don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第117章

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capture　of　his　master；　nor　did　the　latter　utter　a　word；　waiting　to　the
upshot　of　his　mishap；　which　was　that　bringing　in　the　cage；　they　shut
him　up　in　it　and　nailed　the　bars　so　firmly　that　they　could　not　be
easily　burst　open。　They　then　took　him　on　their　shoulders；　and　as
they　passed　out　of　the　room　an　awful　voice…　as　much　so　as　the
barber；　not　he　of　the　pack…saddle　but　the　other；　was　able　to　make
it…　was　heard　to　say；　〃O　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　let　not
this　captivity　in　which　thou　art　placed　afflict　thee；　for　this　must
needs　be；　for　the　more　speedy　accomplishment　of　the　adventure　in　which
thy　great　heart　has　engaged　thee；　the　which　shall　be　accomplished　when
the　raging　Manchegan　lion　and　the　white　Tobosan　dove　shall　be　linked
together；　having　first　humbled　their　haughty　necks　to　the　gentle
yoke　of　matrimony。　And　from　this　marvellous　union　shall　come　forth
to　the　light　of　the　world　brave　whelps　that　shall　rival　the　ravening
claws　of　their　valiant　father；　and　this　shall　come　to　pass　ere　the
pursuer　of　the　flying　nymph　shall　in　his　swift　natural　course　have
twice　visited　the　starry　signs。　And　thou；　O　most　noble　and　obedient
squire　that　ever　bore　sword　at　side；　beard　on　face；　or　nose　to　smell
with；　be　not　dismayed　or　grieved　to　see　the　flower　of
knight…errantry　carried　away　thus　before　thy　very　eyes；　for　soon；　if
it　so　please　the　Framer　of　the　universe；　thou　shalt　see　thyself
exalted　to　such　a　height　that　thou　shalt　not　know　thyself；　and　the
promises　which　thy　good　master　has　made　thee　shall　not　prove　false；
and　I　assure　thee；　on　the　authority　of　the　sage　Mentironiana；　that　thy
wages　shall　be　paid　thee；　as　thou　shalt　see　in　due　season。　Follow　then
the　footsteps　of　the　valiant　enchanted　knight；　for　it　is　expedient
that　thou　shouldst　go　to　the　destination　assigned　to　both　of　you；
and　as　it　is　not　permitted　to　me　to　say　more；　God　be　with　thee；　for
I　return　to　that　place　I　wot　of；〃　and　as　he　brought　the　prophecy　to
a　close　he　raised　his　voice　to　a　high　pitch；　and　then　lowered　it　to
such　a　soft　tone；　that　even　those　who　knew　it　was　all　a　joke　were
almost　inclined　to　take　what　they　heard　seriously。
　　Don　Quixote　was　comforted　by　the　prophecy　he　heard；　for　he　at　once
comprehended　its　meaning　perfectly；　and　perceived　it　was　promised　to
him　that　he　should　see　himself　united　in　holy　and　lawful　matrimony
with　his　beloved　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　from　whose　blessed　womb　should
proceed　the　whelps；　his　sons；　to　the　eternal　glory　of　La　Mancha；　and
being　thoroughly　and　firmly　persuaded　of　this；　he　lifted　up　his　voice；
and　with　a　deep　sigh　exclaimed；　〃Oh　thou；　whoever　thou　art；　who　hast
foretold　me　so　much　good；　I　implore　of　thee　that　on　my　part　thou
entreat　that　sage　enchanter　who　takes　charge　of　my　interests；　that
he　leave　me　not　to　perish　in　this　captivity　in　which　they　are　now
carrying　me　away；　ere　I　see　fulfilled　promises　so　joyful　and
incomparable　as　those　which　have　been　now　made　me；　for；　let　this　but
come　to　pass；　and　I　shall　glory　in　the　pains　of　my　prison；　find
comfort　in　these　chains　wherewith　they　bind　me；　and　regard　this　bed
whereon　they　stretch　me；　not　as　a　hard　battle…field；　but　as　a　soft　and
happy　nuptial　couch；　and　touching　the　consolation　of　Sancho　Panza；
my　squire；　I　rely　upon　his　goodness　and　rectitude　that　he　will　not
desert　me　in　good　or　evil　fortune；　for　if；　by　his　ill　luck　or　mine；　it
may　not　happen　to　be　in　my　power　to　give　him　the　island　I　have
promised；　or　any　equivalent　for　it；　at　least　his　wages　shall　not　be
lost；　for　in　my　will；　which　is　already　made；　I　have　declared　the　sum
that　shall　be　paid　to　him；　measured；　not　by　his　many　faithful
services；　but　by　the　means　at　my　disposal。〃
　　Sancho　bowed　his　head　very　respectfully　and　kissed　both　his　hands；
for；　being　tied　together；　he　could　not　kiss　one；　and　then　the
apparitions　lifted　the　cage　upon　their　shoulders　and　fixed　it　upon　the
ox…cart。

　　CHAPTER　XLVII
　　OF　THE　STRANGE　MANNER　IN　WHICH　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA　WAS
CARRIED　AWAY　ENCHANTED；　TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　REMARKABLE　INCIDENTS

　　WHEN　Don　Quixote　saw　himself　caged　and　hoisted　on　the　cart　in　this
way；　he　said；　〃Many　grave　histories　of　knights…errant　have　I　read；　but
never　yet　have　I　read；　seen；　or　heard　of　their　carrying　off
enchanted　knights…errant　in　this　fashion；　or　at　the　slow　pace　that
these　lazy；　sluggish　animals　promise；　for　they　always　take　them　away
through　the　air　with　marvellous　swiftness；　enveloped　in　a　dark　thick
cloud；　or　on　a　chariot　of　fire；　or　it　may　be　on　some　hippogriff　or
other　beast　of　the　kind；　but　to　carry　me　off　like　this　on　an
ox…cart！　By　God；　it　puzzles　me！　But　perhaps　the　chivalry　and
enchantments　of　our　day　take　a　different　course　from　that　of　those
in　days　gone　by；　and　it　may　be；　too；　that　as　I　am　a　new　knight　in
the　world；　and　the　first　to　revive　the　already　forgotten　calling　of
knight…adventurers；　they　may　have　newly　invented　other　kinds　of
enchantments　and　other　modes　of　carrying　off　the　enchanted。　What
thinkest　thou　of　the　matter；　Sancho　my　son？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　think；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃not　being　as　well
read　as　your　worship　in　errant　writings；　but　for　all　that　I　venture　to
say　and　swear　that　these　apparitions　that　are　about　us　are　not　quite
catholic。〃
　　〃Catholic！〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Father　of　me！　how　can　they　be
Catholic　when　they　are　all　devils　that　have　taken　fantastic　shapes
to　come　and　do　this；　and　bring　me　to　this　condition？　And　if　thou
wouldst　prove　it；　touch　them；　and　feel　them；　and　thou　wilt　find　they
have　only　bodies　of　air；　and　no　consistency　except　in　appearance。〃
　　〃By　God；　master；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃I　have　touched　them　already；　and
that　devil；　that　goes　about　there　so　busily；　has　firm　flesh；　and
another　property　very　different　from　what　I　have　heard　say　devils
have；　for　by　all　accounts　they　all　smell　of　brimstone　and　other　bad
smells；　but　this　one　smells　of　amber　half　a　league　off。〃　Sancho　was
here　speaking　of　Don　Fernando；　who；　like　a　gentleman　of　his　rank；
was　very　likely　perfumed　as　Sancho　said。
　　〃Marvel　not　at　that；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　let
me　tell　thee　devils　are　crafty；　and　even　if　they　do　carry　odours　about
with　them；　they　themselves　have　no　smell；　because　they　are　spirits；
or；　if　they　have　any　smell；　they　cannot　smell　of　anything　sweet；　but
of　something　foul　and　fetid；　and　the　reason　is　that　as　they　carry　hell
with　them　wherever　they　go；　and　can　get　no　ease　whatever　from　their
torments；　and　as　a　sweet　smell　is　a　thing　that　gives　pleasure　and
enjoyment；　it　is　impossible　that　they　can　smell　sweet；　if；　then；
this　devil　thou　speakest　of　seems　to　thee　to　smell　of　amber；　either
thou　art　deceiving　thyself；　or　he　wants　to　deceive　thee　by　making　thee
fancy　he　is　not　a　devil。〃
　　Such　was　the　conversation　that　passed　between　master　and　man；　and
Don　Fernando　and　Cardenio；　apprehensive　of　Sancho's　making　a
complete　discovery　of　their　scheme；　towards　which　he　had　already
gone　some　way；　resolved　to　hasten　their　departure；　and　calling　the
landlord　aside；　they　directed　him　to　saddle　Rocinante　and　put　the
pack…saddle　on　Sancho's　ass；　which　he　did　with　great　alacrity。　In
the　meantime　the　curate　had　made　an　arrangement　with　the　officers　that
they　should　bear　them　company　as　far　as　his　village；　he　paying　them　so
much　a　day。　Cardenio　hung　the　buckler　on　one　side　of　the　bow　of
Rocinante's　saddle　and　the　basin　on　the　other；　and　by　signs
commanded　Sancho　to　mount　his　ass　and　take　Rocinante's　bridle；　and
at　each　side　of　the　cart　he　placed　two　officers　with　their　muskets；
but　before　the　cart　was　put　in　motion；　out　came　the　landlady　and　her
daughter　and　Maritornes　to　bid　Don　Quixote　farewell；　pretending　to
weep　with　grief　at　his　misfortune；　and　to　them　Don　Quixote　said：
　　〃Weep　not；　good　ladies；　for　all　these　mishaps　are　the　lot　of　those
who　follow　the　profession　I　profess；　and　if　these　reverses　did　not
befall　me　I　should　not　esteem　myself　a　famous　knight…errant；　for
such　things　never　happen　to　knights　of　little　renown　and　fame；　because
nobody　in　the　world　thinks　about　them；　to　valiant　knights　they　do；　for
these　are　envied　for　their　virtue　and　valour　by　many　princes　and　other
knights　who　compass　the　destruction　of　the　worthy　by　base　means。