don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第91节

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garden　for　herbs　if　need　be；　for　my　master　says　there　are　nowhere
better　herbs　for　salad　then　here。〃
　　〃Come　back　for　any　thou　hast　need　of；〃　replied　Hadji　Morato；　〃for　my
daughter　does　not　speak　thus　because　she　is　displeased　with　thee　or
any　Christian：　she　only　meant　that　the　Turks　should　go；　not　thou；　or
that　it　was　time　for　thee　to　look　for　thy　herbs。〃
　　With　this　I　at　once　took　my　leave　of　both；　and　she；　looking　as
though　her　heart　were　breaking；　retired　with　her　father。　While
pretending　to　look　for　herbs　I　made　the　round　of　the　garden　at　my
ease；　and　studied　carefully　all　the　approaches　and　outlets；　and　the
fastenings　of　the　house　and　everything　that　could　be　taken　advantage
of　to　make　our　task　easy。　Having　done　so　I　went　and　gave　an　account　of
all　that　had　taken　place　to　the　renegade　and　my　comrades；　and　looked
forward　with　impatience　to　the　hour　when；　all　fear　at　an　end；　I　should
find　myself　in　possession　of　the　prize　which　fortune　held　out　to　me　in
the　fair　and　lovely　Zoraida。　The　time　passed　at　length；　and　the
appointed　day　we　so　longed　for　arrived；　and；　all　following　out　the
arrangement　and　plan　which；　after　careful　consideration　and　many　a
long　discussion；　we　had　decided　upon；　we　succeeded　as　fully　as　we
could　have　wished；　for　on　the　Friday　following　the　day　upon　which　I
spoke　to　Zoraida　in　the　garden；　the　renegade　anchored　his　vessel　at
nightfall　almost　opposite　the　spot　where　she　was。　The　Christians　who
were　to　row　were　ready　and　in　hiding　in　different　places　round
about；　all　waiting　for　me；　anxious　and　elated；　and　eager　to　attack　the
vessel　they　had　before　their　eyes；　for　they　did　not　know　the
renegade's　plan；　but　expected　that　they　were　to　gain　their　liberty
by　force　of　arms　and　by　killing　the　Moors　who　were　on　board　the
vessel。　As　soon；　then；　as　I　and　my　comrades　made　our　appearance；　all
those　that　were　in　hiding　seeing　us　came　and　joined　us。　It　was　now　the
time　when　the　city　gates　are　shut；　and　there　was　no　one　to　be　seen
in　all　the　space　outside。　When　we　were　collected　together　we　debated
whether　it　would　be　better　first　to　go　for　Zoraida；　or　to　make
prisoners　of　the　Moorish　rowers　who　rowed　in　the　vessel；　but　while
we　were　still　uncertain　our　renegade　came　up　asking　us　what　kept　us；
as　it　was　now　the　time；　and　all　the　Moors　were　off　their　guard　and
most　of　them　asleep。　We　told　him　why　we　hesitated；　but　he　said　it
was　of　more　importance　first　to　secure　the　vessel；　which　could　be　done
with　the　greatest　ease　and　without　any　danger；　and　then　we　could　go
for　Zoraida。　We　all　approved　of　what　he　said；　and　so　without　further
delay；　guided　by　him　we　made　for　the　vessel；　and　he　leaping　on　board
first；　drew　his　cutlass　and　said　in　Morisco；　〃Let　no　one　stir　from
this　if　he　does　not　want　it　to　cost　him　his　life。〃　By　this　almost
all　the　Christians　were　on　board；　and　the　Moors；　who　were
fainthearted；　hearing　their　captain　speak　in　this　way；　were　cowed；　and
without　any　one　of　them　taking　to　his　arms　（and　indeed　they　had　few　or
hardly　any）　they　submitted　without　saying　a　word　to　be　bound　by　the
Christians；　who　quickly　secured　them；　threatening　them　that　if　they
raised　any　kind　of　outcry　they　would　be　all　put　to　the　sword。　This
having　been　accomplished；　and　half　of　our　party　being　left　to　keep
guard　over　them；　the　rest　of　us；　again　taking　the　renegade　as　our
guide；　hastened　towards　Hadji　Morato's　garden；　and　as　good　luck
would　have　it；　on　trying　the　gate　it　opened　as　easily　as　if　it　had　not
been　locked；　and　so；　quite　quietly　and　in　silence；　we　reached　the
house　without　being　perceived　by　anybody。　The　lovely　Zoraida　was
watching　for　us　at　a　window；　and　as　soon　as　she　perceived　that　there
were　people　there；　she　asked　in　a　low　voice　if　we　were　〃Nizarani；〃
as　much　as　to　say　or　ask　if　we　were　Christians。　I　answered　that　we
were；　and　begged　her　to　come　down。　As　soon　as　she　recognised　me　she
did　not　delay　an　instant；　but　without　answering　a　word　came　down
immediately；　opened　the　door　and　presented　herself　before　us　all；　so
beautiful　and　so　richly　attired　that　I　cannot　attempt　to　describe　her。
The　moment　I　saw　her　I　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　the　renegade
and　my　two　comrades　did　the　same；　and　the　rest；　who　knew　nothing　of
the　circumstances；　did　as　they　saw　us　do；　for　it　only　seemed　as　if
we　were　returning　thanks　to　her；　and　recognising　her　as　the　giver　of
our　liberty。　The　renegade　asked　her　in　the　Morisco　language　if　her
father　was　in　the　house。　She　replied　that　he　was　and　that　he　was
asleep。
　　〃Then　it　will　be　necessary　to　waken　him　and　take　him　with　us；〃
said　the　renegade；　〃and　everything　of　value　in　this　fair　mansion。〃
　　〃Nay；〃　said　she；　〃my　father　must　not　on　any　account　be　touched；
and　there　is　nothing　in　the　house　except　what　I　shall　take；　and　that
will　be　quite　enough　to　enrich　and　satisfy　all　of　you；　wait　a　little
and　you　shall　see；〃　and　so　saying　she　went　in；　telling　us　she　would
return　immediately　and　bidding　us　keep　quiet　making　any　noise。
　　I　asked　the　renegade　what　had　passed　between　them；　and　when　he
told　me；　I　declared　that　nothing　should　be　done　except　in　accordance
with　the　wishes　of　Zoraida；　who　now　came　back　with　a　little　trunk　so
full　of　gold　crowns　that　she　could　scarcely　carry　it。　Unfortunately
her　father　awoke　while　this　was　going　on；　and　hearing　a　noise　in　the
garden；　came　to　the　window；　and　at　once　perceiving　that　all　those
who　were　there　were　Christians；　raising　a　prodigiously　loud　outcry；　he
began　to　call　out　in　Arabic；　〃Christians；　Christians！　thieves；
thieves！〃　by　which　cries　we　were　all　thrown　into　the　greatest　fear　and
embarrassment；　but　the　renegade　seeing　the　danger　we　were　in　and　how
important　it　was　for　him　to　effect　his　purpose　before　we　were　heard；
mounted　with　the　utmost　quickness　to　where　Hadji　Morato　was；　and
with　him　went　some　of　our　party；　I；　however；　did　not　dare　to　leave
Zoraida；　who　had　fallen　almost　fainting　in　my　arms。　To　be　brief；　those
who　had　gone　upstairs　acted　so　promptly　that　in　an　instant　they　came
down；　carrying　Hadji　Morato　with　his　hands　bound　and　a　napkin　tied
over　his　mouth；　which　prevented　him　from　uttering　a　word；　warning
him　at　the　same　time　that　to　attempt　to　speak　would　cost　him　his　life。
When　his　daughter　caught　sight　of　him　she　covered　her　eyes　so　as　not
to　see　him；　and　her　father　was　horror…stricken；　not　knowing　how
willingly　she　had　placed　herself　in　our　hands。　But　it　was　now　most
essential　for　us　to　be　on　the　move；　and　carefully　and　quickly　we
regained　the　vessel；　where　those　who　had　remained　on　board　were
waiting　for　us　in　apprehension　of　some　mishap　having　befallen　us。　It
was　barely　two　hours　after　night　set　in　when　we　were　all　on　board
the　vessel；　where　the　cords　were　removed　from　the　hands　of　Zoraida's
father；　and　the　napkin　from　his　mouth；　but　the　renegade　once　more　told
him　not　to　utter　a　word；　or　they　would　take　his　life。　He；　when　he
saw　his　daughter　there；　began　to　sigh　piteously；　and　still　more　when
he　perceived　that　I　held　her　closely　embraced　and　that　she　lay　quiet
without　resisting　or　complaining；　or　showing　any　reluctance；
nevertheless　he　remained　silent　lest　they　should　carry　into　effect　the
repeated　threats　the　renegade　had　addressed　to　him。
　　Finding　herself　now　on　board；　and　that　we　were　about　to　give　way
with　the　oars；　Zoraida；　seeing　her　father　there；　and　the　other　Moors
bound；　bade　the　renegade　ask　me　to　do　her　the　favour　of　releasing
the　Moors　and　setting　her　father　at　liberty；　for　she　would　rather
drown　herself　in　the　sea　than　suffer　a　father　that　had　loved　her　so
dearly　to　be　carried　away　captive　before　her　eyes　and　on　her
account。　The　renegade　repeated　this　to　me；　and　I　replied　that　I　was
very　willing　to　do　so；　but　he　replied　that　it　was　not　advisable；
because　if　they　were　left　there　they　would　at　once　raise　the　country
and　stir　up　the　city；　and　lead　to　the　despatch　of　swift　cruisers　in
pursuit；　and　our　being　taken；　by　sea　or　land；　without　any
possibility　of　escape；　and　that　all　that　could　be　done　was　to　set　them
free　on　the　first　Christian　ground　we　reached。　On　this　point　we　all
agreed；　and　Zoraida；　to　whom　it　was　explained；　together　with　the
reasons　that　prevented　us　from　doing　at　once　what　she　desired；　was
satisfied　likewise；　and　then　in　glad　silence　and　with　cheerful
alacrity　each　of　our　stout　rowers　took　his　oar；　and　commending
ourselves　to　God　with　all　our　hearts；　we　began　to　shape　our　course　for
the　island　of　Majorca；　the　nearest　Christian　land。　Owing；　however；
to　the　Tramontana　rising　a　little；　and　the　sea　growing　somewhat　rough；
it　was　impossible　for　us　to　keep　a　straight　course　for　Majorca；　and　we
were　compelled　to　coast　in　the　direction　of　Oran；　not　without　great
uneasiness　on　our　part　lest　we　should　be　observed　from　the　town　of
Shershel；　which　lies　on　that　coast；　not　more　than　sixty　miles　from
Algiers。　Moreover　we　were　afraid　of　meeting　on　that　course　one　of
the　galliots　that　usually　come　with　goods　from　Tetuan；　although　each
of　us　for　himself　and　all　of　us　together　felt　confident　that；　if　we
were　to　meet　a　merchant　galliot；　so　that　it　were　not　a　cruiser；　not
only　should　we　not　be　lost；　but　that　we　should　take　a　vessel　in
which　we　could　more　safely　accomplish　our　voyage。　As　we　pursued　our
course　Zora