don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第148章

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also　had　slipped　under　the　ass's　belly。　The　pack…saddle　being　secured；
as　Don　Quixote　was　about　to　lift　up　his　enchanted　mistress　in　his　arms
and　put　her　upon　her　beast；　the　lady；　getting　up　from　the　ground；
saved　him　the　trouble；　for；　going　back　a　little；　she　took　a　short　run；
and　putting　both　hands　on　the　croup　of　the　ass　she　dropped　into　the
saddle　more　lightly　than　a　falcon；　and　sat　astride　like　a　man；　whereat
Sancho　said；　〃Rogue！〃　but　our　lady　is　lighter　than　a　lanner；　and　might
teach　the　cleverest　Cordovan　or　Mexican　how　to　mount；　she　cleared
the　back　of　the　saddle　in　one　jump；　and　without　spurs　she　is　making
the　hackney　go　like　a　zebra；　and　her　damsels　are　no　way　behind　her；
for　they　all　fly　like　the　wind；〃　which　was　the　truth；　for　as　soon　as
they　saw　Dulcinea　mounted；　they　pushed　on　after　her；　and　sped　away
without　looking　back；　for　more　than　half　a　league。
　　Don　Quixote　followed　them　with　his　eyes；　and　when　they　were　no
longer　in　sight；　he　turned　to　Sancho　and　said；　〃How　now；　Sancho？
thou　seest　how　I　am　hated　by　enchanters！　And　see　to　what　a　length
the　malice　and　spite　they　bear　me　go；　when　they　seek　to　deprive　me
of　the　happiness　it　would　give　me　to　see　my　lady　in　her　own　proper
form。　The　fact　is　I　was　born　to　be　an　example　of　misfortune；　and　the
target　and　mark　at　which　the　arrows　of　adversity　are　aimed　and
directed。　Observe　too；　Sancho；　that　these　traitors　were　not　content
with　changing　and　transforming　my　Dulcinea；　but　they　transformed　and
changed　her　into　a　shape　as　mean　and　ill…favoured　as　that　of　the
village　girl　yonder；　and　at　the　same　time　they　robbed　her　of　that
which　is　such　a　peculiar　property　of　ladies　of　distinction；　that　is　to
say；　the　sweet　fragrance　that　comes　of　being　always　among　perfumes　and
flowers。　For　I　must　tell　thee；　Sancho；　that　when　I　approached　to　put
Dulcinea　upon　her　hackney　（as　thou　sayest　it　was；　though　to　me　it
appeared　a　she…ass）；　she　gave　me　a　whiff　of　raw　garlic　that　made　my
head　reel；　and　poisoned　my　very　heart。〃
　　〃O　scum　of　the　earth！〃　cried　Sancho　at　this；　〃O　miserable；
spiteful　enchanters！　O　that　I　could　see　you　all　strung　by　the　gills；
like　sardines　on　a　twig！　Ye　know　a　great　deal；　ye　can　do　a　great　deal；
and　ye　do　a　great　deal　more。　It　ought　to　have　been　enough　for　you；
ye　scoundrels；　to　have　changed　the　pearls　of　my　lady's　eyes　into　oak
galls；　and　her　hair　of　purest　gold　into　the　bristles　of　a　red　ox's
tail；　and　in　short；　all　her　features　from　fair　to　foul；　without
meddling　with　her　smell；　for　by　that　we　might　somehow　have　found　out
what　was　hidden　underneath　that　ugly　rind；　though；　to　tell　the
truth；　I　never　perceived　her　ugliness；　but　only　her　beauty；　which
was　raised　to　the　highest　pitch　of　perfection　by　a　mole　she　had　on　her
right　lip；　like　a　moustache；　with　seven　or　eight　red　hairs　like
threads　of　gold；　and　more　than　a　palm　long。〃
　　〃From　the　correspondence　which　exists　between　those　of　the　face
and　those　of　the　body；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃Dulcinea　must　have
another　mole　resembling　that　on　the　thick　of　the　thigh　on　that　side　on
which　she　has　the　one　on　her　ace；　but　hairs　of　the　length　thou　hast
mentioned　are　very　long　for　moles。〃
　　〃Well；　all　I　can　say　is　there　they　were　as　plain　as　could　be；〃
replied　Sancho。
　　〃I　believe　it；　my　friend；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃for　nature
bestowed　nothing　on　Dulcinea　that　was　not　perfect　and　well…finished；
and　so；　if　she　had　a　hundred　moles　like　the　one　thou　hast　described；
in　her　they　would　not　be　moles；　but　moons　and　shining　stars。　But
tell　me；　Sancho；　that　which　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　pack…saddle　as　thou
wert　fixing　it；　was　it　a　flat…saddle　or　a　side…saddle？〃
　　〃It　was　neither；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　a　jineta　saddle；　with　a　field
covering　worth　half　a　kingdom；　so　rich　is　it。〃
　　〃And　that　I　could　not　see　all　this；　Sancho！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃once
more　I　say；　and　will　say　a　thousand　times；　I　am　the　most　unfortunate
of　men。〃
　　Sancho；　the　rogue；　had　enough　to　do　to　hide　his　laughter；　at　hearing
the　simplicity　of　the　master　he　had　so　nicely　befooled。　At　length；
after　a　good　deal　more　conversation　had　passed　between　them；　they
remounted　their　beasts；　and　followed　the　road　to　Saragossa；　which　they
expected　to　reach　in　time　to　take　part　in　a　certain　grand　festival
which　is　held　every　year　in　that　illustrious　city；　but　before　they　got
there　things　happened　to　them；　so　many；　so　important；　and　so
strange；　that　they　deserve　to　be　recorded　and　read；　as　will　be　seen
farther　on。
　　

CHAPTER　XI
　　OF　THE　STRANGE　ADVENTURE　WHICH　THE　VALIANT　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD　WITH
THE　CAR　OR　CART　OF　〃THE　CORTES　OF　DEATH〃

　　DEJECTED　beyond　measure　did　Don　Quixote　pursue　his　journey；
turning　over　in　his　mind　the　cruel　trick　the　enchanters　had　played　him
in　changing　his　lady　Dulcinea　into　the　vile　shape　of　the　village　lass；
nor　could　he　think　of　any　way　of　restoring　her　to　her　original　form；
and　these　reflections　so　absorbed　him；　that　without　being　aware　of
it　he　let　go　Rocinante's　bridle；　and　he；　perceiving　the　liberty　that
was　granted　him；　stopped　at　every　step　to　crop　the　fresh　grass　with
which　the　plain　abounded。
　　Sancho　recalled　him　from　his　reverie。　〃Melancholy；　senor；〃　said
he；　〃was　made；　not　for　beasts；　but　for　men；　but　if　men　give　way　to
it　overmuch　they　turn　to　beasts；　control　yourself；　your　worship；　be
yourself　again；　gather　up　Rocinante's　reins；　cheer　up；　rouse
yourself　and　show　that　gallant　spirit　that　knights…errant　ought　to
have。　What　the　devil　is　this？　What　weakness　is　this？　Are　we　here　or　in
France？　The　devil　fly　away　with　all　the　Dulcineas　in　the　world；　for
the　well…being　of　a　single　knight…errant　is　of　more　consequence　than
all　the　enchantments　and　transformations　on　earth。〃
　　〃Hush；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote　in　a　weak　and　faint　voice；　〃hush
and　utter　no　blasphemies　against　that　enchanted　lady；　for　I　alone　am
to　blame　for　her　misfortune　and　hard　fate；　her　calamity　has　come　of
the　hatred　the　wicked　bear　me。〃
　　〃So　say　I；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃his　heart　rend　in　twain；　I　trow；　who
saw　her　once；　to　see　her　now。〃
　　〃Thou　mayest　well　say　that；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃as　thou
sawest　her　in　the　full　perfection　of　her　beauty；　for　the　enchantment
does　not　go　so　far　as　to　pervert　thy　vision　or　hide　her　loveliness
from　thee；　against　me　alone　and　against　my　eyes　is　the　strength　of　its
venom　directed。　Nevertheless；　there　is　one　thing　which　has　occurred　to
me；　and　that　is　that　thou　didst　ill　describe　her　beauty　to　me；　for；　as
well　as　I　recollect；　thou　saidst　that　her　eyes　were　pearls；　but　eyes
that　are　like　pearls　are　rather　the　eyes　of　a　sea…bream　than　of　a
lady；　and　I　am　persuaded　that　Dulcinea's　must　be　green　emeralds；
full　and　soft；　with　two　rainbows　for　eyebrows；　take　away　those
pearls　from　her　eyes　and　transfer　them　to　her　teeth；　for　beyond　a
doubt；　Sancho；　thou　hast　taken　the　one　for　the　other；　the　eyes　for　the
teeth。〃
　　〃Very　likely；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　her　beauty　bewildered　me　as　much　as
her　ugliness　did　your　worship；　but　let　us　leave　it　all　to　God；　who
alone　knows　what　is　to　happen　in　this　vale　of　tears；　in　this　evil
world　of　ours；　where　there　is　hardly　a　thing　to　be　found　without
some　mixture　of　wickedness；　roguery；　and　rascality。　But　one　thing；
senor；　troubles　me　more　than　all　the　rest；　and　that　is　thinking　what
is　to　be　done　when　your　worship　conquers　some　giant；　or　some　other
knight；　and　orders　him　to　go　and　present　himself　before　the　beauty
of　the　lady　Dulcinea。　Where　is　this　poor　giant；　or　this　poor　wretch　of
a　vanquished　knight；　to　find　her？　I　think　I　can　see　them　wandering　all
over　El　Toboso；　looking　like　noddies；　and　asking　for　my　lady　Dulcinea；
and　even　if　they　meet　her　in　the　middle　of　the　street　they　won't
know　her　any　more　than　they　would　my　father。〃
　　〃Perhaps；　Sancho；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃the　enchantment　does　not
go　so　far　as　to　deprive　conquered　and　presented　giants　and　knights
of　the　power　of　recognising　Dulcinea；　we　will　try　by　experiment　with
one　or　two　of　the　first　I　vanquish　and　send　to　her；　whether　they　see
her　or　not；　by　commanding　them　to　return　and　give　me　an　account　of
what　happened　to　them　in　this　respect。〃
　　〃I　declare；　I　think　what　your　worship　has　proposed　is　excellent；〃
said　Sancho；　〃and　that　by　this　pla