don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第36节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃Well　then；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃I　say　that　for　some　days
past　I　have　been　considering　how　little　is　got　or　gained　by　going　in
search　of　these　adventures　that　your　worship　seeks　in　these　wilds
and　cross…roads；　where；　even　if　the　most　perilous　are　victoriously
achieved；　there　is　no　one　to　see　or　know　of　them；　and　so　they　must
be　left　untold　for　ever；　to　the　loss　of　your　worship's　object　and
the　credit　they　deserve；　therefore　it　seems　to　me　it　would　be　better
（saving　your　worship's　better　judgment）　if　we　were　to　go　and　serve
some　emperor　or　other　great　prince　who　may　have　some　war　on　hand；　in
whose　service　your　worship　may　prove　the　worth　of　your　person；　your
great　might；　and　greater　understanding；　on　perceiving　which　the　lord
in　whose　service　we　may　be　will　perforce　have　to　reward　us；　each
according　to　his　merits；　and　there　you　will　not　be　at　a　loss　for
some　one　to　set　down　your　achievements　in　writing　so　as　to　preserve
their　memory　for　ever。　Of　my　own　I　say　nothing；　as　they　will　not　go
beyond　squirely　limits；　though　I　make　bold　to　say　that；　if　it　be　the
practice　in　chivalry　to　write　the　achievements　of　squires；　I　think
mine　must　not　be　left　out。〃
　　〃Thou　speakest　not　amiss；　Sancho；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃but　before
that　point　is　reached　it　is　requisite　to　roam　the　world；　as　it　were　on
probation；　seeking　adventures；　in　order　that；　by　achieving　some；
name　and　fame　may　be　acquired；　such　that　when　he　betakes　himself　to
the　court　of　some　great　monarch　the　knight　may　be　already　known　by　his
deeds；　and　that　the　boys；　the　instant　they　see　him　enter　the　gate　of
the　city；　may　all　follow　him　and　surround　him；　crying；　'This　is　the
Knight　of　the　Sun'…or　the　Serpent；　or　any　other　title　under　which　he
may　have　achieved　great　deeds。　'This；'　they　will　say；　'is　he　who
vanquished　in　single　combat　the　gigantic　Brocabruno　of　mighty
strength；　he　who　delivered　the　great　Mameluke　of　Persia　out　of　the
long　enchantment　under　which　he　had　been　for　almost　nine　hundred
years。'　So　from　one　to　another　they　will　go　proclaiming　his
achievements；　and　presently　at　the　tumult　of　the　boys　and　the　others
the　king　of　that　kingdom　will　appear　at　the　windows　of　his　royal
palace；　and　as　soon　as　he　beholds　the　knight；　recognising　him　by　his
arms　and　the　device　on　his　shield；　he　will　as　a　matter　of　course
say；　'What　ho！　Forth　all　ye；　the　knights　of　my　court；　to　receive　the
flower　of　chivalry　who　cometh　hither！'　At　which　command　all　will　issue
forth；　and　he　himself；　advancing　half…way　down　the　stairs；　will
embrace　him　closely；　and　salute　him；　kissing　him　on　the　cheek；　and
will　then　lead　him　to　the　queen's　chamber；　where　the　knight　will
find　her　with　the　princess　her　daughter；　who　will　be　one　of　the　most
beautiful　and　accomplished　damsels　that　could　with　the　utmost　pains　be
discovered　anywhere　in　the　known　world。　Straightway　it　will　come　to
pass　that　she　will　fix　her　eyes　upon　the　knight　and　he　his　upon　her；
and　each　will　seem　to　the　other　something　more　divine　than　human；　and；
without　knowing　how　or　why　they　will　be　taken　and　entangled　in　the
inextricable　toils　of　love；　and　sorely　distressed　in　their　hearts
not　to　see　any　way　of　making　their　pains　and　sufferings　known　by
speech。　Thence　they　will　lead　him；　no　doubt；　to　some　richly　adorned
chamber　of　the　palace；　where；　having　removed　his　armour；　they　will
bring　him　a　rich　mantle　of　scarlet　wherewith　to　robe　himself；　and　if
he　looked　noble　in　his　armour　he　will　look　still　more　so　in　a　doublet。
When　night　comes　he　will　sup　with　the　king；　queen；　and　princess；　and
all　the　time　he　will　never　take　his　eyes　off　her；　stealing　stealthy
glances；　unnoticed　by　those　present；　and　she　will　do　the　same；　and
with　equal　cautiousness；　being；　as　I　have　said；　a　damsel　of　great
discretion。　The　tables　being　removed；　suddenly　through　the　door　of　the
hall　there　will　enter　a　hideous　and　diminutive　dwarf　followed　by　a
fair　dame；　between　two　giants；　who　comes　with　a　certain　adventure；　the
work　of　an　ancient　sage；　and　he　who　shall　achieve　it　shall　be　deemed
the　best　knight　in　the　world。
　　〃The　king　will　then　command　all　those　present　to　essay　it；　and
none　will　bring　it　to　an　end　and　conclusion　save　the　stranger
knight；　to　the　great　enhancement　of　his　fame；　whereat　the　princess
will　be　overjoyed　and　will　esteem　herself　happy　and　fortunate　in
having　fixed　and　placed　her　thoughts　so　high。　And　the　best　of　it　is
that　this　king；　or　prince；　or　whatever　he　is；　is　engaged　in　a　very
bitter　war　with　another　as　powerful　as　himself；　and　the　stranger
knight；　after　having　been　some　days　at　his　court；　requests　leave
from　him　to　go　and　serve　him　in　the　said　war。　The　king　will　grant　it
very　readily；　and　the　knight　will　courteously　kiss　his　hands　for　the
favour　done　to　him；　and　that　night　he　will　take　leave　of　his　lady
the　princess　at　the　grating　of　the　chamber　where　she　sleeps；　which
looks　upon　a　garden；　and　at　which　he　has　already　many　times
conversed　with　her；　the　go…between　and　confidante　in　the　matter
being　a　damsel　much　trusted　by　the　princess。　He　will　sigh；　she　will
swoon；　the　damsel　will　fetch　water；　much　distressed　because　morning
approaches；　and　for　the　honour　of　her　lady　he　would　not　that　they　were
discovered；　at　last　the　princess　will　come　to　herself　and　will　present
her　white　hands　through　the　grating　to　the　knight；　who　will　kiss
them　a　thousand　and　a　thousand　times；　bathing　them　with　his　tears。
It　will　be　arranged　between　them　how　they　are　to　inform　each　other
of　their　good　or　evil　fortunes；　and　the　princess　will　entreat　him　to
make　his　absence　as　short　as　possible；　which　he　will　promise　to　do
with　many　oaths；　once　more　he　kisses　her　hands；　and　takes　his　leave　in
such　grief　that　he　is　well…nigh　ready　to　die。　He　betakes　him　thence　to
his　chamber；　flings　himself　on　his　bed；　cannot　sleep　for　sorrow　at
parting；　rises　early　in　the　morning；　goes　to　take　leave　of　the　king；
queen；　and　princess；　and；　as　he　takes　his　leave　of　the　pair；　it　is
told　him　that　the　princess　is　indisposed　and　cannot　receive　a　visit；
the　knight　thinks　it　is　from　grief　at　his　departure；　his　heart　is
pierced；　and　he　is　hardly　able　to　keep　from　showing　his　pain。　The
confidante　is　present；　observes　all；　goes　to　tell　her　mistress；　who
listens　with　tears　and　says　that　one　of　her　greatest　distresses　is　not
knowing　who　this　knight　is；　and　whether　he　is　of　kingly　lineage　or
not；　the　damsel　assures　her　that　so　much　courtesy；　gentleness；　and
gallantry　of　bearing　as　her　knight　possesses　could　not　exist　in　any
save　one　who　was　royal　and　illustrious；　her　anxiety　is　thus
relieved；　and　she　strives　to　be　of　good　cheer　lest　she　should　excite
suspicion　in　her　parents；　and　at　the　end　of　two　days　she　appears　in
public。　Meanwhile　the　knight　has　taken　his　departure；　he　fights　in　the
war；　conquers　the　king's　enemy；　wins　many　cities；　triumphs　in　many
battles；　returns　to　the　court；　sees　his　lady　where　he　was　wont　to
see　her；　and　it　is　agreed　that　he　shall　demand　her　in　marriage　of
her　parents　as　the　reward　of　his　services；　the　king　is　unwilling　to
give　her；　as　he　knows　not　who　he　is；　but　nevertheless；　whether　carried
off　or　in　whatever　other　way　it　may　be；　the　princess　comes　to　be　his
bride；　and　her　father　comes　to　regard　it　as　very　good　fortune；　for
it　so　happens　that　this　knight　is　proved　to　be　the　son　of　a　valiant
king　of　some　kingdom；　I　know　not　what；　for　I　fancy　it　is　not　likely　to
be　on　the　map。　The　father　dies；　the　princess　inherits；　and　in　two
words　the　knight　becomes　king。　And　here　comes　in　at　once　the
bestowal　of　rewards　upon　his　squire　and　all　who　have　aided　him　in
rising　to　so　exalted　a　rank。　He　marries　his　squire　to　a　damsel　of
the　princess's；　who　will　be；　no　doubt；　the　one　who　was　confidante　in
their　amour；　and　is　daughter　of　a　very　great　duke。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　want；　and　no　mistake　about　it！〃　said　Sancho。
〃That's　what　I'm　waiting　for；　for　all　this；　word　for　word；　is　in　store
for　your　worship　under　the　title　of　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance。〃
　　〃Thou　needst　not　doubt　it；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃for　in　the
same　manner；　and　by　the　same　steps　as　I　have　described　here；
knights…errant　rise　and　have　risen　to　be　kings　and　emperors；　all　we
want　now　is　to　find　out　what　king；　Christian　or　pagan；　is　at　war　and
has　a　beautiful　daughter；　but　there　will　be　time　enough　to　think　of
that；　for；　as　I　have　told　thee；　fame　must　be　won　in　other　quarters
before　repairing　to　the　court。　There　is　another　thing；　too；　that　is
wanting；　for　supposing　we　find　a　king　who　is　at　war　and　has　a
beautiful　daughter；　and　that　I　have　won　incredible　fame　throughout　the
universe；　I　know　not　how　it　can　be　made　out　that　I　am　of　royal
lineage；　or　even　second　cousin　to　an　emperor；　for　the　king　will　not　be
willing　to　give　me　his　daughter　in　marriage　unless　he　is　first
thoroughly　satisfied　on　this　point；　however　much　my　famous　deeds　may
deserve　it；　so　that　by　this　deficiency　I　fear　I　shall　lose　what　my　arm
has　fairly　earned。　True　it　is　I　am　a　gentleman　of　known　house；　of
estate　and　property；　and　entitled　to　the　five　hundred　sueldos　mulct；
and　it　may　be　that　the　sage　who　shall　write　my　history　will　so　clear
up　my　ancestry　and　pedigree　that　I　may　find　myself　fifth　or　sixth　in
descent　from　a　king；　for　I　wo