don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第131章

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that　people　were　in　the　habit　of　offering　to　princes。
　　〃Mine；　master　shaver；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃will　not　be　impertinent；
but；　on　the　contrary；　pertinent。〃
　　〃I　don't　mean　that；〃　said　the　barber；　〃but　that　experience　has　shown
that　all　or　most　of　the　expedients　which　are　proposed　to　his　Majesty
are　either　impossible；　or　absurd；　or　injurious　to　the　King　and　to
the　kingdom。〃
　　〃Mine；　however；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃is　neither　impossible　nor
absurd；　but　the　easiest；　the　most　reasonable；　the　readiest　and　most
expeditious　that　could　suggest　itself　to　any　projector's　mind。〃
　　〃You　take　a　long　time　to　tell　it；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the
curate。
　　〃I　don't　choose　to　tell　it　here；　now；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　have
it　reach　the　ears　of　the　lords　of　the　council　to…morrow　morning；　and
some　other　carry　off　the　thanks　and　rewards　of　my　trouble。〃
　　〃For　my　part；〃　said　the　barber；　〃I　give　my　word　here　and　before
God　that　I　will　not　repeat　what　your　worship　says；　to　King；　Rook　or
earthly　man…　an　oath　I　learned　from　the　ballad　of　the　curate；　who；
in　the　prelude；　told　the　king　of　the　thief　who　had　robbed　him　of　the
hundred　gold　crowns　and　his　pacing　mule。〃
　　〃I　am　not　versed　in　stories；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　I　know　the　oath
is　a　good　one；　because　I　know　the　barber　to　be　an　honest　fellow。〃
　　〃Even　if　he　were　not；〃　said　the　curate；　〃I　will　go　bail　and　answer
for　him　that　in　this　matter　he　will　be　as　silent　as　a　dummy；　under
pain　of　paying　any　penalty　that　may　be　pronounced。〃
　　〃And　who　will　be　security　for　you；　senor　curate？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃My　profession；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃which　is　to　keep　secrets。〃
　　〃Ods　body！〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃what　more　has　his　Majesty
to　do　but　to　command；　by　public　proclamation；　all　the　knights…errant
that　are　scattered　over　Spain　to　assemble　on　a　fixed　day　in　the
capital；　for　even　if　no　more　than　half　a　dozen　come；　there　may　be
one　among　them　who　alone　will　suffice　to　destroy　the　entire　might　of
the　Turk。　Give　me　your　attention　and　follow　me。　Is　it；　pray；　any　new
thing　for　a　single　knight…errant　to　demolish　an　army　of　two　hundred
thousand　men；　as　if　they　all　had　but　one　throat　or　were　made　of
sugar　paste？　Nay；　tell　me；　how　many　histories　are　there　filled　with
these　marvels？　If　only　（in　an　evil　hour　for　me：　I　don't　speak　for
anyone　else）　the　famous　Don　Belianis　were　alive　now；　or　any　one　of　the
innumerable　progeny　of　Amadis　of　Gaul！　If　any　these　were　alive
today；　and　were　to　come　face　to　face　with　the　Turk；　by　my　faith；　I
would　not　give　much　for　the　Turk's　chance。　But　God　will　have　regard
for　his　people；　and　will　provide　some　one；　who；　if　not　so　valiant　as
the　knights…errant　of　yore；　at　least　will　not　be　inferior　to　them　in
spirit；　but　God　knows　what　I　mean；　and　I　say　no　more。〃
　　〃Alas！〃　exclaimed　the　niece　at　this；　〃may　I　die　if　my　master　does
not　want　to　turn　knight…errant　again；〃　to　which　Don　Quixote　replied；
〃A　knight…errant　I　shall　die；　and　let　the　Turk　come　down　or　go　up　when
he　likes；　and　in　as　strong　force　as　he　can；　once　more　I　say；　God　knows
what　I　mean。〃　But　here　the　barber　said；　〃I　ask　your　worships　to　give
me　leave　to　tell　a　short　story　of　something　that　happened　in
Seville；　which　comes　so　pat　to　the　purpose　just　now　that　I　should　like
greatly　to　tell　it。〃　Don　Quixote　gave　him　leave；　and　the　rest　prepared
to　listen；　and　he　began　thus：
　　〃In　the　madhouse　at　Seville　there　was　a　man　whom　his　relations　had
placed　there　as　being　out　of　his　mind。　He　was　a　graduate　of　Osuna　in
canon　law；　but　even　if　he　had　been　of　Salamanca；　it　was　the　opinion　of
most　people　that　he　would　have　been　mad　all　the　same。　This　graduate；
after　some　years　of　confinement；　took　it　into　his　head　that　he　was
sane　and　in　his　full　senses；　and　under　this　impression　wrote　to　the
Archbishop；　entreating　him　earnestly；　and　in　very　correct　language；　to
have　him　released　from　the　misery　in　which　he　was　living；　for　by　God's
mercy　he　had　now　recovered　his　lost　reason；　though　his　relations；　in
order　to　enjoy　his　property；　kept　him　there；　and；　in　spite　of　the
truth；　would　make　him　out　to　be　mad　until　his　dying　day。　The
Archbishop；　moved　by　repeated　sensible；　well…written　letters；　directed
one　of　his　chaplains　to　make　inquiry　of　the　madhouse　as　to　the　truth
of　the　licentiate's　statements；　and　to　have　an　interview　with　the
madman　himself；　and；　if　it　should　appear　that　he　was　in　his　senses；　to
take　him　out　and　restore　him　to　liberty。　The　chaplain　did　so；　and
the　governor　assured　him　that　the　man　was　still　mad；　and　that　though
he　often　spoke　like　a　highly　intelligent　person；　he　would　in　the　end
break　out　into　nonsense　that　in　quantity　and　quality　counterbalanced
all　the　sensible　things　he　had　said　before；　as　might　be　easily
tested　by　talking　to　him。　The　chaplain　resolved　to　try　the　experiment；
and　obtaining　access　to　the　madman　conversed　with　him　for　an　hour　or
more；　during　the　whole　of　which　time　he　never　uttered　a　word　that
was　incoherent　or　absurd；　but；　on　the　contrary；　spoke　so　rationally
that　the　chaplain　was　compelled　to　believe　him　to　be　sane。　Among　other
things；　he　said　the　governor　was　against　him；　not　to　lose　the　presents
his　relations　made　him　for　reporting　him　still　mad　but　with　lucid
intervals；　and　that　the　worst　foe　he　had　in　his　misfortune　was　his
large　property；　for　in　order　to　enjoy　it　his　enemies　disparaged　and
threw　doubts　upon　the　mercy　our　Lord　had　shown　him　in　turning　him　from
a　brute　beast　into　a　man。　In　short；　he　spoke　in　such　a　way　that　he
cast　suspicion　on　the　governor；　and　made　his　relations　appear　covetous
and　heartless；　and　himself　so　rational　that　the　chaplain　determined　to
take　him　away　with　him　that　the　Archbishop　might　see　him；　and
ascertain　for　himself　the　truth　of　the　matter。　Yielding　to　this
conviction；　the　worthy　chaplain　begged　the　governor　to　have　the
clothes　in　which　the　licentiate　had　entered　the　house　given　to　him。
The　governor　again　bade　him　beware　of　what　he　was　doing；　as　the
licentiate　was　beyond　a　doubt　still　mad；　but　all　his　cautions　and
warnings　were　unavailing　to　dissuade　the　chaplain　from　taking　him
away。　The　governor；　seeing　that　it　was　the　order　of　the　Archbishop；
obeyed；　and　they　dressed　the　licentiate　in　his　own　clothes；　which　were
new　and　decent。　He；　as　soon　as　he　saw　himself　clothed　like　one　in
his　senses；　and　divested　of　the　appearance　of　a　madman；　entreated
the　chaplain　to　permit　him　in　charity　to　go　and　take　leave　of　his
comrades　the　madmen。　The　chaplain　said　he　would　go　with　him　to　see
what　madmen　there　were　in　the　house；　so　they　went　upstairs；　and　with
them　some　of　those　who　were　present。　Approaching　a　cage　in　which　there
was　a　furious　madman；　though　just　at　that　moment　calm　and　quiet；　the
licentiate　said　to　him；　'Brother；　think　if　you　have　any　commands　for
me；　for　I　am　going　home；　as　God　has　been　pleased；　in　his　infinite
goodness　and　mercy；　without　any　merit　of　mine；　to　restore　me　my
reason。　I　am　now　cured　and　in　my　senses；　for　with　God's　power
nothing　is　impossible。　Have　strong　hope　and　trust　in　him；　for　as　he
has　restored　me　to　my　original　condition；　so　likewise　he　will
restore　you　if　you　trust　in　him。　I　will　take　care　to　send　you　some
good　things　to　eat；　and　be　sure　you　eat　them；　for　I　would　have　you
know　I　am　convinced；　as　one　who　has　gone　through　it；　that　all　this
madness　of　ours　comes　of　having　the　stomach　empty　and　the　brains
full　of　wind。　Take　courage！　take　courage！　for　despondency　in
misfortune　breaks　down　health　and　brings　on　death。'
　　〃To　all　these　words　of　the　licentiate　another　madman　in　a　cage
opposite　that　of　the　furious　one　was　listening；　and　raising　himself　up
from　an　old　mat　on　which　he　lay　stark　naked；　he　asked　in　a　loud
voice　who　it　was　that　was　going　away　cured　and　in　his　senses。　The
licentiate　answered；　'It　is　I；　brother；　who　am　going；　I　have　now　no
need　to　remain　here　any　longer；　for　which　I　return　infinite　thanks
to　Heaven　that　has　had　so　great　mercy　upon　me。'
　　〃'Mind　what　you　are　saying；　licentiate；　don't　let　the　devil
deceive　you；'　replied　the　madman。　'Keep　quiet；　stay　where　you　are；　and
you　will　save　yourself　the　trouble　of　coming　back。'
　　〃'I　know　I　am　cured；'　returned　the　licentiate；　'and　that　I　shall　not
have　to　go　stations　again。'