don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第112章

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your　father　to　stand　his　ground　as　well　as　he　can　in　this　battle；
and　on　no　account　to　allow　himself　to　be　vanquished；　while　I　go　and
request　permission　of　the　Princess　Micomicona　to　enable　me　to
succour　him　in　his　distress；　and　if　she　grants　it；　rest　assured　I　will
relieve　him　from　it。〃
　　〃Sinner　that　I　am；〃　exclaimed　Maritornes；　who　stood　by；　〃before
you　have　got　your　permission　my　master　will　be　in　the　other　world。〃
　　〃Give　me　leave；　senora；　to　obtain　the　permission　I　speak　of；〃
returned　Don　Quixote；　〃and　if　I　get　it；　it　will　matter　very　little
if　he　is　in　the　other　world；　for　I　will　rescue　him　thence　in　spite
of　all　the　same　world　can　do；　or　at　any　rate　I　will　give　you　such　a
revenge　over　those　who　shall　have　sent　him　there　that　you　will　be　more
than　moderately　satisfied；〃　and　without　saying　anything　more　he　went
and　knelt　before　Dorothea；　requesting　her　Highness　in　knightly　and
errant　phrase　to　be　pleased　to　grant　him　permission　to　aid　and　succour
the　castellan　of　that　castle；　who　now　stood　in　grievous　jeopardy。
The　princess　granted　it　graciously；　and　he　at　once；　bracing　his
buckler　on　his　arm　and　drawing　his　sword；　hastened　to　the　inn…gate；
where　the　two　guests　were　still　handling　the　landlord　roughly；　but
as　soon　as　he　reached　the　spot　he　stopped　short　and　stood　still；
though　Maritornes　and　the　landlady　asked　him　why　he　hesitated　to
help　their　master　and　husband。
　　〃I　hesitate；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃because　it　is　not　lawful　for　me
to　draw　sword　against　persons　of　squirely　condition；　but　call　my
squire　Sancho　to　me；　for　this　defence　and　vengeance　are　his　affair　and
business。〃
　　Thus　matters　stood　at　the　inn…gate；　where　there　was　a　very　lively
exchange　of　fisticuffs　and　punches；　to　the　sore　damage　of　the　landlord
and　to　the　wrath　of　Maritornes；　the　landlady；　and　her　daughter；　who
were　furious　when　they　saw　the　pusillanimity　of　Don　Quixote；　and　the
hard　treatment　their　master；　husband　and　father　was　undergoing。　But
let　us　leave　him　there；　for　he　will　surely　find　some　one　to　help
him；　and　if　not；　let　him　suffer　and　hold　his　tongue　who　attempts
more　than　his　strength　allows　him　to　do；　and　let　us　go　back　fifty
paces　to　see　what　Don　Luis　said　in　reply　to　the　Judge　whom　we　left
questioning　him　privately　as　to　his　reasons　for　coming　on　foot　and
so　meanly　dressed。
　　To　which　the　youth；　pressing　his　hand　in　a　way　that　showed　his　heart
was　troubled　by　some　great　sorrow；　and　shedding　a　flood　of　tears；　made
answer：
　　〃Senor；　I　have　no　more　to　tell　you　than　that　from　the　moment　when；
through　heaven's　will　and　our　being　near　neighbours；　I　first　saw
Dona　Clara；　your　daughter　and　my　lady；　from　that　instant　I　made　her
the　mistress　of　my　will；　and　if　yours；　my　true　lord　and　father；　offers
no　impediment；　this　very　day　she　shall　become　my　wife。　For　her　I
left　my　father's　house；　and　for　her　I　assumed　this　disguise；　to　follow
her　whithersoever　she　may　go；　as　the　arrow　seeks　its　mark　or　the
sailor　the　pole…star。　She　knows　nothing　more　of　my　passion　than　what
she　may　have　learned　from　having　sometimes　seen　from　a　distance　that
my　eyes　were　filled　with　tears。　You　know　already；　senor；　the　wealth
and　noble　birth　of　my　parents；　and　that　I　am　their　sole　heir；　if
this　be　a　sufficient　inducement　for　you　to　venture　to　make　me
completely　happy；　accept　me　at　once　as　your　son；　for　if　my　father；
influenced　by　other　objects　of　his　own；　should　disapprove　of　this
happiness　I　have　sought　for　myself；　time　has　more　power　to　alter　and
change　things；　than　human　will。〃
　　With　this　the　love…smitten　youth　was　silent；　while　the　Judge；
after　hearing　him；　was　astonished；　perplexed；　and　surprised；　as　well
at　the　manner　and　intelligence　with　which　Don　Luis　had　confessed　the
secret　of　his　heart；　as　at　the　position　in　which　he　found　himself；　not
knowing　what　course　to　take　in　a　matter　so　sudden　and　unexpected。
All　the　answer；　therefore；　he　gave　him　was　to　bid　him　to　make　his　mind
easy　for　the　present；　and　arrange　with　his　servants　not　to　take　him
back　that　day；　so　that　there　might　be　time　to　consider　what　was　best
for　all　parties。　Don　Luis　kissed　his　hands　by　force；　nay；　bathed
them　with　his　tears；　in　a　way　that　would　have　touched　a　heart　of
marble；　not　to　say　that　of　the　Judge；　who；　as　a　shrewd　man；　had
already　perceived　how　advantageous　the　marriage　would　be　to　his
daughter；　though；　were　it　possible；　he　would　have　preferred　that　it
should　be　brought　about　with　the　consent　of　the　father　of　Don　Luis；
who　he　knew　looked　for　a　title　for　his　son。
　　The　guests　had　by　this　time　made　peace　with　the　landlord；　for；　by
persuasion　and　Don　Quixote's　fair　words　more　than　by　threats；　they　had
paid　him　what　he　demanded；　and　the　servants　of　Don　Luis　were　waiting
for　the　end　of　the　conversation　with　the　Judge　and　their　master's
decision；　when　the　devil；　who　never　sleeps；　contrived　that　the　barber；
from　whom　Don　Quixote　had　taken　Mambrino's　helmet；　and　Sancho　Panza
the　trappings　of　his　ass　in　exchange　for　those　of　his　own；　should　at
this　instant　enter　the　inn；　which　said　barber；　as　he　led　his　ass　to
the　stable；　observed　Sancho　Panza　engaged　in　repairing　something　or
other　belonging　to　the　pack…saddle；　and　the　moment　he　saw　it　he　knew
it；　and　made　bold　to　attack　Sancho；　exclaiming；　〃Ho；　sir　thief；　I　have
caught　you！　hand　over　my　basin　and　my　pack…saddle；　and　all　my
trappings　that　you　robbed　me　of。〃
　　Sancho；　finding　himself　so　unexpectedly　assailed；　and　hearing　the
abuse　poured　upon　him；　seized　the　pack…saddle　with　one　hand；　and
with　the　other　gave　the　barber　a　cuff　that　bathed　his　teeth　in
blood。　The　barber；　however；　was　not　so　ready　to　relinquish　the　prize
he　had　made　in　the　pack…saddle；　on　the　contrary；　he　raised　such　an
outcry　that　everyone　in　the　inn　came　running　to　know　what　the　noise
and　quarrel　meant。　〃Here；　in　the　name　of　the　king　and　justice！〃　he
cried；　〃this　thief　and　highwayman　wants　to　kill　me　for　trying　to
recover　my　property。〃
　　〃You　lie；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　am　no　highwayman；　it　was　in　fair　war　my
master　Don　Quixote　won　these　spoils。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　standing　by　at　the　time；　highly　pleased　to　see　his
squire's　stoutness；　both　offensive　and　defensive；　and　from　that　time
forth　he　reckoned　him　a　man　of　mettle；　and　in　his　heart　resolved　to
dub　him　a　knight　on　the　first　opportunity　that　presented　itself；
feeling　sure　that　the　order　of　chivalry　would　be　fittingly　bestowed
upon　him。
　　In　the　course　of　the　altercation；　among　other　things　the　barber
said；　〃Gentlemen；　this　pack…saddle　is　mine　as　surely　as　I　owe　God　a
death；　and　I　know　it　as　well　as　if　I　had　given　birth　to　it；　and　here
is　my　ass　in　the　stable　who　will　not　let　me　lie；　only　try　it；　and　if
it　does　not　fit　him　like　a　glove；　call　me　a　rascal；　and　what　is
more；　the　same　day　I　was　robbed　of　this；　they　robbed　me　likewise　of
a　new　brass　basin；　never　yet　handselled；　that　would　fetch　a　crown
any　day。〃
　　At　this　Don　Quixote　could　not　keep　himself　from　answering；　and
interposing　between　the　two；　and　separating　them；　he　placed　the
pack…saddle　on　the　ground；　to　lie　there　in　sight　until　the　truth　was
established；　and　said；　〃Your　worships　may　perceive　clearly　and　plainly
the　error　under　which　this　worthy　squire　lies　when　he　calls　a　basin
which　was；　is；　and　shall　be　the　helmet　of　Mambrino　which　I　won　from
him　in　air　war；　and　made　myself　master　of　by　legitimate　and　lawful
possession。　With　the　pack…saddle　I　do　not　concern　myself；　but　I　may
tell　you　on　that　head　that　my　squire　Sancho　asked　my　permission　to
strip　off　the　caparison　of　this　vanquished　poltroon's　steed；　and
with　it　adorn　his　own；　I　allowed　him；　and　he　took　it；　and　as　to　its
having　been　changed　from　a　caparison　into　a　pack…saddle；　I　can　give　no
explanation　except　the　usual　one；　that　such　transformations　will
take　place　in　adventures　of　chivalry。　To　confirm　all　which；　run；
Sancho　my　son；　and　fetch　hither　the　helmet　which　this　good　fellow
calls　a　basin。〃
　　〃Egad；　master；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　we　have　no　other　proof　of　our
case　than　what　your　worship　puts　forward；　Mambrino's　helmet　is　just　as
much　a　basin　as　this　good　fellow's　caparison　is　a　pack…saddle。〃
　　〃Do　as　I　bid　thee；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃it　cannot　be　that
everything　in　this　castle　goes　by　enchantment。〃
　　Sancho　ha