don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第79节

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　　〃Four　men；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃riding　a　la　jineta；　with　lances
and　bucklers；　and　all　with　black　veils；　and　with　them　there　is　a　woman
in　white　on　a　side…saddle；　whose　face　is　also　veiled；　and　two
attendants　on　foot。〃
　　〃Are　they　very　near？〃　said　the　curate。
　　〃So　near；〃　answered　the　landlord；　〃that　here　they　come。〃
　　Hearing　this　Dorothea　covered　her　face；　and　Cardenio　retreated
into　Don　Quixote's　room；　and　they　hardly　had　time　to　do　so　before
the　whole　party　the　host　had　described　entered　the　inn；　and　the　four
that　were　on　horseback；　who　were　of　highbred　appearance　and　bearing；
dismounted；　and　came　forward　to　take　down　the　woman　who　rode　on　the
side…saddle；　and　one　of　them　taking　her　in　his　arms　placed　her　in　a
chair　that　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the　room　where　Cardenio　had　hidden
himself。　All　this　time　neither　she　nor　they　had　removed　their　veils　or
spoken　a　word；　only　on　sitting　down　on　the　chair　the　woman　gave　a　deep
sigh　and　let　her　arms　fall　like　one　that　was　ill　and　weak。　The
attendants　on　foot　then　led　the　horses　away　to　the　stable。　Observing
this　the　curate；　curious　to　know　who　these　people　in　such　a　dress
and　preserving　such　silence　were；　went　to　where　the　servants　were
standing　and　put　the　question　to　one　of　them；　who　answered　him。
　　〃Faith；　sir；　I　cannot　tell　you　who　they　are；　I　only　know　they　seem
to　be　people　of　distinction；　particularly　he　who　advanced　to　take
the　lady　you　saw　in　his　arms；　and　I　say　so　because　all　the　rest　show
him　respect；　and　nothing　is　done　except　what　he　directs　and　orders。〃
　　〃And　the　lady；　who　is　she？〃　asked　the　curate。
　　〃That　I　cannot　tell　you　either；〃　said　the　servant；　〃for　I　have　not
seen　her　face　all　the　way：　I　have　indeed　heard　her　sigh　many　times　and
utter　such　groans　that　she　seems　to　be　giving　up　the　ghost　every　time；
but　it　is　no　wonder　if　we　do　not　know　more　than　we　have　told　you；　as
my　comrade　and　I　have　only　been　in　their　company　two　days；　for
having　met　us　on　the　road　they　begged　and　persuaded　us　to　accompany
them　to　Andalusia；　promising　to　pay　us　well。〃
　　〃And　have　you　heard　any　of　them　called　by　his　name？〃　asked　the
curate。
　　〃No；　indeed；〃　replied　the　servant；　〃they　all　preserve　a　marvellous
silence　on　the　road；　for　not　a　sound　is　to　be　heard　among　them
except　the　poor　lady's　sighs　and　sobs；　which　make　us　pity　her；　and
we　feel　sure　that　wherever　it　is　she　is　going；　it　is　against　her　will；
and　as　far　as　one　can　judge　from　her　dress　she　is　a　nun　or；　what　is
more　likely；　about　to　become　one；　and　perhaps　it　is　because　taking　the
vows　is　not　of　her　own　free　will；　that　she　is　so　unhappy　as　she
seems　to　be。〃
　　〃That　may　well　be；〃　said　the　curate；　and　leaving　them　he　returned　to
where　Dorothea　was；　who；　hearing　the　veiled　lady　sigh；　moved　by
natural　compassion　drew　near　to　her　and　said；　〃What　are　you
suffering　from；　senora？　If　it　be　anything　that　women　are　accustomed
and　know　how　to　relieve；　I　offer　you　my　services　with　all　my　heart。〃
　　To　this　the　unhappy　lady　made　no　reply；　and　though　Dorothea　repeated
her　offers　more　earnestly　she　still　kept　silence；　until　the
gentleman　with　the　veil；　who；　the　servant　said；　was　obeyed　by　the
rest；　approached　and　said　to　Dorothea；　〃Do　not　give　yourself　the
trouble；　senora；　of　making　any　offers　to　that　woman；　for　it　is　her　way
to　give　no　thanks　for　anything　that　is　done　for　her；　and　do　not　try　to
make　her　answer　unless　you　want　to　hear　some　lie　from　her　lips。〃
　　〃I　have　never　told　a　lie；〃　was　the　immediate　reply　of　her　who　had
been　silent　until　now；　〃on　the　contrary；　it　is　because　I　am　so
truthful　and　so　ignorant　of　lying　devices　that　I　am　now　in　this
miserable　condition；　and　this　I　call　you　yourself　to　witness；　for　it
is　my　unstained　truth　that　has　made　you　false　and　a　liar。〃
　　Cardenio　heard　these　words　clearly　and　distinctly；　being　quite　close
to　the　speaker；　for　there　was　only　the　door　of　Don　Quixote's　room
between　them；　and　the　instant　he　did　so；　uttering　a　loud　exclamation
he　cried；　〃Good　God！　what　is　this　I　hear？　What　voice　is　this　that
has　reached　my　ears？〃　Startled　at　the　voice　the　lady　turned　her
head；　and　not　seeing　the　speaker　she　stood　up　and　attempted　to　enter
the　room；　observing　which　the　gentleman　held　her　back；　preventing
her　from　moving　a　step。　In　her　agitation　and　sudden　movement　the
silk　with　which　she　had　covered　her　face　fell　off　and　disclosed　a
countenance　of　incomparable　and　marvellous　beauty；　but　pale　and
terrified；　for　she　kept　turning　her　eyes；　everywhere　she　could
direct　her　gaze；　with　an　eagerness　that　made　her　look　as　if　she　had
lost　her　senses；　and　so　marked　that　it　excited　the　pity　of　Dorothea
and　all　who　beheld　her；　though　they　knew　not　what　caused　it。　The
gentleman　grasped　her　firmly　by　the　shoulders；　and　being　so　fully
occupied　with　holding　her　back；　he　was　unable　to　put　a　hand　to　his
veil　which　was　falling　off；　as　it　did　at　length　entirely；　and
Dorothea；　who　was　holding　the　lady　in　her　arms；　raising　her　eyes　saw
that　he　who　likewise　held　her　was　her　husband；　Don　Fernando。　The
instant　she　recognised　him；　with　a　prolonged　plaintive　cry　drawn
from　the　depths　of　her　heart；　she　fell　backwards　fainting；　and　but　for
the　barber　being　close　by　to　catch　her　in　his　arms；　she　would　have
fallen　completely　to　the　ground。　The　curate　at　once　hastened　to
uncover　her　face　and　throw　water　on　it；　and　as　he　did　so　Don　Fernando；
for　he　it　was　who　held　the　other　in　his　arms；　recognised　her　and　stood
as　if　death…stricken　by　the　sight；　not；　however；　relaxing　his　grasp　of
Luscinda；　for　it　was　she　that　was　struggling　to　release　herself　from
his　hold；　having　recognised　Cardenio　by　his　voice；　as　he　had
recognised　her。　Cardenio　also　heard　Dorothea's　cry　as　she　fell
fainting；　and　imagining　that　it　came　from　his　Luscinda　burst　forth
in　terror　from　the　room；　and　the　first　thing　he　saw　was　Don　Fernando
with　Luscinda　in　his　arms。　Don　Fernando；　too；　knew　Cardenio　at　once；
and　all　three；　Luscinda；　Cardenio；　and　Dorothea；　stood　in　silent
amazement　scarcely　knowing　what　had　happened　to　them。
　　They　gazed　at　one　another　without　speaking；　Dorothea　at　Don
Fernando；　Don　Fernando　at　Cardenio；　Cardenio　at　Luscinda；　and　Luscinda
at　Cardenio。　The　first　to　break　silence　was　Luscinda；　who　thus
addressed　Don　Fernando：　〃Leave　me；　Senor　Don　Fernando；　for　the　sake　of
what　you　owe　to　yourself；　if　no　other　reason　will　induce　you；　leave　me
to　cling　to　the　wall　of　which　I　am　the　ivy；　to　the　support　from
which　neither　your　importunities；　nor　your　threats；　nor　your　promises；
nor　your　gifts　have　been　able　to　detach　me。　See　how　Heaven；　by　ways
strange　and　hidden　from　our　sight；　has　brought　me　face　to　face　with　my
true　husband；　and　well　you　know　by　dear…bought　experience　that　death
alone　will　be　able　to　efface　him　from　my　memory。　May　this　plain
declaration；　then；　lead　you；　as　you　can　do　nothing　else；　to　turn
your　love　into　rage；　your　affection　into　resentment；　and　so　to　take　my
life；　for　if　I　yield　it　up　in　the　presence　of　my　beloved　husband　I
count　it　well　bestowed；　it　may　be　by　my　death　he　will　be　convinced
that　I　kept　my　faith　to　him　to　the　last　moment　of　life。〃
　　Meanwhile　Dorothea　had　come　to　herself；　and　had　heard　Luscinda's
words；　by　means　of　which　she　divined　who　she　was；　but　seeing　that
Don　Fernando　did　not　yet　release　her　or　reply　to　her；　summoning　up　her
resolution　as　well　as　she　could　she　rose　and　knelt　at　his　feet；　and
with　a　flood　of　bright　and　touching　tears　addressed　him　thus：
　　〃If；　my　lord；　the　beams　of　that　sun　that　thou　holdest　eclipsed　in
thine　arms　did　not　dazzle　and　rob　thine　eyes　of　sight　thou　wouldst
have　seen　by　this　time　that　she　who　kneels　at　thy　feet　is；　so　long
as　thou　wilt　have　it　so；　the　unhappy　and　unfortunate　Dorothea。　I　am

that　lowly　peasant　girl　whom　thou　in　thy　goodness　or　for　thy
pleasure　wouldst　raise　high　enough　to　call　herself　thine；　I　am　she　who
in　the　seclusion　of　innocence　led　a　contented　life　until　at　the
voice　of　thy　importunity；　and　thy　true　and　tender　passion；　as　it
seemed；　she　opened　the　gates　of　her　modesty　and　surrendered　to　thee
the　keys　of　her　liberty；　a　gift　received　by　thee　but　thanklessly；　as
is　clearly　shown　by　my　forced　retreat　to　the　place　where　thou　dost
find　me；　and　by　thy　appearance　under　the　circumstances　in　which　I
see　thee。　Nevertheless；　I　would　not　have　thee　suppose　that　I　have　come
here　driven　by　my　shame；　it　is　only　grief　and　sorrow　at　seeing
myself　forgotten　by　thee　that　have　led　me。　It　was　thy　will　to　make
me　thine；　and　thou　didst　so　follow　thy　will；　that　now；　even　though
thou　repentest；　thou　canst　not　help　being　mine。　Bethink　thee；　my　lord；
the　unsurpassable　affection　I　bear　thee　may　compensate　for　the
beauty　and　noble　birth　for　which　thou　wouldst　desert　me。　Thou　canst
not　be　the　fair　Luscinda's　because　thou　art　mine；　nor　can　she　be　thine
because　she　is　Cardenio's；　and　it　will　be　easier；　remember；　to　bend
thy　will　to　love　one　who　adores　thee；　than　to　lead　one　to　love　thee
who　abhors　thee　now。　Thou　didst　address　thyself　to　my　simplicity；　thou
didst　lay　siege　to　my　virtue；　thou　wert　not　ignorant　of　my　station；
well　dost　thou　know　how　I　yielded　wholly　to　thy　will；　there　is　no
ground　or　reason　for　thee　to　plead　deception；　and　if　it　be　so；　as　it
is；　and　if　thou　art　a　Christian