don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第81节

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went　and　fell　on　their　knees　before　Don　Fernando；　returning　him　thanks
for　the　favour　he　had　rendered　them　in　language　so　grateful　that　he
knew　not　how　to　answer　them；　and　raising　them　up　embraced　them　with
every　mark　of　affection　and　courtesy。
　　He　then　asked　Dorothea　how　she　had　managed　to　reach　a　place　so　far
removed　from　her　own　home；　and　she　in　a　few　fitting　words　told　all
that　she　had　previously　related　to　Cardenio；　with　which　Don　Fernando
and　his　companions　were　so　delighted　that　they　wished　the　story　had
been　longer；　so　charmingly　did　Dorothea　describe　her　misadventures。
When　she　had　finished　Don　Fernando　recounted　what　had　befallen　him
in　the　city　after　he　had　found　in　Luscinda's　bosom　the　paper　in
which　she　declared　that　she　was　Cardenio's　wife；　and　never　could　be
his。　He　said　he　meant　to　kill　her；　and　would　have　done　so　had　he　not
been　prevented　by　her　parents；　and　that　he　quitted　the　house　full　of
rage　and　shame；　and　resolved　to　avenge　himself　when　a　more
convenient　opportunity　should　offer。　The　next　day　he　learned　that
Luscinda　had　disappeared　from　her　father's　house；　and　that　no　one
could　tell　whither　she　had　gone。　Finally；　at　the　end　of　some　months　he
ascertained　that　she　was　in　a　convent　and　meant　to　remain　there　all
the　rest　of　her　life；　if　she　were　not　to　share　it　with　Cardenio；　and
as　soon　as　he　had　learned　this；　taking　these　three　gentlemen　as　his
companions；　he　arrived　at　the　place　where　she　was；　but　avoided
speaking　to　her；　fearing　that　if　it　were　known　he　was　there　stricter
precautions　would　be　taken　in　the　convent；　and　watching　a　time　when
the　porter's　lodge　was　open　he　left　two　to　guard　the　gate；　and　he
and　the　other　entered　the　convent　in　quest　of　Luscinda；　whom　they
found　in　the　cloisters　in　conversation　with　one　of　the　nuns；　and
carrying　her　off　without　giving　her　time　to　resist；　they　reached　a
place　with　her　where　they　provided　themselves　with　what　they
required　for　taking　her　away；　all　which　they　were　able　to　do　in
complete　safety；　as　the　convent　was　in　the　country　at　a　considerable
distance　from　the　city。　He　added　that　when　Luscinda　found　herself　in
his　power　she　lost　all　consciousness；　and　after　returning　to　herself
did　nothing　but　weep　and　sigh　without　speaking　a　word；　and　thus　in
silence　and　tears　they　reached　that　inn；　which　for　him　was　reaching
heaven　where　all　the　mischances　of　earth　are　over　and　at　an　end。

　　CHAPTER　XXXVII
　　IN　WHICH　IS　CONTINUED　THE　STORY　OF　THE　FAMOUS　PRINCESS　MICOMICONA；
WITH　OTHER　DROLL　ADVENTURES

　　TO　ALL　this　Sancho　listened　with　no　little　sorrow　at　heart　to　see
how　his　hopes　of　dignity　were　fading　away　and　vanishing　in　smoke；
and　how　the　fair　Princess　Micomicona　had　turned　into　Dorothea；　and　the
giant　into　Don　Fernando；　while　his　master　was　sleeping　tranquilly；
totally　unconscious　of　all　that　had　come　to　pass。　Dorothea　was
unable　to　persuade　herself　that　her　present　happiness　was　not　all　a
dream；　Cardenio　was　in　a　similar　state　of　mind；　and　Luscinda's
thoughts　ran　in　the　same　direction。　Don　Fernando　gave　thanks　to　Heaven
for　the　favour　shown　to　him　and　for　having　been　rescued　from　the
intricate　labyrinth　in　which　he　had　been　brought　so　near　the
destruction　of　his　good　name　and　of　his　soul；　and　in　short　everybody
in　the　inn　was　full　of　contentment　and　satisfaction　at　the　happy　issue
of　such　a　complicated　and　hopeless　business。　The　curate　as　a
sensible　man　made　sound　reflections　upon　the　whole　affair；　and
congratulated　each　upon　his　good　fortune；　but　the　one　that　was　in
the　highest　spirits　and　good　humour　was　the　landlady；　because　of　the
promise　Cardenio　and　the　curate　had　given　her　to　pay　for　all　the
losses　and　damage　she　had　sustained　through　Don　Quixote's　means。
Sancho；　as　has　been　already　said；　was　the　only　one　who　was　distressed；
unhappy；　and　dejected；　and　so　with　a　long　face　he　went　in　to　his
master；　who　had　just　awoke；　and　said　to　him：
　　〃Sir　Rueful　Countenance；　your　worship　may　as　well　sleep　on　as　much
as　you　like；　without　troubling　yourself　about　killing　any　giant　or
restoring　her　kingdom　to　the　princess；　for　that　is　all　over　and
settled　now。〃
　　〃I　should　think　it　was；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　have　had　the
most　prodigious　and　stupendous　battle　with　the　giant　that　I　ever
remember　having　had　all　the　days　of　my　life；　and　with　one　back…stroke…
swish！…　I　brought　his　head　tumbling　to　the　ground；　and　so　much　blood
gushed　forth　from　him　that　it　ran　in　rivulets　over　the　earth　like
water。〃
　　　〃Like　red　wine；　your　worship　had　better　say；〃　replied　Sancho；
〃for　I　would　have　you　know；　if　you　don't　know　it；　that　the　dead
giant　is　a　hacked　wine…skin；　and　the　blood　four…and…twenty　gallons
of　red　wine　that　it　had　in　its　belly；　and　the　cut…off　head　is　the
bitch　that　bore　me；　and　the　devil　take　it　all。〃
　　〃What　art　thou　talking　about；　fool？〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃art　thou
in　thy　senses？〃
　　〃Let　your　worship　get　up；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　you　will　see　the　nice
business　you　have　made　of　it；　and　what　we　have　to　pay；　and　you　will
see　the　queen　turned　into　a　private　lady　called　Dorothea；　and　other
things　that　will　astonish　you；　if　you　understand　them。〃
　　〃I　shall　not　be　surprised　at　anything　of　the　kind；〃　returned　Don
Quixote；　〃for　if　thou　dost　remember　the　last　time　we　were　here　I
told　thee　that　everything　that　happened　here　was　a　matter　of
enchantment；　and　it　would　be　no　wonder　if　it　were　the　same　now。〃
　　〃I　could　believe　all　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃if　my　blanketing　was
the　same　sort　of　thing　also；　only　it　wasn't；　but　real　and　genuine；　for
I　saw　the　landlord；　Who　is　here　to…day；　holding　one　end　of　the　blanket
and　jerking　me　up　to　the　skies　very　neatly　and　smartly；　and　with　as
much　laughter　as　strength；　and　when　it　comes　to　be　a　case　of　knowing
people；　I　hold　for　my　part；　simple　and　sinner　as　I　am；　that　there　is
no　enchantment　about　it　at　all；　but　a　great　deal　of　bruising　and　bad
luck。〃
　　〃Well；　well；　God　will　give　a　remedy；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃hand　me
my　clothes　and　let　me　go　out；　for　I　want　to　see　these
transformations　and　things　thou　speakest　of。〃
　　Sancho　fetched　him　his　clothes；　and　while　he　was　dressing；　the
curate　gave　Don　Fernando　and　the　others　present　an　account　of　Don
Quixote's　madness　and　of　the　stratagem　they　had　made　use　of　to
withdraw　him　from　that　Pena　Pobre　where　he　fancied　himself　stationed
because　of　his　lady's　scorn。　He　described　to　them　also　nearly　all
the　adventures　that　Sancho　had　mentioned；　at　which　they　marvelled
and　laughed　not　a　little；　thinking　it；　as　all　did；　the　strangest
form　of　madness　a　crazy　intellect　could　be　capable　of。　But　now；　the
curate　said；　that　the　lady　Dorothea's　good　fortune　prevented　her
from　proceeding　with　their　purpose；　it　would　be　necessary　to　devise　or
discover　some　other　way　of　getting　him　home。
　　Cardenio　proposed　to　carry　out　the　scheme　they　had　begun；　and
suggested　that　Luscinda　would　act　and　support　Dorothea's　part
sufficiently　well。
　　〃No；〃　said　Don　Fernando；　〃that　must　not　be；　for　I　want　Dorothea　to
follow　out　this　idea　of　hers；　and　if　the　worthy　gentleman's　village　is
not　very　far　off；　I　shall　be　happy　if　I　can　do　anything　for　his
relief。〃
　　〃It　is　not　more　than　two　days'　journey　from　this；〃　said　the　curate。
　　〃Even　if　it　were　more；〃　said　Don　Fernando；　〃I　would　gladly　travel　so
far　for　the　sake　of　doing　so　good　a　work。
　　〃At　this　moment　Don　Quixote　came　out　in　full　panoply；　with
Mambrino's　helmet；　all　dinted　as　it　was；　on　his　head；　his　buckler　on
his　arm；　and　leaning　on　his　staff　or　pike。　The　strange　figure　he
presented　filled　Don　Fernando　and　the　rest　with　amazement　as　they
contemplated　his　lean　yellow　face　half　a　league　long；　his　armour　of
all　sorts；　and　the　solemnity　of　his　deportment。　They　stood　silent
waiting　to　see　what　he　would　say；　and　he；　fixing　his　eyes　on　the　air
Dorothea；　addressed　her　with　great　gravity　and　composure：
　　〃I　am　informed；　fair　lady；　by　my　squire　here　that　your　greatness　has
been　annihilated　and　your　being　abolished；　since；　from　a　queen　and
lady　of　high　degree　as　you　used　to　be；　you　have　been　turned　into　a
private　maiden。　If　this　has　been　done　by　the　command　of　the　magician
king　your　father；　through　fear　that　I　should　not　afford　you　the　aid
you　need　and　are　entitled　to；　I　may　tell　you　he　did　not　know　and
does　not　know　half　the　mass；　and　was　little　versed　in　the　annals　of
chivalry；　for；　if　he　had　read　and　gone　through　them　as　attentively　and
deliberately　as　I　have；　he　would　have　found　at　every　turn　that　knights
of　less　renown　than　mine　have　accomplished　things　more　difficult：　it
is　no　great　matter　to　kill　a　whelp　of　a　giant；　however　arrogant　he　may
be；　for　it　is　not　many　hours　since　I　myself　was　engaged　with　one；　and…
I　will　not　speak　of　it；　that　they　may　not　say　I　am　lying；　time；
however；　that　reveals　all；　will　tell　the　tale　when　we　least　expect
it。〃
　　〃You　were　engaged　with　a　couple　of　wine…skins；　and　not　a　giant；〃
said　the　landlord　at　this；　but　Don　Fernando　told　him　to　hold　his
tongue　and　on　no　account　interrupt　Don　Quixote；　who　continued；　〃I
say　in　conclusion；　high　and　disinherited　lady；　that　if　your　father　has
brought　about　this　metamorphosis　in　your　person　for　the　reason　I
have　mentioned；　you　ought　not　to　attach　any　importance　to　it；　for
there　is　no　peril　on　eart