don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第107章

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　　By　this　time　supper　was　ready；　and　they　all　took　their　seats　at
the　table；　except　the　captive；　and　the　ladies；　who　supped　by
themselves　in　their　own　room。　In　the　middle　of　supper　the　curate　said：
　　〃I　had　a　comrade　of　your　worship's　name；　Senor　Judge；　in
Constantinople；　where　I　was　a　captive　for　several　years；　and　that　same
comrade　was　one　of　the　stoutest　soldiers　and　captains　in　the　whole
Spanish　infantry；　but　he　had　as　large　a　share　of　misfortune　as　he
had　of　gallantry　and　courage。〃
　　〃And　how　was　the　captain　called；　senor？〃　asked　the　Judge。
　　〃He　was　called　Ruy　Perez　de　Viedma；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃and　he　was
born　in　a　village　in　the　mountains　of　Leon；　and　he　mentioned　a
circumstance　connected　with　his　father　and　his　brothers　which；　had
it　not　been　told　me　by　so　truthful　a　man　as　he　was；　I　should　have
set　down　as　one　of　those　fables　the　old　women　tell　over　the　fire　in
winter；　for　he　said　his　father　had　divided　his　property　among　his
three　sons　and　had　addressed　words　of　advice　to　them　sounder　than
any　of　Cato's。　But　I　can　say　this　much；　that　the　choice　he　made　of
going　to　the　wars　was　attended　with　such　success；　that　by　his
gallant　conduct　and　courage；　and　without　any　help　save　his　own
merit；　he　rose　in　a　few　years　to　be　captain　of　infantry；　and　to　see
himself　on　the　high…road　and　in　position　to　be　given　the　command　of
a　corps　before　long；　but　Fortune　was　against　him；　for　where　he　might
have　expected　her　favour　he　lost　it；　and　with　it　his　liberty；　on
that　glorious　day　when　so　many　recovered　theirs；　at　the　battle　of
Lepanto。　I　lost　mine　at　the　Goletta；　and　after　a　variety　of　adventures
we　found　ourselves　comrades　at　Constantinople。　Thence　he　went　to
Algiers；　where　he　met　with　one　of　the　most　extraordinary　adventures
that　ever　befell　anyone　in　the　world。〃
　　Here　the　curate　went　on　to　relate　briefly　his　brother's　adventure
with　Zoraida；　to　all　which　the　Judge　gave　such　an　attentive　hearing
that　he　never　before　had　been　so　much　of　a　hearer。　The　curate；
however；　only　went　so　far　as　to　describe　how　the　Frenchmen　plundered
those　who　were　in　the　boat；　and　the　poverty　and　distress　in　which
his　comrade　and　the　fair　Moor　were　left；　of　whom　he　said　he　had　not
been　able　to　learn　what　became　of　them；　or　whether　they　had　reached
Spain；　or　been　carried　to　France　by　the　Frenchmen。
　　The　captain；　standing　a　little　to　one　side；　was　listening　to　all　the
curate　said；　and　watching　every　movement　of　his　brother；　who；　as
soon　as　he　perceived　the　curate　had　made　an　end　of　his　story；　gave　a
deep　sigh　and　said　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears；　〃Oh；　senor；　if　you
only　knew　what　news　you　have　given　me　and　how　it　comes　home　to　me；
making　me　show　how　I　feel　it　with　these　tears　that　spring　from　my　eyes
in　spite　of　all　my　worldly　wisdom　and　self…restraint！　That　brave
captain　that　you　speak　of　is　my　eldest　brother；　who；　being　of　a　bolder
and　loftier　mind　than　my　other　brother　or　myself；　chose　the　honourable
and　worthy　calling　of　arms；　which　was　one　of　the　three　careers　our
father　proposed　to　us；　as　your　comrade　mentioned　in　that　fable　you
thought　he　was　telling　you。　I　followed　that　of　letters；　in　which　God
and　my　own　exertions　have　raised　me　to　the　position　in　which　you　see
me。　My　second　brother　is　in　Peru；　so　wealthy　that　with　what　he　has
sent　to　my　father　and　to　me　he　has　fully　repaid　the　portion　he　took
with　him；　and　has　even　furnished　my　father's　hands　with　the　means　of
gratifying　his　natural　generosity；　while　I　too　have　been　enabled　to
pursue　my　studies　in　a　more　becoming　and　creditable　fashion；　and　so　to
attain　my　present　standing。　My　father　is　still　alive；　though　dying
with　anxiety　to　hear　of　his　eldest　son；　and　he　prays　God　unceasingly
that　death　may　not　close　his　eyes　until　he　has　looked　upon　those　of
his　son；　but　with　regard　to　him　what　surprises　me　is；　that　having　so
much　common　sense　as　he　had；　he　should　have　neglected　to　give　any
intelligence　about　himself；　either　in　his　troubles　and　sufferings；
or　in　his　prosperity；　for　if　his　father　or　any　of　us　had　known　of
his　condition　he　need　not　have　waited　for　that　miracle　of　the　reed
to　obtain　his　ransom；　but　what　now　disquiets　me　is　the　uncertainty
whether　those　Frenchmen　may　have　restored　him　to　liberty；　or
murdered　him　to　hide　the　robbery。　All　this　will　make　me　continue　my
journey；　not　with　the　satisfaction　in　which　I　began　it；　but　in　the
deepest　melancholy　and　sadness。　Oh　dear　brother！　that　I　only　knew
where　thou　art　now；　and　I　would　hasten　to　seek　thee　out　and　deliver
thee　from　thy　sufferings；　though　it　were　to　cost　me　suffering
myself！　Oh　that　I　could　bring　news　to　our　old　father　that　thou　art
alive；　even　wert　thou　the　deepest　dungeon　of　Barbary；　for　his　wealth
and　my　brother's　and　mine　would　rescue　thee　thence！　Oh　beautiful　and
generous　Zoraida；　that　I　could　repay　thy　good　goodness　to　a　brother！
That　I　could　be　present　at　the　new　birth　of　thy　soul；　and　at　thy
bridal　that　would　give　us　all　such　happiness！〃
　　All　this　and　more　the　Judge　uttered　with　such　deep　emotion　at　the
news　he　had　received　of　his　brother　that　all　who　heard　him　shared　in
it；　showing　their　sympathy　with　his　sorrow。　The　curate；　seeing；
then；　how　well　he　had　succeeded　in　carrying　out　his　purpose　and　the
captain's　wishes；　had　no　desire　to　keep　them　unhappy　any　longer；　so　he
rose　from　the　table　and　going　into　the　room　where　Zoraida　was　he
took　her　by　the　hand；　Luscinda；　Dorothea；　and　the　Judge's　daughter
following　her。　The　captain　was　waiting　to　see　what　the　curate　would
do；　when　the　latter；　taking　him　with　the　other　hand；　advanced　with
both　of　them　to　where　the　Judge　and　the　other　gentlemen　were　and　said；
〃Let　your　tears　cease　to　flow；　Senor　Judge；　and　the　wish　of　your　heart
be　gratified　as　fully　as　you　could　desire；　for　you　have　before　you
your　worthy　brother　and　your　good　sister…in…law。　He　whom　you　see　here
is　the　Captain　Viedma；　and　this　is　the　fair　Moor　who　has　been　so　good
to　him。　The　Frenchmen　I　told　you　of　have　reduced　them　to　the　state　of
poverty　you　see　that　you　may　show　the　generosity　of　your　kind　heart。〃
　　The　captain　ran　to　embrace　his　brother；　who　placed　both　hands　on　his
breast　so　as　to　have　a　good　look　at　him；　holding　him　a　little　way
off　but　as　soon　as　he　had　fully　recognised　him　he　clasped　him　in　his
arms　so　closely；　shedding　such　tears　of　heartfelt　joy；　that　most　of
those　present　could　not　but　join　in　them。　The　words　the　brothers
exchanged；　the　emotion　they　showed　can　scarcely　be　imagined；　I
fancy；　much　less　put　down　in　writing。　They　told　each　other　in　a　few
words　the　events　of　their　lives；　they　showed　the　true　affection　of
brothers　in　all　its　strength；　then　the　judge　embraced　Zoraida；　putting
all　he　possessed　at　her　disposal；　then　he　made　his　daughter　embrace
her；　and　the　fair　Christian　and　the　lovely　Moor　drew　fresh　tears
from　every　eye。　And　there　was　Don　Quixote　observing　all　these
strange　proceedings　attentively　without　uttering　a　word；　and
attributing　the　whole　to　chimeras　of　knight…errantry。　Then　they　agreed
that　the　captain　and　Zoraida　should　return　with　his　brother　to
Seville；　and　send　news　to　his　father　of　his　having　been　delivered
and　found；　so　as　to　enable　him　to　come　and　be　present　at　the
marriage　and　baptism　of　Zoraida；　for　it　was　impossible　for　the　Judge
to　put　off　his　journey；　as　he　was　informed　that　in　a　month　from　that
time　the　fleet　was　to　sail　from　Seville　for　New　Spain；　and　to　miss　the
passage　would　have　been　a　great　inconvenience　to　him。　In　short；
everybody　was　well　pleased　and　glad　at　the　captive's　good　fortune；　and
as　now　almost　two…thirds　of　the　night　were　past；　they　resolved　to
retire　to　rest　for　the　remainder　of　it。　Don　Quixote　offered　to　mount
guard　over　the　castle　lest　they　should　be　attacked　by　some　giant　or
other　malevolent　scoundrel；　covetous　of　the　great　treasure　of　beauty
the　castle　contained。　Those　who　understood　him　returned　him　thanks　for
this　service；　and　they　gave　the　Judge　an　account　of　his
extraordinary　humour；　with　which　he　was　not　a　little　amused。　Sancho
Panza　alone　was　fuming　at　the　lateness　of　the　hour　for　retiring　to
rest；　and　he　of　all　was　the　one　that　made　himself　most　comfortable；　as
he　stretched　himself　on　the　trappings　of　his　ass；　which；　as　will　be
told