don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第37节

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up　my　ancestry　and　pedigree　that　I　may　find　myself　fifth　or　sixth　in
descent　from　a　king；　for　I　would　have　thee　know；　Sancho；　that　there
are　two　kinds　of　lineages　in　the　world；　some　there　be　tracing　and
deriving　their　descent　from　kings　and　princes；　whom　time　has　reduced
little　by　little　until　they　end　in　a　point　like　a　pyramid　upside　down；
and　others　who　spring　from　the　common　herd　and　go　on　rising　step　by
step　until　they　come　to　be　great　lords；　so　that　the　difference　is　that
the　one　were　what　they　no　longer　are；　and　the　others　are　what　they
formerly　were　not。　And　I　may　be　of　such　that　after　investigation　my
origin　may　prove　great　and　famous；　with　which　the　king；　my
father…in…law　that　is　to　be；　ought　to　be　satisfied；　and　should　he
not　be；　the　princess　will　so　love　me　that　even　though　she　well　knew　me
to　be　the　son　of　a　water…carrier；　she　will　take　me　for　her　lord　and
husband　in　spite　of　her　father；　if　not；　then　it　comes　to　seizing　her
and　carrying　her　off　where　I　please；　for　time　or　death　will　put　an　end
to　the　wrath　of　her　parents。〃
　　〃It　comes　to　this；　too；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　some　naughty　people　say；
'Never　ask　as　a　favour　what　thou　canst　take　by　force；'　though　it　would
fit　better　to　say；　'A　clear　escape　is　better　than　good　men's　prayers。'
I　say　so　because　if　my　lord　the　king；　your　worship's　father…in…law；
will　not　condescend　to　give　you　my　lady　the　princess；　there　is　nothing
for　it　but；　as　your　worship　says；　to　seize　her　and　transport　her。
But　the　mischief　is　that　until　peace　is　made　and　you　come　into　the
peaceful　enjoyment　of　your　kingdom；　the　poor　squire　is　famishing　as
far　as　rewards　go；　unless　it　be　that　the　confidante　damsel　that　is
to　be　his　wife　comes　with　the　princess；　and　that　with　her　he　tides
over　his　bad　luck　until　Heaven　otherwise　orders　things；　for　his
master；　I　suppose；　may　as　well　give　her　to　him　at　once　for　a　lawful
wife。〃
　　〃Nobody　can　object　to　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Then　since　that　may　be；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there　is　nothing　for　it
but　to　commend　ourselves　to　God；　and　let　fortune　take　what　course　it
will。〃
　　〃God　guide　it　according　to　my　wishes　and　thy　wants；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃and　mean　be　he　who　thinks　himself　mean。〃
　　〃In　God's　name　let　him　be　so；〃　said　Sancho：　〃I　am　an　old
Christian；　and　to　fit　me　for　a　count　that's　enough。〃
　　〃And　more　than　enough　for　thee；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　even　wert
thou　not；　it　would　make　no　difference；　because　I　being　the　king　can
easily　give　thee　nobility　without　purchase　or　service　rendered　by
thee；　for　when　I　make　thee　a　count；　then　thou　art　at　once　a　gentleman；
and　they　may　say　what　they　will；　but　by　my　faith　they　will　have　to
call　thee　'your　lordship；'　whether　they　like　it　or　not。〃
　　〃Not　a　doubt　of　it；　and　I'll　know　how　to　support　the　tittle；〃　said
Sancho。
　　〃Title　thou　shouldst　say；　not　tittle；〃　said　his　master。
　　〃So　be　it；〃　answered　Sancho。　〃I　say　I　will　know　how　to　behave；　for
once　in　my　life　I　was　beadle　of　a　brotherhood；　and　the　beadle's　gown
sat　so　well　on　me　that　all　said　I　looked　as　if　I　was　to　be　steward
of　the　same　brotherhood。　What　will　it　be；　then；　when　I　put　a　duke's
robe　on　my　back；　or　dress　myself　in　gold　and　pearls　like　a　count？　I
believe　they'll　come　a　hundred　leagues　to　see　me。〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　look　well；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　thou　must　shave　thy
beard　often；　for　thou　hast　it　so　thick　and　rough　and　unkempt；　that
if　thou　dost　not　shave　it　every　second　day　at　least；　they　will　see
what　thou　art　at　the　distance　of　a　musket　shot。〃
　　〃What　more　will　it　be；〃　said　Sancho；　〃than　having　a　barber；　and
keeping　him　at　wages　in　the　house？　and　even　if　it　be　necessary；　I　will
make　him　go　behind　me　like　a　nobleman's　equerry。〃
　　〃Why；　how　dost　thou　know　that　noblemen　have　equerries　behind
them？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　Sancho。　〃Years　ago　I　was　for　a　month
at　the　capital　and　there　I　saw　taking　the　air　a　very　small　gentleman
who　they　said　was　a　very　great　man；　and　a　man　following　him　on
horseback　in　every　turn　he　took；　just　as　if　he　was　his　tail。　I　asked
why　this　man　did　not　join　the　other　man；　instead　of　always　going
behind　him；　they　answered　me　that　he　was　his　equerry；　and　that　it
was　the　custom　with　nobles　to　have　such　persons　behind　them；　and
ever　since　then　I　know　it；　for　I　have　never　forgotten　it。〃
　　〃Thou　art　right；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　in　the　same　way　thou　mayest
carry　thy　barber　with　thee；　for　customs　did　not　come　into　use　all
together；　nor　were　they　all　invented　at　once；　and　thou　mayest　be　the
first　count　to　have　a　barber　to　follow　him；　and；　indeed；　shaving　one's
beard　is　a　greater　trust　than　saddling　one's　horse。〃
　　〃Let　the　barber　business　be　my　look…out；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　your
worship's　be　it　to　strive　to　become　a　king；　and　make　me　a　count。〃
　　〃So　it　shall　be；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　and　raising　his　eyes　he
saw　what　will　be　told　in　the　following　chapter。

　　CHAPTER　XXII
　　OF　THE　FREEDOM　DON　QUIXOTE　CONFERRED　ON　SEVERAL　UNFORTUNATES　WHO
AGAINST　THEIR　WILL　WERE　BEING　CARRIED　WHERE　THEY　HAD　NO　WISH　TO　GO

　　CIDE　Hamete　Benengeli；　the　Arab　and　Manchegan　author；　relates　in
this　most　grave；　high…sounding；　minute；　delightful；　and　original
history　that　after　the　discussion　between　the　famous　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha　and　his　squire　Sancho　Panza　which　is　set　down　at　the　end　of
chapter　twenty…one；　Don　Quixote　raised　his　eyes　and　saw　coming　along
the　road　he　was　following　some　dozen　men　on　foot　strung　together　by
the　neck；　like　beads；　on　a　great　iron　chain；　and　all　with　manacles
on　their　hands。　With　them　there　came　also　two　men　on　horseback　and　two
on　foot；　those　on　horseback　with　wheel…lock　muskets；　those　on　foot
with　javelins　and　swords；　and　as　soon　as　Sancho　saw　them　he　said：
　　〃That　is　a　chain　of　galley　slaves；　on　the　way　to　the　galleys　by
force　of　the　king's　orders。〃
　　〃How　by　force？〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃is　it　possible　that　the　king
uses　force　against　anyone？〃
　　〃I　do　not　say　that；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃but　that　these　are　people
condemned　for　their　crimes　to　serve　by　force　in　the　king's　galleys。〃
　　〃In　fact；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃however　it　may　be；　these　people　are
going　where　they　are　taking　them　by　force；　and　not　of　their　own　will。〃
　　〃Just　so；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Then　if　so；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃here　is　a　case　for　the　exercise
of　my　office；　to　put　down　force　and　to　succour　and　help　the　wretched。〃
　　〃Recollect；　your　worship；〃　said　Sancho；　〃Justice；　which　is　the
king　himself；　is　not　using　force　or　doing　wrong　to　such　persons；　but
punishing　them　for　their　crimes。〃
　　The　chain　of　galley　slaves　had　by　this　time　come　up；　and　Don　Quixote
in　very　courteous　language　asked　those　who　were　in　custody　of　it　to　be
good　enough　to　tell　him　the　reason　or　reasons　for　which　they　were
conducting　these　people　in　this　manner。　One　of　the　guards　on　horseback
answered　that　they　were　galley　slaves　belonging　to　his　majesty；　that
they　were　going　to　the　galleys；　and　that　was　all　that　was　to　be　said
and　all　he　had　any　business　to　know。
　　〃Nevertheless；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃I　should　like　to　know　from
each　of　them　separately　the　reason　of　his　misfortune；〃　to　this　he
added　more　to　the　same　effect　to　induce　them　to　tell　him　what　he
wanted　so　civilly　that　the　other　mounted　guard　said　to　him：
　　〃Though　we　have　here　the　register　and　certificate　of　the　sentence　of
every　one　of　these　wretches；　this　is　no　time　to　take　them　out　or
read　them；　come　and　ask　themselves；　they　can　tell　if　they　choose；
and　they　will；　for　these　fellows　take　a　pleasure　in　doing　and
talking　about　rascalities。〃
　　With　this　permission；　which　Don　Quixote　would　have　taken　even　had
they　not　granted　it；　he　approached　the　chain　and　asked　the　first　for
what　offences　he　was　now　in　such　a　sorry　case。
　　He　made　answer　that　it　was　for　being　a　lover。
　　〃For　that　only？〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃why；　if　for　being　lovers　they
send　people　to　the　galleys　I　might　have　been　rowing　in　them　long　ago。〃
　　〃The　love　is　not　the　sort　your　worship　is　thinking　of；〃　said　the
galley　slave；　〃mine　was　that　I　loved　a　washerwoman's　basket　of　clean
linen　so　well；　and　held　it　so　close　in　my　embrace；　that　if　the　arm
of　the　law　had　not　forced　it　from　me；　I　should　never　have　let　it　go　of
my　own　will　to　this　moment；　I　was　caught　in　the　act；　there　was　no
occasion　for　torture；　the　case　was　settled；　they　treated　me　to　a
hundred　lashes　on　the　back；　and　three　years　of　gurapas　besides；　and
that　was　the　end　of　it。〃
　　〃What　are　gurapas？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Gurapas　are　galleys；〃　answered　the　galley　slave；　who　was　a　young
man　of　about　four…and…twenty；　and　said　he　was　a　native　of　Piedrahita。
　　Don　Quixote　asked　the　same　question　of　the　second；　who　made　no
reply；　so　downcast　and　melancholy　was　he；　but　the　first　answered　for
him；　and　said；　〃He；　sir；　goes　as　a　canary；　I　mean　as　a　musician　and
a　singer。〃
　　〃What！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　being　musicians　and　singers　are
people　sent　to　the　galleys　too？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　galley　slave；　〃for　there　is　nothing　worse
than　singing　under　suffering。〃
　　〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　heard　say；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　he
who　sings　scares　away　his　woes。〃
　　〃Here　it　is　the　reverse；〃　said　the　galley　slave；　〃for　he　who　sings
once　weeps　all　his　life。〃
　　〃I　do　not　understand　it；〃　s