don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第115章

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　　Don　Quixote　smiled　when　he　heard　these　words；　and　said　very
calmly；　〃Come　now；　base；　ill…born　brood；　call　ye　it　highway　robbery　to
give　freedom　to　those　in　bondage；　to　release　the　captives；　to
succour　the　miserable；　to　raise　up　the　fallen；　to　relieve　the　needy？
Infamous　beings；　who　by　your　vile　grovelling　intellects　deserve　that
heaven　should　not　make　known　to　you　the　virtue　that　lies　in
knight…errantry；　or　show　you　the　sin　and　ignorance　in　which　ye　lie
when　ye　refuse　to　respect　the　shadow；　not　to　say　the　presence；　of
any　knight…errant！　Come　now；　band；　not　of　officers；　but　of　thieves；
footpads　with　the　licence　of　the　Holy　Brotherhood；　tell　me　who　was　the
ignoramus　who　signed　a　warrant　of　arrest　against　such　a　knight　as　I
am？　Who　was　he　that　did　not　know　that　knights…errant　are　independent
of　all　jurisdictions；　that　their　law　is　their　sword；　their　charter
their　prowess；　and　their　edicts　their　will？　Who；　I　say　again；　was
the　fool　that　knows　not　that　there　are　no　letters　patent　of　nobility
that　confer　such　privileges　or　exemptions　as　a　knight…errant
acquires　the　day　he　is　dubbed　a　knight；　and　devotes　himself　to　the
arduous　calling　of　chivalry？　What　knight…errant　ever　paid　poll…tax；
duty；　queen's　pin…money；　king's　dues；　toll　or　ferry？　What　tailor
ever　took　payment　of　him　for　making　his　clothes？　What　castellan　that
received　him　in　his　castle　ever　made　him　pay　his　shot？　What　king　did
not　seat　him　at　his　table？　What　damsel　was　not　enamoured　of　him　and
did　not　yield　herself　up　wholly　to　his　will　and　pleasure？　And；　lastly；
what　knight…errant　has　there　been；　is　there；　or　will　there　ever　be
in　the　world；　not　bold　enough　to　give；　single…handed；　four　hundred
cudgellings　to　four　hundred　officers　of　the　Holy　Brotherhood　if　they
come　in　his　way？〃

　　CHAPTER　XLVI
　　OF　THE　END　OF　THE　NOTABLE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　OFFICERS　OF　THE　HOLY
BROTHERHOOD；　AND　OF　THE　GREAT　FEROCITY　OF　OUR　WORTHY　KNIGHT；　DON
QUIXOTE

　　WHILE　Don　Quixote　was　talking　in　this　strain；　the　curate　was
endeavouring　to　persuade　the　officers　that　he　was　out　of　his　senses；
as　they　might　perceive　by　his　deeds　and　his　words；　and　that　they
need　not　press　the　matter　any　further；　for　even　if　they　arrested　him
and　carried　him　off；　they　would　have　to　release　him　by…and…by　as　a
madman；　to　which　the　holder　of　the　warrant　replied　that　he　had　nothing
to　do　with　inquiring　into　Don　Quixote's　madness；　but　only　to　execute
his　superior's　orders；　and　that　once　taken　they　might　let　him　go　three
hundred　times　if　they　liked。
　　〃For　all　that；〃　said　the　curate；　〃you　must　not　take　him　away　this
time；　nor　will　he；　it　is　my　opinion；　let　himself　be　taken　away。〃
　　In　short；　the　curate　used　such　arguments；　and　Don　Quixote　did　such
mad　things；　that　the　officers　would　have　been　more　mad　than　he　was
if　they　had　not　perceived　his　want　of　wits；　and　so　they　thought　it
best　to　allow　themselves　to　be　pacified；　and　even　to　act　as
peacemakers　between　the　barber　and　Sancho　Panza；　who　still　continued
their　altercation　with　much　bitterness。　In　the　end　they；　as　officers
of　justice；　settled　the　question　by　arbitration　in　such　a　manner
that　both　sides　were；　if　not　perfectly　contented；　at　least　to　some
extent　satisfied；　for　they　changed　the　pack…saddles；　but　not　the
girths　or　head…stalls；　and　as　to　Mambrino's　helmet；　the　curate；
under　the　rose　and　without　Don　Quixote's　knowing　it；　paid　eight
reals　for　the　basin；　and　the　barber　executed　a　full　receipt　and
engagement　to　make　no　further　demand　then　or　thenceforth　for　evermore；
amen。　These　two　disputes；　which　were　the　most　important　and　gravest；
being　settled；　it　only　remained　for　the　servants　of　Don　Luis　to
consent　that　three　of　them　should　return　while　one　was　left　to
accompany　him　whither　Don　Fernando　desired　to　take　him；　and　good
luck　and　better　fortune；　having　already　begun　to　solve　difficulties
and　remove　obstructions　in　favour　of　the　lovers　and　warriors　of　the
inn；　were　pleased　to　persevere　and　bring　everything　to　a　happy
issue；　for　the　servants　agreed　to　do　as　Don　Luis　wished；　which　gave
Dona　Clara　such　happiness　that　no　one　could　have　looked　into　her
face　just　then　without　seeing　the　joy　of　her　heart。　Zoraida；　though
she　did　not　fully　comprehend　all　she　saw；　was　grave　or　gay　without
knowing　why；　as　she　watched　and　studied　the　various　countenances；
but　particularly　her　Spaniard's；　whom　she　followed　with　her　eyes　and
clung　to　with　her　soul。　The　gift　and　compensation　which　the　curate
gave　the　barber　had　not　escaped　the　landlord's　notice；　and　he　demanded
Don　Quixote's　reckoning；　together　with　the　amount　of　the　damage　to　his
wine…skins；　and　the　loss　of　his　wine；　swearing　that　neither
Rocinante　nor　Sancho's　ass　should　leave　the　inn　until　he　had　been　paid
to　the　very　last　farthing。　The　curate　settled　all　amicably；　and　Don
Fernando　paid；　though　the　Judge　had　also　very　readily　offered　to　pay
the　score；　and　all　became　so　peaceful　and　quiet　that　the　inn　no　longer
reminded　one　of　the　discord　of　Agramante's　camp；　as　Don　Quixote
said；　but　of　the　peace　and　tranquillity　of　the　days　of　Octavianus：　for
all　which　it　was　the　universal　opinion　that　their　thanks　were　due　to
the　great　zeal　and　eloquence　of　the　curate；　and　to　the　unexampled
generosity　of　Don　Fernando。
　　Finding　himself　now　clear　and　quit　of　all　quarrels；　his　squire's
as　well　as　his　own；　Don　Quixote　considered　that　it　would　be
advisable　to　continue　the　journey　he　had　begun；　and　bring　to　a　close
that　great　adventure　for　which　he　had　been　called　and　chosen；　and　with
this　high　resolve　he　went　and　knelt　before　Dorothea；　who；　however；
would　not　allow　him　to　utter　a　word　until　he　had　risen；　so　to　obey　her
he　rose；　and　said；　〃It　is　a　common　proverb；　fair　lady；　that　'diligence
is　the　mother　of　good　fortune；'　and　experience　has　often　shown　in
important　affairs　that　the　earnestness　of　the　negotiator　brings　the
doubtful　case　to　a　successful　termination；　but　in　nothing　does　this
truth　show　itself　more　plainly　than　in　war；　where　quickness　and
activity　forestall　the　devices　of　the　enemy；　and　win　the　victory
before　the　foe　has　time　to　defend　himself。　All　this　I　say；　exalted　and
esteemed　lady；　because　it　seems　to　me　that　for　us　to　remain　any　longer
in　this　castle　now　is　useless；　and　may　be　injurious　to　us　in　a　way
that　we　shall　find　out　some　day；　for　who　knows　but　that　your　enemy　the
giant　may　have　learned　by　means　of　secret　and　diligent　spies　that　I　am
going　to　destroy　him；　and　if　the　opportunity　be　given　him　he　may　seize
it　to　fortify　himself　in　some　impregnable　castle　or　stronghold；
against　which　all　my　efforts　and　the　might　of　my　indefatigable　arm　may
avail　but　little？　Therefore；　lady；　let　us；　as　I　say；　forestall　his
schemes　by　our　activity；　and　let　us　depart　at　once　in　quest　of　fair
fortune；　for　your　highness　is　only　kept　from　enjoying　it　as　fully　as
you　could　desire　by　my　delay　in　encountering　your　adversary。〃
　　Don　Quixote　held　his　peace　and　said　no　more；　calmly　awaiting　the
reply　of　the　beauteous　princess；　who；　with　commanding　dignity　and　in　a
style　adapted　to　Don　Quixote's　own；　replied　to　him　in　these　words；
〃I　give　you　thanks；　sir　knight；　for　the　eagerness　you；　like　a　good
knight　to　whom　it　is　a　natural　obligation　to　succour　the　orphan　and
the　needy；　display　to　afford　me　aid　in　my　sore　trouble；　and　heaven
grant　that　your　wishes　and　mine　may　be　realised；　so　that　you　may　see
that　there　are　women　in　this　world　capable　of　gratitude；　as　to　my
departure；　let　it　be　forthwith；　for　I　have　no　will　but　yours；
dispose　of　me　entirely　in　accordance　with　your　good　pleasure；　for
she　who　has　once　entrusted　to　you　the　defence　of　her　person；　and
placed　in　your　hands　the　recovery　of　her　dominions；　must　not　think
of　offering　opposition　to　that　which　your　wisdom　may　ordain。〃
　　〃On；　then；　in　God's　name；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for；　when　a　lady
humbles　herself　to　me；　I　will　not　lose　the　opportunity　of　raising
her　up　and　placing　her　on　the　throne　of　her　ancestors。　Let　us　depart
at　once；　for　the　common　saying　that　in　delay　there　is　danger；　lends
spurs　to　my　eagerness　to　take　the　road；　and　as　neither　heaven　has
created　nor　hell　seen　any　that　can　daunt　or　intimidate　me；　saddle
Rocinante；　Sancho；　and　get　ready　thy　ass　and　the　queen's　palfrey；
and　let　us