don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第80节

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ground　or　reason　for　thee　to　plead　deception；　and　if　it　be　so；　as　it
is；　and　if　thou　art　a　Christian　as　thou　art　a　gentleman；　why　dost　thou
by　such　subterfuges　put　off　making　me　as　happy　at　last　as　thou　didst
at　first？　And　if　thou　wilt　not　have　me　for　what　I　am；　thy　true　and
lawful　wife；　at　least　take　and　accept　me　as　thy　slave；　for　so　long
as　I　am　thine　I　will　count　myself　happy　and　fortunate。　Do　not　by
deserting　me　let　my　shame　become　the　talk　of　the　gossips　in　the
streets；　make　not　the　old　age　of　my　parents　miserable；　for　the　loyal
services　they　as　faithful　vassals　have　ever　rendered　thine　are　not
deserving　of　such　a　return；　and　if　thou　thinkest　it　will　debase　thy
blood　to　mingle　it　with　mine；　reflect　that　there　is　little　or　no
nobility　in　the　world　that　has　not　travelled　the　same　road；　and　that
in　illustrious　lineages　it　is　not　the　woman's　blood　that　is　of
account；　and；　moreover；　that　true　nobility　consists　in　virtue；　and
if　thou　art　wanting　in　that；　refusing　me　what　in　justice　thou　owest
me；　then　even　I　have　higher　claims　to　nobility　than　thine。　To　make
an　end；　senor；　these　are　my　last　words　to　thee：　whether　thou　wilt；
or　wilt　not；　I　am　thy　wife；　witness　thy　words；　which　must　not　and
ought　not　to　be　false；　if　thou　dost　pride　thyself　on　that　for　want
of　which　thou　scornest　me；　witness　the　pledge　which　thou　didst　give
me；　and　witness　Heaven；　which　thou　thyself　didst　call　to　witness　the
promise　thou　hadst　made　me；　and　if　all　this　fail；　thy　own　conscience
will　not　fail　to　lift　up　its　silent　voice　in　the　midst　of　all　thy
gaiety；　and　vindicate　the　truth　of　what　I　say　and　mar　thy　highest
pleasure　and　enjoyment。〃
　　All　this　and　more　the　injured　Dorothea　delivered　with　such　earnest
feeling　and　such　tears　that　all　present；　even　those　who　came　with
Don　Fernando；　were　constrained　to　join　her　in　them。　Don　Fernando
listened　to　her　without　replying；　until；　ceasing　to　speak；　she　gave
way　to　such　sobs　and　sighs　that　it　must　have　been　a　heart　of　brass
that　was　not　softened　by　the　sight　of　so　great　sorrow。　Luscinda
stood　regarding　her　with　no　less　compassion　for　her　sufferings　than
admiration　for　her　intelligence　and　beauty；　and　would　have　gone　to　her
to　say　some　words　of　comfort　to　her；　but　was　prevented　by　Don
Fernando's　grasp　which　held　her　fast。　He；　overwhelmed　with　confusion
and　astonishment；　after　regarding　Dorothea　for　some　moments　with　a
fixed　gaze；　opened　his　arms；　and；　releasing　Luscinda；　exclaimed：
　　〃Thou　hast　conquered；　fair　Dorothea；　thou　hast　conquered；　for　it
is　impossible　to　have　the　heart　to　deny　the　united　force　of　so　many
truths。〃
　　Luscinda　in　her　feebleness　was　on　the　point　of　falling　to　the　ground
when　Don　Fernando　released　her；　but　Cardenio；　who　stood　near；　having
retreated　behind　Don　Fernando　to　escape　recognition；　casting　fear
aside　and　regardless　of　what　might　happen；　ran　forward　to　support　her；
and　said　as　he　clasped　her　in　his　arms；　〃If　Heaven　in　its　compassion
is　willing　to　let　thee　rest　at　last；　mistress　of　my　heart；　true；
constant；　and　fair；　nowhere　canst　thou　rest　more　safely　than　in
these　arms　that　now　receive　thee；　and　received　thee　before　when
fortune　permitted　me　to　call　thee　mine。〃
　　At　these　words　Luscinda　looked　up　at　Cardenio；　at　first　beginning　to
recognise　him　by　his　voice　and　then　satisfying　herself　by　her　eyes
that　it　was　he；　and　hardly　knowing　what　she　did；　and　heedless　of　all
considerations　of　decorum；　she　flung　her　arms　around　his　neck　and
pressing　her　face　close　to　his；　said；　〃Yes；　my　dear　lord；　you　are
the　true　master　of　this　your　slave；　even　though　adverse　fate　interpose
again；　and　fresh　dangers　threaten　this　life　that　hangs　on　yours。〃
　　A　strange　sight　was　this　for　Don　Fernando　and　those　that　stood
around；　filled　with　surprise　at　an　incident　so　unlooked　for。
Dorothea　fancied　that　Don　Fernando　changed　colour　and　looked　as　though
he　meant　to　take　vengeance　on　Cardenio；　for　she　observed　him　put　his
hand　to　his　sword；　and　the　instant　the　idea　struck　her；　with　wonderful
quickness　she　clasped　him　round　the　knees；　and　kissing　them　and
holding　him　so　as　to　prevent　his　moving；　she　said；　while　her　tears
continued　to　flow；　〃What　is　it　thou　wouldst　do；　my　only　refuge；　in
this　unforeseen　event？　Thou　hast　thy　wife　at　thy　feet；　and　she　whom
thou　wouldst　have　for　thy　wife　is　in　the　arms　of　her　husband：
reflect　whether　it　will　be　right　for　thee；　whether　it　will　be　possible
for　thee　to　undo　what　Heaven　has　done；　or　whether　it　will　be
becoming　in　thee　to　seek　to　raise　her　to　be　thy　mate　who　in　spite　of
every　obstacle；　and　strong　in　her　truth　and　constancy；　is　before　thine
eyes；　bathing　with　the　tears　of　love　the　face　and　bosom　of　her
lawful　husband。　For　God's　sake　I　entreat　of　thee；　for　thine　own　I
implore　thee；　let　not　this　open　manifestation　rouse　thy　anger；　but
rather　so　calm　it　as　to　allow　these　two　lovers　to　live　in　peace　and
quiet　without　any　interference　from　thee　so　long　as　Heaven　permits
them；　and　in　so　doing　thou　wilt　prove　the　generosity　of　thy　lofty
noble　spirit；　and　the　world　shall　see　that　with　thee　reason　has　more
influence　than　passion。〃
　　All　the　time　Dorothea　was　speaking；　Cardenio；　though　he　held
Luscinda　in　his　arms；　never　took　his　eyes　off　Don　Fernando；
determined；　if　he　saw　him　make　any　hostile　movement；　to　try　and　defend
himself　and　resist　as　best　he　could　all　who　might　assail　him；　though
it　should　cost　him　his　life。　But　now　Don　Fernando's　friends；　as　well
as　the　curate　and　the　barber；　who　had　been　present　all　the　while；
not　forgetting　the　worthy　Sancho　Panza；　ran　forward　and　gathered　round
Don　Fernando；　entreating　him　to　have　regard　for　the　tears　of　Dorothea；
and　not　suffer　her　reasonable　hopes　to　be　disappointed；　since；　as　they
firmly　believed；　what　she　said　was　but　the　truth；　and　bidding　him
observe　that　it　was　not；　as　it　might　seem；　by　accident；　but　by　a
special　disposition　of　Providence　that　they　had　all　met　in　a　place
where　no　one　could　have　expected　a　meeting。　And　the　curate　bade　him
remember　that　only　death　could　part　Luscinda　from　Cardenio；　that
even　if　some　sword　were　to　separate　them　they　would　think　their
death　most　happy；　and　that　in　a　case　that　admitted　of　no　remedy　his
wisest　course　was；　by　conquering　and　putting　a　constraint　upon
himself；　to　show　a　generous　mind；　and　of　his　own　accord　suffer　these
two　to　enjoy　the　happiness　Heaven　had　granted　them。　He　bade　him；
too；　turn　his　eyes　upon　the　beauty　of　Dorothea　and　he　would　see　that
few　if　any　could　equal　much　less　excel　her；　while　to　that　beauty
should　be　added　her　modesty　and　the　surpassing　love　she　bore　him。
But　besides　all　this；　he　reminded　him　that　if　he　prided　himself　on
being　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　he　could　not　do　otherwise　than　keep
his　plighted　word；　and　that　in　doing　so　he　would　obey　God　and　meet　the
approval　of　all　sensible　people；　who　know　and　recognised　it　to　be
the　privilege　of　beauty；　even　in　one　of　humble　birth；　provided
virtue　accompany　it；　to　be　able　to　raise　itself　to　the　level　of　any
rank；　without　any　slur　upon　him　who　places　it　upon　an　equality　with
himself；　and　furthermore　that　when　the　potent　sway　of　passion
asserts　itself；　so　long　as　there　be　no　mixture　of　sin　in　it；　he　is　not
to　be　blamed　who　gives　way　to　it。
　　To　be　brief；　they　added　to　these　such　other　forcible　arguments
that　Don　Fernando's　manly　heart；　being　after　all　nourished　by　noble
blood；　was　touched；　and　yielded　to　the　truth　which；　even　had　he　wished
it；　he　could　not　gainsay；　and　he　showed　his　submission；　and　acceptance
of　the　good　advice　that　had　been　offered　to　him；　by　stooping　down
and　embracing　Dorothea；　saying　to　her；　〃Rise；　dear　lady；　it　is　not
right　that　what　I　hold　in　my　heart　should　be　kneeling　at　my　feet；
and　if　until　now　I　have　shown　no　sign　of　what　I　own；　it　may　have
been　by　Heaven's　decree　in　order　that；　seeing　the　constancy　with　which
you　love　me；　I　may　learn　to　value　you　as　you　deserve。　What　I　entreat
of　you　is　that　you　reproach　me　not　with　my　transgression　and
grievous　wrong…doing；　for　the　same　cause　and　force　that　drove　me　to
make　you　mine　impelled　me　to　struggle　against　being　yours；　and　to
prove　this；　turn　and　look　at　the　eyes　of　the　now　happy　Luscinda；　and
you　will　see　in　them　an　excuse　for　all　my　errors：　and　as　she　has　found
and　gained　the　object　of　her　desires；　and　I　have　found　in　you　what
satisfies　all　my　wishes；　may　she　live　in　peace　and　contentment　as　many
happy　years　with　her　Cardenio；　as　on　my　knees　I　pray　Heaven　to　allow
me　to　live　with　my　Dorothea；〃　and　with　these　words　he　once　more
embraced　her　and　pressed　his　face　to　hers　with　so　much　tenderness　that
he　had　to　take　great　heed　to　keep　his　tears　from　completing　the
proof　of　his　love　and　repentance　in　the　sight　of　all。　Not　so　Luscinda；
and　Cardenio；　and　almost　all　the　others；　for　they　shed　so　many
tears；　some　in　their　own　happiness；　some　at　that　of　the　others；　that
one　would　have　supposed　a　heavy　calamity　had　fallen　upon　them　all。
Even　Sancho　Panza　was　weeping；　though　afterwards　he　said　he　only
wept　because　he　saw　that　Dorothea　was　not　as　he　fancied　the　queen
Micomicona；　of　whom　he　expected　such　great　favours。　Their　wonder　as
well　as　their　weeping　lasted　some　time；　and　then　Cardenio　and　Luscinda
went　and　fell　on　their　knees　before　Do