don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第152章

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to　eat；　for　woes　are　lighter　if　there's　bread；　but　sometimes　we　go　a
day　or　two　without　breaking　our　fast；　except　with　the　wind　that
blows。〃
　　〃All　that；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃may　be　endured　and　put　up　with
when　we　have　hopes　of　reward；　for；　unless　the　knight…errant　he
serves　is　excessively　unlucky；　after　a　few　turns　the　squire　will　at
least　find　himself　rewarded　with　a　fine　government　of　some　island　or
some　fair　county。〃
　　〃I；〃　said　Sancho；　〃have　already　told　my　master　that　I　shall　be
content　with　the　government　of　some　island；　and　he　is　so　noble　and
generous　that　he　has　promised　it　to　me　ever　so　many　times。〃
　　〃I；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃shall　be　satisfied　with　a　canonry　for　my
services；　and　my　master　has　already　assigned　me　one。〃
　　〃Your　master；〃　said　Sancho；　〃no　doubt　is　a　knight　in　the　Church
line；　and　can　bestow　rewards　of　that　sort　on　his　good　squire；　but　mine
is　only　a　layman；　though　I　remember　some　clever；　but；　to　my　mind；
designing　people；　strove　to　persuade　him　to　try　and　become　an
archbishop。　He；　however；　would　not　be　anything　but　an　emperor；　but　I
was　trembling　all　the　time　lest　he　should　take　a　fancy　to　go　into
the　Church；　not　finding　myself　fit　to　hold　office　in　it；　for　I　may
tell　you；　though　I　seem　a　man；　I　am　no　better　than　a　beast　for　the
Church。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　you　are　wrong　there；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃for
those　island　governments　are　not　all　satisfactory；　some　are　awkward；
some　are　poor；　some　are　dull；　and；　in　short；　the　highest　and
choicest　brings　with　it　a　heavy　burden　of　cares　and　troubles　which　the
unhappy　wight　to　whose　lot　it　has　fallen　bears　upon　his　shoulders。　Far
better　would　it　be　for　us　who　have　adopted　this　accursed　service　to　go
back　to　our　own　houses；　and　there　employ　ourselves　in　pleasanter
occupations　…in　hunting　or　fishing；　for　instance；　for　what　squire　in
the　world　is　there　so　poor　as　not　to　have　a　hack　and　a　couple　of
greyhounds　and　a　fishingrod　to　amuse　himself　with　in　his　own　village？〃
　　〃I　am　not　in　want　of　any　of　those　things；〃　said　Sancho；　〃to　be
sure　I　have　no　hack；　but　I　have　an　ass　that　is　worth　my　master's　horse
twice　over；　God　send　me　a　bad　Easter；　and　that　the　next　one　I　am　to
see；　if　I　would　swap；　even　if　I　got　four　bushels　of　barley　to　boot。
You　will　laugh　at　the　value　I　put　on　my　Dapple…　for　dapple　is　the
colour　of　my　beast。　As　to　greyhounds；　I　can't　want　for　them；　for　there
are　enough　and　to　spare　in　my　town；　and；　moreover；　there　is　more
pleasure　in　sport　when　it　is　at　other　people's　expense。〃
　　〃In　truth　and　earnest；　sir　squire；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃I　have
made　up　my　mind　and　determined　to　have　done　with　these　drunken
vagaries　of　these　knights；　and　go　back　to　my　village；　and　bring　up
my　children；　for　I　have　three；　like　three　Oriental　pearls。〃
　　〃I　have　two；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　might　be　presented　before　the
Pope　himself；　especially　a　girl　whom　I　am　breeding　up　for　a
countess；　please　God；　though　in　spite　of　her　mother。〃
　　〃And　how　old　is　this　lady　that　is　being　bred　up　for　a　countess？〃
asked　he　of　the　Grove。
　　〃Fifteen；　a　couple　of　years　more　or　less；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃but　she
is　as　tall　as　a　lance；　and　as　fresh　as　an　April　morning；　and　as　strong
as　a　porter。〃
　　〃Those　are　gifts　to　fit　her　to　be　not　only　a　countess　but　a　nymph　of
the　greenwood；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃whoreson　strumpet！　what　pith
the　rogue　must　have！〃
　　To　which　Sancho　made　answer；　somewhat　sulkily；　〃She's　no　strumpet；
nor　was　her　mother；　nor　will　either　of　them　be；　please　God；　while　I
live；　speak　more　civilly；　for　one　bred　up　among　knights…errant；　who
are　courtesy　itself；　your　words　don't　seem　to　me　to　be　very　becoming。〃
　　〃O　how　little　you　know　about　compliments；　sir　squire；〃　returned　he
of　the　Grove。　〃What！　don't　you　know　that　when　a　horseman　delivers　a
good　lance　thrust　at　the　bull　in　the　plaza；　or　when　anyone　does
anything　very　well；　the　people　are　wont　to　say；　'Ha；　whoreson　rip！　how
well　he　has　done　it！'　and　that　what　seems　to　be　abuse　in　the
expression　is　high　praise？　Disown　sons　and　daughters；　senor；　who　don't
do　what　deserves　that　compliments　of　this　sort　should　be　paid　to　their
parents。〃
　　〃I　do　disown　them；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃and　in　this　way；　and　by　the
same　reasoning；　you　might　call　me　and　my　children　and　my　wife　all
the　strumpets　in　the　world；　for　all　they　do　and　say　is　of　a　kind
that　in　the　highest　degree　deserves　the　same　praise；　and　to　see　them
again　I　pray　God　to　deliver　me　from　mortal　sin；　or；　what　comes　to
the　same　thing；　to　deliver　me　from　this　perilous　calling　of　squire
into　which　I　have　fallen　a　second　time；　decayed　and　beguiled　by　a
purse　with　a　hundred　ducats　that　I　found　one　day　in　the　heart　of　the
Sierra　Morena；　and　the　devil　is　always　putting　a　bag　full　of　doubloons
before　my　eyes；　here；　there；　everywhere；　until　I　fancy　at　every　stop　I
am　putting　my　hand　on　it；　and　hugging　it；　and　carrying　it　home　with
me；　and　making　investments；　and　getting　interest；　and　living　like　a
prince；　and　so　long　as　I　think　of　this　I　make　light　of　all　the
hardships　I　endure　with　this　simpleton　of　a　master　of　mine；　who；　I
well　know；　is　more　of　a　madman　than　a　knight。〃
　　〃There's　why　they　say　that　'covetousness　bursts　the　bag；'〃　said　he
of　the　Grove；　〃but　if　you　come　to　talk　of　that　sort；　there　is　not　a
greater　one　in　the　world　than　my　master；　for　he　is　one　of　those　of
whom　they　say；　'the　cares　of　others　kill　the　ass；'　for；　in　order
that　another　knight　may　recover　the　senses　he　has　lost；　he　makes　a
madman　of　himself　and　goes　looking　for　what；　when　found；　may；　for
all　I　know；　fly　in　his　own　face。〃
　〃And　is　he　in　love　perchance？〃　asked　Sancho。
　　〃He　is；〃　said　of　the　Grove；　〃with　one　Casildea　de　Vandalia；　the
rawest　and　best　roasted　lady　the　whole　world　could　produce；　but　that
rawness　is　not　the　only　foot　he　limps　on；　for　he　has　greater　schemes
rumbling　in　his　bowels；　as　will　be　seen　before　many　hours　are　over。〃
　　〃There's　no　road　so　smooth　but　it　has　some　hole　or　hindrance　in　it；〃
said　Sancho；　〃in　other　houses　they　cook　beans；　but　in　mine　it's　by　the
potful；　madness　will　have　more　followers　and　hangers…on　than　sound
sense；　but　if　there　be　any　truth　in　the　common　saying；　that　to　have
companions　in　trouble　gives　some　relief；　I　may　take　consolation　from
you；　inasmuch　as　you　serve　a　master　as　crazy　as　my　own。〃
　　〃Crazy　but　valiant；〃　replied　he　of　the　Grove；　〃and　more　roguish　than
crazy　or　valiant。〃
　　〃Mine　is　not　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　mean　he　has　nothing　of　the　rogue
in　him；　on　the　contrary；　he　has　the　soul　of　a　pitcher；　he　has　no
thought　of　doing　harm　to　anyone；　only　good　to　all；　nor　has　he　any
malice　whatever　in　him；　a　child　might　persuade　him　that　it　is　night　at
noonday；　and　for　this　simplicity　I　love　him　as　the　core　of　my　heart；
and　I　can't　bring　myself　to　leave　him；　let　him　do　ever　such　foolish
things。〃
　　〃For　all　that；　brother　and　senor；〃　said　he　of　the　Grove；　〃if　the
blind　lead　the　blind；　both　are　in　danger　of　falling　into　the　pit。　It
is　better　for　us　to　beat　a　quiet　retreat　and　get　back　to　our　own
quarters；　for　those　who　seek　adventures　don't　always　find　good　ones。〃
　　Sancho　kept　spitting　from　time　to　time；　and　his　spittle　seemed
somewhat　ropy　and　dry；　observing　which　the　compassionate　squire　of　the
Grove　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　with　all　this　talk　of　ours　our
tongues　are　sticking　to　the　roofs　of　our　mouths；　but　I　have　a　pretty
good　loosener　hanging　from　the　saddle…bow　of　my　horse；〃　and　getting　up
he　came　back　the　next　minute　with　a　large　bota　of　wine　and　a　pasty
half　a　yard　across；　and　this　is　no　exaggeration；　for　it　was　made　of
a　house　rabbit　so　big　that　Sancho；　as　he　handled　it；　took　it　to　be
made　of　a　goat；　not　to　say　a　kid；　and　looking　at　it　he　said；　〃And　do
you　carry　this　with　you；　senor？〃
　　〃Why；　what　are　you　thinking　about？〃　said　the　other；　〃do　you　take
me　for　some　paltry　squire？　I　carry　a　better　larder　on　my　horse's　croup
than　a　general　takes　with　him　when　he　goes　on　a　march。〃
　　Sancho　ate　without　requiring　to　be　pressed；　and　in　the　dark　bolted
mouthfuls　like　the　knots　on　a　tether；　and　said　he；　〃You　are　a　proper
trusty　squire；　one　of　the　right　sort；　sumptuous　and　grand；　as　this
banquet　shows；　which；　if　it　has　not　come　here　by　magic　art；　at　any
rate　has　the　look　of　it