don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第103章

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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　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　fo