don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第90节

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one　by　one　and　hang　about　Hadji　Morato's　garden；　waiting　for　me
there　until　I　came。　These　directions　I　gave　each　one　separately；
with　orders　that　if　they　saw　any　other　Christians　there　they　were
not　to　say　anything　to　them　except　that　I　had　directed　them　to　wait　at
that　spot。
　　This　preliminary　having　been　settled；　another　still　more　necessary
step　had　to　be　taken；　which　was　to　let　Zoraida　know　how　matters
stood　that　she　might　be　prepared　and　forewarned；　so　as　not　to　be　taken
by　surprise　if　we　were　suddenly　to　seize　upon　her　before　she　thought
the　Christians'　vessel　could　have　returned。　I　determined；　therefore；
to　go　to　the　garden　and　try　if　I　could　speak　to　her；　and　the　day
before　my　departure　I　went　there　under　the　pretence　of　gathering
herbs。　The　first　person　I　met　was　her　father；　who　addressed　me　in
the　language　that　all　over　Barbary　and　even　in　Constantinople　is　the
medium　between　captives　and　Moors；　and　is　neither　Morisco　nor
Castilian；　nor　of　any　other　nation；　but　a　mixture　of　all　languages；　by
means　of　which　we　can　all　understand　one　another。　In　this　sort　of
language；　I　say；　he　asked　me　what　I　wanted　in　his　garden；　and　to
whom　I　belonged。　I　replied　that　I　was　a　slave　of　the　Arnaut　Mami
（for　I　knew　as　a　certainty　that　he　was　a　very　great　friend　of　his）；
and　that　I　wanted　some　herbs　to　make　a　salad。　He　asked　me　then　whether
I　were　on　ransom　or　not；　and　what　my　master　demanded　for　me。　While
these　questions　and　answers　were　proceeding；　the　fair　Zoraida；　who　had
already　perceived　me　some　time　before；　came　out　of　the　house　in　the
garden；　and　as　Moorish　women　are　by　no　means　particular　about
letting　themselves　be　seen　by　Christians；　or；　as　I　have　said　before；
at　all　coy；　she　had　no　hesitation　in　coming　to　where　her　father
stood　with　me；　moreover　her　father；　seeing　her　approaching　slowly；
called　to　her　to　come。　It　would　be　beyond　my　power　now　to　describe
to　you　the　great　beauty；　the　high…bred　air；　the　brilliant　attire　of　my
beloved　Zoraida　as　she　presented　herself　before　my　eyes。　I　will
content　myself　with　saying　that　more　pearls　hung　from　her　fair　neck；
her　ears；　and　her　hair　than　she　had　hairs　on　her　head。　On　her
ankles；　which　as　is　customary　were　bare；　she　had　carcajes　（for　so
bracelets　or　anklets　are　called　in　Morisco）　of　the　purest　gold；　set
with　so　many　diamonds　that　she　told　me　afterwards　her　father　valued
them　at　ten　thousand　doubloons；　and　those　she　had　on　her　wrists　were
worth　as　much　more。　The　pearls　were　in　profusion　and　very　fine；　for
the　highest　display　and　adornment　of　the　Moorish　women　is　decking
themselves　with　rich　pearls　and　seed…pearls；　and　of　these　there　are
therefore　more　among　the　Moors　than　among　any　other　people。
Zoraida's　father　had　to　the　reputation　of　possessing　a　great　number；
and　the　purest　in　all　Algiers；　and　of　possessing　also　more　than　two
hundred　thousand　Spanish　crowns；　and　she；　who　is　now　mistress　of　me
only；　was　mistress　of　all　this。　Whether　thus　adorned　she　would　have
been　beautiful　or　not；　and　what　she　must　have　been　in　her
prosperity；　may　be　imagined　from　the　beauty　remaining　to　her　after
so　many　hardships；　for；　as　everyone　knows；　the　beauty　of　some　women
has　its　times　and　its　seasons；　and　is　increased　or　diminished　by
chance　causes；　and　naturally　the　emotions　of　the　mind　will　heighten　or
impair　it；　though　indeed　more　frequently　they　totally　destroy　it。　In　a
word　she　presented　herself　before　me　that　day　attired　with　the
utmost　splendour；　and　supremely　beautiful；　at　any　rate；　she　seemed
to　me　the　most　beautiful　object　I　had　ever　seen；　and　when；　besides；
I　thought　of　all　I　owed　to　her　I　felt　as　though　I　had　before　me　some
heavenly　being　come　to　earth　to　bring　me　relief　and　happiness。
　　As　she　approached　her　father　told　her　in　his　own　language　that　I　was
a　captive　belonging　to　his　friend　the　Arnaut　Mami；　and　that　I　had　come
for　salad。
　　She　took　up　the　conversation；　and　in　that　mixture　of　tongues　I
have　spoken　of　she　asked　me　if　I　was　a　gentleman；　and　why　I　was　not
ransomed。
　　I　answered　that　I　was　already　ransomed；　and　that　by　the　price　it
might　be　seen　what　value　my　master　set　on　me；　as　I　had　given　one
thousand　five　hundred　zoltanis　for　me；　to　which　she　replied；　〃Hadst
thou　been　my　father's；　I　can　tell　thee；　I　would　not　have　let　him
part　with　thee　for　twice　as　much；　for　you　Christians　always　tell
lies　about　yourselves　and　make　yourselves　out　poor　to　cheat　the
Moors。〃
　　〃That　may　be；　lady；〃　said　I；　〃but　indeed　I　dealt　truthfully　with
my　master；　as　I　do　and　mean　to　do　with　everybody　in　the　world。〃
　　〃And　when　dost　thou　go？〃　said　Zoraida。
　　〃To…morrow；　I　think；〃　said　I；　〃for　there　is　a　vessel　here　from
France　which　sails　to…morrow；　and　I　think　I　shall　go　in　her。〃
　　〃Would　it　not　be　better；〃　said　Zoraida；　〃to　wait　for　the　arrival
of　ships　from　Spain　and　go　with　them　and　not　with　the　French　who　are
not　your　friends？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　I；　〃though　if　there　were　intelligence　that　a　vessel
were　now　coming　from　Spain　it　is　true　I　might；　perhaps；　wait　for　it；
however；　it　is　more　likely　I　shall　depart　to…morrow；　for　the　longing　I
feel　to　return　to　my　country　and　to　those　I　love　is　so　great　that　it
will　not　allow　me　to　wait　for　another　opportunity；　however　more
convenient；　if　it　be　delayed。〃
　　〃No　doubt　thou　art　married　in　thine　own　country；〃　said　Zoraida；　〃and
for　that　reason　thou　art　anxious　to　go　and　see　thy　wife。〃
　　〃I　am　not　married；〃　I　replied；　〃but　I　have　given　my　promise　to　marry
on　my　arrival　there。〃
　　〃And　is　the　lady　beautiful　to　whom　thou　hast　given　it？〃　said
Zoraida。
　　〃So　beautiful；〃　said　I；　〃that；　to　describe　her　worthily　and　tell
thee　the　truth；　she　is　very　like　thee。〃
　　At　this　her　father　laughed　very　heartily　and　said；　〃By　Allah；
Christian；　she　must　be　very　beautiful　if　she　is　like　my　daughter；
who　is　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　all　this　kingdom：　only　look　at
her　well　and　thou　wilt　see　I　am　telling　the　truth。〃
　　Zoraida's　father　as　the　better　linguist　helped　to　interpret　most
of　these　words　and　phrases；　for　though　she　spoke　the　bastard　language；
that；　as　I　have　said；　is　employed　there；　she　expressed　her　meaning
more　by　signs　than　by　words。
　　While　we　were　still　engaged　in　this　conversation；　a　Moor　came
running　up；　exclaiming　that　four　Turks　had　leaped　over　the　fence　or
wall　of　the　garden；　and　were　gathering　the　fruit　though　it　was　not　yet
ripe。　The　old　man　was　alarmed　and　Zoraida　too；　for　the　Moors　commonly；
and；　so　to　speak；　instinctively　have　a　dread　of　the　Turks；　but
particularly　of　the　soldiers；　who　are　so　insolent　and　domineering　to
the　Moors　who　are　under　their　power　that　they　treat　them　worse　than　if
they　were　their　slaves。　Her　father　said　to　Zoraida；　〃Daughter；
retire　into　the　house　and　shut　thyself　in　while　I　go　and　speak　to
these　dogs；　and　thou；　Christian；　pick　thy　herbs；　and　go　in　peace；
and　Allah　bring　thee　safe　to　thy　own　country。〃
　　I　bowed；　and　he　went　away　to　look　for　the　Turks；　leaving　me　alone
with　Zoraida；　who　made　as　if　she　were　about　to　retire　as　her　father
bade　her；　but　the　moment　he　was　concealed　by　the　trees　of　the
garden；　turning　to　me　with　her　eyes　full　of　tears　she　said；　Tameji；
cristiano；　tameji？〃　that　is　to　say；　〃Art　thou　going；　Christian；　art
thou　going？〃
　　I　made　answer；　〃Yes；　lady；　but　not　without　thee；　come　what　may：　be
on　the　watch　for　me　on　the　next　Juma；　and　be　not　alarmed　when　thou
seest　us；　for　most　surely　we　shall　go　to　the　land　of　the　Christians。〃
　　This　I　said　in　such　a　way　that　she　understood　perfectly　all　that
passed　between　us；　and　throwing　her　arm　round　my　neck　she　began　with
feeble　steps　to　move　towards　the　house；　but　as　fate　would　have　it　（and
it　might　have　been　very　unfortunate　if　Heaven　had　not　otherwise
ordered　it）；　just　as　we　were　moving　on　in　the　manner　and　position　I
have　described；　with　her　arm　round　my　neck；　her　father；　as　he　returned
after　having　sent　away　the　Turks；　saw　how　we　were　walking　and　we
perceived　that　he　saw　us；　but　Zoraida；　ready　and　quickwitted；　took
care　not　to　remove　her　arm　from　my　neck；　but　on　the　contrary　drew
closer　to　me　and　laid　her　head　on　my　breast；　bending　her　knees　a
little　and　showing　all　the　signs　and　tokens　of　ainting；　while　I　at　the
same　time　made　it　seem　as　though　I　were　supporting　her　against　my
will。　Her　father　came　running　up　to　where　we　were；　and　seeing　his
daughter　in　this　state　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　her；　she；
however；　giving　no　answer；　he　said；　〃No　doubt　she　has　fainted　in　alarm
at　the　entrance　of　those　dogs；〃　and　taking　her　from　mine　he　drew　her
to　his　own　breast；　while　she　sighing；　her　eyes　still　wet　with　tears；
said　again；　〃Ameji；　cristiano；　ameji〃…　〃Go；　Christian；　go。〃　To　this
her　father　replied；　〃There　is　no　need；　daughter；　for　the　Christian
to　go；　for　he　has　done　thee　no　harm；　and　the　Turks　have　now　gone；　feel
no　alarm；　there　is　nothing　to　hurt　thee；　for　as　I　say；　the　Turks　at　my
request　have　gone　back　the　way　they　came。〃
　　〃It　was　they　who　terrified　her；　as　thou　hast　said；　senor；〃　said　I　to
her　father；　〃but　since　she　tells　me　to　go；　I　have　no　wish　to　displease
her：　peace　be　with　thee；　and　with　thy　leave　I　will　come　back　to　this
garden　for　herbs　if　need　be；　for　my　master　says　there　are　nowhere
better　herbs　for　salad　then　here。〃
　　〃Come　back　for　any　tho