don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第128章

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saw　the　strange　garb　of　the　penitents；　without　reflecting　how　often　he
had　seen　it　before；　took　it　into　his　head　that　this　was　a　case　of
adventure；　and　that　it　fell　to　him　alone　as　a　knight…errant　to
engage　in　it；　and　he　was　all　the　more　confirmed　in　this　notion；　by　the
idea　that　an　image　draped　in　black　they　had　with　them　was　some
illustrious　lady　that　these　villains　and　discourteous　thieves　were
carrying　off　by　force。　As　soon　as　this　occurred　to　him　he　ran　with　all
speed　to　Rocinante　who　was　grazing　at　large；　and　taking　the　bridle　and
the　buckler　from　the　saddle…bow；　he　had　him　bridled　in　an　instant；　and
calling　to　Sancho　for　his　sword　he　mounted　Rocinante；　braced　his
buckler　on　his　arm；　and　in　a　loud　voice　exclaimed　to　those　who　stood
by；　〃Now；　noble　company；　ye　shall　see　how　important　it　is　that　there
should　be　knights　in　the　world　professing　the　of　knight…errantry；　now；
I　say；　ye　shall　see；　by　the　deliverance　of　that　worthy　lady　who　is
borne　captive　there；　whether　knights…errant　deserve　to　be　held　in
estimation；〃　and　so　saying　he　brought　his　legs　to　bear　on　Rocinante…
for　he　had　no　spurs…　and　at　a　full　canter　（for　in　all　this　veracious
history　we　never　read　of　Rocinante　fairly　galloping）　set　off　to
encounter　the　penitents；　though　the　curate；　the　canon；　and　the
barber　ran　to　prevent　him。　But　it　was　out　of　their　power；　nor　did　he
even　stop　for　the　shouts　of　Sancho　calling　after　him；　〃Where　are　you
going；　Senor　Don　Quixote？　What　devils　have　possessed　you　to　set　you　on
against　our　Catholic　faith？　Plague　take　me！　mind；　that　is　a　procession
of　penitents；　and　the　lady　they　are　carrying　on　that　stand　there　is
the　blessed　image　of　the　immaculate　Virgin。　Take　care　what　you　are
doing；　senor；　for　this　time　it　may　be　safely　said　you　don't　know
what　you　are　about。〃　Sancho　laboured　in　vain；　for　his　master　was　so
bent　on　coming　to　quarters　with　these　sheeted　figures　and　releasing
the　lady　in　black　that　he　did　not　hear　a　word；　and　even　had　he
heard；　he　would　not　have　turned　back　if　the　king　had　ordered　him。　He
came　up　with　the　procession　and　reined　in　Rocinante；　who　was　already
anxious　enough　to　slacken　speed　a　little；　and　in　a　hoarse；　excited
voice　he　exclaimed；　〃You　who　hide　your　faces；　perhaps　because　you
are　not　good　subjects；　pay　attention　and　listen　to　what　I　am　about
to　say　to　you。〃　The　first　to　halt　were　those　who　were　carrying　the
image；　and　one　of　the　four　ecclesiastics　who　were　chanting　the　Litany；
struck　by　the　strange　figure　of　Don　Quixote；　the　leanness　of
Rocinante；　and　the　other　ludicrous　peculiarities　he　observed；　said
in　reply　to　him；　〃Brother；　if　you　have　anything　to　say　to　us　say　it
quickly；　for　these　brethren　are　whipping　themselves；　and　we　cannot
stop；　nor　is　it　reasonable　we　should　stop　to　hear　anything；　unless
indeed　it　is　short　enough　to　be　said　in　two　words。〃
　　〃I　will　say　it　in　one；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　it　is　this；　that
at　once；　this　very　instant；　ye　release　that　fair　lady　whose　tears
and　sad　aspect　show　plainly　that　ye　are　carrying　her　off　against　her
will；　and　that　ye　have　committed　some　scandalous　outrage　against
her；　and　I；　who　was　born　into　the　world　to　redress　all　such　like
wrongs；　will　not　permit　you　to　advance　another　step　until　you　have
restored　to　her　the　liberty　she　pines　for　and　deserves。〃
　　From　these　words　all　the　hearers　concluded　that　he　must　be　a　madman；
and　began　to　laugh　heartily；　and　their　laughter　acted　like　gunpowder
on　Don　Quixote's　fury；　for　drawing　his　sword　without　another　word　he
made　a　rush　at　the　stand。　One　of　those　who　supported　it；　leaving　the
burden　to　his　comrades；　advanced　to　meet　him；　flourishing　a　forked
stick　that　he　had　for　propping　up　the　stand　when　resting；　and　with
this　he　caught　a　mighty　cut　Don　Quixote　made　at　him　that　severed　it　in
two；　but　with　the　portion　that　remained　in　his　hand　he　dealt　such　a
thwack　on　the　shoulder　of　Don　Quixote's　sword　arm　（which　the　buckler
could　not　protect　against　the　clownish　assault）　that　poor　Don
Quixote　came　to　the　ground　in　a　sad　plight。
　　Sancho　Panza；　who　was　coming　on　close　behind　puffing　and　blowing；
seeing　him　fall；　cried　out　to　his　assailant　not　to　strike　him　again；
for　he　was　poor　enchanted　knight；　who　had　never　harmed　anyone　all
the　days　of　his　life；　but　what　checked　the　clown　was；　not　Sancho's
shouting；　but　seeing　that　Don　Quixote　did　not　stir　hand　or　foot；　and
so；　fancying　he　had　killed　him；　he　hastily　hitched　up　his　tunic
under　his　girdle　and　took　to　his　heels　across　the　country　like　a　deer。
　　By　this　time　all　Don　Quixote's　companions　had　come　up　to　where　he
lay；　but　the　processionists　seeing　them　come　running；　and　with　them
the　officers　of　the　Brotherhood　with　their　crossbows；　apprehended
mischief；　and　clustering　round　the　image；　raised　their　hoods；　and
grasped　their　scourges；　as　the　priests　did　their　tapers；　and　awaited
the　attack；　resolved　to　defend　themselves　and　even　to　take　the
offensive　against　their　assailants　if　they　could。　Fortune；　however；
arranged　the　matter　better　than　they　expected；　for　all　Sancho　did
was　to　fling　himself　on　his　master's　body；　raising　over　him　the　most
doleful　and　laughable　lamentation　that　ever　was　heard；　for　he　believed
he　was　dead。　The　curate　was　known　to　another　curate　who　walked　in
the　procession；　and　their　recognition　of　one　another　set　at　rest　the
apprehensions　of　both　parties；　the　first　then　told　the　other　in　two
words　who　Don　Quixote　was；　and　he　and　the　whole　troop　of　penitents
went　to　see　if　the　poor　gentleman　was　dead；　and　heard　Sancho　Panza
saying；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃Oh　flower　of　chivalry；　that　with
one　blow　of　a　stick　hast　ended　the　course　of　thy　well…spent　life！　Oh
pride　of　thy　race；　honour　and　glory　of　all　La　Mancha；　nay；　of　all
the　world；　that　for　want　of　thee　will　be　full　of　evil…doers；　no　longer
in　fear　of　punishment　for　their　misdeeds！　Oh　thou；　generous　above
all　the　Alexanders；　since　for　only　eight　months　of　service　thou　hast
given　me　the　best　island　the　sea　girds　or　surrounds！　Humble　with　the
proud；　haughty　with　the　humble；　encounterer　of　dangers；　endurer　of
outrages；　enamoured　without　reason；　imitator　of　the　good；　scourge　of
the　wicked；　enemy　of　the　mean；　in　short；　knight…errant；　which　is　all
that　can　be　said！〃
　　At　the　cries　and　moans　of　Sancho；　Don　Quixote　came　to　himself；　and
the　first　word　he　said　was；　〃He　who　lives　separated　from　you；　sweetest
Dulcinea；　has　greater　miseries　to　endure　than　these。　Aid　me；　friend
Sancho；　to　mount　the　enchanted　cart；　for　I　am　not　in　a　condition　to
press　the　saddle　of　Rocinante；　as　this　shoulder　is　all　knocked　to
pieces。〃
　　〃That　I　will　do　with　all　my　heart；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　let
us　return　to　our　village　with　these　gentlemen；　who　seek　your　good；　and
there　we　will　prepare　for　making　another　sally；　which　may　turn　out
more　profitable　and　creditable　to　us。〃
　　〃Thou　art　right；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃It　will　be　wise
to　let　the　malign　influence　of　the　stars　which　now　prevails　pass　off。〃
　　The　canon；　the　curate；　and　the　barber　told　him　he　would　act　very
wisely　in　doing　as　he　said；　and　so；　highly　amused　at　Sancho　Panza's
simplicities；　they　placed　Don　Quixote　in　the　cart　as　before。　The
procession　once　more　formed　itself　in　order　and　proceeded　on　its　road；
the　goatherd　took　his　leave　of　the　party；　the　officers　of　the
Brotherhood　declined　to　go　any　farther；　and　the　curate　paid　them
what　was　due　to　them；　the　canon　begged　the　curate　to　let　him　know
how　Don　Quixote　did；　whether　he　was　cured　of　his　madness　or　still
suffered　from　it；　and　then　begged　leave　to　continue　his　journey；　in
short；　they　all　separated　and　went　their　ways；　leaving　to　themselves
the　curate　and　the　barber；　Don　Quixote；　Sancho　Panza；　and　the　good
Rocinante；　who　regarded　everything　with　as　great　resignation　as　his
master。　The　carter　yoked　his　oxen　and　made　Don　Quixote　comfortable
on　a　truss　of　hay；　and　at　his　usual　deliberate　pace　took　the　road
the　curate　directed；　and　at　the　end　of　six　days　they　reached　Don
Quixote's　village；　and　entered　it　about　the　middle　of　the　day；　which
it　so　happened　was　a　Sunday；　and　the　people　were　all　in　the　plaza；
through　which　Don　Quixote's　cart　passed。　They　all　flocked　to　see
what　was　in　the　cart；　and　when　they　recogni