don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第137章

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rogue　and　rascal　that　my　master　and　I　freed　from　the　chain。〃
　　〃That　is　not　where　the　mistake　is；〃　replied　Samson；　〃it　is；　that
before　the　ass　has　turned　up；　the　author　speaks　of　Sancho　as　being
mounted　on　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say　to　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃unless　that　the
historian　made　a　mistake；　or　perhaps　it　might　be　a　blunder　of　the
printer's。〃
　　〃No　doubt　that's　it；〃　said　Samson；　〃but　what　became　of　the　hundred
crowns？　Did　they　vanish？〃
　　To　which　Sancho　answered；　〃I　spent　them　for　my　own　good；　and　my
wife's；　and　my　children's；　and　it　is　they　that　have　made　my　wife
bear　so　patiently　all　my　wanderings　on　highways　and　byways；　in　the
service　of　my　master；　Don　Quixote；　for　if　after　all　this　time　I　had
come　back　to　the　house　without　a　rap　and　without　the　ass；　it　would
have　been　a　poor　look…out　for　me；　and　if　anyone　wants　to　know　anything
more　about　me；　here　I　am；　ready　to　answer　the　king　himself　in
person；　and　it　is　no　affair　of　anyone's　whether　I　took　or　did　not
take；　whether　I　spent　or　did　not　spend；　for　the　whacks　that　were　given
me　in　these　journeys　were　to　be　paid　for　in　money；　even　if　they　were
valued　at　no　more　than　four　maravedis　apiece；　another　hundred　crowns
would　not　pay　me　for　half　of　them。　Let　each　look　to　himself　and　not
try　to　make　out　white　black；　and　black　white；　for　each　of　us　is　as　God
made　him；　aye；　and　often　worse。〃
　　〃I　will　take　care；〃　said　Carrasco；　〃to　impress　upon　the　author　of
the　history　that；　if　he　prints　it　again；　he　must　not　forget　what
worthy　Sancho　has　said；　for　it　will　raise　it　a　good　span　higher。〃
　　〃Is　there　anything　else　to　correct　in　the　history；　senor
bachelor？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃No　doubt　there　is；〃　replied　he；　〃but　not　anything　that　will　be　of
the　same　importance　as　those　I　have　mentioned。〃
　　〃Does　the　author　promise　a　second　part　at　all？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃He　does　promise　one；〃　replied　Samson；　〃but　he　says　he　has　not　found
it；　nor　does　he　know　who　has　got　it；　and　we　cannot　say　whether　it　will
appear　or　not；　and　so；　on　that　head；　as　some　say　that　no　second　part
has　ever　been　good；　and　others　that　enough　has　been　already　written
about　Don　Quixote；　it　is　thought　there　will　be　no　second　part；
though　some；　who　are　jovial　rather　than　saturnine；　say；　'Let　us　have
more　Quixotades；　let　Don　Quixote　charge　and　Sancho　chatter；　and　no
matter　what　it　may　turn　out；　we　shall　be　satisfied　with　that。'〃
　　〃And　what　does　the　author　mean　to　do？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃What？〃　replied　Samson；　〃why；　as　soon　as　he　has　found　the　history
which　he　is　now　searching　for　with　extraordinary　diligence；　he　will　at
once　give　it　to　the　press；　moved　more　by　the　profit　that　may　accrue　to
him　from　doing　so　than　by　any　thought　of　praise。〃
　　Whereat　Sancho　observed；　〃The　author　looks　for　money　and　profit；
does　he？　It　will　he　a　wonder　if　he　succeeds；　for　it　will　be　only
hurry；　hurry；　with　him；　like　the　tailor　on　Easter　Eve；　and　works
done　in　a　hurry　are　never　finished　as　perfectly　as　they　ought　to　be。
Let　master　Moor；　or　whatever　he　is；　pay　attention　to　what　he　is　doing；
and　I　and　my　master　will　give　him　as　much　grouting　ready　to　his
hand；　in　the　way　of　adventures　and　accidents　of　all　sorts；　as　would
make　up　not　only　one　second　part；　but　a　hundred。　The　good　man　fancies；
no　doubt；　that　we　are　fast　asleep　in　the　straw　here；　but　let　him
hold　up　our　feet　to　be　shod　and　he　will　see　which　foot　it　is　we　go
lame　on。　All　I　say　is；　that　if　my　master　would　take　my　advice；　we
would　be　now　afield；　redressing　outrages　and　righting　wrongs；　as　is
the　use　and　custom　of　good　knights…errant。〃
　　Sancho　had　hardly　uttered　these　words　when　the　neighing　of　Rocinante
fell　upon　their　ears；　which　neighing　Don　Quixote　accepted　as　a　happy
omen；　and　he　resolved　to　make　another　sally　in　three　or　four　days　from
that　time。　Announcing　his　intention　to　the　bachelor；　he　asked　his
advice　as　to　the　quarter　in　which　he　ought　to　commence　his　expedition；
and　the　bachelor　replied　that　in　his　opinion　he　ought　to　go　to　the
kingdom　of　Aragon；　and　the　city　of　Saragossa；　where　there　were　to　be
certain　solemn　joustings　at　the　festival　of　St。　George；　at　which　he
might　win　renown　above　all　the　knights　of　Aragon；　which　would　be
winning　it　above　all　the　knights　of　the　world。　He　commended　his　very
praiseworthy　and　gallant　resolution；　but　admonished　him　to　proceed
with　greater　caution　in　encountering　dangers；　because　his　life　did　not
belong　to　him；　but　to　all　those　who　had　need　of　him　to　protect　and　aid
them　in　their　misfortunes。
　　〃There's　where　it　is；　what　I　abominate；　Senor　Samson；〃　said　Sancho
here；　〃my　master　will　attack　a　hundred　armed　men　as　a　greedy　boy　would
half　a　dozen　melons。　Body　of　the　world；　senor　bachelor！　there　is　a
time　to　attack　and　a　time　to　retreat；　and　it　is　not　to　be　always
'Santiago；　and　close　Spain！'　Moreover；　I　have　heard　it　said　（and　I
think　by　my　master　himself；　if　I　remember　rightly）　that　the　mean　of
valour　lies　between　the　extremes　of　cowardice　and　rashness；　and　if
that　be　so；　I　don't　want　him　to　fly　without　having　good　reason；　or
to　attack　when　the　odds　make　it　better　not。　But；　above　all　things；　I
warn　my　master　that　if　he　is　to　take　me　with　him　it　must　be　on　the
condition　that　he　is　to　do　all　the　fighting；　and　that　I　am　not　to　be
called　upon　to　do　anything　except　what　concerns　keeping　him　clean
and　comfortable；　in　this　I　will　dance　attendance　on　him　readily；　but
to　expect　me　to　draw　sword；　even　against　rascally　churls　of　the
hatchet　and　hood；　is　idle。　I　don't　set　up　to　be　a　fighting　man；
Senor　Samson；　but　only　the　best　and　most　loyal　squire　that　ever　served
knight…errant；　and　if　my　master　Don　Quixote；　in　consideration　of　my
many　faithful　services；　is　pleased　to　give　me　some　island　of　the
many　his　worship　says　one　may　stumble　on　in　these　parts；　I　will　take
it　as　a　great　favour；　and　if　he　does　not　give　it　to　me；　I　was　born
like　everyone　else；　and　a　man　must　not　live　in　dependence　on　anyone
except　God；　and　what　is　more；　my　bread　will　taste　as　well；　and　perhaps
even　better；　without　a　government　than　if　I　were　a　governor；　and　how
do　I　know　but　that　in　these　governments　the　devil　may　have　prepared
some　trip　for　me；　to　make　me　lose　my　footing　and　fall　and　knock　my
grinders　out？　Sancho　I　was　born　and　Sancho　I　mean　to　die。　But　for
all　that；　if　heaven　were　to　make　me　a　fair　offer　of　an　island　or
something　else　of　the　kind；　without　much　trouble　and　without　much
risk；　I　am　not　such　a　fool　as　to　refuse　it；　for　they　say；　too；　'when
they　offer　thee　a　heifer；　run　with　a　halter；　and　'when　good　luck　comes
to　thee；　take　it　in。'〃
　　〃Brother　Sancho；〃　said　Carrasco；　〃you　have　spoken　like　a
professor；　but；　for　all　that；　put　your　trust　in　God　and　in　Senor　Don
Quixote；　for　he　will　give　you　a　kingdom；　not　to　say　an　island。〃
　　〃It　is　all　the　same；　be　it　more　or　be　it　less；〃　replied　Sancho；
〃though　I　can　tell　Senor　Carrasco　that　my　master　would　not　throw　the
kingdom　he　might　give　me　into　a　sack　all　in　holes；　for　I　have　felt
my　own　pulse　and　I　find　myself　sound　enough　to　rule　kingdoms　and
govern　islands；　and　I　have　before　now　told　my　master　as　much。〃
　　〃Take　care；　Sancho；〃　said　Samson；　〃honours　change　manners；　and
perhaps　when　you　find　yourself　a　governor　you　won't　know　the　mother
that　bore　you。〃
　　〃That　may　hold　good　of　those　that　are　born　in　the　ditches；〃　said
Sancho；　〃not　of　those　who　have　the　fat　of　an　old　Christian　four
fingers　deep　on　their　souls；　as　I　have。　Nay；　only　look　at　my
disposition；　is　that　likely　to　show　ingratitude　to　anyone？〃
　　〃God　grant　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃we　shall　see　when　the
government　comes；　and　I　seem　to　see　it　already。〃
　　He　then　begged　the　bachelor；　if　he　were　a　poet；　to　do　him　the　favour
of　composing　some　verses　for　him　conveying　the　farewell　he　meant　to
take　of　his　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　and　to　see　that　a　letter　of
her　name　was　placed　at　the　beginning　of　each　line；　so　that；　at　the　end
of　the　verses；　〃Dulcinea　del　Toboso〃　might　be　read　by　putting　together
the　first　letters。　The　bachelor　replied　that　although　he　was　not　one
of　the　famous　poets　of　Spain；　who　were；　they　said；　only　three　and　a
half；　he　would　not　fail　to　compose　the　required　verses；　though　he
saw　a　great　difficulty　in　the　task；　as　the　letters　which　made