don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第127章

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enjoyable　while　Leandra　was　away。　Our　melancholy　grew　greater；　our
patience　grew　less；　we　cursed　the　soldier's　finery　and　railed　at　the
carelessness　of　Leandra's　father。　At　last　Anselmo　and　I　agreed　to
leave　the　village　and　come　to　this　valley；　and；　he　feeding　a　great
flock　of　sheep　of　his　own；　and　I　a　large　herd　of　goats　of　mine；　we
pass　our　life　among　the　trees；　giving　vent　to　our　sorrows；　together
singing　the　fair　Leandra's　praises；　or　upbraiding　her；　or　else　sighing
alone；　and　to　heaven　pouring　forth　our　complaints　in　solitude。
Following　our　example；　many　more　of　Leandra's　lovers　have　come　to
these　rude　mountains　and　adopted　our　mode　of　life；　and　they　are　so
numerous　that　one　would　fancy　the　place　had　been　turned　into　the
pastoral　Arcadia；　so　full　is　it　of　shepherds　and　sheep…folds；　nor　is
there　a　spot　in　it　where　the　name　of　the　fair　Leandra　is　not　heard。
Here　one　curses　her　and　calls　her　capricious；　fickle；　and　immodest；
there　another　condemns　her　as　frail　and　frivolous；　this　pardons　and
absolves　her；　that　spurns　and　reviles　her；　one　extols　her　beauty；
another　assails　her　character；　and　in　short　all　abuse　her；　and　all
adore　her；　and　to　such　a　pitch　has　this　general　infatuation　gone
that　there　are　some　who　complain　of　her　scorn　without　ever　having
exchanged　a　word　with　her；　and　even　some　that　bewail　and　mourn　the
raging　fever　of　jealousy；　for　which　she　never　gave　anyone　cause；
for；　as　I　have　already　said；　her　misconduct　was　known　before　her
passion。　There　is　no　nook　among　the　rocks；　no　brookside；　no　shade
beneath　the　trees　that　is　not　haunted　by　some　shepherd　telling　his
woes　to　the　breezes；　wherever　there　is　an　echo　it　repeats　the　name
of　Leandra；　the　mountains　ring　with　〃Leandra；〃　〃Leandra〃　murmur　the
brooks；　and　Leandra　keeps　us　all　bewildered　and　bewitched；　hoping
without　hope　and　fearing　without　knowing　what　we　fear。　Of　all　this
silly　set　the　one　that　shows　the　least　and　also　the　most　sense　is　my
rival　Anselmo；　for　having　so　many　other　things　to　complain　of；　he　only
complains　of　separation；　and　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　rebeck；　which
he　plays　admirably；　he　sings　his　complaints　in　verses　that　show　his
ingenuity。　I　follow　another；　easier；　and　to　my　mind　wiser　course；
and　that　is　to　rail　at　the　frivolity　of　women；　at　their　inconstancy；
their　double　dealing；　their　broken　promises；　their　unkept　pledges；　and
in　short　the　want　of　reflection　they　show　in　fixing　their　affections
and　inclinations。　This；　sirs；　was　the　reason　of　words　and
expressions　I　made　use　of　to　this　goat　when　I　came　up　just　now；　for　as
she　is　a　female　I　have　a　contempt　for　her；　though　she　is　the　best　in
all　my　fold。　This　is　the　story　I　promised　to　tell　you；　and　if　I　have
been　tedious　in　telling　it；　I　will　not　be　slow　to　serve　you；　my　hut　is
close　by；　and　I　have　fresh　milk　and　dainty　cheese　there；　as　well　as
a　variety　of　toothsome　fruit；　no　less　pleasing　to　the　eye　than　to
the　palate。

　　CHAPTER　LII
　　OF　THE　QUARREL　THAT　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD　WITH　THE　GOATHERD；　TOGETHER　WITH
THE　RARE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　PENITENTS；　WHICH　WITH　AN　EXPENDITURE　OF
SWEAT　HE　BROUGHT　TO　A　HAPPY　CONCLUSION

　　THE　goatherd's　tale　gave　great　satisfaction　to　all　the　hearers；
and　the　canon　especially　enjoyed　it；　for　he　had　remarked　with
particular　attention　the　manner　in　which　it　had　been　told；　which　was
as　unlike　the　manner　of　a　clownish　goatherd　as　it　was　like　that　of　a
polished　city　wit；　and　he　observed　that　the　curate　had　been　quite
right　in　saying　that　the　woods　bred　men　of　learning。　They　all
offered　their　services　to　Eugenio　but　he　who　showed　himself　most
liberal　in　this　way　was　Don　Quixote；　who　said　to　him；　〃Most　assuredly；
brother　goatherd；　if　I　found　myself　in　a　position　to　attempt　any
adventure；　I　would；　this　very　instant；　set　out　on　your　behalf；　and
would　rescue　Leandra　from　that　convent　（where　no　doubt　she　is　kept
against　her　will）；　in　spite　of　the　abbess　and　all　who　might　try　to
prevent　me；　and　would　place　her　in　your　hands　to　deal　with　her
according　to　your　will　and　pleasure；　observing；　however；　the　laws　of
chivalry　which　lay　down　that　no　violence　of　any　kind　is　to　be
offered　to　any　damsel。　But　I　trust　in　God　our　Lord　that　the　might　of
one　malignant　enchanter　may　not　prove　so　great　but　that　the　power　of
another　better　disposed　may　prove　superior　to　it；　and　then　I　promise
you　my　support　and　assistance；　as　I　am　bound　to　do　by　my　profession；
which　is　none　other　than　to　give　aid　to　the　weak　and　needy。〃
　　The　goatherd　eyed　him；　and　noticing　Don　Quixote's　sorry　appearance
and　looks；　he　was　filled　with　wonder；　and　asked　the　barber；　who　was
next　him；　〃Senor；　who　is　this　man　who　makes　such　a　figure　and　talks　in
such　a　strain？〃
　　〃Who　should　it　be；〃　said　the　barber；　〃but　the　famous　Don　Quixote
of　La　Mancha；　the　undoer　of　injustice；　the　righter　of　wrongs；　the
protector　of　damsels；　the　terror　of　giants；　and　the　winner　of
battles？〃
　　〃That；〃　said　the　goatherd；　〃sounds　like　what　one　reads　in　the
books　of　the　knights…errant；　who　did　all　that　you　say　this　man　does；
though　it　is　my　belief　that　either　you　are　joking；　or　else　this
gentleman　has　empty　lodgings　in　his　head。〃
　　〃You　are　a　great　scoundrel；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　it　is　you　who
are　empty　and　a　fool。　I　am　fuller　than　ever　was　the　whoreson　bitch
that　bore　you；〃　and　passing　from　words　to　deeds；　he　caught　up　a　loaf
that　was　near　him　and　sent　it　full　in　the　goatherd's　face；　with　such
force　that　he　flattened　his　nose；　but　the　goatherd；　who　did　not
understand　jokes；　and　found　himself　roughly　handled　in　such　good
earnest；　paying　no　respect　to　carpet；　tablecloth；　or　diners；　sprang
upon　Don　Quixote；　and　seizing　him　by　the　throat　with　both　hands
would　no　doubt　have　throttled　him；　had　not　Sancho　Panza　that　instant
come　to　the　rescue；　and　grasping　him　by　the　shoulders　flung　him　down
on　the　table；　smashing　plates；　breaking　glasses；　and　upsetting　and
scattering　everything　on　it。　Don　Quixote；　finding　himself　free；　strove
to　get　on　top　of　the　goatherd；　who；　with　his　face　covered　with
blood；　and　soundly　kicked　by　Sancho；　was　on　all　fours　feeling　about
for　one　of　the　table…knives　to　take　a　bloody　revenge　with。　The　canon
and　the　curate；　however；　prevented　him；　but　the　barber　so　contrived　it
that　he　got　Don　Quixote　under　him；　and　rained　down　upon　him　such　a
shower　of　fisticuffs　that　the　poor　knight's　face　streamed　with　blood
as　freely　as　his　own。　The　canon　and　the　curate　were　bursting　with
laughter；　the　officers　were　capering　with　delight；　and　both　the　one
and　the　other　hissed　them　on　as　they　do　dogs　that　are　worrying　one
another　in　a　fight。　Sancho　alone　was　frantic；　for　he　could　not　free
himself　from　the　grasp　of　one　of　the　canon's　servants；　who　kept　him
from　going　to　his　master's　assistance。
　　At　last；　while　they　were　all；　with　the　exception　of　the　two　bruisers
who　were　mauling　each　other；　in　high　glee　and　enjoyment；　they　heard
a　trumpet　sound　a　note　so　doleful　that　it　made　them　all　look　in　the
direction　whence　the　sound　seemed　to　come。　But　the　one　that　was　most
excited　by　hearing　it　was　Don　Quixote；　who　though　sorely　against　his
will　he　was　under　the　goatherd；　and　something　more　than　pretty　well
pummelled；　said　to　him；　〃Brother　devil　（for　it　is　impossible　but
that　thou　must　be　one　since　thou　hast　had　might　and　strength　enough　to
overcome　mine）；　I　ask　thee　to　agree　to　a　truce　for　but　one　hour　for
the　solemn　note　of　yonder　trumpet　that　falls　on　our　ears　seems　to　me
to　summon　me　to　some　new　adventure。〃　The　goatherd；　who　was　by　this
time　tired　of　pummelling　and　being　pummelled；　released　him　at　once；
and　Don　Quixote　rising　to　his　feet　and　turning　his　eyes　to　the　quarter
where　the　sound　had　been　heard；　suddenly　saw　coming　down　the　slope
of　a　hill　several　men　clad　in　white　like　penitents。
　　The　fact　was　that　the　clouds　had　that　year　withheld　their　moisture
from　the　earth；　and　in　all　the　villages　of　the　district　they　were
organising　processions；　rogations；　and　penances；　imploring　God　to　open
the　hands　of　his　mercy　and　send　the　rain；　and　to　this　end　the　people
of　a　village　that　was　hard　by　were　going　in　procession　to　a　holy
hermitage　there　was　on　one　side　of　that　valley。　Don　Quixote　when　he
saw　the　strange　garb　of　the　penitents；　without　reflecting