At　this　some　six　duennas；　advancing　across　the　court；　made　their
appearance　in　procession；　one　after　the　other；　four　of　them　with
spectacles；　and　all　with　their　right　hands　uplifted；　showing　four
fingers　of　wrist　to　make　their　hands　look　longer；　as　is　the　fashion
now…a…days。　No　sooner　had　Sancho　caught　sight　of　them　than；
bellowing　like　a　bull；　he　exclaimed；　〃I　might　let　myself　be　handled　by
all　the　world；　but　allow　duennas　to　touch　me…　not　a　bit　of　it！　Scratch
my　face；　as　my　master　was　served　in　this　very　castle；　run　me　through
the　body　with　burnished　daggers；　pinch　my　arms　with　red…hot　pincers；
I'll　bear　all　in　patience　to　serve　these　gentlefolk；　but　I　won't　let
duennas　touch　me；　though　the　devil　should　carry　me　off！〃
　　Here　Don　Quixote；　too；　broke　silence；　saying　to　Sancho；　〃Have
patience；　my　son；　and　gratify　these　noble　persons；　and　give　all　thanks
to　heaven　that　it　has　infused　such　virtue　into　thy　person；　that　by　its
sufferings　thou　canst　disenchant　the　enchanted　and　restore　to　life　the
dead。〃
　　The　duennas　were　now　close　to　Sancho；　and　he；　having　become　more
tractable　and　reasonable；　settling　himself　well　in　his　chair　presented
his　face　and　beard　to　the　first；　who　delivered　him　a　smack　very
stoutly　laid　on；　and　then　made　him　a　low　curtsey。
　　〃Less　politeness　and　less　paint；　senora　duenna；〃　said　Sancho；　〃by
God　your　hands　smell　of　vinegar…wash。〃
　　In　fine；　all　the　duennas　smacked　him　and　several　others　of　the
household　pinched　him；　but　what　he　could　not　stand　was　being　pricked
by　the　pins；　and　so；　apparently　out　of　patience；　he　started　up　out
of　his　chair；　and　seizing　a　lighted　torch　that　stood　near　him　fell
upon　the　duennas　and　the　whole　set　of　his　tormentors；　exclaiming；
〃Begone；　ye　ministers　of　hell；　I'm　not　made　of　brass　not　to　feel
such　out…of…the…way　tortures。〃
　　At　this　instant　Altisidora；　who　probably　was　tired　of　having　been　so
long　lying　on　her　back；　turned　on　her　side；　seeing　which　the
bystanders　cried　out　almost　with　one　voice；　〃Altisidora　is　alive！
Altisidora　lives！〃
　　Rhadamanthus　bade　Sancho　put　away　his　wrath；　as　the　object　they
had　in　view　was　now　attained。　When　Don　Quixote　saw　Altisidora　move；　he
went　on　his　knees　to　Sancho　saying　to　him；　〃Now　is　the　time；　son　of　my
bowels；　not　to　call　thee　my　squire；　for　thee　to　give　thyself　some　of
those　lashes　thou　art　bound　to　lay　on　for　the　disenchantment　of
Dulcinea。　Now；　I　say；　is　the　time　when　the　virtue　that　is　in　thee　is
ripe；　and　endowed　with　efficacy　to　work　the　good　that　is　looked　for
from　thee。〃
　　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　〃That's　trick　upon　trick；　I　think；
and　not　honey　upon　pancakes；　a　nice　thing　it　would　be　for　a　whipping
to　come　now；　on　the　top　of　pinches；　smacks；　and　pin…proddings！　You　had
better　take　a　big　stone　and　tie　it　round　my　neck；　and　pitch　me　into
a　well；　I　should　not　mind　it　much；　if　I'm　to　be　always　made　the　cow　of
the　wedding　for　the　cure　of　other　people's　ailments。　Leave　me　alone；
or　else　by　God　I'll　fling　the　whole　thing　to　the　dogs；　let　come　what
may。〃
　　Altisidora　had　by　this　time　sat　up　on　the　catafalque；　and　as　she　did
so　the　clarions　sounded；　accompanied　by　the　flutes；　and　the　voices
of　all　present　exclaiming；　〃Long　life　to　Altisidora！　long　life　to
Altisidora！〃　The　duke　and　duchess　and　the　kings　Minos　and　Rhadamanthus
stood　up；　and　all；　together　with　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho；　advanced　to
receive　her　and　take　her　down　from　the　catafalque；　and　she；　making
as　though　she　were　recovering　from　a　swoon；　bowed　her　head　to　the　duke
and　duchess　and　to　the　kings；　and　looking　sideways　at　Don　Quixote；
said　to　him；　〃God　forgive　thee；　insensible　knight；　for　through　thy
cruelty　I　have　been；　to　me　it　seems；　more　than　a　thousand　years　in　the
other　world；　and　to　thee；　the　most　compassionate　upon　earth；　I
render　thanks　for　the　life　I　am　now　in　possession　of。　From　this　day
forth；　friend　Sancho；　count　as　thine　six　smocks　of　mine　which　I　bestow
upon　thee；　to　make　as　many　shirts　for　thyself；　and　if　they　are　not　all
quite　whole；　at　any　rate　they　are　all　clean。〃
　　Sancho　kissed　her　hands　in　gratitude；　kneeling；　and　with　the　mitre
in　his　hand。　The　duke　bade　them　take　it　from　him；　and　give　him　back
his　cap　and　doublet　and　remove　the　flaming　robe。　Sancho　begged　the
duke　to　let　them　leave　him　the　robe　and　mitre；　as　he　wanted　to　take
them　home　for　a　token　and　memento　of　that　unexampled　adventure。　The
duchess　said　they　must　leave　the