don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第85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！


whatever　remainder　of　life　Heaven　may　be　pleased　to　grant　me。　But　I
wish　each　of　you　on　taking　possession　of　the　share　that　falls　to　him
to　follow　one　of　the　paths　I　shall　indicate。　In　this　Spain　of　ours
there　is　a　proverb；　to　my　mind　very　true…　as　they　all　are；　being　short
aphorisms　drawn　from　long　practical　experience…　and　the　one　I　refer　to
says；　'The　church；　or　the　sea；　or　the　king's　house；'　as　much　as　to
say；　in　plainer　language；　whoever　wants　to　flourish　and　become　rich；
let　him　follow　the　church；　or　go　to　sea；　adopting　commerce　as　his
calling；　or　go　into　the　king's　service　in　his　household；　for　they　say；
'Better　a　king's　crumb　than　a　lord's　favour。'　I　say　so　because　it　is
my　will　and　pleasure　that　one　of　you　should　follow　letters；　another
trade；　and　the　third　serve　the　king　in　the　wars；　for　it　is　a　difficult
matter　to　gain　admission　to　his　service　in　his　household；　and　if　war
does　not　bring　much　wealth　it　confers　great　distinction　and　fame。
Eight　days　hence　I　will　give　you　your　full　shares　in　money；　without
defrauding　you　of　a　farthing；　as　you　will　see　in　the　end。　Now　tell
me　if　you　are　willing　to　follow　out　my　idea　and　advice　as　I　have
laid　it　before　you。〃
　　Having　called　upon　me　as　the　eldest　to　answer；　I；　after　urging　him
not　to　strip　himself　of　his　property　but　to　spend　it　all　as　he
pleased；　for　we　were　young　men　able　to　gain　our　living；　consented　to
comply　with　his　wishes；　and　said　that　mine　were　to　follow　the
profession　of　arms　and　thereby　serve　God　and　my　king。　My　second
brother　having　made　the　same　proposal；　decided　upon　going　to　the
Indies；　embarking　the　portion　that　fell　to　him　in　trade。　The　youngest；
and　in　my　opinion　the　wisest；　said　he　would　rather　follow　the
church；　or　go　to　complete　his　studies　at　Salamanca。　As　soon　as　we
had　come　to　an　understanding；　and　made　choice　of　our　professions；　my
father　embraced　us　all；　and　in　the　short　time　he　mentioned　carried
into　effect　all　he　had　promised；　and　when　he　had　given　to　each　his
share；　which　as　well　as　I　remember　was　three　thousand　ducats　apiece　in
cash　（for　an　uncle　of　ours　bought　the　estate　and　paid　for　it　down；　not
to　let　it　go　out　of　the　family）；　we　all　three　on　the　same　day　took
leave　of　our　good　father；　and　at　the　same　time；　as　it　seemed　to　me
inhuman　to　leave　my　father　with　such　scanty　means　in　his　old　age；　I
induced　him　to　take　two　of　my　three　thousand　ducats；　as　the
remainder　would　be　enough　to　provide　me　with　all　a　soldier　needed。
My　two　brothers；　moved　by　my　example；　gave　him　each　a　thousand　ducats；
so　that　there　was　left　for　my　father　four　thousand　ducats　in　money；
besides　three　thousand；　the　value　of　the　portion　that　fell　to　him
which　he　preferred　to　retain　in　land　instead　of　selling　it。　Finally；
as　I　said；　we　took　leave　of　him；　and　of　our　uncle　whom　I　have
mentioned；　not　without　sorrow　and　tears　on　both　sides；　they　charging
us　to　let　them　know　whenever　an　opportunity　offered　how　we　fared；
whether　well　or　ill。　We　promised　to　do　so；　and　when　he　had　embraced　us
and　given　us　his　blessing；　one　set　out　for　Salamanca；　the　other　for
Seville；　and　I　for　Alicante；　where　I　had　heard　there　was　a　Genoese
vessel　taking　in　a　cargo　of　wool　for　Genoa。
　　It　is　now　some　twenty…two　years　since　I　left　my　father's　house；
and　all　that　time；　though　I　have　written　several　letters；　I　have　had
no　news　whatever　of　him　or　of　my　brothers；　my　own　adventures　during
that　period　I　will　now　relate　briefly。　I　embarked　at　Alicante；　reached
Genoa　after　a　prosperous　voyage；　and　proceeded　thence　to　Milan；
where　I　provided　myself　with　arms　and　a　few　soldier's　accoutrements；
thence　it　was　my　intention　to　go　and　take　service　in　Piedmont；　but
as　I　was　already　on　the　road　to　Alessandria　della　Paglia；　I　learned
that　the　great　Duke　of　Alva　was　on　his　way　to　Flanders。　I　changed　my
plans；　joined　him；　served　under　him　in　the　campaigns　he　made；　was
present　at　the　deaths　of　the　Counts　Egmont　and　Horn；　and　was
promoted　to　be　ensign　under　a　famous　captain　of　Guadalajara；　Diego
de　Urbina　by　name。　Some　time　after　my　arrival　in　Flanders　news　came　of
the　league　that　his　Holiness　Pope　Pius　V　of　happy　memory；　had　made
with　Venice　and　Spain　against　the　common　enemy；　the　Turk；　who　had　just
then　with　his　fleet　taken　the　famous　island　of　Cyprus；　which
belonged　to　the　Venetians；　a　loss　deplorable　and　disastrous。　It　was
known　as　a　fact　that　the　Most　Serene　Don　John　of　Austria；　natural
brother　of　our　good　king　Don　Philip；　was　coming　as
commander…in…chief　of　the　allied　forces；　and　rumours　were　abroad　of
the　vast　warlike　preparations　which　were　being　made；　all　which　stirred
my　heart　and　filled　me　with　a　longing　to　take　part　in　the　campaign
which　was　expected；　and　though　I　had　reason　to　believe；　and　almost
certain　promises；　that　on　the　first　opportunity　that　presented
itself　I　should　be　promoted　to　be　captain；　I　preferred　to　leave　all
and　betake　myself；　as　I　did；　to　Italy；　and　it　was　my　good　fortune　that
Don　John　had　just　arrived　at　Genoa；　and　was　going　on　to　Naples　to　join
the　Venetian　fleet；　as　he　afterwards　did　at　Messina。　I　may　say；　in
short；　that　I　took　part　in　that　glorious　expedition；　promoted　by
this　time　to　be　a　captain　of　infantry；　to　which　honourable　charge　my
good　luck　rather　than　my　merits　raised　me；　and　that　day…　so
fortunate　for　Christendom；　because　then　all　the　nations　of　the　earth
were　disabused　of　the　error　under　which　they　lay　in　imagining　the
Turks　to　be　invincible　on　sea…on　that　day；　I　say；　on　which　the　Ottoman
pride　and　arrogance　were　broken；　among　all　that　were　there　made
happy　（for　the　Christians　who　died　that　day　were　happier　than　those
who　remained　alive　and　victorious）　I　alone　was　miserable；　for；　instead
of　some　naval　crown　that　I　might　have　expected　had　it　been　in　Roman
times；　on　the　night　that　followed　that　famous　day　I　found　myself
with　fetters　on　my　feet　and　manacles　on　my　hands。
　　It　happened　in　this　way：　El　Uchali；　the　king　of　Algiers；　a　daring
and　successful　corsair；　having　attacked　and　taken　the　leading
Maltese　galley　（only　three　knights　being　left　alive　in　it；　and　they
badly　wounded）；　the　chief　galley　of　John　Andrea；　on　board　of　which　I
and　my　company　were　placed；　came　to　its　relief；　and　doing　as　was　bound
to　do　in　such　a　case；　I　leaped　on　board　the　enemy's　galley；　which；
sheering　off　from　that　which　had　attacked　it；　prevented　my　men　from
following　me；　and　so　I　found　myself　alone　in　the　midst　of　my
enemies；　who　were　in　such　numbers　that　I　was　unable　to　resist；　in
short　I　was　taken；　covered　with　wounds；　El　Uchali；　as　you　know；
sirs；　made　his　escape　with　his　entire　squadron；　and　I　was　left　a
prisoner　in　his　power；　the　only　sad　being　among　so　many　filled　with
joy；　and　the　only　captive　among　so　many　free；　for　there　were　fifteen
thousand　Christians；　all　at　the　oar　in　the　Turkish　fleet；　that
regained　their　longed…for　liberty　that　day。
　　They　carried　me　to　Constantinople；　where　the　Grand　Turk；　Selim；　made
my　master　general　at　sea　for　having　done　his　duty　in　the　battle　and
carried　off　as　evidence　of　his　bravery　the　standard　of　the　Order　of
Malta。　The　following　year；　which　was　the　year　seventy…two；　I　found
myself　at　Navarino　rowing　in　the　leading　galley　with　the　three
lanterns。　There　I　saw　and　observed　how　the　opportunity　of　capturing
the　whole　Turkish　fleet　in　harbour　was　lost；　for　all　the　marines　and
janizzaries　that　belonged　to　it　made　sure　that　they　were　about　to　be
attacked　inside　the　very　harbour；　and　had　their　kits　and　pasamaques；
or　shoes；　ready　to　flee　at　once　on　shore　without　waiting　to　be
assailed；　in　so　great　fear　did　they　stand　of　our　fleet。　But　Heaven
ordered　it　otherwise；　not　for　any　fault　or　neglect　of　the　general
who　commanded　on　our　side；　but　for　the　sins　of　Christendom；　and
because　it　was　God's　will　and　pleasure　that　we　should　always　have
instruments　of　punishment　to　chastise　us。　As　it　was；　El　Uchali　took
refuge　at　Modon；　which　is　an　island　near　Navarino；　and　landing
forces　fortified　the　mouth　of　the　harbour　and　waited　quietly　until　Don
John　retired。　On　this　expedition　was　taken　the　galley　called　the
Prize；　whose　captain　was　a　son　of　the　famous　corsair　Barbarossa。　It
was　taken　by　the　chief　Neapolitan　galley　called　the　She…wolf；
commanded　by　that　thunderbolt　of　war；　that　father　of　his　men；　that
successful　and　unconquered　captain　Don　Alvaro　de　Bazan；　Marquis　of
Santa　Cruz；　and　I　cannot　help　telling　you　what　took　place　at　the
capture　of　the　Prize。
　　The　son　of　Barbarossa　was　so　cruel；　and　treated　his　slaves　so　badly；
that；　when　those　who　were　at　the　oars　saw　that　the　She…wolf　galley　was
bearing　down　upon　them　and　gaining　upon　them；　they　all　at　once　dropped
their　oars　and　seized　their　captain　who　stood　on　the　stage　at　the
end　of　the　gangway　shouting　to　them　to　row　lustily；　and　passing　him　on
from　bench　to　bench；　from　the　poop　to　the　prow；　they　so　bit　him　that
before　he　had　got　much　past　the　mast　his　soul　had　already　got　to　hell；
so　great；　as　I　said；　was　the　cruelty　with　which　he　treated　them；　and
the　hatred　with　which　they　hated　him。
　　We　returned　to　Constantinople；　and　the　following　year；
seventy…three；　it　became　known　that　Don　John　had　seized　Tunis　and
taken　the　kingdom　from　the　Turks；　and　placed　Muley　Hamet　in
possession；　putting　an　end　to　the　hopes