don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第141章
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knowing how to spend it well。 The poor gentleman has no way of showing
that he is a gentleman but by virtue； by being affable； well…bred；
courteous； gentle…mannered； and kindly； not haughty； arrogant； or
censorious； but above all by being charitable； for by two maravedis
given with a cheerful heart to the poor； he will show himself as
generous as he who distributes alms with bell…ringing； and no one that
perceives him to be endowed with the virtues I have named； even though
he know him not； will fail to recognise and set him down as one of
good blood； and it would be strange were it not so； praise has ever
been the reward of virtue； and those who are virtuous cannot fail to
receive commendation。 There are two roads； my daughters； by which
men may reach wealth and honours； one is that of letters； the other
that of arms。 I have more of arms than of letters in my composition；
and； judging by my inclination to arms； was born under the influence
of the planet Mars。 I am； therefore； in a measure constrained to
follow that road； and by it I must travel in spite of all the world；
and it will be labour in vain for you to urge me to resist what heaven
wills； fate ordains； reason requires； and； above all； my own
inclination favours； for knowing as I do the countless toils that
are the accompaniments of knight…errantry； I know； too； the infinite
blessings that are attained by it； I know that the path of virtue is
very narrow； and the road of vice broad and spacious； I know their
ends and goals are different； for the broad and easy road of vice ends
in death； and the narrow and toilsome one of virtue in life； and not
transitory life； but in that which has no end； I know； as our great
Castilian poet says； that…
It is by rugged paths like these they go
That scale the heights of immortality；
Unreached by those that falter here below。〃
〃Woe is me！〃 exclaimed the niece； 〃my lord is a poet； too！ He
knows everything； and he can do everything； I will bet； if he chose to
turn mason； he could make a house as easily as a cage。〃
〃I can tell you； niece；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃if these chivalrous
thoughts did not engage all my faculties； there would be nothing
that I could not do； nor any sort of knickknack that would not come
from my hands； particularly cages and tooth…picks。〃
At this moment there came a knocking at the door； and when they
asked who was there； Sancho Panza made answer that it was he。 The
instant the housekeeper knew who it was； she ran to hide herself so as
not to see him； in such abhorrence did she hold him。 The niece let him
in； and his master Don Quixote came forward to receive him with open
arms； and the pair shut themselves up in his room； where they had
another conversation not inferior to the previous one。
CHAPTER VII
OF WHAT PASSED BETWEEN DON QUIXOTE AND HIS SQUIRE； TOGETHER WITH
OTHER VERY NOTABLE INCIDENTS
THE instant the housekeeper saw Sancho Panza shut himself in with
her master； she guessed what they were about； and suspecting that
the result of the consultation would be a resolve to undertake a third
sally； she seized her mantle； and in deep anxiety and distress； ran to
find the bachelor Samson Carrasco； as she thought that； being a
well…spoken man； and a new friend of her master's； he might be able to
persuade him to give up any such crazy notion。 She found him pacing
the patio of his house； and； perspiring and flurried； she fell at
his feet the moment she saw him。
Carrasco； seeing how distressed and overcome she was； said to her；
〃What is this； mistress housekeeper？ What has happened to you？ One
would think you heart…broken。〃
〃Nothing； Senor Samson；〃 said she； 〃only that my master is
breaking out； plainly breaking out。〃
〃Whereabouts is he breaking out； senora？〃 asked Samson； 〃has any
part of his body burst？〃
〃He is only breaking out at the door of his madness；〃 she replied；
〃I mean； dear senor bachelor； that he is going to break out again （and
this will be the third time） to hunt all over the world for what he
calls ventures； though I can't make out why he gives them that name。
The first time he was brought back to us slung across the back of an
ass； and belaboured all over； and the second time he came in an
ox…cart； shut up in a cage； in which he persuaded himself he was
enchanted； and the poor creature was in such a state that the mother
that bore him would not have known him； lean； yellow； with his eyes
sunk deep in the cells of his skull； so that to bring him round again；
ever so little； cost me more than six hundred eggs； as God knows；
and all the world； and my hens too； that won't let me tell a lie。〃
〃That I can well believe；〃 replied the bachelor； 〃for they are so
good and so fat； and so well…bred； that they would not say one thing
for another； though they were to burst for it。 In short then； mistress
housekeeper； that is all； and there is nothing the matter； except what
it is feared Don Quixote may do？〃
〃No； senor；〃 said she。
〃Well then；〃 returned the bachelor； 〃don't be uneasy； but go home in
peace； get me ready something hot for breakfast； and while you are
on the way say the prayer of Santa Apollonia； that is if you know
it； for I will come presently and you will see miracles。〃
〃Woe is me；〃 cried the housekeeper； 〃is it the prayer of Santa
Apollonia you would have me say？ That would do if it was the toothache
my master had； but it is in the brains； what he has got。〃
〃I know what I am saying； mistress housekeeper； go； and don't set
yourself to argue with me； for you know I am a bachelor of
Salamanca； and one can't be more of a bachelor than that；〃 replied
Carrasco； and with this the housekeeper retired； and the bachelor went
to look for the curate； and arrange with him what will be told in
its proper place。
While Don Quixote and Sancho were shut up together； they had a
discussion which the history records with great precision and
scrupulous exactness。 Sancho said to his master； 〃Senor； I have educed
my wife to let me go with your worship wherever you choose to take
me。〃
〃Induced； you should say； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃not educed。〃
〃Once or twice； as well as I remember；〃 replied Sancho； 〃I have
begged of your worship not to mend my words； if so be as you
understand what I mean by them； and if you don't understand them to
say 'Sancho；' or 'devil；' 'I don't understand thee； and if I don't
make my meaning plain； then you may correct me； for I am so focile…〃
〃I don't understand thee； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote at once； 〃for
I know not what 'I am so focile' means。〃
〃'So focile' means I am so much that way；〃 replied Sancho。
〃I understand thee still less now；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Well； if you can't understand me；〃 said Sancho； 〃I don't know how
to put it； I know no more； God help me。〃
〃Oh； now I have hit it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃thou wouldst say thou
art so docile； tractable； and gentle that thou wilt take what I say to
thee； and submit to what I teach thee。〃
〃I would bet；〃 said Sancho； 〃that from the very first you understood
me； and knew what I meant； but you wanted to put me out that you might
hear me make another couple of dozen blunders。〃
〃May be so；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃but to come to the point； what
does Teresa say？〃
〃Teresa says；〃 replied Sancho； 〃that I should make sure with your
worship； and 'let papers speak and beards be still；' for 'he who binds
does not wrangle；' since one 'take' is better than two 'I'll give
thee's；' and I say a woman's advice is no great thing； and he who
won't take it is a fool。〃
〃And so say I；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃continue； Sancho my friend； go
on； you talk pearls to…day。〃
〃The fact is；〃 continued Sancho； 〃that； as your worship knows better
than I do； we are all of us liable to death； and to…day we are； and
to…morrow we are not； and the lamb goes as soon as the sheep； and
nobody can promise himself more hours of life in this world than God
may be pleased to give him； for death is deaf； and when it comes to
knock at our life's door； it is always urgent； and neither prayers；
nor struggles； nor sceptres； nor mitres； can keep it back； as common
talk and report say； and as th
