don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第5节

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that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a　cobbler　of　Toledo　who　lived　in　the
stalls　of　Sanchobienaya；　and　that　wherever　she　might　be　she　would
serve　and　esteem　him　as　her　lord。　Don　Quixote　said　in　reply　that　she
would　do　him　a　favour　if　thenceforward　she　assumed　the　〃Don〃　and
called　herself　Dona　Tolosa。　She　promised　she　would；　and　then　the　other
buckled　on　his　spur；　and　with　her　followed　almost　the　same
conversation　as　with　the　lady　of　the　sword。　He　asked　her　name；　and　she
said　it　was　La　Molinera；　and　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a
respectable　miller　of　Antequera；　and　of　her　likewise　Don　Quixote
requested　that　she　would　adopt　the　〃Don〃　and　call　herself　Dona
Molinera；　making　offers　to　her　further　services　and　favours。
　　Having　thus；　with　hot　haste　and　speed；　brought　to　a　conclusion　these
never…till…now…seen　ceremonies；　Don　Quixote　was　on　thorns　until　he　saw
himself　on　horseback　sallying　forth　in　quest　of　adventures；　and
saddling　Rocinante　at　once　he　mounted；　and　embracing　his　host；　as　he
returned　thanks　for　his　kindness　in　knighting　him；　he　addressed　him　in
language　so　extraordinary　that　it　is　impossible　to　convey　an　idea　of
it　or　report　it。　The　landlord；　to　get　him　out　of　the　inn；　replied　with
no　less　rhetoric　though　with　shorter　words；　and　without　calling　upon
him　to　pay　the　reckoning　let　him　go　with　a　Godspeed。

　　CHAPTER　IV
　　OF　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　OUR　KNIGHT　WHEN　HE　LEFT　THE　INN

　　DAY　was　dawning　when　Don　Quixote　quitted　the　inn；　so　happy；　so
gay；　so　exhilarated　at　finding　himself　now　dubbed　a　knight；　that　his
joy　was　like　to　burst　his　horse…girths。　However；　recalling　the
advice　of　his　host　as　to　the　requisites　he　ought　to　carry　with　him；
especially　that　referring　to　money　and　shirts；　he　determined　to　go
home　and　provide　himself　with　all；　and　also　with　a　squire；　for　he
reckoned　upon　securing　a　farm…labourer；　a　neighbour　of　his；　a　poor　man
with　a　family；　but　very　well　qualified　for　the　office　of　squire　to　a
knight。　With　this　object　he　turned　his　horse's　head　towards　his
village；　and　Rocinante；　thus　reminded　of　his　old　quarters；　stepped　out
so　briskly　that　he　hardly　seemed　to　tread　the　earth。
　　He　had　not　gone　far；　when　out　of　a　thicket　on　his　right　there　seemed
to　come　feeble　cries　as　of　some　one　in　distress；　and　the　instant　he
heard　them　he　exclaimed；　〃Thanks　be　to　heaven　for　the　favour　it
accords　me；　that　it　so　soon　offers　me　an　opportunity　of　fulfilling　the
obligation　I　have　undertaken；　and　gathering　the　fruit　of　my
ambition。　These　cries；　no　doubt；　come　from　some　man　or　woman　in　want
of　help；　and　needing　my　aid　and　protection；〃　and　wheeling；　he　turned
Rocinante　in　the　direction　whence　the　cries　seemed　to　proceed。　He
had　gone　but　a　few　paces　into　the　wood；　when　he　saw　a　mare　tied　to
an　oak；　and　tied　to　another；　and　stripped　from　the　waist　upwards；　a
youth　of　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　from　whom　the　cries　came。　Nor
were　they　without　cause；　for　a　lusty　farmer　was　flogging　him　with　a
belt　and　following　up　every　blow　with　scoldings　and　commands；
repeating；　〃Your　mouth　shut　and　your　eyes　open！〃　while　the　youth
made　answer；　〃I　won't　do　it　again；　master　mine；　by　God's　passion　I
won't　do　it　again；　and　I'll　take　more　care　of　the　flock　another　time。〃
　　Seeing　what　was　going　on；　Don　Quixote　said　in　an　angry　voice；
〃Discourteous　knight；　it　ill　becomes　you　to　assail　one　who　cannot
defend　himself；　mount　your　steed　and　take　your　lance〃　（for　there　was　a
lance　leaning　against　the　oak　to　which　the　mare　was　tied）；　〃and　I　will
make　you　know　that　you　are　behaving　as　a　coward。〃　The　farmer；　seeing
before　him　this　figure　in　full　armour　brandishing　a　lance　over　his
head；　gave　himself　up　for　dead；　and　made　answer　meekly；　〃Sir　Knight；
this　youth　that　I　am　chastising　is　my　servant；　employed　by　me　to　watch
a　flock　of　sheep　that　I　have　hard　by；　and　he　is　so　careless　that　I
lose　one　every　day；　and　when　I　punish　him　for　his　carelessness　and
knavery　he　says　I　do　it　out　of　niggardliness；　to　escape　paying　him　the
wages　I　owe　him；　and　before　God；　and　on　my　soul；　he　lies。〃
　　〃Lies　before　me；　base　clown！〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃By　the　sun　that
shines　on　us　I　have　a　mind　to　run　you　through　with　this　lance。　Pay　him
at　once　without　another　word；　if　not；　by　the　God　that　rules　us　I
will　make　an　end　of　you；　and　annihilate　you　on　the　spot；　release　him
instantly。〃
　　The　farmer　hung　his　head；　and　without　a　word　untied　his　servant；
of　whom　Don　Quixote　asked　how　much　his　master　owed　him。
　　He　replied；　nine　months　at　seven　reals　a　month。　Don　Quixote　added　it
up；　found　that　it　came　to　sixty…three　reals；　and　told　the　farmer　to
pay　it　down　immediately；　if　he　did　not　want　to　die　for　it。
　　The　trembling　clown　replied　that　as　he　lived　and　by　the　oath　he
had　sworn　（though　he　had　not　sworn　any）　it　was　not　so　much；　for
there　were　to　be　taken　into　account　and　deducted　three　pairs　of
shoes　he　had　given　him；　and　a　real　for　two　blood…lettings　when　he
was　sick。
　　〃All　that　is　very　well；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　let　the　shoes　and
the　blood…lettings　stand　as　a　setoff　against　the　blows　you　have
given　him　without　any　cause；　for　if　he　spoiled　the　leather　of　the
shoes　you　paid　for；　you　have　damaged　that　of　his　body；　and　if　the
barber　took　blood　from　him　when　he　was　sick；　you　have　drawn　it　when　he
was　sound；　so　on　that　score　he　owes　you　nothing。〃
　　〃The　difficulty　is；　Sir　Knight；　that　I　have　no　money　here；　let
Andres　come　home　with　me；　and　I　will　pay　him　all；　real　by　real。〃
　　〃I　go　with　him！〃　said　the　youth。　〃Nay；　God　forbid！　No；　senor；　not
for　the　world；　for　once　alone　with　me；　he　would　ray　me　like　a　Saint
Bartholomew。〃
　　〃He　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　have　only
to　command；　and　he　will　obey　me；　and　as　he　has　sworn　to　me　by　the
order　of　knighthood　which　he　has　received；　I　leave　him　free；　and　I
guarantee　the　payment。〃
　　〃Consider　what　you　are　saying；　senor；〃　said　the　youth；　〃this
master　of　mine　is　not　a　knight；　nor　has　he　received　any　order　of
knighthood；　for　he　is　Juan　Haldudo　the　Rich；　of　Quintanar。〃
　　〃That　matters　little；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃there　may　be　Haldudos
knights；　moreover；　everyone　is　the　son　of　his　works。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Andres；　〃but　this　master　of　mine…　of　what　works
is　he　the　son；　when　he　refuses　me　the　wages　of　my　sweat　and　labour？〃
　　〃I　do　not　refuse；　brother　Andres；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃be　good
enough　to　come　along　with　me；　and　I　swear　by　all　the　orders　of
knighthood　there　are　in　the　world　to　pay　you　as　I　have　agreed；　real　by
real；　and　perfumed。〃
　　〃For　the　perfumery　I　excuse　you；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃give　it　to
him　in　reals；　and　I　shall　be　satisfied；　and　see　that　you　do　as　you
have　sworn；　if　not；　by　the　same　oath　I　swear　to　come　back　and　hunt　you
out　and　punish　you；　and　I　shall　find　you　though　you　should　lie
closer　than　a　lizard。　And　if　you　desire　to　know　who　it　is　lays　this
command　upon　you；　that　you　be　more　firmly　bound　to　obey　it；　know
that　I　am　the　valorous　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　the　undoer　of
wrongs　and　injustices；　and　so；　God　be　with　you；　and　keep　in　mind
what　you　have　promised　and　sworn　under　those　penalties　that　have
been　already　declared　to　you。〃
　　So　saying；　he　gave　Rocinante　the　spur　and　was　soon　out　of　reach。　The
farmer　followed　him　with　his　eyes；　and　when　he　saw　that　he　had　cleared
the　wood　and　was　no　longer　in　sight；　he　turned　to　his　boy　Andres；
and　said；　〃Come　here；　my　son；　I　want　to　pay　you　what　I　owe　you；　as
that　undoer　of　wrongs　has　commanded　me。〃
　　〃My　oath　on　it；〃　said　Andres；　〃your　worship　will　be　well　advised
to　obey　the　command　of　that　good　knight…　may　he　live　a　thousand　years…
for；　as　he　is　a　valiant　and　just　judge；　by　Roque；　if　you　do　not　pay
me；　he　will　come　back　and　do　as　he　said。〃
　　〃My　oath　on　it；　too；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃but　as　I　have　a　strong
affection　for　you；　I　want　to　add　to　the　debt　in　order　to　add　to　the
payment；〃　and　seizing　him　by　the　arm；　he　tied　him　up　again；　and　gave
him　such　a　flogging　that　he　left　him　for　dead。
　　〃Now；　Master　Andres；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃call　on　the　undoer　of
wrongs；　you　will　find　he　won't　undo　that；　though　I　am　not　sure　that
I　have　quite　done　with　you；　for　I　have　a　good　mind　to　flay　you　alive。〃
But　at　last　he　untied　him；　and　gave　him　leave　to　go　look　for　his　judge
in　order　to　put　the　sentence　pronounced　into　execution。
　　Andres　went　off　rather　down　in　the　mouth；　swearing　he　would　go　to
look　for　the　valiant　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　and　tell　him　exactly
what　had　happened；　and　that　all　would　have　to　be　repaid　him　sevenfold；
but　for　all　that；　he　went　off　weeping；　while　his　master　stood
laughing。
　　Thus　did　the　valiant　Don　Quixote　right　that　wrong；　and；　thoroughly
satisfied　with　what　had　taken　place；　as　he　considered　he　had　made　a
very　happy　and　noble　beginning　with　his　knighthood；　he　took　the　road
towards　his　village　in　perfect　self…content；　saying　in　a　low　voice；
〃Well　mayest　thou　this　day　call　thyself　fortunate　above　all　on
earth；　O　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　fairest　of　the　fair！　since　it　has　fallen
to　thy　lot　to　hold　subject　and　submissive　to　thy　full　will　and
pleasure　a　knight　so　renowned　as　is　and　will　be　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha；　who；　as　all　the　world　knows；　yesterday　received　the　order　of
knighthood；　and　hath　to…day　righted　the　greatest　wrong　and　grievance
that　ever　in