don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第233节
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wonder；〃 said Sancho； 〃for devils； whether playing or not； can never
be content； win or lose。〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Altisidora； 〃but there is another thing that
surprises me too； I mean surprised me then； and that was that no
ball outlasted the first throw or was of any use a second time； and it
was wonderful the constant succession there was of books； new and old。
To one of them； a brand…new； well…bound one； they gave such a stroke
that they knocked the guts out of it and scattered the leaves about。
'Look what book that is；' said one devil to another； and the other
replied； 'It is the 〃Second Part of the History of Don Quixote of La
Mancha；〃 not by Cide Hamete； the original author； but by an
Aragonese who by his own account is of Tordesillas。' 'Out of this with
it；' said the first； 'and into the depths of hell with it out of my
sight。' 'Is it so bad？' said the other。 'So bad is it；' said the
first； 'that if I had set myself deliberately to make a worse； I could
not have done it。' They then went on with their game； knocking other
books about； and I； having heard them mention the name of Don
Quixote whom I love and adore so； took care to retain this vision in
my memory。〃
〃A vision it must have been； no doubt；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for there
is no other I in the world； this history has been going about here for
some time from hand to hand； but it does not stay long in any； for
everybody gives it a taste of his foot。 I am not disturbed by
hearing that I am wandering in a fantastic shape in the darkness of
the pit or in the daylight above； for I am not the one that history
treats of。 If it should be good； faithful； and true； it will have ages
of life； but if it should be bad； from its birth to its burial will
not be a very long journey。〃
Altisidora was about to proceed with her complaint against Don
Quixote； when he said to her； 〃I have several times told you； senora
that it grieves me you should have set your affections upon me； as
from mine they can only receive gratitude； but no return。 I was born
to belong to Dulcinea del Toboso； and the fates； if there are any；
dedicated me to her； and to suppose that any other beauty can take the
place she occupies in my heart is to suppose an impossibility。 This
frank declaration should suffice to make you retire within the
bounds of your modesty； for no one can bind himself to do
impossibilities。〃
Hearing this； Altisidora； with a show of anger and agitation；
exclaimed； 〃God's life！ Don Stockfish； soul of a mortar； stone of a
date； more obstinate and obdurate than a clown asked a favour when
he has his mind made up； if I fall upon you I'll tear your eyes out！
Do you fancy； Don Vanquished； Don Cudgelled； that I died for your
sake？ All that you have seen to…night has been make…believe； I'm not
the woman to let the black of my nail suffer for such a camel； much
less die！〃
〃That I can well believe；〃 said Sancho； 〃for all that about lovers
pining to death is absurd； they may talk of it； but as for doing it…
Judas may believe that！〃
While they were talking； the musician； singer； and poet； who had
sung the two stanzas given above came in； and making a profound
obeisance to Don Quixote said； 〃Will your worship； sir knight；
reckon and retain me in the number of your most faithful servants； for
I have long been a great admirer of yours； as well because of your
fame as because of your achievements？〃 〃Will your worship tell me
who you are；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃so that my courtesy may be
answerable to your deserts？〃 The young man replied that he was the
musician and songster of the night before。 〃Of a truth；〃 said Don
Quixote； 〃your worship has a most excellent voice； but what you sang
did not seem to me very much to the purpose； for what have
Garcilasso's stanzas to do with the death of this lady？〃
〃Don't be surprised at that；〃 returned the musician； 〃for with the
callow poets of our day the way is for every one to write as he
pleases and pilfer where he chooses； whether it be germane to the
matter or not； and now…a…days there is no piece of silliness they
can sing or write that is not set down to poetic licence。〃
Don Quixote was about to reply； but was prevented by the duke and
duchess； who came in to see him； and with them there followed a long
and delightful conversation； in the course of which Sancho said so
many droll and saucy things that he left the duke and duchess
wondering not only at his simplicity but at his sharpness。 Don Quixote
begged their permission to take his departure that same day；
inasmuch as for a vanquished knight like himself it was fitter he
should live in a pig…sty than in a royal palace。 They gave it very
readily； and the duchess asked him if Altisidora was in his good
graces。
He replied； 〃Senora； let me tell your ladyship that this damsel's
ailment comes entirely of idleness； and the cure for it is honest
and constant employment。 She herself has told me that lace is worn
in hell； and as she must know how to make it； let it never be out of
her hands； for when she is occupied in shifting the bobbins to and
fro； the image or images of what she loves will not shift to and fro
in her thoughts； this is the truth； this is my opinion； and this is my
advice。〃
〃And mine；〃 added Sancho； 〃for I never in all my life saw a
lace…maker that died for love； when damsels are at work their minds
are more set on finishing their tasks than on thinking of their loves。
I speak from my own experience； for when I'm digging I never think
of my old woman； I mean my Teresa Panza； whom I love better than my
own eyelids。〃 〃You say well； Sancho；〃 said the duchess； 〃and I will
take care that my Altisidora employs herself henceforward in
needlework of some sort； for she is extremely expert at it。〃 〃There is
no occasion to have recourse to that remedy； senora；〃 said Altisidora；
〃for the mere thought of the cruelty with which this vagabond
villain has treated me will suffice to blot him out of my memory
without any other device； with your highness's leave I will retire；
not to have before my eyes； I won't say his rueful countenance； but
his abominable； ugly looks。〃 〃That reminds me of the common saying；
that 'he that rails is ready to forgive；'〃 said the duke。
Altisidora then； pretending to wipe away her tears with a
handkerchief； made an obeisance to her master and mistress and quitted
the room。
〃Ill luck betide thee； poor damsel；〃 said Sancho； 〃ill luck betide
thee！ Thou hast fallen in with a soul as dry as a rush and a heart
as hard as oak； had it been me； i'faith 'another cock would have
crowed to thee。'〃
So the conversation came to an end； and Don Quixote dressed
himself and dined with the duke and duchess； and set out the same
evening。
CHAPTER LXXI
OF WHAT PASSED BETWEEN DON QUIXOTE AND HIS SQUIRE SANCHO ON THE
WAY TO THEIR VILLAGE
THE vanquished and afflicted Don Quixote went along very downcast in
one respect and very happy in another。 His sadness arose from his
defeat； and his satisfaction from the thought of the virtue that lay
in Sancho； as had been proved by the resurrection of Altisidora；
though it was with difficulty he could persuade himself that the
love…smitten damsel had been really dead。 Sancho went along anything
but cheerful； for it grieved him that Altisidora had not kept her
promise of giving him the smocks； and turning this over in his mind he
said to his master； 〃Surely； senor； I'm the most unlucky doctor in the
world； there's many a physician that； after killing the sick man he
had to cure； requires to be paid for his work； though it is only
signing a bit of a list of medicines； that the apothecary and not he
makes up； and； there； his labour is over； but with me though to cure
somebody else costs me drops of blood； smacks； pinches；
pinproddings； and whippings； nobody gives me a farthing。 Well； I swear
by all that's good if they put another patient into my hands；
they'll have to grease them for me before I cure him； for； as they
say； 'it's by his singing the abbot gets his dinner；' and I'm not
going to believe that heaven has bestowed upon me the virtue I have；
that I should be dealing it out to others all for nothing。〃
〃Thou art right； Sancho my friend；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃and
Altisidora has behaved very badly in not giving thee the smocks she
promised； and although that virtue of thine is gratis data… as it
has cost thee no study whatever； any more than such study as thy
personal sufferings may be… I can say for myself that if thou
wouldst have payment for the lashes on account of the disenchant of
Dulcinea； I would have given it to thee freely ere this。 I am not
sure； however； whether payment will comport with the cure； and I would
not have the reward interfere with the medicine。 I think there will be
nothing lost by trying it； consider how much thou wouldst have；
Sancho； and whip thyself at once； and pay thyself down with thine
own hand； as thou hast money of mine。〃
At this proposal Sancho opened his eyes and his ears a palm's
breadth wide； and in his heart very readily acquiesced in whipping
himself； and said he to his master； 〃Very well then； senor； I'll
hold myself in readiness to gratify your worship's
