don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第77节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wine…skin。〃
　　〃May　I　die；〃　said　the　landlord　at　this；　〃if　Don　Quixote　or　Don　Devil
has　not　been　slashing　some　of　the　skins　of　red　wine　that　stand　full　at
his　bed's　head；　and　the　spilt　wine　must　be　what　this　good　fellow　takes
for　blood；〃　and　so　saying　he　went　into　the　room　and　the　rest　after
him；　and　there　they　found　Don　Quixote　in　the　strangest　costume　in
the　world。　He　was　in　his　shirt；　which　was　not　long　enough　in　front
to　cover　his　thighs　completely　and　was　six　fingers　shorter　behind；　his
legs　were　very　long　and　lean；　covered　with　hair；　and　anything　but
clean；　on　his　head　he　had　a　little　greasy　red　cap　that　belonged　to　the
host；　round　his　left　arm　he　had　rolled　the　blanket　of　the　bed；　to
which　Sancho；　for　reasons　best　known　to　himself；　owed　a　grudge；　and　in
his　right　hand　he　held　his　unsheathed　sword；　with　which　he　was
slashing　about　on　all　sides；　uttering　exclamations　as　if　he　were
actually　fighting　some　giant：　and　the　best　of　it　was　his　eyes　were　not
open；　for　he　was　fast　asleep；　and　dreaming　that　he　was　doing　battle
with　the　giant。　For　his　imagination　was　so　wrought　upon　by　the
adventure　he　was　going　to　accomplish；　that　it　made　him　dream　he　had
already　reached　the　kingdom　of　Micomicon；　and　was　engaged　in　combat
with　his　enemy；　and　believing　he　was　laying　on　the　giant；　he　had　given
so　many　sword　cuts　to　the　skins　that　the　whole　room　was　full　of
wine。　On　seeing　this　the　landlord　was　so　enraged　that　he　fell　on　Don
Quixote；　and　with　his　clenched　fist　began　to　pummel　him　in　such　a　way；
that　if　Cardenio　and　the　curate　had　not　dragged　him　off；　he　would　have
brought　the　war　of　the　giant　to　an　end。　But　in　spite　of　all　the　poor
gentleman　never　woke　until　the　barber　brought　a　great　pot　of　cold
water　from　the　well　and　flung　it　with　one　dash　all　over　his　body；　on
which　Don　Quixote　woke　up；　but　not　so　completely　as　to　understand　what
was　the　matter。　Dorothea；　seeing　how　short　and　slight　his　attire
was；　would　not　go　in　to　witness　the　battle　between　her　champion　and
her　opponent。　As　for　Sancho；　he　went　searching　all　over　the　floor
for　the　head　of　the　giant；　and　not　finding　it　he　said；　〃I　see　now　that
it's　all　enchantment　in　this　house；　for　the　last　time；　on　this　very
spot　where　I　am　now；　I　got　ever　so　many　thumps　without　knowing　who
gave　them　to　me；　or　being　able　to　see　anybody；　and　now　this　head　is
not　to　be　seen　anywhere　about；　though　I　saw　it　cut　off　with　my　own
eyes　and　the　blood　running　from　the　body　as　if　from　a　fountain。〃
　　〃What　blood　and　fountains　are　you　talking　about；　enemy　of　God　and
his　saints？〃　said　the　landlord。　〃Don't　you　see；　you　thief；　that　the
blood　and　the　fountain　are　only　these　skins　here　that　have　been
stabbed　and　the　red　wine　swimming　all　over　the　room？…　and　I　wish　I　saw
the　soul　of　him　that　stabbed　them　swimming　in　hell。〃
　　〃I　know　nothing　about　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃all　I　know　is　it　will
be　my　bad　luck　that　through　not　finding　this　head　my　county　will
melt　away　like　salt　in　water；〃…　for　Sancho　awake　was　worse　than　his
master　asleep；　so　much　had　his　master's　promises　addled　his　wits。
　　The　landlord　was　beside　himself　at　the　coolness　of　the　squire　and
the　mischievous　doings　of　the　master；　and　swore　it　should　not　be
like　the　last　time　when　they　went　without　paying；　and　that　their
privileges　of　chivalry　should　not　hold　good　this　time　to　let　one　or
other　of　them　off　without　paying；　even　to　the　cost　of　the　plugs　that
would　have　to　be　put　to　the　damaged　wine…skins。　The　curate　was　holding
Don　Quixote's　hands；　who；　fancying　he　had　now　ended　the　adventure
and　was　in　the　presence　of　the　Princess　Micomicona；　knelt　before　the
curate　and　said；　〃Exalted　and　beauteous　lady；　your　highness　may　live
from　this　day　forth　fearless　of　any　harm　this　base　being　could　do　you；
and　I　too　from　this　day　forth　am　released　from　the　promise　I　gave　you；
since　by　the　help　of　God　on　high　and　by　the　favour　of　her　by　whom　I
live　and　breathe；　I　have　fulfilled　it　so　successfully。〃
　　〃Did　not　I　say　so？〃　said　Sancho　on　hearing　this。　〃You　see　I　wasn't
drunk；　there　you　see　my　master　has　already　salted　the　giant；　there's
no　doubt　about　the　bulls；　my　county　is　all　right！〃
　　Who　could　have　helped　laughing　at　the　absurdities　of　the　pair；
master　and　man？　And　laugh　they　did；　all　except　the　landlord；　who
cursed　himself；　but　at　length　the　barber；　Cardenio；　and　the　curate
contrived　with　no　small　trouble　to　get　Don　Quixote　on　the　bed；　and
he　fell　asleep　with　every　appearance　of　excessive　weariness。　They　left
him　to　sleep；　and　came　out　to　the　gate　of　the　inn　to　console　Sancho
Panza　on　not　having　found　the　head　of　the　giant；　but　much　more　work
had　they　to　appease　the　landlord；　who　was　furious　at　the　sudden
death　of　his　wine…skins；　and　said　the　landlady　half　scolding；　half
crying；　〃At　an　evil　moment　and　in　an　unlucky　hour　he　came　into　my
house；　this　knight…errant…　would　that　I　had　never　set　eyes　on　him；　for
dear　he　has　cost　me；　the　last　time　he　went　off　with　the　overnight
score　against　him　for　supper；　bed；　straw；　and　barley；　for　himself
and　his　squire　and　a　hack　and　an　ass；　saying　he　was　a　knight
adventurer…　God　send　unlucky　adventures　to　him　and　all　the　adventurers
in　the　world…　and　therefore　not　bound　to　pay　anything；　for　it　was　so
settled　by　the　knight…errantry　tariff：　and　then；　all　because　of　him；
came　the　other　gentleman　and　carried　off　my　tail；　and　gives　it　back
more　than　two　cuartillos　the　worse；　all　stripped　of　its　hair；　so
that　it　is　no　use　for　my　husband's　purpose；　and　then；　for　a
finishing　touch　to　all；　to　burst　my　wine…skins　and　spill　my　wine！　I
wish　I　saw　his　own　blood　spilt！　But　let　him　not　deceive　himself；
for；　by　the　bones　of　my　father　and　the　shade　of　my　mother；　they
shall　pay　me　down　every　quarts；　or　my　name　is　not　what　it　is；　and　I　am
not　my　father's　daughter。〃　All　this　and　more　to　the　same　effect　the
landlady　delivered　with　great　irritation；　and　her　good　maid　Maritornes
backed　her　up；　while　the　daughter　held　her　peace　and　smiled　from
time　to　time。　The　curate　smoothed　matters　by　promising　to　make　good
all　losses　to　the　best　of　his　power；　not　only　as　regarded　the
wine…skins　but　also　the　wine；　and　above　all　the　depreciation　of　the
tail　which　they　set　such　store　by。　Dorothea　comforted　Sancho；
telling　him　that　she　pledged　herself；　as　soon　as　it　should　appear
certain　that　his　master　had　decapitated　the　giant；　and　she　found
herself　peacefully　established　in　her　kingdom；　to　bestow　upon　him
the　best　county　there　was　in　it。　With　this　Sancho　consoled　himself；
and　assured　the　princess　she　might　rely　upon　it　that　he　had　seen　the
head　of　the　giant；　and　more　by　token　it　had　a　beard　that　reached　to
the　girdle；　and　that　if　it　was　not　to　be　seen　now　it　was　because
everything　that　happened　in　that　house　went　by　enchantment；　as　he
himself　had　proved　the　last　time　he　had　lodged　there。　Dorothea　said
she　fully　believed　it；　and　that　he　need　not　be　uneasy；　for　all　would
go　well　and　turn　out　as　he　wished。　All　therefore　being　appeased；　the
curate　was　anxious　to　go　on　with　the　novel；　as　he　saw　there　was　but
little　more　left　to　read。　Dorothea　and　the　others　begged　him　to　finish
it；　and　he；　as　he　was　willing　to　please　them；　and　enjoyed　reading　it
himself；　continued　the　tale　in　these　words：

　　The　result　was；　that　from　the　confidence　Anselmo　felt　in　Camilla's
virtue；　he　lived　happy　and　free　from　anxiety；　and　Camilla　purposely
looked　coldly　on　Lothario；　that　Anselmo　might　suppose　her　feelings
towards　him　to　be　the　opposite　of　what　they　were；　and　the　better　to
support　the　position；　Lothario　begged　to　be　excused　from　coming　to　the
house；　as　the　displeasure　with　which　Camilla　regarded　his　presence　was
plain　to　be　seen。　But　the　befooled　Anselmo　said　he　would　on　no　account
allow　such　a　thing；　and　so　in　a　thousand　ways　he　became　the　author
of　his　own　dishonour；　while　he　believed　he　was　insuring　his　happiness。
Meanwhile　the　satisfaction　with　which　Leonela　saw　herself　empowered　to
carry　on　her　amour　reached　such　a　height　that；　regardless　of
everything　else；　she　followed　her　inclinations　unrestrainedly；　feeling
confident　that　her　mistress　would　screen　her；　and　even　show　her　how　to
manage　it　safely。　At　last　one　night　Anselmo　heard　footsteps　in
Leonela's　room；　and　on　trying　to　enter　to　see　who　it　was；　he　found
that　the　door　was　held　against　him；　which　made　him　all　the　more
determined　to　open　it；　and　exerting　his　strength　he　forced　it　open；
and　entered　the　room　in　time　to　see　a　man　leaping　through　the　window
into　the　street。　He　ran　quickly　to　seize　him　or　discover　who　he　was；
but　he　was　unable　to　effect　either　purpose；　for　Leonela　flung　her　arms
round　him　crying；　〃Be　calm；　senor；　do　not　give　way　to　passion　or
follow　him　who　has　escaped　from　this；　he　belongs　to　me；　and　in　fact　he
is　my　husband。〃
　　Anselmo　would　not　believe　it；　but　blind　with　rage　drew　a　dagger
and　threatened　to　stab　Leonela；　bidding　her　tell　the　truth　or　he　would
kill　her。　She；　in　her　fear；　not　knowing　what　she　was　saying；
exclaimed；　〃Do　not　kill　me；　senor；　for　I　can　tell　you　things　more
important　than　any　you　can　imagine。〃
　　〃Tell　me　then　at　once　or　thou　diest；〃　said　Anselmo。
　　〃It　would　be　impossible　for　me　now；〃　said　Leonela；　〃I　am　so
agitated：　leave　me　till　to…morrow；　and　then　you　shall　hear　from　m