don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第157章

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Don　Quixote　now。


　　CHAPTER　XVI
　　OF　WHAT　BEFELL　DON　QUIXOTE　WITH　A　DISCREET　GENTLEMAN　OF　LA　MANCHA

　　DON　QUIXOTE　pursued　his　journey　in　the　high　spirits；　satisfaction；
and　self…complacency　already　described；　fancying　himself　the　most
valorous　knight…errant　of　the　age　in　the　world　because　of　his　late
victory。　All　the　adventures　that　could　befall　him　from　that　time　forth
he　regarded　as　already　done　and　brought　to　a　happy　issue；　he　made
light　of　enchantments　and　enchanters；　he　thought　no　more　of　the
countless　drubbings　that　had　been　administered　to　him　in　the　course　of
his　knight…errantry；　nor　of　the　volley　of　stones　that　had　levelled
half　his　teeth；　nor　of　the　ingratitude　of　the　galley　slaves；　nor　of
the　audacity　of　the　Yanguesans　and　the　shower　of　stakes　that　fell　upon
him；　in　short；　he　said　to　himself　that　could　he　discover　any　means；
mode；　or　way　of　disenchanting　his　lady　Dulcinea；　he　would　not　envy　the
highest　fortune　that　the　most　fortunate　knight…errant　of　yore　ever
reached　or　could　reach。
　　He　was　going　along　entirely　absorbed　in　these　fancies；　when　Sancho
said　to　him；　〃Isn't　it　odd；　senor；　that　I　have　still　before　my　eyes
that　monstrous　enormous　nose　of　my　gossip；　Tom　Cecial？〃
　　〃And　dost　thou；　then；　believe；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that
the　Knight　of　the　Mirrors　was　the　bachelor　Carrasco；　and　his　squire
Tom　Cecial　thy　gossip？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say　to　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃all　I　know　is
that　the　tokens　he　gave　me　about　my　own　house；　wife　and　children；
nobody　else　but　himself　could　have　given　me；　and　the　face；　once　the
nose　was　off；　was　the　very　face　of　Tom　Cecial；　as　I　have　seen　it
many　a　time　in　my　town　and　next　door　to　my　own　house；　and　the　sound　of
the　voice　was　just　the　same。〃
　　〃Let　us　reason　the　matter；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Come　now；
by　what　process　of　thinking　can　it　be　supposed　that　the　bachelor
Samson　Carrasco　would　come　as　a　knight…errant；　in　arms　offensive　and
defensive；　to　fight　with　me？　Have　I　ever　been　by　any　chance　his　enemy？
Have　I　ever　given　him　any　occasion　to　owe　me　a　grudge？　Am　I　his　rival；
or　does　he　profess　arms；　that　he　should　envy　the　fame　I　have
acquired　in　them？〃
　　〃Well；　but　what　are　we　to　say；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃about
that　knight；　whoever　he　is；　being　so　like　the　bachelor　Carrasco；　and
his　squire　so　like　my　gossip；　Tom　Cecial？　And　if　that　be
enchantment；　as　your　worship　says；　was　there　no　other　pair　in　the
world　for　them　to　take　the　likeness　of？〃
　　〃It　is　all；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃a　scheme　and　plot　of　the　malignant
magicians　that　persecute　me；　who；　foreseeing　that　I　was　to　be
victorious　in　the　conflict；　arranged　that　the　vanquished　knight　should
display　the　countenance　of　my　friend　the　bachelor；　in　order　that　the
friendship　I　bear　him　should　interpose　to　stay　the　edge　of　my　sword
and　might　of　my　arm；　and　temper　the　just　wrath　of　my　heart；　so　that　he
who　sought　to　take　my　life　by　fraud　and　falsehood　should　save　his　own。
And　to　prove　it；　thou　knowest　already；　Sancho；　by　experience　which
cannot　lie　or　deceive；　how　easy　it　is　for　enchanters　to　change　one
countenance　into　another；　turning　fair　into　foul；　and　foul　into
fair；　for　it　is　not　two　days　since　thou　sawest　with　thine　own　eyes　the
beauty　and　elegance　of　the　peerless　Dulcinea　in　all　its　perfection　and
natural　harmony；　while　I　saw　her　in　the　repulsive　and　mean　form　of　a
coarse　country　wench；　with　cataracts　in　her　eyes　and　a　foul　smell　in
her　mouth；　and　when　the　perverse　enchanter　ventured　to　effect　so
wicked　a　transformation；　it　is　no　wonder　if　he　effected　that　of　Samson
Carrasco　and　thy　gossip　in　order　to　snatch　the　glory　of　victory　out　of
my　grasp。　For　all　that；　however；　I　console　myself；　because；　after　all；
in　whatever　shape　he　may　have　been；　I　have　victorious　over　my　enemy。〃
　　〃God　knows　what's　the　truth　of　it　all；〃　said　Sancho；　and　knowing
as　he　did　that　the　transformation　of　Dulcinea　had　been　a　device　and
imposition　of　his　own；　his　master's　illusions　were　not　satisfactory　to
him；　but　he　did　not　like　to　reply　lest　he　should　say　something　that
might　disclose　his　trickery。
　　As　they　were　engaged　in　this　conversation　they　were　overtaken　by　a
man　who　was　following　the　same　road　behind　them；　mounted　on　a　very
handsome　flea…bitten　mare；　and　dressed　in　a　gaban　of　fine　green　cloth；
with　tawny　velvet　facings；　and　a　montera　of　the　same　velvet。　The
trappings　of　the　mare　were　of　the　field　and　jineta　fashion；　and　of
mulberry　colour　and　green。　He　carried　a　Moorish　cutlass　hanging　from　a
broad　green　and　gold　baldric；　the　buskins　were　of　the　same　make　as　the
baldric；　the　spurs　were　not　gilt；　but　lacquered　green；　and　so　brightly
polished　that；　matching　as　they　did　the　rest　of　his　apparel；　they
looked　better　than　if　they　had　been　of　pure　gold。
　　When　the　traveller　came　up　with　them　he　saluted　them　courteously；
and　spurring　his　mare　was　passing　them　without　stopping；　but　Don
Quixote　called　out　to　him；　〃Gallant　sir；　if　so　be　your　worship　is
going　our　road；　and　has　no　occasion　for　speed；　it　would　be　a
pleasure　to　me　if　we　were　to　join　company。〃
　　〃In　truth；〃　replied　he　on　the　mare；　〃I　would　not　pass　you　so　hastily
but　for　fear　that　horse　might　turn　restive　in　the　company　of　my　mare。〃
　　〃You　may　safely　hold　in　your　mare；　senor；〃　said　Sancho　in　reply　to
this；　〃for　our　horse　is　the　most　virtuous　and　well…behaved　horse　in
the　world；　he　never　does　anything　wrong　on　such　occasions；　and　the
only　time　he　misbehaved；　my　master　and　I　suffered　for　it　sevenfold；
I　say　again　your　worship　may　pull　up　if　you　like；　for　if　she　was
offered　to　him　between　two　plates　the　horse　would　not　hanker　after
her。〃
　　The　traveller　drew　rein；　amazed　at　the　trim　and　features　of　Don
Quixote；　who　rode　without　his　helmet；　which　Sancho　carried　like　a
valise　in　front　of　Dapple's　pack…saddle；　and　if　the　man　in　green
examined　Don　Quixote　closely；　still　more　closely　did　Don　Quixote
examine　the　man　in　green；　who　struck　him　as　being　a　man　of
intelligence。　In　appearance　he　was　about　fifty　years　of　age；　with
but　few　grey　hairs；　an　aquiline　cast　of　features；　and　an　expression
between　grave　and　gay；　and　his　dress　and　accoutrements　showed　him　to
be　a　man　of　good　condition。　What　he　in　green　thought　of　Don　Quixote　of
La　Mancha　was　that　a　man　of　that　sort　and　shape　he　had　never　yet　seen；
he　marvelled　at　the　length　of　his　hair；　his　lofty　stature；　the
lankness　and　sallowness　of　his　countenance；　his　armour；　his　bearing
and　his　gravity…　a　figure　and　picture　such　as　had　not　been　seen　in
those　regions　for　many　a　long　day。
　　Don　Quixote　saw　very　plainly　the　attention　with　which　the
traveller　was　regarding　him；　and　read　his　curiosity　in　his
astonishment；　and　courteous　as　he　was　and　ready　to　please　everybody；
before　the　other　could　ask　him　any　question　he　anticipated　him　by
saying；　〃The　appearance　I　present　to　your　worship　being　so　strange　and
so　out　of　the　common；　I　should　not　be　surprised　if　it　filled　you
with　wonder；　but　you　will　cease　to　wonder　when　I　tell　you；　as　I　do；
that　I　am　one　of　those　knights　who；　as　people　say；　go　seeking
adventures。　I　have　left　my　home；　I　have　mortgaged　my　estate；　I　have
given　up　my　comforts；　and　committed　myself　to　the　arms　of　Fortune；
to　bear　me　whithersoever　she　may　please。　My　desire　was　to　bring　to
life　again　knight…errantry；　now　dead；　and　for　some　time　past；
stumbling　here；　falling　there；　now　coming　down　headlong；　now　raising
myself　up　again；　I　have　carried　out　a　great　portion　of　my　design；
succouring　widows；　protecting　maidens；　and　giving　aid　to　wives；
orphans；　and　minors；　the　proper　and　natural　duty　of　knights…errant；
and；　therefore；　because　of　my　many　valiant　and　Christian　achievements；
I　have　been　already　found　worthy　to　make　my　way　in　print　to
well…nigh　all；　or　most；　of　the　nations　of　the　earth。　Thirty　thousand
volumes　of　my　history　have　been　printed；　and　it　is　on　the　high…road　to
be　printed　thirty　thousand　thousands　of　times；　if　heaven　does　not
put　a　stop　to　it。　In　short；　to　sum　up　all　in　a　few　words；　or　in　a
single　one；　I　may　tell　you　I　am　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　otherwise
called　'The　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；'　for　though
self…praise　is　degrading；　I　must　perforce　sound　my　own　sometimes；　that
is　to　say；　when　there　is