don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第158章
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self…praise is degrading； I must perforce sound my own sometimes； that
is to say； when there is no one at hand to do it for me。 So that；
gentle sir； neither this horse； nor this lance； nor this shield； nor
this squire； nor all these arms put together； nor the sallowness of my
countenance； nor my gaunt leanness； will henceforth astonish you；
now that you know who I am and what profession I follow。〃
With these words Don Quixote held his peace； and； from the time he
took to answer； the man in green seemed to be at a loss for a reply；
after a long pause； however； he said to him； 〃You were right when
you saw curiosity in my amazement； sir knight； but you have not
succeeded in removing the astonishment I feel at seeing you； for
although you say； senor； that knowing who you are ought to remove
it； it has not done so； on the contrary； now that I know； I am left
more amazed and astonished than before。 What！ is it possible that
there are knights…errant in the world in these days； and histories
of real chivalry printed？ I cannot realise the fact that there can
be anyone on earth now…a…days who aids widows； or protects maidens； or
defends wives； or succours orphans； nor should I believe it had I
not seen it in your worship with my own eyes。 Blessed be heaven！ for
by means of this history of your noble and genuine chivalrous deeds；
which you say has been printed； the countless stories of fictitious
knights…errant with which the world is filled； so much to the injury
of morality and the prejudice and discredit of good histories； will
have been driven into oblivion。〃
〃There is a good deal to be said on that point；〃 said Don Quixote；
〃as to whether the histories of the knights…errant are fiction or
not。〃
〃Why； is there anyone who doubts that those histories are false？〃
said the man in green。
〃I doubt it；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but never mind that just now； if
our journey lasts long enough； I trust in God I shall show your
worship that you do wrong in going with the stream of those who regard
it as a matter of certainty that they are not true。〃
From this last observation of Don Quixote's； the traveller began
to have a suspicion that he was some crazy being； and was waiting
him to confirm it by something further； but before they could turn
to any new subject Don Quixote begged him to tell him who he was；
since he himself had rendered account of his station and life。 To
this； he in the green gaban replied 〃I； Sir Knight of the Rueful
Countenance； am a gentleman by birth； native of the village where；
please God； we are going to dine today； I am more than fairly well
off； and my name is Don Diego de Miranda。 I pass my life with my wife；
children； and friends； my pursuits are hunting and fishing； but I keep
neither hawks nor greyhounds； nothing but a tame partridge or a bold
ferret or two； I have six dozen or so of books； some in our mother
tongue； some Latin； some of them history； others devotional； those
of chivalry have not as yet crossed the threshold of my door； I am
more given to turning over the profane than the devotional； so long as
they are books of honest entertainment that charm by their style and
attract and interest by the invention they display； though of these
there are very few in Spain。 Sometimes I dine with my neighbours and
friends； and often invite them； my entertainments are neat and well
served without stint of anything。 I have no taste for tattle； nor do I
allow tattling in my presence； I pry not into my neighbours' lives；
nor have I lynx…eyes for what others do。 I hear mass every day； I
share my substance with the poor； making no display of good works；
lest I let hypocrisy and vainglory； those enemies that subtly take
possession of the most watchful heart； find an entrance into mine。 I
strive to make peace between those whom I know to be at variance； I am
the devoted servant of Our Lady； and my trust is ever in the
infinite mercy of God our Lord。〃
Sancho listened with the greatest attention to the account of the
gentleman's life and occupation； and thinking it a good and a holy
life； and that he who led it ought to work miracles； he threw
himself off Dapple； and running in haste seized his right stirrup
and kissed his foot again and again with a devout heart and almost
with tears。
Seeing this the gentleman asked him； 〃What are you about； brother？
What are these kisses for？〃
〃Let me kiss；〃 said Sancho； 〃for I think your worship is the first
saint in the saddle I ever saw all the days of my life。〃
〃I am no saint；〃 replied the gentleman； 〃but a great sinner； but you
are； brother； for you must be a good fellow； as your simplicity
shows。〃
Sancho went back and regained his pack…saddle； having extracted a
laugh from his master's profound melancholy； and excited fresh
amazement in Don Diego。 Don Quixote then asked him how many children
he had； and observed that one of the things wherein the ancient
philosophers； who were without the true knowledge of God； placed the
summum bonum was in the gifts of nature； in those of fortune； in
having many friends； and many and good children。
〃I； Senor Don Quixote；〃 answered the gentleman； 〃have one son；
without whom； perhaps； I should count myself happier than I am； not
because he is a bad son； but because he is not so good as I could
wish。 He is eighteen years of age； he has been for six at Salamanca
studying Latin and Greek； and when I wished him to turn to the study
of other sciences I found him so wrapped up in that of poetry （if that
can be called a science） that there is no getting him to take kindly
to the law； which I wished him to study； or to theology； the queen
of them all。 I would like him to be an honour to his family； as we
live in days when our kings liberally reward learning that is virtuous
and worthy； for learning without virtue is a pearl on a dunghill。 He
spends the whole day in settling whether Homer expressed himself
correctly or not in such and such a line of the Iliad； whether Martial
was indecent or not in such and such an epigram； whether such and such
lines of Virgil are to be understood in this way or in that； in short；
all his talk is of the works of these poets； and those of Horace；
Perseus； Juvenal； and Tibullus； for of the moderns in our own language
he makes no great account； but with all his seeming indifference to
Spanish poetry； just now his thoughts are absorbed in making a gloss
on four lines that have been sent him from Salamanca； which I
suspect are for some poetical tournament。〃
To all this Don Quixote said in reply； 〃Children； senor； are
portions of their parents' bowels； and therefore； be they good or bad；
are to be loved as we love the souls that give us life； it is for
the parents to guide them from infancy in the ways of virtue；
propriety； and worthy Christian conduct； so that when grown up they
may be the staff of their parents' old age； and the glory of their
posterity； and to force them to study this or that science I do not
think wise； though it may be no harm to persuade them； and when
there is no need to study for the sake of pane lucrando； and it is the
student's good fortune that heaven has given him parents who provide
him with it； it would be my advice to them to let him pursue
whatever science they may see him most inclined to； and though that of
poetry is less useful than pleasurable； it is not one of those that
bring discredit upon the possessor。 Poetry； gentle sir； is； as I
take it； like a tender young maiden of supreme beauty； to array；
bedeck； and adorn whom is the task of several other maidens； who are
all the rest of the sciences； and she must avail herself of the help
of all； and all derive their lustre from her。 But this maiden will not
bear to be handled； nor dragged through the streets； nor exposed
either at the corners of the market…places； or in the closets of
palaces。 She is the product of an Alchemy of such virtue that he who
is able to practise it； will turn her into pure gold of inestimable
worth。 He that possesses her must keep her within bounds； not
permitting her to break out in ribald satires or soulless sonnets。 She
must on no account be offered for sale； unless； indeed； it be in
