don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第45节

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know　the　end　of　his　story。　The　goatherd　told　him；　as　he　had　told　him
before；　that　there　was　no　knowing　of　a　certainty　where　his　lair　was；
but　that　if　he　wandered　about　much　in　that　neighbourhood　he　could
not　fail　to　fall　in　with　him　either　in　or　out　of　his　senses。

　　CHAPTER　XXV
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　STRANGE　THINGS　THAT　HAPPENED　TO　THE　STOUT　KNIGHT
OF　LA　MANCHA　IN　THE　SIERRA　MORENA；　AND　OF　HIS　IMITATION　OF　THE　PENANCE
OF　BELTENEBROS

　　DON　QUIXOTE　took　leave　of　the　goatherd；　and　once　more　mounting
Rocinante　bade　Sancho　follow　him；　which　he　having　no　ass；　did　very
discontentedly。　They　proceeded　slowly；　making　their　way　into　the
most　rugged　part　of　the　mountain；　Sancho　all　the　while　dying　to　have　a
talk　with　his　master；　and　longing　for　him　to　begin；　so　that　there
should　be　no　breach　of　the　injunction　laid　upon　him；　but　unable　to
keep　silence　so　long　he　said　to　him：
　　〃Senor　Don　Quixote；　give　me　your　worship's　blessing　and　dismissal；
for　I'd　like　to　go　home　at　once　to　my　wife　and　children　with　whom　I
can　at　any　rate　talk　and　converse　as　much　as　I　like；　for　to　want　me　to
go　through　these　solitudes　day　and　night　and　not　speak　to　you　when　I
have　a　mind　is　burying　me　alive。　If　luck　would　have　it　that　animals
spoke　as　they　did　in　the　days　of　Guisopete；　it　would　not　be　so　bad；
because　I　could　talk　to　Rocinante　about　whatever　came　into　my　head；
and　so　put　up　with　my　ill…fortune；　but　it　is　a　hard　case；　and　not　to
be　borne　with　patience；　to　go　seeking　adventures　all　one's　life　and
get　nothing　but　kicks　and　blanketings；　brickbats　and　punches；　and　with
all　this　to　have　to　sew　up　one's　mouth　without　daring　to　say　what　is
in　one's　heart；　just　as　if　one　were　dumb。〃
　　〃I　understand　thee；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　art　dying　to
have　the　interdict　I　placed　upon　thy　tongue　removed；　consider　it
removed；　and　say　what　thou　wilt　while　we　are　wandering　in　these
mountains。〃
　　〃So　be　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let　me　speak　now；　for　God　knows　what
will　happen　by…and…by；　and　to　take　advantage　of　the　permit　at　once；
I　ask；　what　made　your　worship　stand　up　so　for　that　Queen　Majimasa；
or　whatever　her　name　is；　or　what　did　it　matter　whether　that　abbot
was　a　friend　of　hers　or　not？　for　if　your　worship　had　let　that　pass
…and　you　were　not　a　judge　in　the　matter…　it　is　my　belief　the　madman
would　have　gone　on　with　his　story；　and　the　blow　of　the　stone；　and
the　kicks；　and　more　than　half　a　dozen　cuffs　would　have　been　escaped。〃
　　〃In　faith；　Sancho；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃if　thou　knewest　as　I　do
what　an　honourable　and　illustrious　lady　Queen　Madasima　was；　I　know
thou　wouldst　say　I　had　great　patience　that　I　did　not　break　in　pieces
the　mouth　that　uttered　such　blasphemies；　for　a　very　great　blasphemy　it
is　to　say　or　imagine　that　a　queen　has　made　free　with　a　surgeon。　The
truth　of　the　story　is　that　that　Master　Elisabad　whom　the　madman
mentioned　was　a　man　of　great　prudence　and　sound　judgment；　and　served
as　governor　and　physician　to　the　queen；　but　to　suppose　that　she　was
his　mistress　is　nonsense　deserving　very　severe　punishment；　and　as　a
proof　that　Cardenio　did　not　know　what　he　was　saying；　remember　when
he　said　it　he　was　out　of　his　wits。〃
　　〃That　is　what　I　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there　was　no　occasion　for
minding　the　words　of　a　madman；　for　if　good　luck　had　not　helped　your
worship；　and　he　had　sent　that　stone　at　your　head　instead　of　at　your
breast；　a　fine　way　we　should　have　been　in　for　standing　up　for　my
lady　yonder；　God　confound　her！　And　then；　would　not　Cardenio　have
gone　free　as　a　madman？〃
　　〃Against　men　in　their　senses　or　against　madmen；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃every　knight…errant　is　bound　to　stand　up　for　the　honour　of　women；
whoever　they　may　be；　much　more　for　queens　of　such　high　degree　and
dignity　as　Queen　Madasima；　for　whom　I　have　a　particular　regard　on
account　of　her　amiable　qualities；　for；　besides　being　extremely
beautiful；　she　was　very　wise；　and　very　patient　under　her
misfortunes；　of　which　she　had　many；　and　the　counsel　and　society　of　the
Master　Elisabad　were　a　great　help　and　support　to　her　in　enduring　her
afflictions　with　wisdom　and　resignation；　hence　the　ignorant　and
ill…disposed　vulgar　took　occasion　to　say　and　think　that　she　was　his
mistress；　and　they　lie；　I　say　it　once　more；　and　will　lie　two　hundred
times　more；　all　who　think　and　say　so。〃
　　〃I　neither　say　nor　think　so；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let　them　look　to　it；
with　their　bread　let　them　eat　it；　they　have　rendered　account　to　God
whether　they　misbehaved　or　not；　I　come　from　my　vineyard；　I　know
nothing；　I　am　not　fond　of　prying　into　other　men's　lives；　he　who　buys
and　lies　feels　it　in　his　purse；　moreover；　naked　was　I　born；　naked　I
find　myself；　I　neither　lose　nor　gain；　but　if　they　did；　what　is　that　to
me？　many　think　there　are　flitches　where　there　are　no　hooks；　but　who
can　put　gates　to　the　open　plain？　moreover　they　said　of　God…〃
　　〃God　bless　me；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃what　a　set　of　absurdities　thou
art　stringing　together！　What　has　what　we　are　talking　about　got　to　do
with　the　proverbs　thou　art　threading　one　after　the　other？　for　God's
sake　hold　thy　tongue；　Sancho；　and　henceforward　keep　to　prodding　thy
ass　and　don't　meddle　in　what　does　not　concern　thee；　and　understand
with　all　thy　five　senses　that　everything　I　have　done；　am　doing；　or
shall　do；　is　well　founded　on　reason　and　in　conformity　with　the　rules
of　chivalry；　for　I　understand　them　better　than　all　the　world　that
profess　them。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃is　it　a　good　rule　of　chivalry　that　we
should　go　astray　through　these　mountains　without　path　or　road；　looking
for　a　madman　who　when　he　is　found　will　perhaps　take　a　fancy　to
finish　what　he　began；　not　his　story；　but　your　worship's　head　and　my
ribs；　and　end　by　breaking　them　altogether　for　us？〃
　　〃Peace；　I　say　again；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　let　me　tell
thee　it　is　not　so　much　the　desire　of　finding　that　madman　that　leads　me
into　these　regions　as　that　which　I　have　of　performing　among　them　an
achievement　wherewith　I　shall　win　eternal　name　and　fame　throughout　the
known　world；　and　it　shall　be　such　that　I　shall　thereby　set　the　seal　on
all　that　can　make　a　knight…errant　perfect　and　famous。〃
　　〃And　is　it　very　perilous；　this　achievement？〃
　　〃No；〃　replied　he　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　〃though　it　may　be　in　the
dice　that　we　may　throw　deuce…ace　instead　of　sixes；　but　all　will　depend
on　thy　diligence。〃
　　〃On　my　diligence！〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　if　thou　dost　return　soon　from　the
place　where　I　mean　to　send　thee；　my　penance　will　be　soon　over；　and
my　glory　will　soon　begin。　But　as　it　is　not　right　to　keep　thee　any
longer　in　suspense；　waiting　to　see　what　comes　of　my　words；　I　would
have　thee　know；　Sancho；　that　the　famous　Amadis　of　Gaul　was　one　of
the　most　perfect　knights…errant…　I　am　wrong　to　say　he　was　one；　he
stood　alone；　the　first；　the　only　one；　the　lord　of　all　that　were　in　the
world　in　his　time。　A　fig　for　Don　Belianis；　and　for　all　who　say　he
equalled　him　in　any　respect；　for；　my　oath　upon　it；　they　are
deceiving　themselves！　I　say；　too；　that　when　a　painter　desires　to
become　famous　in　his　art　he　endeavours　to　copy　the　originals　of　the
rarest　painters　that　he　knows；　and　the　same　rule　holds　good　for　all
the　most　important　crafts　and　callings　that　serve　to　adorn　a　state；
thus　must　he　who　would　be　esteemed　prudent　and　patient　imitate
Ulysses；　in　whose　person　and　labours　Homer　presents　to　us　a　lively
picture　of　prudence　and　patience；　as　Virgil；　too；　shows　us　in　the
person　of　AEneas　the　virtue　of　a　pious　son　and　the　sagacity　of　a　brave
and　skilful　captain；　not　representing　or　describing　them　as　they　were；
but　as　they　ought　to　be；　so　as　to　leave　the　example　of　their　virtues
to　posterity。　In　the　same　way　Amadis　was　the　polestar；　day…star；　sun
of　valiant　and　devoted　knights；　whom　all　we　who　fight　under　the　banner
of　love　and　chivalry　are　bound　to　imitate。　This；　then；　being　so；　I
consider；　friend　Sancho；　that　the　knight…errant　who　shall　imitate
him　most　closely　will　come　nearest　to　reaching　the　perfection　of
chivalry。　Now　one　of　the　instances　in　which　this　knight　most
conspicuously　showed　his　prudence；　worth；　valour；　endurance；
fortitude；　and　love；　was　when　he　withdrew；　rejected　by　the　Lady
Oriana；　to　do　penance　upon　the　Pena　Pobre；　changing　his　name　into　that
of　Beltenebros；　a　name　assuredly　significant　and　appropriate　to　the
life　which　he　had　voluntarily　adopted。　So；　as　it　is　easier　for　me　to
imitate　him　in　this　than　in　cleaving　giants　asunder；　cutting　off
serpents'　heads；　slaying　dragons；　routing　armies；　destroying　fleets；
and　breaking　enchantments；　and　as　this　place　is　so　well　suited　for　a
similar　purpose；　I　must　not　allow　the　opportunity　to　escape　which
now　so　conveniently　offers　me　its　forelock。〃
　　〃What　is　it　in　reality；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　your　worship　means　to　do
in　such　an　out…of…the…way　place　as　this？〃
　　〃Have　I　not　told　thee；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃that　I　mean　to
imitate　Amadis　here；　playing　the　victim　of　despair；　the　madman；　the
maniac；　so　as　at　the　same　time　to　imitate　the　valiant　Don　Roland；　when
at　the　fountain　he　had　evidence　of　the　fair　Angelica　having
disgraced　herself　with　Medoro　and　through　grief　thereat　went　mad；
and　plucked　up　trees；　troubled　the　waters　of　the　clear　springs；　slew
destroyed　flocks；　bur