don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第165章

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town。　As　they　grew　up；　the　father　of　Quiteria　made　up　his　mind　to
refuse　Basilio　his　wonted　freedom　of　access　to　the　house；　and　to
relieve　himself　of　constant　doubts　and　suspicions；　he　arranged　a　match
for　his　daughter　with　the　rich　Camacho；　as　he　did　not　approve　of
marrying　her　to　Basilio；　who　had　not　so　large　a　share　of　the　gifts
of　fortune　as　of　nature；　for　if　the　truth　be　told　ungrudgingly；　he
is　the　most　agile　youth　we　know；　a　mighty　thrower　of　the　bar；　a
first…rate　wrestler；　and　a　great　ball…player；　he　runs　like　a　deer；　and
leaps　better　than　a　goat；　bowls　over　the　nine…pins　as　if　by　magic；
sings　like　a　lark；　plays　the　guitar　so　as　to　make　it　speak；　and；　above
all；　handles　a　sword　as　well　as　the　best。〃
　　〃For　that　excellence　alone；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃the　youth
deserves　to　marry；　not　merely　the　fair　Quiteria；　but　Queen　Guinevere
herself；　were　she　alive　now；　in　spite　of　Launcelot　and　all　who　would
try　to　prevent　it。〃
　　〃Say　that　to　my　wife；〃　said　Sancho；　who　had　until　now　listened　in
silence；　〃for　she　won't　hear　of　anything　but　each　one　marrying　his
equal；　holding　with　the　proverb　'each　ewe　to　her　like。'　What　I　would
like　is　that　this　good　Basilio　（for　I　am　beginning　to　take　a　fancy
to　him　already）　should　marry　this　lady　Quiteria；　and　a　blessing　and
good　luck…　I　meant　to　say　the　opposite…　on　people　who　would　prevent
those　who　love　one　another　from　marrying。〃
　　〃If　all　those　who　love　one　another　were　to　marry；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃it　would　deprive　parents　of　the　right　to　choose；　and　marry　their
children　to　the　proper　person　and　at　the　proper　time；　and　if　it　was
left　to　daughters　to　choose　husbands　as　they　pleased；　one　would　be　for
choosing　her　father's　servant；　and　another；　some　one　she　has　seen
passing　in　the　street　and　fancies　gallant　and　dashing；　though　he　may
be　a　drunken　bully；　for　love　and　fancy　easily　blind　the　eyes　of　the
judgment；　so　much　wanted　in　choosing　one's　way　of　life；　and　the
matrimonial　choice　is　very　liable　to　error；　and　it　needs　great　caution
and　the　special　favour　of　heaven　to　make　it　a　good　one。　He　who　has
to　make　a　long　journey；　will；　if　he　is　wise；　look　out　for　some
trusty　and　pleasant　companion　to　accompany　him　before　he　sets　out。
Why；　then；　should　not　he　do　the　same　who　has　to　make　the　whole　journey
of　life　down　to　the　final　halting…place　of　death；　more　especially　when
the　companion　has　to　be　his　companion　in　bed；　at　board；　and
everywhere；　as　the　wife　is　to　her　husband？　The　companionship　of
one's　wife　is　no　article　of　merchandise；　that；　after　it　has　been
bought；　may　be　returned；　or　bartered；　or　changed；　for　it　is　an
inseparable　accident　that　lasts　as　long　as　life　lasts；　it　is　a　noose
that；　once　you　put　it　round　your　neck；　turns　into　a　Gordian　knot；
which；　if　the　scythe　of　Death　does　not　cut　it；　there　is　no　untying。
I　could　say　a　great　deal　more　on　this　subject；　were　I　not　prevented　by
the　anxiety　I　feel　to　know　if　the　senor　licentiate　has　anything　more
to　tell　about　the　story　of　Basilio。〃
　　To　this　the　student；　bachelor；　or；　as　Don　Quixote　called　him；
licentiate；　replied；　〃I　have　nothing　whatever　to　say　further；　but　that
from　the　moment　Basilio　learned　that　the　fair　Quiteria　was　to　be
married　to　Camacho　the　rich；　he　has　never　been　seen　to　smile；　or　heard
to　utter　rational　word；　and　he　always　goes　about　moody　and　dejected；
talking　to　himself　in　a　way　that　shows　plainly　he　is　out　of　his
senses。　He　eats　little　and　sleeps　little；　and　all　he　eats　is　fruit；
and　when　he　sleeps；　if　he　sleeps　at　all；　it　is　in　the　field　on　the
hard　earth　like　a　brute　beast。　Sometimes　he　gazes　at　the　sky；　at　other
times　he　fixes　his　eyes　on　the　earth　in　such　an　abstracted　way　that　he
might　be　taken　for　a　clothed　statue；　with　its　drapery　stirred　by　the
wind。　In　short；　he　shows　such　signs　of　a　heart　crushed　by　suffering；
that　all　we　who　know　him　believe　that　when　to…morrow　the　fair　Quiteria
says　'yes；'　it　will　be　his　sentence　of　death。〃
　　〃God　will　guide　it　better；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　God　who　gives　the
wound　gives　the　salve；　nobody　knows　what　will　happen；　there　are　a　good
many　hours　between　this　and　to…morrow；　and　any　one　of　them；　or　any
moment；　the　house　may　fall；　I　have　seen　the　rain　coming　down　and　the
sun　shining　all　at　one　time；　many　a　one　goes　to　bed　in　good　health　who
can't　stir　the　next　day。　And　tell　me；　is　there　anyone　who　can　boast　of
having　driven　a　nail　into　the　wheel　of　fortune？　No；　faith；　and　between
a　woman's　'yes'　and　'no'　I　wouldn't　venture　to　put　the　point　of　a　pin；
for　there　would　not　be　room　for　it；　if　you　tell　me　Quiteria　loves
Basilio　heart　and　soul；　then　I'll　give　him　a　bag　of　good　luck；　for
love；　I　have　heard　say；　looks　through　spectacles　that　make　copper　seem
gold；　poverty　wealth；　and　blear　eyes　pearls。〃
　　〃What　art　thou　driving　at；　Sancho？　curses　on　thee！〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　when　thou　takest　to　stringing　proverbs　and　sayings
together；　no　one　can　understand　thee　but　Judas　himself；　and　I　wish
he　had　thee。　Tell　me；　thou　animal；　what　dost　thou　know　about　nails
or　wheels；　or　anything　else？〃
　　〃Oh；　if　you　don't　understand　me；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃it　is　no　wonder
my　words　are　taken　for　nonsense；　but　no　matter；　I　understand　myself；
and　I　know　I　have　not　said　anything　very　foolish　in　what　I　have
said；　only　your　worship；　senor；　is　always　gravelling　at　everything　I
say；　nay；　everything　I　do。〃
　　〃Cavilling；　not　gravelling；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou　prevaricator　of
honest　language；　God　confound　thee！〃
　　〃Don't　find　fault　with　me；　your　worship；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃for
you　know　I　have　not　been　bred　up　at　court　or　trained　at　Salamanca；
to　know　whether　I　am　adding　or　dropping　a　letter　or　so　in　my　words。
Why！　God　bless　me；　it's　not　fair　to　force　a　Sayago…man　to　speak　like　a
Toledan；　maybe　there　are　Toledans　who　do　not　hit　it　off　when　it
comes　to　polished　talk。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　licentiate；　〃for　those　who　have　been　bred
up　in　the　Tanneries　and　the　Zocodover　cannot　talk　like　those　who　are
almost　all　day　pacing　the　cathedral　cloisters；　and　yet　they　are　all
Toledans。　Pure；　correct；　elegant　and　lucid　language　will　be　met　with
in　men　of　courtly　breeding　and　discrimination；　though　they　may　have
been　born　in　Majalahonda；　I　say　of　discrimination；　because　there　are
many　who　are　not　so；　and　discrimination　is　the　grammar　of　good
language；　if　it　be　accompanied　by　practice。　I；　sirs；　for　my　sins
have　studied　canon　law　at　Salamanca；　and　I　rather　pique　myself　on
expressing　my　meaning　in　clear；　plain；　and　intelligible　language。〃
　　〃If　you　did　not　pique　yourself　more　on　your　dexterity　with　those
foils　you　carry　than　on　dexterity　of　tongue；〃　said　the　other
student；　〃you　would　have　been　head　of　the　degrees；　where　you　are　now
tail。〃
　　〃Look　here；　bachelor　Corchuelo；〃　returned　the　licentiate；　〃you
have　the　most　mistaken　idea　in　the　world　about　skill　with　the　sword；
if　you　think　it　useless。〃
　　〃It　is　no　idea　on　my　part；　but　an　established　truth；〃　replied
Corchuelo；　〃and　if　you　wish　me　to　prove　it　to　you　by　experiment；　you
have　swords　there；　and　it　is　a　good　opportunity；　I　have　a　steady
hand　and　a　strong　arm；　and　these　joined　with　my　resolution；　which　is
not　small；　will　make　you　confess　that　I　am　not　mistaken。　Dismount
and　put　in　practice　your　positions　and　circles　and　angles　and　science；
for　I　hope　to　make　you　see　stars　at　noonday　with　my　rude　raw
swordsmanship；　in　which；　next　to　God；　I　place　my　trust　that　the　man　is
yet　to　be　born　who　will　make　me　turn　my　back；　and　that　there　is　not
one　in　the　world　I　will　not　compel　to　give　ground。〃
　　〃As　to　whether　you　turn　your　back　or　not；　I　do　not　concern
myself；〃　replied　the　master　of　fence；　〃though　it　might　be　that　your
grave　would　be　dug　on　the　spot　where　you　planted　your　foot　the　first
time；　I　mean　that　you　would　be　stretched　dead　there　for　despising
skill　with　the　sword。〃
　　〃We　shall　soon　see；〃　replied　Corchuelo；　and　getting　off　his　ass
briskly；　he　drew　out　furiously　one　of　the　swords　the　licentiate
carried　on　his　beast。
　　〃It　must　not　be　that　way；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this　point；　〃I　will
be　the　director　of　this　fencing　match；　and　judge　of　this　often
disputed　question；〃　and　dismounting　from　Rocinante　and　grasping　his
lance；　he　planted　himself　in　the　middle　of　the　roa