don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第30节

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worship　if　they　see　you　so　obstinate。〃
　　While　engaged　in　this　and　other　talk；　night　overtook　them　on　the
road　before　they　had　reached　or　discovered　any　place　of　shelter；　and
what　made　it　still　worse　was　that　they　were　dying　of　hunger；　for
with　the　loss　of　the　alforjas　they　had　lost　their　entire　larder　and
commissariat；　and　to　complete　the　misfortune　they　met　with　an
adventure　which　without　any　invention　had　really　the　appearance　of
one。　It　so　happened　that　the　night　closed　in　somewhat　darkly；　but
for　all　that　they　pushed　on；　Sancho　feeling　sure　that　as　the　road
was　the　king's　highway　they　might　reasonably　expect　to　find　some　inn
within　a　league　or　two。　Going　along；　then；　in　this　way；　the　night
dark；　the　squire　hungry；　the　master　sharp…set；　they　saw　coming　towards
them　on　the　road　they　were　travelling　a　great　number　of　lights　which
looked　exactly　like　stars　in　motion。　Sancho　was　taken　aback　at　the
sight　of　them；　nor　did　Don　Quixote　altogether　relish　them：　the　one
pulled　up　his　ass　by　the　halter；　the　other　his　hack　by　the　bridle；　and
they　stood　still；　watching　anxiously　to　see　what　all　this　would　turn
out　to　be；　and　found　that　the　lights　were　approaching　them；　and　the
nearer　they　came　the　greater　they　seemed；　at　which　spectacle　Sancho
began　to　shake　like　a　man　dosed　with　mercury；　and　Don　Quixote's　hair
stood　on　end；　he；　however；　plucking　up　spirit　a　little；　said：
　　〃This；　no　doubt；　Sancho；　will　be　a　most　mighty　and　perilous
adventure；　in　which　it　will　be　needful　for　me　to　put　forth　all　my
valour　and　resolution。〃
　　〃Unlucky　me！〃　answered　Sancho；　〃if　this　adventure　happens　to　be
one　of　phantoms；　as　I　am　beginning　to　think　it　is；　where　shall　I
find　the　ribs　to　bear　it？〃
　　〃Be　they　phantoms　ever　so　much；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　will　not
permit　them　to　touch　a　thread　of　thy　garments；　for　if　they　played
tricks　with　thee　the　time　before；　it　was　because　I　was　unable　to
leap　the　walls　of　the　yard；　but　now　we　are　on　a　wide　plain；　where　I
shall　be　able　to　wield　my　sword　as　I　please。〃
　　〃And　if　they　enchant　and　cripple　you　as　they　did　the　last　time；〃
said　Sancho；　〃what　difference　will　it　make　being　on　the　open　plain
or　not？〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃I　entreat　thee；　Sancho；　to
keep　a　good　heart；　for　experience　will　tell　thee　what　mine　is。〃
　　〃I　will；　please　God；〃　answered　Sancho；　and　the　two　retiring　to　one
side　of　the　road　set　themselves　to　observe　closely　what　all　these
moving　lights　might　be；　and　very　soon　afterwards　they　made　out　some
twenty　encamisados；　all　on　horseback；　with　lighted　torches　in　their
hands；　the　awe…inspiring　aspect　of　whom　completely　extinguished　the
courage　of　Sancho；　who　began　to　chatter　with　his　teeth　like　one　in　the
cold　fit　of　an　ague；　and　his　heart　sank　and　his　teeth　chattered
still　more　when　they　perceived　distinctly　that　behind　them　there
came　a　litter　covered　over　with　black　and　followed　by　six　more　mounted
figures　in　mourning　down　to　the　very　feet　of　their　mules…　for　they
could　perceive　plainly　they　were　not　horses　by　the　easy　pace　at
which　they　went。　And　as　the　encamisados　came　along　they　muttered　to
themselves　in　a　low　plaintive　tone。　This　strange　spectacle　at　such
an　hour　and　in　such　a　solitary　place　was　quite　enough　to　strike　terror
into　Sancho's　heart；　and　even　into　his　master's；　and　（save　in　Don
Quixote's　case）　did　so；　for　all　Sancho's　resolution　had　now　broken
down。　It　was　just　the　opposite　with　his　master；　whose　imagination
immediately　conjured　up　all　this　to　him　vividly　as　one　of　the
adventures　of　his　books。
　　He　took　it　into　his　head　that　the　litter　was　a　bier　on　which　was
borne　some　sorely　wounded　or　slain　knight；　to　avenge　whom　was　a　task
reserved　for　him　alone；　and　without　any　further　reasoning　he　laid
his　lance　in　rest；　fixed　himself　firmly　in　his　saddle；　and　with
gallant　spirit　and　bearing　took　up　his　position　in　the　middle　of　the
road　where　the　encamisados　must　of　necessity　pass；　and　as　soon　as　he
saw　them　near　at　hand　he　raised　his　voice　and　said：
　　〃Halt；　knights；　or　whosoever　ye　may　be；　and　render　me　account　of　who
ye　are；　whence　ye　come；　where　ye　go；　what　it　is　ye　carry　upon　that
bier；　for；　to　judge　by　appearances；　either　ye　have　done　some　wrong
or　some　wrong　has　been　done　to　you；　and　it　is　fitting　and　necessary
that　I　should　know；　either　that　I　may　chastise　you　for　the　evil　ye
have　done；　or　else　that　I　may　avenge　you　for　the　injury　that　has
been　inflicted　upon　you。〃
　　〃We　are　in　haste；〃　answered　one　of　the　encamisados；　〃and　the　inn
is　far　off；　and　we　cannot　stop　to　render　you　such　an　account　as　you
demand；〃　and　spurring　his　mule　he　moved　on。
　　Don　Quixote　was　mightily　provoked　by　this　answer；　and　seizing　the
mule　by　the　bridle　he　said；　〃Halt；　and　be　more　mannerly；　and　render　an
account　of　what　I　have　asked　of　you；　else；　take　my　defiance　to　combat；
all　of　you。〃
　　The　mule　was　shy；　and　was　so　frightened　at　her　bridle　being　seized
that　rearing　up　she　flung　her　rider　to　the　ground　over　her　haunches。
An　attendant　who　was　on　foot；　seeing　the　encamisado　fall；　began　to
abuse　Don　Quixote；　who　now　moved　to　anger；　without　any　more　ado；
laying　his　lance　in　rest　charged　one　of　the　men　in　mourning　and
brought　him　badly　wounded　to　the　ground；　and　as　he　wheeled　round
upon　the　others　the　agility　with　which　he　attacked　and　routed　them　was
a　sight　to　see；　for　it　seemed　just　as　if　wings　had　that　instant
grown　upon　Rocinante；　so　lightly　and　proudly　did　he　bear　himself。
The　encamisados　were　all　timid　folk　and　unarmed；　so　they　speedily　made
their　escape　from　the　fray　and　set　off　at　a　run　across　the　plain
with　their　lighted　torches；　looking　exactly　like　maskers　running　on
some　gala　or　festival　night。　The　mourners；　too；　enveloped　and
swathed　in　their　skirts　and　gowns；　were　unable　to　bestir　themselves；
and　so　with　entire　safety　to　himself　Don　Quixote　belaboured　them　all
and　drove　them　off　against　their　will；　for　they　all　thought　it　was
no　man　but　a　devil　from　hell　come　to　carry　away　the　dead　body　they　had
in　the　litter。
　　Sancho　beheld　all　this　in　astonishment　at　the　intrepidity　of　his
lord；　and　said　to　himself；　〃Clearly　this　master　of　mine　is　as　bold　and
valiant　as　he　says　he　is。〃
　　A　burning　torch　lay　on　the　ground　near　the　first　man　whom　the　mule
had　thrown；　by　the　light　of　which　Don　Quixote　perceived　him；　and
coming　up　to　him　he　presented　the　point　of　the　lance　to　his　face；
calling　on　him　to　yield　himself　prisoner；　or　else　he　would　kill　him；
to　which　the　prostrate　man　replied；　〃I　am　prisoner　enough　as　it　is；
I　cannot　stir；　for　one　of　my　legs　is　broken：　I　entreat　you；　if　you
be　a　Christian　gentleman；　not　to　kill　me；　which　will　be　committing
grave　sacrilege；　for　I　am　a　licentiate　and　I　hold　first　orders。〃
　　〃Then　what　the　devil　brought　you　here；　being　a　churchman？〃　said
Don　Quixote。
　　〃What；　senor？〃　said　the　other。　〃My　bad　luck。〃
　　〃Then　still　worse　awaits　you；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃if　you　do　not
satisfy　me　as　to　all　I　asked　you　at　first。〃
　　〃You　shall　be　soon　satisfied；〃　said　the　licentiate；　〃you　must
know；　then；　that　though　just　now　I　said　I　was　a　licentiate；　I　am
only　a　bachelor；　and　my　name　is　Alonzo　Lopez；　I　am　a　native　of
Alcobendas；　I　come　from　the　city　of　Baeza　with　eleven　others；　priests；
the　same　who　fled　with　the　torches；　and　we　are　going　to　the　city　of
Segovia　accompanying　a　dead　body　which　is　in　that　litter；　and　is
that　of　a　gentleman　who　died　in　Baeza；　where　he　was　interred；　and　now；
as　I　said；　we　are　taking　his　bones　to　their　burial…place；　which　is
in　Segovia；　where　he　was　born。〃
　　〃And　who　killed　him？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃God；　by　means　of　a　malignant　fever　that　took　him；〃　answered　the
bachelor。
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃the　Lord　has　relieved　me　of　the
task　of　avenging　his　death　had　any　other　slain　him；　but；　he　who　slew
him　having　slain　him；　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　be　silent；　and
shrug　one's　shoulders；　I　should　do　the　same　were　he　to　slay　myself；
and　I　would　have　your　reverence　know　that　I　am　a　knight　of　La
Mancha；　Don　Quixote　by　name；　and　it　is　my　business　and　calling　to　roam
the　world　righting　wrongs　and　redressing　injuries。〃
　　〃I　do　not　know　how　that　about　righting　wrongs　can　be；〃　said　the
bachelor；　〃for　from　straight　you　have　made　me　crooked；　leaving　me　with
a　broken　leg　that　will　never　see　itself　straight　again　all　the　days　of
its　life；　and　the　injury　you　have　redressed　in　my　case　has　been　to
leave　me　injured　in　such　a　way　that　I　shall　remain　injured　for　ever；
and　the　height　of　misadventure　it　was　to　fall　in　with　you　who　go　in
search　of　adventures。〃
　　〃Things　do　not　all　happen　in　the　same　way；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；
〃it　all　came；　Sir　Bachelor　Alonzo　Lopez；　of　your　going；　as　you　did；　by
night；　dressed　in　those　surplices；　with　lighted　torches；　praying；
covered　with　mourning；　so　that　naturally　you　looked　like　something
evil　and　of　the　other　world；　and　so　I　could　not　avoid　doing　my　duty　in
attacking　you；　and　I　should　have　attacked　you　even　had　I　known
positively　that　you　were　the　very　devils　of　hell；　for　such　I　certainly
believed　and　took　you　to　be。〃
　　〃As　my　fate　has　so　willed　it；〃　said　the　bachelor；　〃I　entreat　you；
sir　knight…errant；　whose　errand　has　been　such　an　evil　one　for　me；　to
help　me　to　get　from　under　this　mule　that　holds　on