don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第55节

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relief　in　distress！〃
　　All　this　was　heard　distinctly　by　the　curate　and　those　with　him；
and　as　it　seemed　to　them　to　be　uttered　close　by；　as　indeed　it　was；
they　got　up　to　look　for　the　speaker；　and　before　they　had　gone　twenty
paces　they　discovered　behind　a　rock；　seated　at　the　foot　of　an　ash
tree；　a　youth　in　the　dress　of　a　peasant；　whose　face　they　were　unable
at　the　moment　to　see　as　he　was　leaning　forward；　bathing　his　feet　in
the　brook　that　flowed　past。　They　approached　so　silently　that　he　did
not　perceive　them；　being　fully　occupied　in　bathing　his　feet；　which
were　so　fair　that　they　looked　like　two　pieces　of　shining　crystal
brought　forth　among　the　other　stones　of　the　brook。　The　whiteness　and
beauty　of　these　feet　struck　them　with　surprise；　for　they　did　not
seem　to　have　been　made　to　crush　clods　or　to　follow　the　plough　and
the　oxen　as　their　owner's　dress　suggested；　and　so；　finding　they　had
not　been　noticed；　the　curate；　who　was　in　front；　made　a　sign　to　the
other　two　to　conceal　themselves　behind　some　fragments　of　rock　that　lay
there；　which　they　did；　observing　closely　what　the　youth　was　about。
He　had　on　a　loose　double…skirted　dark　brown　jacket　bound　tight　to
his　body　with　a　white　cloth；　he　wore　besides　breeches　and　gaiters　of
brown　cloth；　and　on　his　head　a　brown　montera；　and　he　had　the　gaiters
turned　up　as　far　as　the　middle　of　the　leg；　which　verily　seemed　to　be
of　pure　alabaster。
　　As　soon　as　he　had　done　bathing　his　beautiful　feet；　he　wiped　them
with　a　towel　he　took　from　under　the　montera；　on　taking　off　which　he
raised　his　face；　and　those　who　were　watching　him　had　an　opportunity　of
seeing　a　beauty　so　exquisite　that　Cardenio　said　to　the　curate　in　a
whisper：
　　〃As　this　is　not　Luscinda；　it　is　no　human　creature　but　a　divine
being。〃
　　The　youth　then　took　off　the　montera；　and　shaking　his　head　from
side　to　side　there　broke　loose　and　spread　out　a　mass　of　hair　that
the　beams　of　the　sun　might　have　envied；　by　this　they　knew　that　what
had　seemed　a　peasant　was　a　lovely　woman；　nay　the　most　beautiful　the
eyes　of　two　of　them　had　ever　beheld；　or　even　Cardenio's　if　they　had
not　seen　and　known　Luscinda；　for　he　afterwards　declared　that　only
the　beauty　of　Luscinda　could　compare　with　this。　The　long　auburn
tresses　not　only　covered　her　shoulders；　but　such　was　their　length
and　abundance；　concealed　her　all　round　beneath　their　masses；　so　that
except　the　feet　nothing　of　her　form　was　visible。　She　now　used　her
hands　as　a　comb；　and　if　her　feet　had　seemed　like　bits　of　crystal　in
the　water；　her　hands　looked　like　pieces　of　driven　snow　among　her
locks；　all　which　increased　not　only　the　admiration　of　the　three
beholders；　but　their　anxiety　to　learn　who　she　was。　With　this　object
they　resolved　to　show　themselves；　and　at　the　stir　they　made　in　getting
upon　their　feet　the　fair　damsel　raised　her　head；　and　parting　her
hair　from　before　her　eyes　with　both　hands；　she　looked　to　see　who　had
made　the　noise；　and　the　instant　she　perceived　them　she　started　to
her　feet；　and　without　waiting　to　put　on　her　shoes　or　gather　up　her
hair；　hastily　snatched　up　a　bundle　as　though　of　clothes　that　she　had
beside　her；　and；　scared　and　alarmed；　endeavoured　to　take　flight；　but
before　she　had　gone　six　paces　she　fell　to　the　ground；　her　delicate
feet　being　unable　to　bear　the　roughness　of　the　stones；　seeing　which；
the　three　hastened　towards　her；　and　the　curate　addressing　her　first
said：
　　〃Stay；　senora；　whoever　you　may　be；　for　those　whom　you　see　here
only　desire　to　be　of　service　to　you；　you　have　no　need　to　attempt　a
flight　so　heedless；　for　neither　can　your　feet　bear　it；　nor　we　allow
it。〃
　　Taken　by　surprise　and　bewildered；　she　made　no　reply　to　these
words。　They；　however；　came　towards　her；　and　the　curate　taking　her　hand
went　on　to　say：
　　〃What　your　dress　would　hide；　senora；　is　made　known　to　us　by　your
hair；　a　clear　proof　that　it　can　be　no　trifling　cause　that　has
disguised　your　beauty　in　a　garb　so　unworthy　of　it；　and　sent　it　into
solitudes　like　these　where　we　have　had　the　good　fortune　to　find　you；
if　not　to　relieve　your　distress；　at　least　to　offer　you　comfort；　for　no
distress；　so　long　as　life　lasts；　can　be　so　oppressive　or　reach　such
a　height　as　to　make　the　sufferer　refuse　to　listen　to　comfort　offered
with　good　intention。　And　so；　senora；　or　senor；　or　whatever　you
prefer　to　be；　dismiss　the　fears　that　our　appearance　has　caused　you　and
make　us　acquainted　with　your　good　or　evil　fortunes；　for　from　all　of　us
together；　or　from　each　one　of　us；　you　will　receive　sympathy　in　your
trouble。〃
　　While　the　curate　was　speaking；　the　disguised　damsel　stood　as　if
spell…bound；　looking　at　them　without　opening　her　lips　or　uttering　a
word；　just　like　a　village　rustic　to　whom　something　strange　that　he　has
never　seen　before　has　been　suddenly　shown；　but　on　the　curate
addressing　some　further　words　to　the　same　effect　to　her；　sighing
deeply　she　broke　silence　and　said：
　　〃Since　the　solitude　of　these　mountains　has　been　unable　to　conceal
me；　and　the　escape　of　my　dishevelled　tresses　will　not　allow　my
tongue　to　deal　in　falsehoods；　it　would　be　idle　for　me　now　to　make
any　further　pretence　of　what；　if　you　were　to　believe　me；　you　would
believe　more　out　of　courtesy　than　for　any　other　reason。　This　being　so；
I　say　I　thank　you；　sirs；　for　the　offer　you　have　made　me；　which
places　me　under　the　obligation　of　complying　with　the　request　you
have　made　of　me；　though　I　fear　the　account　I　shall　give　you　of　my
misfortunes　will　excite　in　you　as　much　concern　as　compassion；　for
you　will　be　unable　to　suggest　anything　to　remedy　them　or　any
consolation　to　alleviate　them。　However；　that　my　honour　may　not　be　left
a　matter　of　doubt　in　your　minds；　now　that　you　have　discovered　me　to　be
a　woman；　and　see　that　I　am　young；　alone；　and　in　this　dress；　things
that　taken　together　or　separately　would　be　enough　to　destroy　any
good　name；　I　feel　bound　to　tell　what　I　would　willingly　keep　secret
if　I　could。〃
　　All　this　she　who　was　now　seen　to　be　a　lovely　woman　delivered　without
any　hesitation；　with　so　much　ease　and　in　so　sweet　a　voice　that　they
were　not　less　charmed　by　her　intelligence　than　by　her　beauty；　and　as
they　again　repeated　their　offers　and　entreaties　to　her　to　fulfil　her
promise；　she　without　further　pressing；　first　modestly　covering　her
feet　and　gathering　up　her　hair；　seated　herself　on　a　stone　with　the
three　placed　around　her；　and；　after　an　effort　to　restrain　some　tears
that　came　to　her　eyes；　in　a　clear　and　steady　voice　began　her　story
thus：
　　〃In　this　Andalusia　there　is　a　town　from　which　a　duke　takes　a　title
which　makes　him　one　of　those　that　are　called　Grandees　of　Spain。　This
nobleman　has　two　sons；　the　elder　heir　to　his　dignity　and　apparently　to
his　good　qualities；　the　younger　heir　to　I　know　not　what；　unless　it
be　the　treachery　of　Vellido　and　the　falsehood　of　Ganelon。　My　parents
are　this　lord's　vassals；　lowly　in　origin；　but　so　wealthy　that　if　birth
had　conferred　as　much　on　them　as　fortune；　they　would　have　had
nothing　left　to　desire；　nor　should　I　have　had　reason　to　fear　trouble
like　that　in　which　I　find　myself　now；　for　it　may　be　that　my　ill
fortune　came　of　theirs　in　not　having　been　nobly　born。　It　is　true
they　are　not　so　low　that　they　have　any　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　their
condition；　but　neither　are　they　so　high　as　to　remove　from　my　mind
the　impression　that　my　mishap　comes　of　their　humble　birth。　They　are；
in　short；　peasants；　plain　homely　people；　without　any　taint　of
disreputable　blood；　and；　as　the　saying　is；　old　rusty　Christians；　but
so　rich　that　by　their　wealth　and　free…handed　way　of　life　they　are
coming　by　degrees　to　be　considered　gentlefolk　by　birth；　and　even　by
position；　though　the　wealth　and　nobility　they　thought　most　of　was
having　me　for　their　daughter；　and　as　they　have　no　other　child　to
make　their　heir；　and　are　affectionate　parents；　I　was　one　of　the　most
indulged　daughters　that　ever　parents　indulged。
　　〃I　was　the　mirror　in　which　they　beheld　themselves；　the　staff　of
their　old　age；　and　the　object　in　which；　with　submission　to　Heaven；　all
their　wishes　centred；　and　mine　were　in　accordance　with　theirs；　for　I
knew　their　worth；　and　as　I　was　mistress　of　their　hearts；　so　was　I　also
of　their　possessions。　Through　me　they　engaged　or　dismissed　their
servants；　through　my　hands　passed　the　accounts　and　returns　of　what　was
sown　and　reaped；　the　oil…mills；　the　wine…presses；　the　count　of　the
flocks　and　herds；　the　beehives；　all　in　short　that　a　rich　farmer　like
my　father　has　or　can　have；　I　had　under　my　care；　and　I　acted　as　steward
and　mistress　with　an　assiduity　on　my　part　and　satisfaction　on　theirs
that　I　cannot　well　describe　to　you。　The　leisure　hours　left　to　me　after
I　had　given　the　requisite　orders　to　the　head…shepherds；　overseers；　and
other　labourers；　I　passed　in　such　employments　as　are　not　only
allowable　but　necessary　for　young　girls；　those　that　the　needle；
embroidery　cushion；　and　spinning　wheel　usually　afford；　and　if　to
refresh　my　mind　I　quitted　them　for　a　while；　I　found　recreation　in
reading　some　devotional　book　or　playing　the　harp；　for　experience
taught　me　that　music　soothes　the　troubled　mind　and　relieves
weariness　of　spirit。　Such　was　the　life　I　led　in　my　parents'　house
and　if　I　have　depicted　it　thus　minutely；　it　is　not　out　of　ostentation；
or　to　let　you　know　that　I