don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第53节

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are；　as　you　seem　to　be；　a　Christian；　for　the　love　of　God　I　entreat　you
to　have　this　letter　despatched　without　a　moment's　delay　to　the　place
and　person　named　in　the　address；　all　which　is　well　known；　and　by
this　you　will　render　a　great　service　to　our　Lord；　and　that　you　may
be　at　no　inconvenience　in　doing　so　take　what　is　in　this　handkerchief；'
and　said　he；　'with　this　she　threw　me　a　handkerchief　out　of　the
window　in　which　were　tied　up　a　hundred　reals　and　this　gold　ring
which　I　bring　here　together　with　the　letter　I　have　given　you。　And　then
without　waiting　for　any　answer　she　left　the　window；　though　not
before　she　saw　me　take　the　letter　and　the　handkerchief；　and　I　had　by
signs　let　her　know　that　I　would　do　as　she　bade　me；　and　so；　seeing
myself　so　well　paid　for　the　trouble　I　would　have　in　bringing　it　to
you；　and　knowing　by　the　address　that　it　was　to　you　it　was　sent　（for；
senor；　I　know　you　very　well）；　and　also　unable　to　resist　that　beautiful
lady's　tears；　I　resolved　to　trust　no　one　else；　but　to　come　myself
and　give　it　to　you；　and　in　sixteen　hours　from　the　time　when　it　was
given　me　I　have　made　the　journey；　which；　as　you　know；　is　eighteen
leagues。'
　　〃All　the　while　the　good…natured　improvised　courier　was　telling　me
this；　I　hung　upon　his　words；　my　legs　trembling　under　me　so　that　I
could　scarcely　stand。　However；　I　opened　the　letter　and　read　these
words：

　　〃'The　promise　Don　Fernando　gave　you　to　urge　your　father　to　speak
to　mine；　he　has　fulfilled　much　more　to　his　own　satisfaction　than　to
your　advantage。　I　have　to　tell　you；　senor；　that　be　has　demanded　me　for
a　wife；　and　my　father；　led　away　by　what　he　considers　Don　Fernando's
superiority　over　you；　has　favoured　his　suit　so　cordially；　that　in
two　days　hence　the　betrothal　is　to　take　place　with　such　secrecy　and　so
privately　that　the　only　witnesses　are　to　be　the　Heavens　above　and　a
few　of　the　household。　Picture　to　yourself　the　state　I　am　in；　judge
if　it　be　urgent　for　you　to　come；　the　issue　of　the　affair　will　show　you
whether　I　love　you　or　not。　God　grant　this　may　come　to　your　hand　before
mine　shall　be　forced　to　link　itself　with　his　who　keeps　so　ill　the
faith　that　he　has　pledged。'

　　〃Such；　in　brief；　were　the　words　of　the　letter；　words　that　made　me
set　out　at　once　without　waiting　any　longer　for　reply　or　money；　for　I
now　saw　clearly　that　it　was　not　the　purchase　of　horses　but　of　his
own　pleasure　that　had　made　Don　Fernando　send　me　to　his　brother。　The
exasperation　I　felt　against　Don　Fernando；　joined　with　the　fear　of
losing　the　prize　I　had　won　by　so　many　years　of　love　and　devotion；　lent
me　wings；　so　that　almost　flying　I　reached　home　the　same　day；　by　the
hour　which　served　for　speaking　with　Luscinda。　I　arrived　unobserved；
and　left　the　mule　on　which　I　had　come　at　the　house　of　the　worthy　man
who　had　brought　me　the　letter；　and　fortune　was　pleased　to　be　for
once　so　kind　that　I　found　Luscinda　at　the　grating　that　was　the　witness
of　our　loves。　She　recognised　me　at　once；　and　I　her；　but　not　as　she
ought　to　have　recognised　me；　or　I　her。　But　who　is　there　in　the　world
that　can　boast　of　having　fathomed　or　understood　the　wavering　mind
and　unstable　nature　of　a　woman？　Of　a　truth　no　one。　To　proceed：　as　soon
as　Luscinda　saw　me　she　said；　'Cardenio；　I　am　in　my　bridal　dress；　and
the　treacherous　Don　Fernando　and　my　covetous　father　are　waiting　for　me
in　the　hall　with　the　other　witnesses；　who　shall　be　the　witnesses　of　my
death　before　they　witness　my　betrothal。　Be　not　distressed；　my
friend；　but　contrive　to　be　present　at　this　sacrifice；　and　if　that
cannot　be　prevented　by　my　words；　I　have　a　dagger　concealed　which
will　prevent　more　deliberate　violence；　putting　an　end　to　my　life　and
giving　thee　a　first　proof　of　the　love　I　have　borne　and　bear　thee。'　I
replied　to　her　distractedly　and　hastily；　in　fear　lest　I　should　not
have　time　to　reply；　'May　thy　words　be　verified　by　thy　deeds；　lady；　and
if　thou　hast　a　dagger　to　save　thy　honour；　I　have　a　sword　to　defend
thee　or　kill　myself　if　fortune　be　against　us。'
　　〃I　think　she　could　not　have　heard　all　these　words；　for　I　perceived
that　they　called　her　away　in　haste；　as　the　bridegroom　was　waiting。　Now
the　night　of　my　sorrow　set　in；　the　sun　of　my　happiness　went　down；　I
felt　my　eyes　bereft　of　sight；　my　mind　of　reason。　I　could　not　enter　the
house；　nor　was　I　capable　of　any　movement；　but　reflecting　how　important
it　was　that　I　should　be　present　at　what　might　take　place　on　the
occasion；　I　nerved　myself　as　best　I　could　and　went　in；　for　I　well　knew
all　the　entrances　and　outlets；　and　besides；　with　the　confusion　that　in
secret　pervaded　the　house　no　one　took　notice　of　me；　so；　without
being　seen；　I　found　an　opportunity　of　placing　myself　in　the　recess
formed　by　a　window　of　the　hall　itself；　and　concealed　by　the　ends　and
borders　of　two　tapestries；　from　between　which　I　could；　without　being
seen；　see　all　that　took　place　in　the　room。　Who　could　describe　the
agitation　of　heart　I　suffered　as　I　stood　there…　the　thoughts　that　came
to　me…　the　reflections　that　passed　through　my　mind？　They　were　such
as　cannot　be；　nor　were　it　well　they　should　be；　told。　Suffice　it　to　say
that　the　bridegroom　entered　the　hall　in　his　usual　dress；　without
ornament　of　any　kind；　as　groomsman　he　had　with　him　a　cousin　of
Luscinda's　and　except　the　servants　of　the　house　there　was　no　one
else　in　the　chamber。　Soon　afterwards　Luscinda　came　out　from　an
antechamber；　attended　by　her　mother　and　two　of　her　damsels；　arrayed
and　adorned　as　became　her　rank　and　beauty；　and　in　full　festival　and
ceremonial　attire。　My　anxiety　and　distraction　did　not　allow　me　to
observe　or　notice　particularly　what　she　wore；　I　could　only　perceive
the　colours；　which　were　crimson　and　white；　and　the　glitter　of　the　gems
and　jewels　on　her　head　dress　and　apparel；　surpassed　by　the　rare　beauty
of　her　lovely　auburn　hair　that　vying　with　the　precious　stones　and
the　light　of　the　four　torches　that　stood　in　the　hall　shone　with　a
brighter　gleam　than　all。　Oh　memory；　mortal　foe　of　my　peace！　why
bring　before　me　now　the　incomparable　beauty　of　that　adored　enemy　of
mine？　Were　it　not　better；　cruel　memory；　to　remind　me　and　recall　what
she　then　did；　that　stirred　by　a　wrong　so　glaring　I　may　seek；　if　not
vengeance　now；　at　least　to　rid　myself　of　life？　Be　not　weary；　sirs；
of　listening　to　these　digressions；　my　sorrow　is　not　one　of　those
that　can　or　should　be　told　tersely　and　briefly；　for　to　me　each
incident　seems　to　call　for　many　words。〃
　　To　this　the　curate　replied　that　not　only　were　they　not　weary　of
listening　to　him；　but　that　the　details　he　mentioned　interested　them
greatly；　being　of　a　kind　by　no　means　to　be　omitted　and　deserving　of
the　same　attention　as　the　main　story。
　　〃To　proceed；　then；〃　continued　Cardenio：　〃all　being　assembled　in
the　hall；　the　priest　of　the　parish　came　in　and　as　he　took　the　pair
by　the　hand　to　perform　the　requisite　ceremony；　at　the　words；　'Will
you；　Senora　Luscinda；　take　Senor　Don　Fernando；　here　present；　for
your　lawful　husband；　as　the　holy　Mother　Church　ordains？'　I　thrust　my
head　and　neck　out　from　between　the　tapestries；　and　with　eager　ears　and
throbbing　heart　set　myself　to　listen　to　Luscinda's　answer；　awaiting　in
her　reply　the　sentence　of　death　or　the　grant　of　life。　Oh；　that　I　had
but　dared　at　that　moment　to　rush　forward　crying　aloud；　'Luscinda；
Luscinda！　have　a　care　what　thou　dost；　remember　what　thou　owest　me；
bethink　thee　thou　art　mine　and　canst　not　be　another's；　reflect　that
thy　utterance　of　〃Yes〃　and　the　end　of　my　life　will　come　at　the　same
instant。　O；　treacherous　Don　Fernando！　robber　of　my　glory；　death　of
my　life！　What　seekest　thou？　Remember　that　thou　canst　not　as　a
Christian　attain　the　object　of　thy　wishes；　for　Luscinda　is　my　bride；
and　I　am　her　husband！'　Fool　that　I　am！　now　that　I　am　far　away；　and　out
of　danger；　I　say　I　should　have　done　what　I　did　not　do：　now　that　I　have
allowed　my　precious　treasure　to　be　robbed　from　me；　I　curse　the　robber；
on　whom　I　might　have　taken　vengeance　had　I　as　much　heart　for　it　as　I
have　for　bewailing　my　fate；　in　short；　as　I　was　then　a　coward　and　a
fool；　little　wonder　is　it　if　I　am　now　dying　shame…stricken；
remorseful；　and　mad。
　　〃The　priest　stood　waiting　for　the　answer　of　Luscinda；　who　for　a　long
time　withheld　it；　and　just　as　I　thought　she　was　taking　out　the
dagger　to　save　her　honour；　or　struggling　for　words　to　make　some
declaration　of　the　truth　on　my　behalf；　I　heard　her　say　in　a　faint
and　feeble　voice；　'I　will：'　Don　Fernando　said　the　same；　and　giving　her
the　ring　they　stood　linked　by　a　knot　that　could　never　be　loosed。　The
bridegroom　then　approached　to　embrace　his　bride；　and　she；　pressing　her
hand　upon　her　heart；　fell　fainting　in　her　mother's　arms。　It　only
remains　now　for　me　to　tell　you　the　state　I　was　in　when　in　that　consent
that　I　heard　I　saw　all　my　hopes　mocked；　the　words　and　promises　of
Luscinda　proved　falsehoods；　and　the　recovery　of　the　prize　I　had　that
instant　lost　rendered　impossible　for　ever。　I　stood　stupefied；　wholly
abandoned；　it　seemed；　by　Heaven；　declared　the　enemy　of　the　earth
that　bore　me；　the　air　refusing　me　breath　for　my　sighs；　the　water
moisture　for　my　tears；　it　was　only　the　fire　that　gathered　strength
so　that　my　whole　frame　glowed　with　rage　and　jealousy。　They　were　all
thrown　into　confusion　by　Luscinda's　fainting；　a