don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第74节

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another；　which　would　have　been　the　ruin　of　all　had　not　Camilla　found　a
remedy。　It　did　not　occur　to　Lothario　that　this　man　he　had　seen　issuing
at　such　an　untimely　hour　from　Anselmo's　house　could　have　entered　it　on
Leonela's　account；　nor　did　he　even　remember　there　was　such　a　person　as
Leonela；　all　he　thought　was　that　as　Camilla　had　been　light　and
yielding　with　him；　so　she　had　been　with　another；　for　this　further
penalty　the　erring　woman's　sin　brings　with　it；　that　her　honour　is
distrusted　even　by　him　to　whose　overtures　and　persuasions　she　has
yielded；　and　he　believes　her　to　have　surrendered　more　easily　to
others；　and　gives　implicit　credence　to　every　suspicion　that　comes　into
his　mind。　All　Lothario's　good　sense　seems　to　have　failed　him　at　this
juncture；　all　his　prudent　maxims　escaped　his　memory；　for　without
once　reflecting　rationally；　and　without　more　ado；　in　his　impatience
and　in　the　blindness　of　the　jealous　rage　that　gnawed　his　heart；　and
dying　to　revenge　himself　upon　Camilla；　who　had　done　him　no　wrong；
before　Anselmo　had　risen　he　hastened　to　him　and　said　to　him；　〃Know；
Anselmo；　that　for　several　days　past　I　have　been　struggling　with
myself；　striving　to　withhold　from　thee　what　it　is　no　longer　possible
or　right　that　I　should　conceal　from　thee。　Know　that　Camilla's　fortress
has　surrendered　and　is　ready　to　submit　to　my　will；　and　if　I　have
been　slow　to　reveal　this　fact　to　thee；　it　was　in　order　to　see　if　it
were　some　light　caprice　of　hers；　or　if　she　sought　to　try　me　and
ascertain　if　the　love　I　began　to　make　to　her　with　thy　permission　was
made　with　a　serious　intention。　I　thought；　too；　that　she；　if　she　were
what　she　ought　to　be；　and　what　we　both　believed　her；　would　have　ere
this　given　thee　information　of　my　addresses；　but　seeing　that　she
delays；　I　believe　the　truth　of　the　promise　she　has　given　me　that　the
next　time　thou　art　absent　from　the　house　she　will　grant　me　an
interview　in　the　closet　where　thy　jewels　are　kept　（and　it　was　true
that　Camilla　used　to　meet　him　there）；　but　I　do　not　wish　thee　to　rush
precipitately　to　take　vengeance；　for　the　sin　is　as　yet　only
committed　in　intention；　and　Camilla's　may　change　perhaps　between
this　and　the　appointed　time；　and　repentance　spring　up　in　its　place。　As
hitherto　thou　hast　always　followed　my　advice　wholly　or　in　part；　follow
and　observe　this　that　I　will　give　thee　now；　so　that；　without
mistake；　and　with　mature　deliberation；　thou　mayest　satisfy　thyself
as　to　what　may　seem　the　best　course；　pretend　to　absent　thyself　for　two
or　three　days　as　thou　hast　been　wont　to　do　on　other　occasions；　and
contrive　to　hide　thyself　in　the　closet；　for　the　tapestries　and　other
things　there　afford　great　facilities　for　thy　concealment；　and　then
thou　wilt　see　with　thine　own　eyes　and　I　with　mine　what　Camilla's
purpose　may　be。　And　if　it　be　a　guilty　one；　which　may　be　feared
rather　than　expected；　with　silence；　prudence；　and　discretion　thou
canst　thyself　become　the　instrument　of　punishment　for　the　wrong　done
thee。〃
　　Anselmo　was　amazed；　overwhelmed；　and　astounded　at　the　words　of
Lothario；　which　came　upon　him　at　a　time　when　he　least　expected　to　hear
them；　for　he　now　looked　upon　Camilla　as　having　triumphed　over　the
pretended　attacks　of　Lothario；　and　was　beginning　to　enjoy　the　glory　of
her　victory。　He　remained　silent　for　a　considerable　time；　looking　on
the　ground　with　fixed　gaze；　and　at　length　said；　〃Thou　hast　behaved；
Lothario；　as　I　expected　of　thy　friendship：　I　will　follow　thy　advice　in
everything；　do　as　thou　wilt；　and　keep　this　secret　as　thou　seest　it
should　be　kept　in　circumstances　so　unlooked　for。〃
　　Lothario　gave　him　his　word；　but　after　leaving　him　he　repented
altogether　of　what　he　had　said　to　him；　perceiving　how　foolishly　he　had
acted；　as　he　might　have　revenged　himself　upon　Camilla　in　some　less
cruel　and　degrading　way。　He　cursed　his　want　of　sense；　condemned　his
hasty　resolution；　and　knew　not　what　course　to　take　to　undo　the
mischief　or　find　some　ready　escape　from　it。　At　last　he　decided　upon
revealing　all　to　Camilla；　and；　as　there　was　no　want　of　opportunity　for
doing　so；　he　found　her　alone　the　same　day；　but　she；　as　soon　as　she　had
the　chance　of　speaking　to　him；　said；　〃Lothario　my　friend；　I　must
tell　thee　I　have　a　sorrow　in　my　heart　which　fills　it　so　that　it
seems　ready　to　burst；　and　it　will　be　a　wonder　if　it　does　not；　for
the　audacity　of　Leonela　has　now　reached　such　a　pitch　that　every
night　she　conceals　a　gallant　of　hers　in　this　house　and　remains　with
him　till　morning；　at　the　expense　of　my　reputation；　inasmuch　as　it　is
open　to　anyone　to　question　it　who　may　see　him　quitting　my　house　at
such　unseasonable　hours；　but　what　distresses　me　is　that　I　cannot
punish　or　chide　her；　for　her　privity　to　our　intrigue　bridles　my
mouth　and　keeps　me　silent　about　hers；　while　I　am　dreading　that　some
catastrophe　will　come　of　it。〃
　　As　Camilla　said　this　Lothario　at　first　imagined　it　was　some　device
to　delude　him　into　the　idea　that　the　man　he　had　seen　going　out　was
Leonela's　lover　and　not　hers；　but　when　he　saw　how　she　wept　and
suffered；　and　begged　him　to　help　her；　he　became　convinced　of　the
truth；　and　the　conviction　completed　his　confusion　and　remorse；
however；　he　told　Camilla　not　to　distress　herself；　as　he　would　take
measures　to　put　a　stop　to　the　insolence　of　Leonela。　At　the　same　time
he　told　her　what；　driven　by　the　fierce　rage　of　jealousy；　he　had　said
to　Anselmo；　and　how　he　had　arranged　to　hide　himself　in　the　closet　that
he　might　there　see　plainly　how　little　she　preserved　her　fidelity　to
him；　and　he　entreated　her　pardon　for　this　madness；　and　her　advice　as
to　how　to　repair　it；　and　escape　safely　from　the　intricate　labyrinth　in
which　his　imprudence　had　involved　him。　Camilla　was　struck　with　alarm
at　hearing　what　Lothario　said；　and　with　much　anger；　and　great　good
sense；　she　reproved　him　and　rebuked　his　base　design　and　the　foolish
and　mischievous　resolution　he　had　made；　but　as　woman　has　by　nature　a
nimbler　wit　than　man　for　good　and　for　evil；　though　it　is　apt　to　fail
when　she　sets　herself　deliberately　to　reason；　Camilla　on　the　spur　of
the　moment　thought　of　a　way　to　remedy　what　was　to　all　appearance
irremediable；　and　told　Lothario　to　contrive　that　the　next　day
Anselmo　should　conceal　himself　in　the　place　he　mentioned；　for　she
hoped　from　his　concealment　to　obtain　the　means　of　their　enjoying
themselves　for　the　future　without　any　apprehension；　and　without
revealing　her　purpose　to　him　entirely　she　charged　him　to　be　careful；
as　soon　as　Anselmo　was　concealed；　to　come　to　her　when　Leonela　should
call　him；　and　to　all　she　said　to　him　to　answer　as　he　would　have
answered　had　he　not　known　that　Anselmo　was　listening。　Lothario　pressed
her　to　explain　her　intention　fully；　so　that　he　might　with　more
certainty　and　precaution　take　care　to　do　what　he　saw　to　be　needful。
　　〃I　tell　you；〃　said　Camilla；　〃there　is　nothing　to　take　care　of　except
to　answer　me　what　I　shall　ask　you；〃　for　she　did　not　wish　to　explain　to
him　beforehand　what　she　meant　to　do；　fearing　lest　he　should　be
unwilling　to　follow　out　an　idea　which　seemed　to　her　such　a　good　one；
and　should　try　or　devise　some　other　less　practicable　plan。
　　Lothario　then　retired；　and　the　next　day　Anselmo；　under　pretence　of
going　to　his　friend's　country　house；　took　his　departure；　and　then
returned　to　conceal　himself；　which　he　was　able　to　do　easily；　as
Camilla　and　Leonela　took　care　to　give　him　the　opportunity；　and　so　he
placed　himself　in　hiding　in　the　state　of　agitation　that　it　may　be
imagined　he　would　feel　who　expected　to　see　the　vitals　of　his　honour
laid　bare　before　his　eyes；　and　found　himself　on　the　point　of　losing
the　supreme　blessing　he　thought　he　possessed　in　his　beloved　Camilla。
Having　made　sure　of　Anselmo's　being　in　his　hiding…place；　Camilla　and
Leonela　entered　the　closet；　and　the　instant　she　set　foot　within　it
Camilla　said；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃Ah！　dear　Leonela；　would　it　not　be
better；　before　I　do　what　I　am　unwilling　you　should　know　lest　you
should　seek　to　prevent　it；　that　you　should　take　Anselmo's　dagger
that　I　have　asked　of　you　and　with　it　pierce　this　vile　heart　of　mine？
But　no；　there　is　no　reason　why　I　should　suffer　the　punishment　of
another's　fault。　I　will　first　know　what　it　is　that　the　bold　licentious
eyes　of　Lothario　have　seen　in　me　that　could　have　encouraged　him　to
reveal　to　me　a　design　so　base　as　that　which　he　has　disclosed
regardless　of　his　friend　and　of　my　honour。　Go　to　the　window；
Leonela；　and　call　him；　for　no　doubt　he　is　in　the　street　waiting　to
carry　out　his　vile　project；　but　mine；　cruel　it　may　be；　but　honourable；
shall　be　carried　out　first。〃
　　〃Ah；　senora；〃　said　the　crafty　Leonela；　who　knew　her　part；　〃what　is
it　you　want　to　do　with　this　dagger？　Can　it　be　that　you　mean　to　take
your　own　life；　or　Lothario's？　for　whichever　you　mean　to　do；　it　will
lead　to　the　loss　of　your　reputation　and　good　name。　It　is　better　to
dissemble　your　wrong　and　not　give　this　wicked　man　the　chance　of
entering　the　house　now　and　finding　us　alone；　consider；　senora；　we
are　weak　women　and　he　is　a　man；　and　determined；　and　as　he　comes　with
such　a　base　purpose；　blind　and　urged　by　passion；　perhaps　before　you
can　put　yours　into　execution　he　may　do　what　will　be　worse　for　you　than
taking　your　life。　Ill　betide　my　master；　Anselmo；　for　giving　su