don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第26节

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　　Sancho　got　up　with　pain　enough　in　his　bones；　and　went　after　the
innkeeper　in　the　dark；　and　meeting　the　officer；　who　was　looking　to　see
what　had　become　of　his　enemy；　he　said　to　him；　〃Senor；　whoever　you　are；
do　us　the　favour　and　kindness　to　give　us　a　little　rosemary；　oil；　salt；
and　wine；　for　it　is　wanted　to　cure　one　of　the　best　knights…errant　on
earth；　who　lies　on　yonder　bed　wounded　by　the　hands　of　the　enchanted
Moor　that　is　in　this　inn。〃
　　When　the　officer　heard　him　talk　in　this　way；　he　took　him　for　a　man
out　of　his　senses；　and　as　day　was　now　beginning　to　break；　he　opened
the　inn　gate；　and　calling　the　host；　he　told　him　what　this　good　man
wanted。　The　host　furnished　him　with　what　he　required；　and　Sancho
brought　it　to　Don　Quixote；　who；　with　his　hand　to　his　head；　was
bewailing　the　pain　of　the　blow　of　the　lamp；　which　had　done　him　no　more
harm　than　raising　a　couple　of　rather　large　lumps；　and　what　he
fancied　blood　was　only　the　sweat　that　flowed　from　him　in　his
sufferings　during　the　late　storm。　To　be　brief；　he　took　the
materials；　of　which　he　made　a　compound；　mixing　them　all　and　boiling
them　a　good　while　until　it　seemed　to　him　they　had　come　to
perfection。　He　then　asked　for　some　vial　to　pour　it　into；　and　as
there　was　not　one　in　the　inn；　he　decided　on　putting　it　into　a　tin
oil…bottle　or　flask　of　which　the　host　made　him　a　free　gift；　and　over
the　flask　he　repeated　more　than　eighty　paternosters　and　as　many　more
ave…marias；　salves；　and　credos；　accompanying　each　word　with　a　cross　by
way　of　benediction；　at　all　which　there　were　present　Sancho；　the
innkeeper；　and　the　cuadrillero；　for　the　carrier　was　now　peacefully
engaged　in　attending　to　the　comfort　of　his　mules。
　　This　being　accomplished；　he　felt　anxious　to　make　trial　himself；　on
the　spot；　of　the　virtue　of　this　precious　balsam；　as　he　considered
it；　and　so　he　drank　near　a　quart　of　what　could　not　be　put　into　the
flask　and　remained　in　the　pigskin　in　which　it　had　been　boiled；　but
scarcely　had　he　done　drinking　when　he　began　to　vomit　in　such　a　way
that　nothing　was　left　in　his　stomach；　and　with　the　pangs　and　spasms　of
vomiting　he　broke　into　a　profuse　sweat；　on　account　of　which　he　bade
them　cover　him　up　and　leave　him　alone。　They　did　so；　and　he　lay
sleeping　more　than　three　hours；　at　the　end　of　which　he　awoke　and
felt　very　great　bodily　relief　and　so　much　ease　from　his　bruises　that
he　thought　himself　quite　cured；　and　verily　believed　he　had　hit　upon
the　balsam　of　Fierabras；　and　that　with　this　remedy　he　might
thenceforward；　without　any　fear；　face　any　kind　of　destruction；　battle；
or　combat；　however　perilous　it　might　be。
　　Sancho　Panza；　who　also　regarded　the　amendment　of　his　master　as
miraculous；　begged　him　to　give　him　what　was　left　in　the　pigskin；　which
was　no　small　quantity。　Don　Quixote　consented；　and　he；　taking　it　with
both　hands；　in　good　faith　and　with　a　better　will；　gulped　down　and
drained　off　very　little　less　than　his　master。　But　the　fact　is；　that
the　stomach　of　poor　Sancho　was　of　necessity　not　so　delicate　as　that　of
his　master；　and　so；　before　vomiting；　he　was　seized　with　such
gripings　and　retchings；　and　such　sweats　and　faintness；　that　verily　and
truly　be　believed　his　last　hour　had　come；　and　finding　himself　so
racked　and　tormented　he　cursed　the　balsam　and　the　thief　that　had　given
it　to　him。
　　Don　Quixote　seeing　him　in　this　state　said；　〃It　is　my　belief；　Sancho；
that　this　mischief　comes　of　thy　not　being　dubbed　a　knight；　for　I　am
persuaded　this　liquor　cannot　be　good　for　those　who　are　not　so。〃
　　〃If　your　worship　knew　that；〃　returned　Sancho…　〃woe　betide　me　and　all
my　kindred！…　why　did　you　let　me　taste　it？〃
　　At　this　moment　the　draught　took　effect；　and　the　poor　squire　began　to
discharge　both　ways　at　such　a　rate　that　the　rush　mat　on　which　he　had
thrown　himself　and　the　canvas　blanket　he　had　covering　him　were　fit　for
nothing　afterwards。　He　sweated　and　perspired　with　such　paroxysms　and
convulsions　that　not　only　he　himself　but　all　present　thought　his　end
had　come。　This　tempest　and　tribulation　lasted　about　two　hours；　at
the　end　of　which　he　was　left；　not　like　his　master；　but　so　weak　and
exhausted　that　he　could　not　stand。　Don　Quixote；　however；　who；　as　has
been　said；　felt　himself　relieved　and　well；　was　eager　to　take　his
departure　at　once　in　quest　of　adventures；　as　it　seemed　to　him　that　all
the　time　he　loitered　there　was　a　fraud　upon　the　world　and　those　in
it　who　stood　in　need　of　his　help　and　protection；　all　the　more　when
he　had　the　security　and　confidence　his　balsam　afforded　him；　and　so；
urged　by　this　impulse；　he　saddled　Rocinante　himself　and　put　the
pack…saddle　on　his　squire's　beast；　whom　likewise　he　helped　to　dress
and　mount　the　ass；　after　which　he　mounted　his　horse　and　turning　to　a
corner　of　the　inn　he　laid　hold　of　a　pike　that　stood　there；　to　serve
him　by　way　of　a　lance。　All　that　were　in　the　inn；　who　were　more　than
twenty　persons；　stood　watching　him；　the　innkeeper's　daughter　was
likewise　observing　him；　and　he　too　never　took　his　eyes　off　her；　and
from　time　to　time　fetched　a　sigh　that　he　seemed　to　pluck　up　from　the
depths　of　his　bowels；　but　they　all　thought　it　must　be　from　the　pain　he
felt　in　his　ribs；　at　any　rate　they　who　had　seen　him　plastered　the
night　before　thought　so。
　　As　soon　as　they　were　both　mounted；　at　the　gate　of　the　inn；　he　called
to　the　host　and　said　in　a　very　grave　and　measured　voice；　〃Many　and
great　are　the　favours；　Senor　Alcaide；　that　I　have　received　in　this
castle　of　yours；　and　I　remain　under　the　deepest　obligation　to　be
grateful　to　you　for　them　all　the　days　of　my　life；　if　I　can　repay
them　in　avenging　you　of　any　arrogant　foe　who　may　have　wronged　you；
know　that　my　calling　is　no　other　than　to　aid　the　weak；　to　avenge　those
who　suffer　wrong；　and　to　chastise　perfidy。　Search　your　memory；　and
if　you　find　anything　of　this　kind　you　need　only　tell　me　of　it；　and　I
promise　you　by　the　order　of　knighthood　which　I　have　received　to
procure　you　satisfaction　and　reparation　to　the　utmost　of　your　desire。〃
　　The　innkeeper　replied　to　him　with　equal　calmness；　〃Sir　Knight；　I
do　not　want　your　worship　to　avenge　me　of　any　wrong；　because　when　any
is　done　me　I　can　take　what　vengeance　seems　good　to　me；　the　only
thing　I　want　is　that　you　pay　me　the　score　that　you　have　run　up　in
the　inn　last　night；　as　well　for　the　straw　and　barley　for　your　two
beasts；　as　for　supper　and　beds。〃
　　〃Then　this　is　an　inn？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃And　a　very　respectable　one；〃　said　the　innkeeper。
　　〃I　have　been　under　a　mistake　all　this　time；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；
〃for　in　truth　I　thought　it　was　a　castle；　and　not　a　bad　one；　but
since　it　appears　that　it　is　not　a　castle　but　an　inn；　all　that　can　be
done　now　is　that　you　should　excuse　the　payment；　for　I　cannot
contravene　the　rule　of　knights…errant；　of　whom　I　know　as　a　fact　（and
up　to　the　present　I　have　read　nothing　to　the　contrary）　that　they　never
paid　for　lodging　or　anything　else　in　the　inn　where　they　might　be；
for　any　hospitality　that　might　be　offered　them　is　their　due　by　law　and
right　in　return　for　the　insufferable　toil　they　endure　in　seeking
adventures　by　night　and　by　day；　in　summer　and　in　winter；　on　foot　and
on　horseback；　in　hunger　and　thirst；　cold　and　heat；　exposed　to　all
the　inclemencies　of　heaven　and　all　the　hardships　of　earth。〃
　　〃I　have　little　to　do　with　that；〃　replied　the　innkeeper；　〃pay　me　what
you　owe　me；　and　let　us　have　no　more　talk　of　chivalry；　for　all　I　care
about　is　to　get　my　money。〃
　　〃You　are　a　stupid；　scurvy　innkeeper；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　and
putting　spurs　to　Rocinante　and　bringing　his　pike　to　the　slope　he
rode　out　of　the　inn　before　anyone　could　stop　him；　and　pushed　on　some
distance　without　looking　to　see　if　his　squire　was　following　him。
　　The　innkeeper　when　he　saw　him　go　without　paying　him　ran　to　get
payment　of　Sancho；　who　said　that　as　his　master　would　not　pay　neither
would　he；　because；　being　as　he　was　squire　to　a　knight…errant；　the　same
rule　and　reason　held　good　for　him　as　for　his　master　with　regard　to　not
paying　anything　in　inns　and　hostelries。　At　this　the　innkeeper　waxed
very　wroth；　and　threatened　if　he　did　not　pay　to　compel　him　in　a　way
that　he　would　not　like。　To　which　Sancho　made　answer　that　by　the　law　of
chivalry　his　master　had　received　he　would　not　pay　a　rap；　though　it
cost　him　his　life；　for　the　excellent　and　ancient　usage　of
knights…errant　was　not　going　to　be　violated　by　him；　nor　should　the
squires　of　such　as　were　yet　to　come　into　the　world　ever　complain　of
him　or　reproach　him　with　breaking　so　just　a　privilege。
　　The　ill…luck　of　the　unfortunate　Sancho　so　ordered　it　that　among
the　company　in　the　inn　there　were　four　woolcarders　from　Segovia；　three
needle…makers　from　the　Colt　of　Cordova；　and　two　lodgers　from　the
Fair　of　Seville；　lively　fellows；　tender…hearted；　fond　of　a　joke；　and
playful；　who；　almost　as　if　instigated　and　moved　by　a　common　impulse；
made　up　to　Sancho　and　dismounted　him　from　his　ass；　while　one　of　them
went　in　for　the　blanket　of　the　host's　bed；　but　on　flinging　him　into　it
they　looked　up；　and　seeing　that　the　ceiling　was　somewhat　lower　what
they　required　for　their　work；　they　decided　upon　going　out　into　the
yard；　which　was　bounded　by　the　sky；　and　there；　putting　Sancho　in　the
middle　of　the　blanket；　they　began　to　raise　him　high；　making　sport　with
him　as　t