don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第149章

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what　happened　to　them　in　this　respect。〃
　　〃I　declare；　I　think　what　your　worship　has　proposed　is　excellent；〃
said　Sancho；　〃and　that　by　this　plan　we　shall　find　out　what　we　want
to　know；　and　if　it　be　that　it　is　only　from　your　worship　she　is　hidden；
the　misfortune　will　be　more　yours　than　hers；　but　so　long　as　the　lady
Dulcinea　is　well　and　happy；　we　on　our　part　will　make　the　best　of　it；
and　get　on　as　well　as　we　can；　seeking　our　adventures；　and　leaving　Time
to　take　his　own　course；　for　he　is　the　best　physician　for　these　and
greater　ailments。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　about　to　reply　to　Sancho　Panza；　but　he　was　prevented
by　a　cart　crossing　the　road　full　of　the　most　diverse　and　strange
personages　and　figures　that　could　be　imagined。　He　who　led　the　mules
and　acted　as　carter　was　a　hideous　demon；　the　cart　was　open　to　the　sky；
without　a　tilt　or　cane　roof；　and　the　first　figure　that　presented
itself　to　Don　Quixote's　eyes　was　that　of　Death　itself　with　a　human
face；　next　to　it　was　an　angel　with　large　painted　wings；　and　at　one
side　an　emperor；　with　a　crown；　to　all　appearance　of　gold；　on　his　head。
At　the　feet　of　Death　was　the　god　called　Cupid；　without　his　bandage；
but　with　his　bow；　quiver；　and　arrows；　there　was　also　a　knight　in
full　armour；　except　that　he　had　no　morion　or　helmet；　but　only　a　hat
decked　with　plumes　of　divers　colours；　and　along　with　these　there
were　others　with　a　variety　of　costumes　and　faces。　All　this；
unexpectedly　encountered；　took　Don　Quixote　somewhat　aback；　and
struck　terror　into　the　heart　of　Sancho；　but　the　next　instant　Don
Quixote　was　glad　of　it；　believing　that　some　new　perilous　adventure　was
presenting　itself　to　him；　and　under　this　impression；　and　with　a　spirit
prepared　to　face　any　danger；　he　planted　himself　in　front　of　the
cart；　and　in　a　loud　and　menacing　tone；　exclaimed；　〃Carter；　or
coachman；　or　devil；　or　whatever　thou　art；　tell　me　at　once　who　thou
art；　whither　thou　art　going；　and　who　these　folk　are　thou　carriest　in
thy　wagon；　which　looks　more　like　Charon's　boat　than　an　ordinary　cart。〃
　　To　which　the　devil；　stopping　the　cart；　answered　quietly；　〃Senor；
we　are　players　of　Angulo　el　Malo's　company；　we　have　been　acting　the
play　of　'The　Cortes　of　Death'　this　morning；　which　is　the　octave　of
Corpus　Christi；　in　a　village　behind　that　hill；　and　we　have　to　act　it
this　afternoon　in　that　village　which　you　can　see　from　this；　and　as
it　is　so　near；　and　to　save　the　trouble　of　undressing　and　dressing
again；　we　go　in　the　costumes　in　which　we　perform。　That　lad　there
appears　as　Death；　that　other　as　an　angel；　that　woman；　the　manager's
wife；　plays　the　queen；　this　one　the　soldier；　that　the　emperor；　and　I
the　devil；　and　I　am　one　of　the　principal　characters　of　the　play；　for
in　this　company　I　take　the　leading　parts。　If　you　want　to　know　anything
more　about　us；　ask　me　and　I　will　answer　with　the　utmost　exactitude；
for　as　I　am　a　devil　I　am　up　to　everything。〃
　　〃By　the　faith　of　a　knight…errant；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃when　I
saw　this　cart　I　fancied　some　great　adventure　was　presenting　itself
to　me；　but　I　declare　one　must　touch　with　the　hand　what　appears　to
the　eye；　if　illusions　are　to　be　avoided。　God　speed　you；　good　people；
keep　your　festival；　and　remember；　if　you　demand　of　me　ought　wherein
I　can　render　you　a　service；　I　will　do　it　gladly　and　willingly；　for
from　a　child　I　was　fond　of　the　play；　and　in　my　youth　a　keen　lover　of
the　actor's　art。〃
　　While　they　were　talking；　fate　so　willed　it　that　one　of　the　company
in　a　mummers'　dress　with　a　great　number　of　bells；　and　armed　with　three
blown　ox…bladders　at　the　end　of　a　stick；　joined　them；　and　this
merry…andrew　approaching　Don　Quixote；　began　flourishing　his　stick
and　banging　the　ground　with　the　bladders　and　cutting　capers　with　great
jingling　of　the　bells；　which　untoward　apparition　so　startled　Rocinante
that；　in　spite　of　Don　Quixote's　efforts　to　hold　him　in；　taking　the　bit
between　his　teeth　he　set　off　across　the　plain　with　greater　speed
than　the　bones　of　his　anatomy　ever　gave　any　promise　of。　Sancho；　who
thought　his　master　was　in　danger　of　being　thrown；　jumped　off　Dapple；
and　ran　in　all　haste　to　help　him；　but　by　the　time　he　reached　him　he
was　already　on　the　ground；　and　beside　him　was　Rocinante；　who　had
come　down　with　his　master；　the　usual　end　and　upshot　of　Rocinante's
vivacity　and　high　spirits。　But　the　moment　Sancho　quitted　his　beast
to　go　and　help　Don　Quixote；　the　dancing　devil　with　the　bladders　jumped
up　on　Dapple；　and　beating　him　with　them；　more　by　the　fright　and　the
noise　than　by　the　pain　of　the　blows；　made　him　fly　across　the　fields
towards　the　village　where　they　were　going　to　hold　their　festival。
Sancho　witnessed　Dapple's　career　and　his　master's　fall；　and　did　not
know　which　of　the　two　cases　of　need　he　should　attend　to　first；　but
in　the　end；　like　a　good　squire　and　good　servant；　he　let　his　love　for
his　master　prevail　over　his　affection　for　his　ass；　though　every　time
he　saw　the　bladders　rise　in　the　air　and　come　down　on　the　hind　quarters
of　his　Dapple　he　felt　the　pains　and　terrors　of　death；　and　he　would
have　rather　had　the　blows　fall　on　the　apples　of　his　own　eyes　than　on
the　least　hair　of　his　ass's　tail。　In　this　trouble　and　perplexity　he
came　to　where　Don　Quixote　lay　in　a　far　sorrier　plight　than　he　liked；
and　having　helped　him　to　mount　Rocinante；　he　said　to　him；　〃Senor；
the　devil　has　carried　off　my　Dapple。〃
　　〃What　devil？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃The　one　with　the　bladders；〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Then　I　will　recover　him；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃even　if　he　be　shut
up　with　him　in　the　deepest　and　darkest　dungeons　of　hell。　Follow　me；
Sancho；　for　the　cart　goes　slowly；　and　with　the　mules　of　it　I　will　make
good　the　loss　of　Dapple。〃
　　〃You　need　not　take　the　trouble；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃keep　cool；　for
as　I　now　see；　the　devil　has　let　Dapple　go　and　he　is　coming　back　to　his
old　quarters；〃　and　so　it　turned　out；　for；　having　come　down　with
Dapple；　in　imitation　of　Don　Quixote　and　Rocinante；　the　devil　made
off　on　foot　to　the　town；　and　the　ass　came　back　to　his　master。
　　〃For　all　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃it　will　be　well　to　visit　the
discourtesy　of　that　devil　upon　some　of　those　in　the　cart；　even　if　it
were　the　emperor　himself。〃
　　〃Don't　think　of　it；　your　worship；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃take　my
advice　and　never　meddle　with　actors；　for　they　are　a　favoured　class；
I　myself　have　known　an　actor　taken　up　for　two　murders；　and　yet　come
off　scot…free；　remember　that；　as　they　are　merry　folk　who　give
pleasure；　everyone　favours　and　protects　them；　and　helps　and　makes　much
of　them；　above　all　when　they　are　those　of　the　royal　companies　and
under　patent；　all　or　most　of　whom　in　dress　and　appearance　look　like
princes。〃
　　〃Still；　for　all　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃the　player　devil　must
not　go　off　boasting；　even　if　the　whole　human　race　favours　him。〃
　　So　saying；　he　made　for　the　cart；　which　was　now　very　near　the　town；
shouting　out　as　he　went；　〃Stay！　halt！　ye　merry；　jovial　crew！　I　want　to
teach　you　how　to　treat　asses　and　animals　that　serve　the　squires　of
knights…errant　for　steeds。〃
　　So　loud　were　the　shouts　of　Don　Quixote；　that　those　in　the　cart　heard
and　understood　them；　and；　guessing　by　the　words　what　the　speaker's
intention　was；　Death　in　an　instant　jumped　out　of　the　cart；　and　the
emperor；　the　devil　carter　and　the　angel　after　him；　nor　did　the　queen
or　the　god　Cupid　stay　behind；　and　all　armed　themselves　with　stones　and
formed　in　line；　prepared　to　receive　Don　Quixote　on　the　points　of　their
pebbles。　Don　Quixote；　when　he　saw　them　drawn　up　in　such　a　gallant
array　with　uplifted　arms　ready　for　a　mighty　discharge　of　stones；
checked　Rocinante　and　began　to　consider　in　what　way　he　could　attack
them　with　the　least　danger　to　himself。　As　he　halted　Sancho　came　up；
and　seeing　him　disposed　to　attack　this　well…ordered　squadron；　said
to　him；　〃It　would　be　the　height　of　madness　to　attempt　such　an
enterprise；　remember；　senor；　that　against　sops　from　the　brook；　and
plenty　of　them；　there　is　no　defensive　armour　in　the　world；　except　to
stow　oneself　away　under　a　brass　bell；　and　besides；　one　should　remember
that　it　is　rashness；　and　not　valour；　for　a　single　man　to　attack　an
army　that　has　Death　in　it；　and　where　emperors　fight　in　person；　with
angels；　good　and　bad；　to　help　them；　and　if　this　reflecti