don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第151章
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the ant； modesty from the elephant； and loyalty from the horse。
Sancho at last fell asleep at the foot of a cork tree； while Don
Quixote dozed at that of a sturdy oak； but a short time only had
elapsed when a noise he heard behind him awoke him； and rising up
startled； he listened and looked in the direction the noise came from；
and perceived two men on horseback； one of whom； letting himself
drop from the saddle； said to the other； 〃Dismount； my friend； and
take the bridles off the horses； for； so far as I can see； this
place will furnish grass for them； and the solitude and silence my
love…sick thoughts need of。〃 As he said this he stretched himself upon
the ground； and as he flung himself down； the armour in which he was
clad rattled； whereby Don Quixote perceived that he must be a
knight…errant； and going over to Sancho； who was asleep； he shook
him by the arm and with no small difficulty brought him back to his
senses； and said in a low voice to him； 〃Brother Sancho； we have got
an adventure。〃
〃God send us a good one；〃 said Sancho； 〃and where may her ladyship
the adventure be？〃
〃Where； Sancho？〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃turn thine eyes and look； and
thou wilt see stretched there a knight…errant； who； it strikes me；
is not over and above happy； for I saw him fling himself off his horse
and throw himself on the ground with a certain air of dejection； and
his armour rattled as he fell。〃
〃Well；〃 said Sancho； 〃how does your worship make out that to be an
adventure？〃
〃I do not mean to say；〃 returned Don Quixote； 〃that it is a complete
adventure； but that it is the beginning of one； for it is in this
way adventures begin。 But listen； for it seems he is tuning a lute
or guitar； and from the way he is spitting and clearing his chest he
must be getting ready to sing something。〃
〃Faith； you are right；〃 said Sancho； 〃and no doubt he is some
enamoured knight。〃
〃There is no knight…errant that is not；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but
let us listen to him； for； if he sings； by that thread we shall
extract the ball of his thoughts； because out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaketh。〃
Sancho was about to reply to his master； but the Knight of the
Grove's voice； which was neither very bad nor very good； stopped
him； and listening attentively the pair heard him sing this
SONNET
Your pleasure； prithee； lady mine； unfold；
Declare the terms that I am to obey；
My will to yours submissively I mould；
And from your law my feet shall never stray。
Would you I die； to silent grief a prey？
Then count me even now as dead and cold；
Would you I tell my woes in some new way？
Then shall my tale by Love itself be told。
The unison of opposites to prove；
Of the soft wax and diamond hard am I；
But still； obedient to the laws of love；
Here； hard or soft； I offer you my breast；
Whate'er you grave or stamp thereon shall rest
Indelible for all eternity。
With an 〃Ah me！〃 that seemed to be drawn from the inmost recesses of
his heart； the Knight of the Grove brought his lay to an end； and
shortly afterwards exclaimed in a melancholy and piteous voice； 〃O
fairest and most ungrateful woman on earth！ What！ can it be； most
serene Casildea de Vandalia； that thou wilt suffer this thy captive
knight to waste away and perish in ceaseless wanderings and rude and
arduous toils？ It is not enough that I have compelled all the
knights of Navarre； all the Leonese； all the Tartesians； all the
Castilians； and finally all the knights of La Mancha； to confess
thee the most beautiful in the world？〃
〃Not so；〃 said Don Quixote at this； 〃for I am of La Mancha； and I
have never confessed anything of the sort； nor could I nor should I
confess a thing so much to the prejudice of my lady's beauty； thou
seest how this knight is raving； Sancho。 But let us listen； perhaps he
will tell us more about himself。〃
〃That he will；〃 returned Sancho； 〃for he seems in a mood to bewail
himself for a month at a stretch。〃
But this was not the case； for the Knight of the Grove； hearing
voices near him； instead of continuing his lamentation； stood up and
exclaimed in a distinct but courteous tone； 〃Who goes there？ What
are you？ Do you belong to the number of the happy or of the
miserable？〃
〃Of the miserable；〃 answered Don Quixote。
〃Then come to me；〃 said he of the Grove； 〃and rest assured that it
is to woe itself and affliction itself you come。〃
Don Quixote； finding himself answered in such a soft and courteous
manner； went over to him； and so did Sancho。
The doleful knight took Don Quixote by the arm； saying； 〃Sit down
here； sir knight； for； that you are one； and of those that profess
knight…errantry； it is to me a sufficient proof to have found you in
this place； where solitude and night； the natural couch and proper
retreat of knights…errant； keep you company。〃 To which Don made
answer； 〃A knight I am of the profession you mention； and though
sorrows； misfortunes； and calamities have made my heart their abode；
the compassion I feel for the misfortunes of others has not been
thereby banished from it。 From what you have just now sung I gather
that yours spring from love； I mean from the love you bear that fair
ingrate you named in your lament。〃
In the meantime； they had seated themselves together on the hard
ground peaceably and sociably； just as if； as soon as day broke；
they were not going to break one another's heads。
〃Are you； sir knight； in love perchance？〃 asked he of the Grove of
Don Quixote。
〃By mischance I am；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃though the ills arising
from well…bestowed affections should be esteemed favours rather than
misfortunes。〃
〃That is true；〃 returned he of the Grove； 〃if scorn did not unsettle
our reason and understanding； for if it be excessive it looks like
revenge。〃
〃I was never scorned by my lady；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Certainly not；〃 said Sancho； who stood close by； 〃for my lady is as
a lamb； and softer than a roll of butter。〃
〃Is this your squire？〃 asked he of the Grove。
〃He is；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃I never yet saw a squire；〃 said he of the Grove； 〃who ventured to
speak when his master was speaking； at least； there is mine； who is as
big as his father； and it cannot be proved that he has ever opened his
lips when I am speaking。〃
〃By my faith then；〃 said Sancho； 〃I have spoken； and am fit to
speak； in the presence of one as much； or even… but never mind… it
only makes it worse to stir it。〃
The squire of the Grove took Sancho by the arm； saying to him；
〃Let us two go where we can talk in squire style as much as we please；
and leave these gentlemen our masters to fight it out over the story
of their loves； and； depend upon it； daybreak will find them at it
without having made an end of it。〃
〃So be it by all means；〃 said Sancho； 〃and I will tell your
worship who I am； that you may see whether I am to be reckoned among
the number of the most talkative squires。〃
With this the two squires withdrew to one side； and between them
there passed a conversation as droll as that which passed between
their masters was serious。
CHAPTER XIII
IN WHICH IS CONTINUED THE ADVENTURE OF THE KNIGHT OF THE GROVE；
TOGETHER WITH THE SENSIBLE； ORIGINAL； AND TRANQUIL COLLOQUY THAT
PASSED BETWEEN THE TWO SQUIRES
THE knights and the squires made two parties； these telling the
story of their lives； the others the story of their loves； but the
history relates first of all the conversation of the servants； and
afterwards takes up that of the masters； and it says that； withdrawing
a little from the others； he of the Grove said to Sancho； 〃A hard life
it is we lead and live； senor； we that are squires to
knights…errant； verily； we eat our bread in the sweat of our faces；
which is one of the curses God laid on our first parents。〃
〃It may be said； too；〃 added Sancho； 〃that we eat it in the chill of
our bodies； for who gets more heat and cold than the miserable squires
of knight…errantry？ Even so it would not be so bad if we had something
to eat； for woes are lighter if there's bread； but sometimes we go a
day or
