don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第92节

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which　we　could　more　safely　accomplish　our　voyage。　As　we　pursued　our
course　Zoraida　kept　her　head　between　my　hands　so　as　not　to　see　her
father；　and　I　felt　that　she　was　praying　to　Lela　Marien　to　help　us。
　　We　might　have　made　about　thirty　miles　when　daybreak　found　us　some
three　musket…shots　off　the　land；　which　seemed　to　us　deserted；　and
without　anyone　to　see　us。　For　all　that；　however；　by　hard　rowing　we　put
out　a　little　to　sea；　for　it　was　now　somewhat　calmer；　and　having　gained
about　two　leagues　the　word　was　given　to　row　by　batches；　while　we　ate
something；　for　the　vessel　was　well　provided；　but　the　rowers　said　it
was　not　a　time　to　take　any　rest；　let　food　be　served　out　to　those　who
were　not　rowing；　but　they　would　not　leave　their　oars　on　any　account。
This　was　done；　but　now　a　stiff　breeze　began　to　blow；　which　obliged
us　to　leave　off　rowing　and　make　sail　at　once　and　steer　for　Oran；　as　it
was　impossible　to　make　any　other　course。　All　this　was　done　very
promptly；　and　under　sail　we　ran　more　than　eight　miles　an　hour
without　any　fear；　except　that　of　coming　across　some　vessel　out　on　a
roving　expedition。　We　gave　the　Moorish　rowers　some　food；　and　the
renegade　comforted　them　by　telling　them　that　they　were　not　held　as
captives；　as　we　should　set　them　free　on　the　first　opportunity。
　　The　same　was　said　to　Zoraida's　father；　who　replied；　〃Anything
else；　Christian；　I　might　hope　for　or　think　likely　from　your　generosity
and　good　behaviour；　but　do　not　think　me　so　simple　as　to　imagine　you
will　give　me　my　liberty；　for　you　would　have　never　exposed　yourselves
to　the　danger　of　depriving　me　of　it　only　to　restore　it　to　me　so
generously；　especially　as　you　know　who　I　am　and　the　sum　you　may　expect
to　receive　on　restoring　it；　and　if　you　will　only　name　that；　I　here
offer　you　all　you　require　for　myself　and　for　my　unhappy　daughter
there；　or　else　for　her　alone；　for　she　is　the　greatest　and　most
precious　part　of　my　soul。〃
　　As　he　said　this　he　began　to　weep　so　bitterly　that　he　filled　us　all
with　compassion　and　forced　Zoraida　to　look　at　him；　and　when　she　saw
him　weeping　she　was　so　moved　that　she　rose　from　my　feet　and　ran　to
throw　her　arms　round　him；　and　pressing　her　face　to　his；　they　both　gave
way　to　such　an　outburst　of　tears　that　several　of　us　were　constrained
to　keep　them　company。
　　But　when　her　father　saw　her　in　full　dress　and　with　all　her　jewels
about　her；　he　said　to　her　in　his　own　language；　〃What　means　this；　my
daughter？　Last　night；　before　this　terrible　misfortune　in　which　we
are　plunged　befell　us；　I　saw　thee　in　thy　everyday　and　indoor　garments；
and　now；　without　having　had　time　to　attire　thyself；　and　without　my
bringing　thee　any　joyful　tidings　to　furnish　an　occasion　for　adorning
and　bedecking　thyself；　I　see　thee　arrayed　in　the　finest　attire　it
would　be　in　my　power　to　give　thee　when　fortune　was　most　kind　to　us。
Answer　me　this；　for　it　causes　me　greater　anxiety　and　surprise　than
even　this　misfortune　itself。〃
　　The　renegade　interpreted　to　us　what　the　Moor　said　to　his　daughter；
she；　however；　returned　him　no　answer。　But　when　he　observed　in　one
corner　of　the　vessel　the　little　trunk　in　which　she　used　to　keep　her
jewels；　which　he　well　knew　he　had　left　in　Algiers　and　had　not
brought　to　the　garden；　he　was　still　more　amazed；　and　asked　her　how
that　trunk　had　come　into　our　hands；　and　what　there　was　in　it。　To　which
the　renegade；　without　waiting　for　Zoraida　to　reply；　made　answer；　〃Do
not　trouble　thyself　by　asking　thy　daughter　Zoraida　so　many
questions；　senor；　for　the　one　answer　I　will　give　thee　will　serve　for
all；　I　would　have　thee　know　that　she　is　a　Christian；　and　that　it　is
she　who　has　been　the　file　for　our　chains　and　our　deliverer　from
captivity。　She　is　here　of　her　own　free　will；　as　glad；　I　imagine；　to
find　herself　in　this　position　as　he　who　escapes　from　darkness　into　the
light；　from　death　to　life；　and　from　suffering　to　glory。〃
　　〃Daughter；　is　this　true；　what　he　says？〃　cried　the　Moor。
　　〃It　is；〃　replied　Zoraida。
　　〃That　thou　art　in　truth　a　Christian；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃and　that
thou　hast　given　thy　father　into　the　power　of　his　enemies？〃
　　To　which　Zoraida　made　answer；　〃A　Christian　I　am；　but　it　is　not　I　who
have　placed　thee　in　this　position；　for　it　never　was　my　wish　to　leave
thee　or　do　thee　harm；　but　only　to　do　good　to　myself。〃
　　〃And　what　good　hast　thou　done　thyself；　daughter？〃　said　he。
　　〃Ask　thou　that；〃　said　she；　〃of　Lela　Marien；　for　she　can　tell　thee
better　than　I。〃
　　The　Moor　had　hardly　heard　these　words　when　with　marvellous　quickness
he　flung　himself　headforemost　into　the　sea；　where　no　doubt　he　would
have　been　drowned　had　not　the　long　and　full　dress　he　wore　held　him
up　for　a　little　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　Zoraida　cried　aloud　to　us
to　save　him；　and　we　all　hastened　to　help；　and　seizing　him　by　his
robe　we　drew　him　in　half　drowned　and　insensible；　at　which　Zoraida
was　in　such　distress　that　she　wept　over　him　as　piteously　and
bitterly　as　though　he　were　already　dead。　We　turned　him　upon　his　face
and　he　voided　a　great　quantity　of　water；　and　at　the　end　of　two　hours
came　to　himself。　Meanwhile；　the　wind　having　changed　we　were
compelled　to　head　for　the　land；　and　ply　our　oars　to　avoid　being　driven
on　shore；　but　it　was　our　good　fortune　to　reach　a　creek　that　lies　on
one　side　of　a　small　promontory　or　cape；　called　by　the　Moors　that　of
the　〃Cava　rumia；〃　which　in　our　language　means　〃the　wicked　Christian
woman；〃　for　it　is　a　tradition　among　them　that　La　Cava；　through　whom
Spain　was　lost；　lies　buried　at　that　spot；　〃cava〃　in　their　language
meaning　〃wicked　woman；〃　and　〃rumia〃　〃Christian；〃　moreover；　they
count　it　unlucky　to　anchor　there　when　necessity　compels　them；　and　they
never　do　so　otherwise。　For　us；　however；　it　was　not　the　resting…place
of　the　wicked　woman　but　a　haven　of　safety　for　our　relief；　so　much
had　the　sea　now　got　up。　We　posted　a　look…out　on　shore；　and　never　let
the　oars　out　of　our　hands；　and　ate　of　the　stores　the　renegade　had　laid
in；　imploring　God　and　Our　Lady　with　all　our　hearts　to　help　and　protect
us；　that　we　might　give　a　happy　ending　to　a　beginning　so　prosperous。　At
the　entreaty　of　Zoraida　orders　were　given　to　set　on　shore　her　father
and　the　other　Moors　who　were　still　bound；　for　she　could　not　endure；
nor　could　her　tender　heart　bear　to　see　her　father　in　bonds　and　her
fellow…countrymen　prisoners　before　her　eyes。　We　promised　her　to　do
this　at　the　moment　of　departure；　for　as　it　was　uninhabited　we　ran　no
risk　in　releasing　them　at　that　place。
　　Our　prayers　were　not　so　far　in　vain　as　to　be　unheard　by　Heaven；
for　after　a　while　the　wind　changed　in　our　favour；　and　made　the　sea
calm；　inviting　us　once　more　to　resume　our　voyage　with　a　good　heart。
Seeing　this　we　unbound　the　Moors；　and　one　by　one　put　them　on　shore；　at
which　they　were　filled　with　amazement；　but　when　we　came　to　land
Zoraida's　father；　who　had　now　completely　recovered　his　senses；　he
said：
　　〃Why　is　it；　think　ye；　Christians；　that　this　wicked　woman　is　rejoiced
at　your　giving　me　my　liberty？　Think　ye　it　is　because　of　the
affection　she　bears　me？　Nay　verily；　it　is　only　because　of　the
hindrance　my　presence　offers　to　the　execution　of　her　base　designs。　And
think　not　that　it　is　her　belief　that　yours　is　better　than　ours　that
has　led　her　to　change　her　religion；　it　is　only　because　she　knows
that　immodesty　is　more　freely　practised　in　your　country　than　in　ours。〃
Then　turning　to　Zoraida；　while　I　and　another　of　the　Christians　held
him　fast　by　both　arms；　lest　he　should　do　some　mad　act；　he　said　to　her；
〃Infamous　girl；　misguided　maiden；　whither　in　thy　blindness　and　madness
art　thou　going　in　the　hands　of　these　dogs；　our　natural　enemies？　Cursed
be　the　hour　when　I　begot　thee！　Cursed　the　luxury　and　indulgence　in
which　I　reared　thee！〃
　　But　seeing　that　he　was　not　likely　soon　to　cease　I　made　haste　to
put　him　on　shore；　and　thence　he　continued　his　maledictions　and
lamentations　aloud；　calling　on　Mohammed　to　pray　to　Allah　to　destroy
us；　to　confound　us；　to　make　an　end　of　us；　and　when；　in　consequence
of　having　made　sail；　we　could　no　longer　hear　what　he　said　we　could　see
what　he　did；　how　he　plucked　out　his　beard　and　tore　his　hair　and　lay
writhing　on　the　ground。　But　once　he　raised　his　voice　to　such　a　pitch
that　we　were　able　to　hear　what　he　said。　〃Come　back；　dear　daughter；
come　back　to　shore；　I　forgive　thee　all；　let　those　men　have　the
money；　for　it　is　theirs　now；　and　come　back　to　comfort　thy　sorrowing
father；　who　will　yield　up　his　life　on　this　barren　strand　if　thou
dost　leave　him。〃
　　All　this　Zoraida　heard；　and　heard　with　sorrow　and　tears；　and　all　she
could　say　in　answer　was；　〃Allah　grant　that　Lela　Marien；　who　has　made
me　become　a　Christian；　give　thee　comfort　in　thy　sorrow；　my　father。
Allah　knows　that　I　could　not　do　otherwise　than　I　have　done；　and　that
these　Christians　owe　nothing　to　my　will；　for　even　had　I　wished　not
to　accompany　them；　but　remain　at　home；　it　would　have　been　impossible
for　me；　so　eagerly　did　my　soul　urge　me　on　to　the　accomplishment　of
this　purpose；　which　I　feel　to　be　as　righteous　as　to　thee；　dear　father；
it　seems　wicked。〃
　　But　neither　could　her　father　hear　her　nor　we　see　him　when　she　said
this；　and　so；　while　I　consoled　Zoraida；　we　turned　our　attention　to　our
voyage；　in　which　a　breeze　from　the　right　point　so　favoured　us　that