don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him　in　going　to　present　himself　before　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　he
will　have　done　all　that　he　was　bound　to　do；　and　does　not　deserve
further　punishment　unless　he　commits　some　new　offence。〃
　　〃Thou　hast　said　well　and　hit　the　point；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　and
so　I　recall　the　oath　in　so　far　as　relates　to　taking　fresh　vengeance　on
him；　but　I　make　and　confirm　it　anew　to　lead　the　life　I　have　said　until
such　time　as　I　take　by　force　from　some　knight　another　helmet　such　as
this　and　as　good；　and　think　not；　Sancho；　that　I　am　raising　smoke
with　straw　in　doing　so；　for　I　have　one　to　imitate　in　the　matter；　since
the　very　same　thing　to　a　hair　happened　in　the　case　of　Mambrino's
helmet；　which　cost　Sacripante　so　dear。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃let　your　worship　send　all　such　oaths　to
the　devil；　for　they　are　very　pernicious　to　salvation　and　prejudicial
to　the　conscience；　just　tell　me　now；　if　for　several　days　to　come　we
fall　in　with　no　man　armed　with　a　helmet；　what　are　we　to　do？　Is　the
oath　to　be　observed　in　spite　of　all　the　inconvenience　and　discomfort
it　will　be　to　sleep　in　your　clothes；　and　not　to　sleep　in　a　house；
and　a　thousand　other　mortifications　contained　in　the　oath　of　that
old　fool　the　Marquis　of　Mantua；　which　your　worship　is　now　wanting　to
revive？　Let　your　worship　observe　that　there　are　no　men　in　armour
travelling　on　any　of　these　roads；　nothing　but　carriers　and　carters；
who　not　only　do　not　wear　helmets；　but　perhaps　never　heard　tell　of　them
all　their　lives。〃
　　〃Thou　art　wrong　there；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　we　shall　not　have
been　above　two　hours　among　these　cross…roads　before　we　see　more　men　in
armour　than　came　to　Albraca　to　win　the　fair　Angelica。〃
　　〃Enough；〃　said　Sancho；　〃so　be　it　then；　and　God　grant　us　success；　and
that　the　time　for　winning　that　island　which　is　costing　me　so　dear
may　soon　come；　and　then　let　me　die。〃
　　〃I　have　already　told　thee；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃not　to　give
thyself　any　uneasiness　on　that　score；　for　if　an　island　should　fail；
there　is　the　kingdom　of　Denmark；　or　of　Sobradisa；　which　will　fit
thee　as　a　ring　fits　the　finger；　and　all　the　more　that；　being　on
terra　firma；　thou　wilt　all　the　better　enjoy　thyself。　But　let　us
leave　that　to　its　own　time；　see　if　thou　hast　anything　for　us　to　eat　in
those　alforjas；　because　we　must　presently　go　in　quest　of　some　castle
where　we　may　lodge　to…night　and　make　the　balsam　I　told　thee　of；　for
I　swear　to　thee　by　God；　this　ear　is　giving　me　great　pain。〃
　　〃I　have　here　an　onion　and　a　little　cheese　and　a　few　scraps　of
bread；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　they　are　not　victuals　fit　for　a　valiant
knight　like　your　worship。〃
　　〃How　little　thou　knowest　about　it；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃I　would
have　thee　to　know；　Sancho；　that　it　is　the　glory　of　knights…errant　to
go　without　eating　for　a　month；　and　even　when　they　do　eat；　that　it
should　be　of　what　comes　first　to　hand；　and　this　would　have　been
clear　to　thee　hadst　thou　read　as　many　histories　as　I　have；　for；　though
they　are　very　many；　among　them　all　I　have　found　no　mention　made　of
knights…errant　eating；　unless　by　accident　or　at　some　sumptuous
banquets　prepared　for　them；　and　the　rest　of　the　time　they　passed　in
dalliance。　And　though　it　is　plain　they　could　not　do　without　eating　and
performing　all　the　other　natural　functions；　because；　in　fact；　they
were　men　like　ourselves；　it　is　plain　too　that；　wandering　as　they　did
the　most　part　of　their　lives　through　woods　and　wilds　and　without　a
cook；　their　most　usual　fare　would　be　rustic　viands　such　as　those
thou　now　offer　me；　so　that；　friend　Sancho；　let　not　that　distress
thee　which　pleases　me；　and　do　not　seek　to　make　a　new　world　or
pervert　knight…errantry。〃
　　〃Pardon　me；　your　worship；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for；　as　I　cannot　read　or
write；　as　I　said　just　now；　I　neither　know　nor　comprehend　the　rules
of　the　profession　of　chivalry：　henceforward　I　will　stock　the
alforjas　with　every　kind　of　dry　fruit　for　your　worship；　as　you　are　a
knight；　and　for　myself；　as　I　am　not　one；　I　will　furnish　them　with
poultry　and　other　things　more　substantial。〃
　　〃I　do　not　say；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　it　is
imperative　on　knights…errant　not　to　eat　anything　else　but　the　fruits
thou　speakest　of；　only　that　their　more　usual　diet　must　be　those；　and
certain　herbs　they　found　in　the　fields　which　they　knew　and　I　know
too。〃
　　〃A　good　thing　it　is；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃to　know　those　herbs；　for
to　my　thinking　it　will　be　needful　some　day　to　put　that　knowledge
into　practice。〃
　　And　here　taking　out　what　he　said　he　had　brought；　the　pair　made　their
repast　peaceably　and　sociably。　But　anxious　to　find　quarters　for　the
night；　they　with　all　despatch　made　an　end　of　their　poor　dry　fare；
mounted　at　once；　and　made　haste　to　reach　some　habitation　before
night　set　in；　but　daylight　and　the　hope　of　succeeding　in　their
object　failed　them　close　by　the　huts　of　some　goatherds；　so　they
determined　to　pass　the　night　there；　and　it　was　as　much　to　Sancho's
discontent　not　to　have　reached　a　house；　as　it　was　to　his　master's
satisfaction　to　sleep　under　the　open　heaven；　for　he　fancied　that
each　time　this　happened　to　him　he　performed　an　act　of　ownership　that
helped　to　prove　his　chivalry。

　　CHAPTER　XI
　　OF　WHAT　BEFELL　DON　QUIXOTE　WITH　CERTAIN　GOATHERDS

　　HE　WAS　cordially　welcomed　by　the　goatherds；　and　Sancho；　having　as
best　he　could　put　up　Rocinante　and　the　ass；　drew　towards　the　fragrance
that　came　from　some　pieces　of　salted　goat　simmering　in　a　pot　on　the
fire；　and　though　he　would　have　liked　at　once　to　try　if　they　were　ready
to　be　transferred　from　the　pot　to　the　stomach；　he　refrained　from　doing
so　as　the　goatherds　removed　them　from　the　fire；　and　laying
sheepskins　on　the　ground；　quickly　spread　their　rude　table；　and　with
signs　of　hearty　good…will　invited　them　both　to　share　what　they　had。
Round　the　skins　six　of　the　men　belonging　to　the　fold　seated
themselves；　having　first　with　rough　politeness　pressed　Don　Quixote
to　take　a　seat　upon　a　trough　which　they　placed　for　him　upside　down。
Don　Quixote　seated　himself；　and　Sancho　remained　standing　to　serve
the　cup；　which　was　made　of　horn。　Seeing　him　standing；　his　master
said　to　him：
　　〃That　thou　mayest　see；　Sancho；　the　good　that　knight…errantry
contains　in　itself；　and　how　those　who　fill　any　office　in　it　are　on　the
high　road　to　be　speedily　honoured　and　esteemed　by　the　world；　I
desire　that　thou　seat　thyself　here　at　my　side　and　in　the　company　of
these　worthy　people；　and　that　thou　be　one　with　me　who　am　thy　master
and　natural　lord；　and　that　thou　eat　from　my　plate　and　drink　from
whatever　I　drink　from；　for　the　same　may　be　said　of　knight…errantry
as　of　love；　that　it　levels　all。〃
　　〃Great　thanks；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I　may　tell　your　worship　that
provided　I　have　enough　to　eat；　I　can　eat　it　as　well；　or　better；
standing；　and　by　myself；　than　seated　alongside　of　an　emperor。　And
indeed；　if　the　truth　is　to　be　told；　what　I　eat　in　my　corner　without
form　or　fuss　has　much　more　relish　for　me；　even　though　it　be　bread
and　onions；　than　the　turkeys　of　those　other　tables　where　I　am　forced
to　chew　slowly；　drink　little；　wipe　my　mouth　every　minute；　and　cannot
sneeze　or　cough　if　I　want　or　do　other　things　that　are　the　privileges
of　liberty　and　solitude。　So；　senor；　as　for　these　honours　which　your
worship　would　put　upon　me　as　a　servant　and　follower　of
knight…errantry；　exchange　them　for　other　things　which　may　be　of　more
use　and　advantage　to　me；　for　these；　though　I　fully　acknowledge　them　as
received；　I　renounce　from　this　moment　to　the　end　of　the　world。〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　must　seat　thyself；　because
him　who　humbleth　himself　God　exalteth；〃　and　seizing　him　by　the　arm
he　forced　him　to　sit　down　beside　himself。
　　The　goatherds　did　not　understand　this　jargon　about　squires　and
knights…errant；　and　all　they　did　was　to　eat　in　silence　and　stare　at
their　guests；　who　with　great　elegance　and　appetite　were　stowing　away
pieces　as　big　as　one's　fist。　The　course　of　meat　finished；　they
spread　upon　the　sheepskins　a　great　heap　of　parched　acorns；　and　with
them　they　put　down　a　half　cheese　harder　than　if　it　had　been　made　of
mortar。　All　this　while　the　horn　was　not　idle；　for　it　went　round　so
constantly；　now　full；　now　empty；　like　the　bucket　of　a　water…wheel；
that　it　soon　drained　one