don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第124章

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there　was　a　Cid；　as　well　as　a　Bernardo　del　Carpio；　there　can　be　no
doubt；　but　that　they　did　the　deeds　people　say　they　did；　I　hold　to　be
very　doubtful。　In　that　other　matter　of　the　pin　of　Count　Pierres　that
you　speak　of；　and　say　is　near　Babieca's　saddle　in　the　Armoury；　I
confess　my　sin；　for　I　am　either　so　stupid　or　so　short…sighted；　that；
though　I　have　seen　the　saddle；　I　have　never　been　able　to　see　the
pin；　in　spite　of　it　being　as　big　as　your　worship　says　it　is。〃
　　〃For　all　that　it　is　there；　without　any　manner　of　doubt；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃and　more　by　token　they　say　it　is　inclosed　in　a　sheath　of
cowhide　to　keep　it　from　rusting。〃
　　〃All　that　may　be；〃　replied　the　canon；　〃but；　by　the　orders　I　have
received；　I　do　not　remember　seeing　it。　However；　granting　it　is
there；　that　is　no　reason　why　I　am　bound　to　believe　the　stories　of
all　those　Amadises　and　of　all　that　multitude　of　knights　they　tell　us
about；　nor　is　it　reasonable　that　a　man　like　your　worship；　so　worthy；
and　with　so　many　good　qualities；　and　endowed　with　such　a　good
understanding；　should　allow　himself　to　be　persuaded　that　such　wild
crazy　things　as　are　written　in　those　absurd　books　of　chivalry　are
really　true。〃

　　CHAPTER　L
　　OF　THE　SHREWD　CONTROVERSY　WHICH　DON　QUIXOTE　AND　THE　CANON　HELD；
TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　INCIDENTS

　　〃A　GOOD　joke；　that！〃　returned　Don　Quixote。　〃Books　that　have　been
printed　with　the　king's　licence；　and　with　the　approbation　of　those
to　whom　they　have　been　submitted；　and　read　with　universal　delight；　and
extolled　by　great　and　small；　rich　and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；
gentle　and　simple；　in　a　word　by　people　of　every　sort；　of　whatever　rank
or　condition　they　may　be…　that　these　should　be　lies！　And　above　all
when　they　carry　such　an　appearance　of　truth　with　them；　for　they　tell
us　the　father；　mother；　country；　kindred；　age；　place；　and　the
achievements；　step　by　step；　and　day　by　day；　performed　by　such　a　knight
or　knights！　Hush；　sir；　utter　not　such　blasphemy；　trust　me　I　am
advising　you　now　to　act　as　a　sensible　man　should；　only　read　them；
and　you　will　see　the　pleasure　you　will　derive　from　them。　For；　come；
tell　me；　can　there　be　anything　more　delightful　than　to　see；　as　it
were；　here　now　displayed　before　us　a　vast　lake　of　bubbling　pitch
with　a　host　of　snakes　and　serpents　and　lizards；　and　ferocious　and
terrible　creatures　of　all　sorts　swimming　about　in　it；　while　from　the
middle　of　the　lake　there　comes　a　plaintive　voice　saying：　'Knight；
whosoever　thou　art　who　beholdest　this　dread　lake；　if　thou　wouldst
win　the　prize　that　lies　hidden　beneath　these　dusky　waves；　prove　the
valour　of　thy　stout　heart　and　cast　thyself　into　the　midst　of　its
dark　burning　waters；　else　thou　shalt　not　be　worthy　to　see　the　mighty
wonders　contained　in　the　seven　castles　of　the　seven　Fays　that　lie
beneath　this　black　expanse；'　and　then　the　knight；　almost　ere　the　awful
voice　has　ceased；　without　stopping　to　consider；　without　pausing　to
reflect　upon　the　danger　to　which　he　is　exposing　himself；　without
even　relieving　himself　of　the　weight　of　his　massive　armour；　commending
himself　to　God　and　to　his　lady；　plunges　into　the　midst　of　the
boiling　lake；　and　when　he　little　looks　for　it；　or　knows　what　his
fate　is　to　be；　he　finds　himself　among　flowery　meadows；　with　which
the　Elysian　fields　are　not　to　be　compared。　The　sky　seems　more
transparent　there；　and　the　sun　shines　with　a　strange　brilliancy；　and　a
delightful　grove　of　green　leafy　trees　presents　itself　to　the　eyes
and　charms　the　sight　with　its　verdure；　while　the　ear　is　soothed　by　the
sweet　untutored　melody　of　the　countless　birds　of　gay　plumage　that　flit
to　and　fro　among　the　interlacing　branches。　Here　he　sees　a　brook
whose　limpid　waters；　like　liquid　crystal；　ripple　over　fine　sands　and
white　pebbles　that　look　like　sifted　gold　and　purest　pearls。　There　he
perceives　a　cunningly　wrought　fountain　of　many…coloured　jasper　and
polished　marble；　here　another　of　rustic　fashion　where　the　little
mussel…shells　and　the　spiral　white　and　yellow　mansions　of　the　snail
disposed　in　studious　disorder；　mingled　with　fragments　of　glittering
crystal　and　mock　emeralds；　make　up　a　work　of　varied　aspect；　where　art；
imitating　nature；　seems　to　have　outdone　it。　Suddenly　there　is
presented　to　his　sight　a　strong　castle　or　gorgeous　palace　with　walls
of　massy　gold；　turrets　of　diamond　and　gates　of　jacinth；　in　short；　so
marvellous　is　its　structure　that　though　the　materials　of　which　it　is
built　are　nothing　less　than　diamonds；　carbuncles；　rubies；　pearls；
gold；　and　emeralds；　the　workmanship　is　still　more　rare。　And　after
having　seen　all　this；　what　can　be　more　charming　than　to　see　how　a　bevy
of　damsels　comes　forth　from　the　gate　of　the　castle　in　gay　and　gorgeous
attire；　such　that；　were　I　to　set　myself　now　to　depict　it　as　the
histories　describe　it　to　us；　I　should　never　have　done；　and　then　how
she　who　seems　to　be　the　first　among　them　all　takes　the　bold　knight　who
plunged　into　the　boiling　lake　by　the　hand；　and　without　addressing　a
word　to　him　leads　him　into　the　rich　palace　or　castle；　and　strips　him
as　naked　as　when　his　mother　bore　him；　and　bathes　him　in　lukewarm
water；　and　anoints　him　all　over　with　sweet…smelling　unguents；　and
clothes　him　in　a　shirt　of　the　softest　sendal；　all　scented　and
perfumed；　while　another　damsel　comes　and　throws　over　his　shoulders　a
mantle　which　is　said　to　be　worth　at　the　very　least　a　city；　and　even
more？　How　charming　it　is；　then；　when　they　tell　us　how；　after　all　this；
they　lead　him　to　another　chamber　where　he　finds　the　tables　set　out
in　such　style　that　he　is　filled　with　amazement　and　wonder；　to　see
how　they　pour　out　water　for　his　hands　distilled　from　amber　and
sweet…scented　flowers；　how　they　seat　him　on　an　ivory　chair；　to　see　how
the　damsels　wait　on　him　all　in　profound　silence；　how　they　bring　him
such　a　variety　of　dainties　so　temptingly　prepared　that　the　appetite　is
at　a　loss　which　to　select；　to　hear　the　music　that　resounds　while　he　is
at　table；　by　whom　or　whence　produced　he　knows　not。　And　then　when　the
repast　is　over　and　the　tables　removed；　for　the　knight　to　recline　in
the　chair；　picking　his　teeth　perhaps　as　usual；　and　a　damsel；　much
lovelier　than　any　of　the　others；　to　enter　unexpectedly　by　the
chamber　door；　and　herself　by　his　side；　and　begin　to　tell　him　what
the　castle　is；　and　how　she　is　held　enchanted　there；　and　other　things
that　amaze　the　knight　and　astonish　the　readers　who　are　perusing　his
history。　But　I　will　not　expatiate　any　further　upon　this；　as　it　may
be　gathered　from　it　that　whatever　part　of　whatever　history　of　a
knight…errant　one　reads；　it　will　fill　the　reader；　whoever　he　be；
with　delight　and　wonder；　and　take　my　advice；　sir；　and；　as　I　said
before；　read　these　books　and　you　will　see　how　they　will　banish　any
melancholy　you　may　feel　and　raise　your　spirits　should　they　be
depressed。　For　myself　I　can　say　that　since　I　have　been　a　knight…errant
I　have　become　valiant；　polite；　generous；　well…bred；　magnanimous；
courteous；　dauntless；　gentle；　patient；　and　have　learned　to　bear
hardships；　imprisonments；　and　enchantments；　and　though　it　be　such　a
short　time　since　I　have　seen　myself　shut　up　in　a　cage　like　a　madman；　I
hope　by　the　might　of　my　arm；　if　heaven　aid　me　and　fortune　thwart　me
not；　to　see　myself　king　of　some　kingdom　where　I　may　be　able　to　show
the　gratitude　and　generosity　that　dwell　in　my　heart；　for　by　my
faith；　senor；　the　poor　man　is　incapacitated　from　showing　the　virtue　of
generosity　to　anyone；　though　he　may　possess　it　in　the　highest
degree；　and　gratitude　that　consists　of　disposition　only　is　a　dead
thing；　just　as　faith　without　works　is　dead。　For　this　reason　I　should
be　glad　were　fortune　soon　to　offer　me　some　opportunity　of　making
myself　an　emperor；　so　as　to　show　my　heart　in　doing　good　to　my　friends；
particularly　to　this　poor　Sancho　Panza；　my　squire；　who　is　the　best
fellow　in　the　world；　and　I　would　gladly　give　him　a　county　I　have
promised　him　this　ever　so　long；　only　that　I　am　afraid　he　has　not　the
capacity　to　govern　his　realm。〃
　　Sancho　partly　heard　these　last　words　of　his　master；　and　said　to　him；
〃Strive　hard　you；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　to　give　me　that　county　so　often
promised　by　you　and　so　long　looked　for　by　me；　for　I　promise　you
there　will　be　no　want　of　capacity　in　me　to　govern　it；　and　e