don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第50节
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Sancho discovered he could not find the book his face grew deadly
pale； and in great haste he again felt his body all over； and seeing
plainly it was not to be found； without more ado he seized his beard
with both hands and plucked away half of it； and then； as quick as
he could and without stopping； gave himself half a dozen cuffs on
the face and nose till they were bathed in blood。
Seeing this； the curate and the barber asked him what had happened
him that he gave himself such rough treatment。
〃What should happen me？〃 replied Sancho； 〃but to have lost from
one hand to the other； in a moment； three ass…colts； each of them like
a castle？〃
〃How is that？〃 said the barber。
〃I have lost the note…book；〃 said Sancho； 〃that contained the letter
to Dulcinea； and an order signed by my master in which he directed his
niece to give me three ass…colts out of four or five he had at
home；〃 and he then told them about the loss of Dapple。
The curate consoled him； telling him that when his master was
found he would get him to renew the order； and make a fresh draft on
paper； as was usual and customary； for those made in notebooks were
never accepted or honoured。
Sancho comforted himself with this； and said if that were so the
loss of Dulcinea's letter did not trouble him much； for he had it
almost by heart； and it could be taken down from him wherever and
whenever they liked。
〃Repeat it then； Sancho；〃 said the barber； 〃and we will write it
down afterwards。〃
Sancho Panza stopped to scratch his head to bring back the letter to
his memory； and balanced himself now on one foot； now the other； one
moment staring at the ground； the next at the sky； and after having
half gnawed off the end of a finger and kept them in suspense
waiting for him to begin； he said； after a long pause； 〃By God；
senor licentiate； devil a thing can I recollect of the letter； but
it said at the beginning； 'Exalted and scrubbing Lady。'〃
〃It cannot have said 'scrubbing；'〃 said the barber； 〃but
'superhuman' or 'sovereign。'〃
〃That is it；〃 said Sancho； 〃then； as well as I remember； it went on；
'The wounded； and wanting of sleep； and the pierced； kisses your
worship's hands； ungrateful and very unrecognised fair one； and it
said something or other about health and sickness that he was
sending her； and from that it went tailing off until it ended with
'Yours till death； the Knight of the Rueful Countenance。〃
It gave them no little amusement； both of them； to see what a good
memory Sancho had； and they complimented him greatly upon it； and
begged him to repeat the letter a couple of times more； so that they
too might get it by heart to write it out by…and…by。 Sancho repeated
it three times； and as he did； uttered three thousand more
absurdities； then he told them more about his master but he never said
a word about the blanketing that had befallen himself in that inn；
into which he refused to enter。 He told them； moreover； how his
lord； if he brought him a favourable answer from the lady Dulcinea del
Toboso； was to put himself in the way of endeavouring to become an
emperor； or at least a monarch； for it had been so settled between
them； and with his personal worth and the might of his arm it was an
easy matter to come to be one： and how on becoming one his lord was to
make a marriage for him （for he would be a widower by that time； as
a matter of course） and was to give him as a wife one of the damsels
of the empress； the heiress of some rich and grand state on the
mainland； having nothing to do with islands of any sort； for he did
not care for them now。 All this Sancho delivered with so much
composure… wiping his nose from time to time… and with so little
common…sense that his two hearers were again filled with wonder at the
force of Don Quixote's madness that could run away with this poor
man's reason。 They did not care to take the trouble of disabusing
him of his error； as they considered that since it did not in any
way hurt his conscience it would be better to leave him in it； and
they would have all the more amusement in listening to his
simplicities； and so they bade him pray to God for his lord's
health； as it was a very likely and a very feasible thing for him in
course of time to come to be an emperor； as he said； or at least an
archbishop or some other dignitary of equal rank。
To which Sancho made answer； 〃If fortune； sirs； should bring
things about in such a way that my master should have a mind；
instead of being an emperor； to be an archbishop； I should like to
know what archbishops…errant commonly give their squires？〃
〃They commonly give them；〃 said the curate； some simple benefice
or cure； or some place as sacristan which brings them a good fixed
income； not counting the altar fees； which may be reckoned at as
much more。〃
〃But for that；〃 said Sancho； 〃the squire must be unmarried； and must
know； at any rate； how to help at mass； and if that be so； woe is
me； for I am married already and I don't know the first letter of
the A B C。 What will become of me if my master takes a fancy to be
an archbishop and not an emperor； as is usual and customary with
knights…errant？〃
〃Be not uneasy； friend Sancho；〃 said the barber； 〃for we will
entreat your master； and advise him； even urging it upon him as a case
of conscience； to become an emperor and not an archbishop； because
it will be easier for him as he is more valiant than lettered。〃
〃So I have thought；〃 said Sancho； 〃though I can tell you he is fit
for anything： what I mean to do for my part is to pray to our Lord
to place him where it may be best for him； and where he may be able to
bestow most favours upon me。〃
〃You speak like a man of sense；〃 said the curate； 〃and you will be
acting like a good Christian； but what must now be done is to take
steps to coax your master out of that useless penance you say he is
performing； and we had best turn into this inn to consider what plan
to adopt； and also to dine； for it is now time。〃
Sancho said they might go in； but that he would wait there
outside； and that he would tell them afterwards the reason why he
was unwilling； and why it did not suit him to enter it； but be
begged them to bring him out something to eat； and to let it be hot；
and also to bring barley for Rocinante。 They left him and went in； and
presently the barber brought him out something to eat。 By…and…by；
after they had between them carefully thought over what they should do
to carry out their object； the curate hit upon an idea very well
adapted to humour Don Quixote； and effect their purpose； and his
notion； which he explained to the barber； was that he himself should
assume the disguise of a wandering damsel； while the other should
try as best he could to pass for a squire； and that they should thus
proceed to where Don Quixote was； and he； pretending to be an
aggrieved and distressed damsel； should ask a favour of him； which
as a valiant knight…errant he could not refuse to grant； and the
favour he meant to ask him was that he should accompany her whither
she would conduct him； in order to redress a wrong which a wicked
knight had done her； while at the same time she should entreat him not
to require her to remove her mask； nor ask her any question touching
her circumstances until he had righted her with the wicked knight。 And
he had no doubt that Don Quixote would comply with any request made in
these terms； and that in this way they might remove him and take him
to his own village； where they would endeavour to find out if his
extraordinary madness admitted of any kind of remedy。
CHAPTER XXVII
OF HOW THE CURATE AND THE BARBER PROCEEDED WITH THEIR SCHEME；
TOGETHER WITH OTHER MATTERS WORTHY OF RECORD IN THIS GREAT HISTORY
THE curate's plan did not seem a bad one to the barber； but on the
contrary so good that they immediately set about putting it in
execution。 They begged a petticoat and hood of the landlady； leaving
her in pledge a new cassock of the curate's； and the barber made a
beard out of a grey…brown or red ox…tail in which the landlord used to
stick his comb。 The landlady asked them what they wanted these
things for； and the curate told her in a few words about the madness
of Don Quixote； and how this disguise was intended to get him away
from the mountain where he then was。 The landlord and landlady
immediately came to the conclusion that the madman was their guest；
the balsam man and master of the blanketed squire； and they told the
curate all that had passed between him and them； not omitting what
Sancho had been so silent about。 Finally the landlady dressed up the
curate in a style that left nothing to be desired； she put on him a
cloth petticoat with black velvet stripes a palm broad； all slashed；
and a bodice of green velvet set off by a binding of white satin；
which as well as the petticoat must have been made in the time of king
Wamba。 The curate would not let them hood him； but put on his head a
little quilted linen cap which he used for a night…cap； and bound
his forehead with a strip of black silk； while with another he made
a mask with which he concealed his beard and face very well。 He then
put on his hat； which was
