don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第138章

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saw　a　great　difficulty　in　the　task；　as　the　letters　which　made　up　the
name　were　seventeen；　so；　if　he　made　four　ballad　stanzas　of　four
lines　each；　there　would　be　a　letter　over；　and　if　he　made　them　of　five；
what　they　called　decimas　or　redondillas；　there　were　three　letters
short；　nevertheless　he　would　try　to　drop　a　letter　as　well　as　he　could；
so　that　the　name　〃Dulcinea　del　Toboso〃　might　be　got　into　four　ballad
stanzas。
　　〃It　must　be；　by　some　means　or　other；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for
unless　the　name　stands　there　plain　and　manifest；　no　woman　would
believe　the　verses　were　made　for　her。〃
　　They　agreed　upon　this；　and　that　the　departure　should　take　place　in
three　days　from　that　time。　Don　Quixote　charged　the　bachelor　to　keep　it
a　secret；　especially　from　the　curate　and　Master　Nicholas；　and　from　his
niece　and　the　housekeeper；　lest　they　should　prevent　the　execution　of
his　praiseworthy　and　valiant　purpose。　Carrasco　promised　all；　and
then　took　his　leave；　charging　Don　Quixote　to　inform　him　of　his　good　or
evil　fortunes　whenever　he　had　an　opportunity；　and　thus　they　bade
each　other　farewell；　and　Sancho　went　away　to　make　the　necessary
preparations　for　their　expedition。

　　CHAPTER　V
　　OF　THE　SHREWD　AND　DROLL　CONVERSATION　THAT　PASSED　BETWEEN　SANCHO
PANZA　AND　HIS　WIFE　TERESA　PANZA；　AND　OTHER　MATTERS　WORTHY　OF　BEING
DULY　RECORDED

　　THE　translator　of　this　history；　when　he　comes　to　write　this　fifth
chapter；　says　that　he　considers　it　apocryphal；　because　in　it　Sancho
Panza　speaks　in　a　style　unlike　that　which　might　have　been　expected
from　his　limited　intelligence；　and　says　things　so　subtle　that　he
does　not　think　it　possible　he　could　have　conceived　them；　however；
desirous　of　doing　what　his　task　imposed　upon　him；　he　was　unwilling
to　leave　it　untranslated；　and　therefore　he　went　on　to　say：
　　Sancho　came　home　in　such　glee　and　spirits　that　his　wife　noticed
his　happiness　a　bowshot　off；　so　much　so　that　it　made　her　ask　him；
〃What　have　you　got；　Sancho　friend；　that　you　are　so　glad？〃
　　To　which　he　replied；　〃Wife；　if　it　were　God's　will；　I　should　be
very　glad　not　to　be　so　well　pleased　as　I　show　myself。〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　you；　husband；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　don't　know
what　you　mean　by　saying　you　would　be　glad；　if　it　were　God's　will；
not　to　be　well　pleased；　for；　fool　as　I　am；　I　don't　know　how　one　can
find　pleasure　in　not　having　it。〃
　　〃Hark　ye；　Teresa；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃I　am　glad　because　I　have　made　up
my　mind　to　go　back　to　the　service　of　my　master　Don　Quixote；　who
means　to　go　out　a　third　time　to　seek　for　adventures；　and　I　am　going
with　him　again；　for　my　necessities　will　have　it　so；　and　also　the
hope　that　cheers　me　with　the　thought　that　I　may　find　another　hundred
crowns　like　those　we　have　spent；　though　it　makes　me　sad　to　have　to
leave　thee　and　the　children；　and　if　God　would　be　pleased　to　let　me
have　my　daily　bread；　dry…shod　and　at　home；　without　taking　me　out
into　the　byways　and　cross…roads…　and　he　could　do　it　at　small　cost　by
merely　willing　it…　it　is　clear　my　happiness　would　be　more　solid　and
lasting；　for　the　happiness　I　have　is　mingled　with　sorrow　at　leaving
thee；　so　that　I　was　right　in　saying　I　would　be　glad；　if　it　were
God's　will；　not　to　be　well　pleased。〃
　　〃Look　here；　Sancho；〃　said　Teresa；　〃ever　since　you　joined　on　to　a
knight…errant　you　talk　in　such　a　roundabout　way　that　there　is　no
understanding　you。〃
　　〃It　is　enough　that　God　understands　me；　wife；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃for
he　is　the　understander　of　all　things；　that　will　do；　but　mind；
sister；　you　must　look　to　Dapple　carefully　for　the　next　three　days；
so　that　he　may　be　fit　to　take　arms；　double　his　feed；　and　see　to　the
pack…saddle　and　other　harness；　for　it　is　not　to　a　wedding　we　are
bound；　but　to　go　round　the　world；　and　play　at　give　and　take　with
giants　and　dragons　and　monsters；　and　hear　hissings　and　roarings　and
bellowings　and　howlings；　and　even　all　this　would　be　lavender；　if　we
had　not　to　reckon　with　Yanguesans　and　enchanted　Moors。〃
　　〃I　know　well　enough；　husband；〃　said　Teresa；　〃that　squires…errant
don't　eat　their　bread　for　nothing；　and　so　I　will　be　always　praying
to　our　Lord　to　deliver　you　speedily　from　all　that　hard　fortune。〃
　　〃I　can　tell　you；　wife；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　I　did　not　expect　to　see
myself　governor　of　an　island　before　long；　I　would　drop　down　dead　on
the　spot。〃
　　〃Nay；　then；　husband；〃　said　Teresa；　〃let　the　hen　live；　though　it　be
with　her　pip；　live；　and　let　the　devil　take　all　the　governments　in
the　world；　you　came　out　of　your　mother's　womb　without　a　government；
you　have　lived　until　now　without　a　government；　and　when　it　is　God's
will　you　will　go；　or　be　carried；　to　your　grave　without　a　government。
How　many　there　are　in　the　world　who　live　without　a　government；　and
continue　to　live　all　the　same；　and　are　reckoned　in　the　number　of　the
people。　The　best　sauce　in　the　world　is　hunger；　and　as　the　poor　are
never　without　that；　they　always　eat　with　a　relish。　But　mind；　Sancho；
if　by　good　luck　you　should　find　yourself　with　some　government；　don't
forget　me　and　your　children。　Remember　that　Sanchico　is　now　full
fifteen；　and　it　is　right　he　should　go　to　school；　if　his　uncle　the
abbot　has　a　mind　to　have　him　trained　for　the　Church。　Consider；　too；
that　your　daughter　Mari…Sancha　will　not　die　of　grief　if　we　marry
her；　for　I　have　my　suspicions　that　she　is　as　eager　to　get　a　husband　as
you　to　get　a　government；　and；　after　all；　a　daughter　looks　better　ill
married　than　well　whored。〃
　　〃By　my　faith；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃if　God　brings　me　to　get　any　sort
of　a　government；　I　intend；　wife；　to　make　such　a　high　match　for
Mari…Sancha　that　there　will　be　no　approaching　her　without　calling
her　'my　lady。〃
　　〃Nay；　Sancho；〃　returned　Teresa；　〃marry　her　to　her　equal；　that　is　the
safest　plan；　for　if　you　put　her　out　of　wooden　clogs　into　high…heeled
shoes；　out　of　her　grey　flannel　petticoat　into　hoops　and　silk　gowns；
out　of　the　plain　'Marica'　and　'thou；'　into　'Dona　So…and…so'　and　'my
lady；'　the　girl　won't　know　where　she　is；　and　at　every　turn　she　will
fall　into　a　thousand　blunders　that　will　show　the　thread　of　her
coarse　homespun　stuff。〃
　　〃Tut；　you　fool；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　will　be　only　to　practise　it　for
two　or　three　years；　and　then　dignity　and　decorum　will　fit　her　as
easily　as　a　glove；　and　if　not；　what　matter？　Let　her　he　'my　lady；'
and　never　mind　what　happens。〃
　　〃Keep　to　your　own　station；　Sancho；〃　replied　Teresa；　〃don't　try　to
raise　yourself　higher；　and　bear　in　mind　the　proverb　that　says；　'wipe
the　nose　of　your　neigbbour's　son；　and　take　him　into　your　house。'　A
fine　thing　it　would　be；　indeed；　to　marry　our　Maria　to　some　great　count
or　grand　gentleman；　who；　when　the　humour　took　him；　would　abuse　her　and
call　her　clown…bred　and　clodhopper's　daughter　and　spinning　wench。　I
have　not　been　bringing　up　my　daughter　for　that　all　this　time；　I　can
tell　you；　husband。　Do　you　bring　home　money；　Sancho；　and　leave　marrying
her　to　my　care；　there　is　Lope　Tocho；　Juan　Tocho's　son；　a　stout；　sturdy
young　fellow　that　we　know；　and　I　can　see　he　does　not　look　sour　at
the　girl；　and　with　him；　one　of　our　own　sort；　she　will　be　well　married；
and　we　shall　have　her　always　under　our　eyes；　and　be　all　one　family；
parents　and　children；　grandchildren　and　sons…in…law；　and　the　peace　and
blessing　of　God　will　dwell　among　us；　so　don't　you　go　marrying　her　in
those　courts　and　grand　palaces　where　they　won't　know　what　to　make　of
her；　or　she　what　to　make　of　herself。〃
　　〃Why；　you　idiot　and　wife　for　Barabbas；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　do　you
mean　by　trying；　without　why　or　wherefore；　to　keep　me　from　marrying
my　daughter　to　one　who　will　give　me　grandchildren　that　will　be
called　'your　lordship'？　Look　ye；　Teresa；　I　have　always　heard　my　elders
say　that　he　who　does　not　know　how　to　take　advantage　of　luck　when　it
comes　to　him；　has　no　right　to　complain　if　it　gives　him　the　go…by；
and　now　that　it　is　knocking　at　our　door；　it　will　not　do　to　shut　it
out；　let　us　go　with　the　favouring　breeze　that　blows　upon　us。〃
　　It　is　this　sort　of　talk；　and　what　Sancho　says　lower　down；　that
made　the　translator　of　the　history　say　he　considered　this　chapter
apocryphal。
　　〃Don't　you　see；　you　animal；〃　continued　Sancho；　〃that　it　will　be　well
for　me　to　drop　into　some　profitable　government　that　will　lift　us　out
of　the　mire；　and　marry　Mari…San