don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第104章

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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
we　made　sure　of　finding　ourselves　off　the　coast　of　Spain　on　the　morrow
by　daybreak。　But；　as　good　seldom　or　never　comes　pure　and　unmixed；
without　being　attended　or　followed　by　some　disturbing　evil　that
gives　a　shock　to　it；　our　fortune；　or　perhaps　the　curses　which　the　Moor
had　hurled　at　his　daughter　（for　whatever　kind　of　father　they　may
come　from　these　are　always　to　be　dreaded）；　brought　it　about　that
when　we　were　now　in　mid…sea；　and　the　night　about　three　hours　spent；　as
we　were　running　with　all　sail　set　and　oars　lashed；　for　the　favouring
breeze　saved　us　the　trouble　of　using　them；　we　saw　by　the　light　of
the　moon；　which　shone　brilliantly；　a　square…rigged　vessel　in　full　sail
close　to　us；　luffing　up　and　standing　across　our　course；　and　so　close
that　we　had　to　strike　sail　to　avoid　running　foul　of　her；　while　they
too　put　the　helm　hard　up　to　let　us　pass。　They　came　to　the　side　of
the　ship　to　ask　who　we　were；　whither　we　were　bound；　and　whence　we
came；　but　as　they　asked　this　in　French　our　renegade　said；　〃Let　no
one　answer；　for　no　doubt　these　are　French　corsairs　who　plunder　all
comers。〃　Acting　on　this　warning　no　one　answered　a　word；　but　after　we
had　gone　a　little　ahead；　and　the　vessel　was　now　lying　to　leeward；
suddenly　they　fired　two　guns；　and　apparently　both　loaded　with
chain…shot；　for　with　one　they　cut　our　mast　in　half　and　brought　down
both　it　and　the　sail　into　the　sea；　and　the　other；　discharged　at　the
same　moment；　sent　a　ball　into　our　vessel　amidships；　staving　her　in
completely；　but　without　doing　any　further　damage。　We；　however；　finding
ourselves　sinking　began　to　shout　for　help　and　call　upon　those　in　the
ship　to　pick　us　up　as　we　were　beginning　to　fill。　They　then　lay　to；　and
lowering　a　skiff　or　boat；　as　many　as　a　dozen　Frenchmen；　well　armed
with　match…locks；　and　their　matches　burning；　got　into　it　and　came
alongside；　and　seeing　how　few　we　were；　and　that　our　vessel　was　going
down；　they　took　us　in；　telling　us　that　this　had　come　to　us　through　our
incivility　in　not　giving　them　an　answer。　Our　renegade　took　the　trunk
containing　Zoraida's　wealth　and　dropped　it　into　the　sea　without　anyone
perceiving　what　he　did。　In　short　we　went　on　board　with　the
Frenchmen；　who；　after　having　ascertained　all　they　wanted　to　know　about
us；　rifled　us　of　everything　we　had；　as　if　they　had　been　our
bitterest　enemies；　and　from　Zoraida　they　took　even　the　anklets　she
wore　on　her　feet；　but　the　distress　they　caused　her　did　not　distress　me
so　much　as　the　fear　I　was　in　that　from　robbing　her　of　her　rich　and
precious　jewels　they　would　proceed　to　rob　her　of　the　most　precious
jewel　that　she　valued　more　than　all。　The　desires；　however；　of　those
people　do　not　go　beyond　money；　but　of　that　their　covetousness　is
insatiable；　and　on　this　occasion　it　was　carried　to　such　a　pitch　that
they　would　have　taken　even　the　clothes　we　wore　as　captives　if　they　had
been　worth　anything　to　them。　It　was　the　advice　of　some　of　them　to
throw　us　all　into　the　sea　wrapped　up　in　a　sail；　for　their　purpose
was　to　trade　at　some　of　the　ports　of　Spain；　giving　themselves　out　as
Bretons；　and　if　they　brought　us　alive　they　would　be　punished　as　soon
as　the　robbery　was　discovered；　but　the　captain　（who　was　the　one　who
had　plundered　my　beloved　Zoraida）　said　he　was　satisfied　with　the　prize
he　had　got；　and　that　he　would　not　touch　at　any　Spanish　port；　but
pass　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar　by　night；　or　as　best　he　could；　and
make　for　La　Rochelle；　from　which　he　had　sailed。　So　they　agreed　by
common　consent　to　give　us　the　skiff　belonging　to　their　ship　and　all　we
required　for　the　short　voyage　that　remained　to　us；　and　this　they　did
the　next　day　on　coming　in　sight　of　the　Spanish　coast；　with　which；
and　the　joy　we　felt；　all　our　sufferings　and　miseries　were　as
completely　forgotten　as　if　they　had　never　been　endured　by　us；　such
is　the　delight　of　recovering　lost　liberty。
　　It　may　have　been　about　mid…day　when　they　placed　us　in　the　boat；
giving　us　two　kegs　of　water　and　some　biscuit；　and　the　captain；　moved
by　I　know　not　what　compassion；　as　the　lovely　Zoraida　was　about　to
embark；　gave　her　some　forty　gold