don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第169章

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themselves　out　for　their　wedding　on　the　morrow。　They　advanced
towards　a　theatre　that　stood　on　one　side　of　the　meadow　decked　with
carpets　and　boughs；　where　they　were　to　plight　their　troth；　and　from
which　they　were　to　behold　the　dances　and　plays；　but　at　the　moment　of
their　arrival　at　the　spot　they　heard　a　loud　outcry　behind　them；　and
a　voice　exclaiming；　〃Wait　a　little；　ye；　as　inconsiderate　as　ye　are
hasty！〃　At　these　words　all　turned　round；　and　perceived　that　the
speaker　was　a　man　clad　in　what　seemed　to　be　a　loose　black　coat
garnished　with　crimson　patches　like　flames。　He　was　crowned　（as　was
presently　seen）　with　a　crown　of　gloomy　cypress；　and　in　his　hand　he
held　a　long　staff。　As　he　approached　he　was　recognised　by　everyone　as
the　gay　Basilio；　and　all　waited　anxiously　to　see　what　would　come　of
his　words；　in　dread　of　some　catastrophe　in　consequence　of　his
appearance　at　such　a　moment。　He　came　up　at　last　weary　and
breathless；　and　planting　himself　in　front　of　the　bridal　pair；　drove
his　staff；　which　had　a　steel　spike　at　the　end；　into　the　ground；　and；
with　a　pale　face　and　eyes　fixed　on　Quiteria；　he　thus　addressed　her
in　a　hoarse；　trembling　voice：
　　〃Well　dost　thou　know；　ungrateful　Quiteria；　that　according　to　the
holy　law　we　acknowledge；　so　long　as　live　thou　canst　take　no　husband；
nor　art　thou　ignorant　either　that；　in　my　hopes　that　time　and　my　own
exertions　would　improve　my　fortunes；　I　have　never　failed　to　observe
the　respect　due　to　thy　honour；　but　thou；　casting　behind　thee　all
thou　owest　to　my　true　love；　wouldst　surrender　what　is　mine　to
another　whose　wealth　serves　to　bring　him　not　only　good　fortune　but
supreme　happiness；　and　now　to　complete　it　（not　that　I　think　he
deserves　it；　but　inasmuch　as　heaven　is　pleased　to　bestow　it　upon　him）；
I　will；　with　my　own　hands；　do　away　with　the　obstacle　that　may
interfere　with　it；　and　remove　myself　from　between　you。　Long　live　the
rich　Camacho！　many　a　happy　year　may　he　live　with　the　ungrateful
Quiteria！　and　let　the　poor　Basilio　die；　Basilio　whose　poverty
clipped　the　wings　of　his　happiness；　and　brought　him　to　the　grave！〃
　　And　so　saying；　he　seized　the　staff　he　had　driven　into　the　ground；
and　leaving　one　half　of　it　fixed　there；　showed　it　to　be　a　sheath
that　concealed　a　tolerably　long　rapier；　and；　what　may　he　called　its
hilt　being　planted　in　the　ground；　he　swiftly；　coolly；　and　deliberately
threw　himself　upon　it；　and　in　an　instant　the　bloody　point　and　half　the
steel　blade　appeared　at　his　back；　the　unhappy　man　falling　to　the　earth
bathed　in　his　blood；　and　transfixed　by　his　own　weapon。
　　His　friends　at　once　ran　to　his　aid；　filled　with　grief　at　his
misery　and　sad　fate；　and　Don　Quixote；　dismounting　from　Rocinante；
hastened　to　support　him；　and　took　him　in　his　arms；　and　found　he　had
not　yet　ceased　to　breathe。　They　were　about　to　draw　out　the　rapier；　but
the　priest　who　was　standing　by　objected　to　its　being　withdrawn
before　he　had　confessed　him；　as　the　instant　of　its　withdrawal　would　be
that　of　this　death。　Basilio；　however；　reviving　slightly；　said　in　a
weak　voice；　as　though　in　pain；　〃If　thou　wouldst　consent；　cruel
Quiteria；　to　give　me　thy　hand　as　my　bride　in　this　last　fatal　moment；　I
might　still　hope　that　my　rashness　would　find　pardon；　as　by　its　means　I
attained　the　bliss　of　being　thine。〃
　　Hearing　this　the　priest　bade　him　think　of　the　welfare　of　his　soul
rather　than　of　the　cravings　of　the　body；　and　in　all　earnestness
implore　God's　pardon　for　his　sins　and　for　his　rash　resolve；　to　which
Basilio　replied　that　he　was　determined　not　to　confess　unless
Quiteria　first　gave　him　her　hand　in　marriage；　for　that　happiness　would
compose　his　mind　and　give　him　courage　to　make　his　confession。
　　Don　Quixote　hearing　the　wounded　man's　entreaty；　exclaimed　aloud　that
what　Basilio　asked　was　just　and　reasonable；　and　moreover　a　request
that　might　be　easily　complied　with；　and　that　it　would　be　as　much　to
Senor　Camacho's　honour　to　receive　the　lady　Quiteria　as　the　widow　of
the　brave　Basilio　as　if　he　received　her　direct　from　her　father。
　　〃In　this　case；〃　said　he；　〃it　will　be　only　to　say　'yes；'　and　no
consequences　can　follow　the　utterance　of　the　word；　for　the　nuptial
couch　of　this　marriage　must　be　the　grave。〃
　　Camacho　was　listening　to　all　this；　perplexed　and　bewildered　and
not　knowing　what　to　say　or　do；　but　so　urgent　were　the　entreaties　of
Basilio's　friends；　imploring　him　to　allow　Quiteria　to　give　him　her
hand；　so　that　his　soul；　quitting　this　life　in　despair；　should　not　be
lost；　that　they　moved；　nay；　forced　him；　to　say　that　if　Quiteria　were
willing　to　give　it　he　was　satisfied；　as　it　was　only　putting　off　the
fulfillment　of　his　wishes　for　a　moment。　At　once　all　assailed
Quiteria　and　pressed　her；　some　with　prayers；　and　others　with　tears；
and　others　with　persuasive　arguments；　to　give　her　hand　to　poor
Basilio；　but　she；　harder　than　marble　and　more　unmoved　than　any　statue；
seemed　unable　or　unwilling　to　utter　a　word；　nor　would　she　have　given
any　reply　had　not　the　priest　bade　her　decide　quickly　what　she　meant　to
do；　as　Basilio　now　had　his　soul　at　his　teeth；　and　there　was　no　time
for　hesitation。
　　On　this　the　fair　Quiteria；　to　all　appearance　distressed；　grieved；
and　repentant；　advanced　without　a　word　to　where　Basilio　lay；　his
eyes　already　turned　in　his　head；　his　breathing　short　and　painful；
murmuring　the　name　of　Quiteria　between　his　teeth；　and　apparently　about
to　die　like　a　heathen　and　not　like　a　Christian。　Quiteria　approached
him；　and　kneeling；　demanded　his　hand　by　signs　without　speaking。
Basilio　opened　his　eyes　and　gazing　fixedly　at　her；　said；　〃O
Quiteria；　why　hast　thou　turned　compassionate　at　a　moment　when　thy
compassion　will　serve　as　a　dagger　to　rob　me　of　life；　for　I　have　not
now　the　strength　left　either　to　bear　the　happiness　thou　givest　me　in
accepting　me　as　thine；　or　to　suppress　the　pain　that　is　rapidly　drawing
the　dread　shadow　of　death　over　my　eyes？　What　I　entreat　of　thee；　O　thou
fatal　star　to　me；　is　that　the　hand　thou　demandest　of　me　and　wouldst
give　me；　be　not　given　out　of　complaisance　or　to　deceive　me　afresh；　but
that　thou　confess　and　declare　that　without　any　constraint　upon　thy
will　thou　givest　it　to　me　as　to　thy　lawful　husband；　for　it　is　not　meet
that　thou　shouldst　trifle　with　me　at　such　a　moment　as　this；　or　have
recourse　to　falsehoods　with　one　who　has　dealt　so　truly　by　thee。〃
　　While　uttering　these　words　he　showed　such　weakness　that　the
bystanders　expected　each　return　of　faintness　would　take　his　life
with　it。　Then　Quiteria；　overcome　with　modesty　and　shame；　holding　in
her　right　hand　the　hand　of　Basilio；　said；　〃No　force　would　bend　my
will；　as　freely；　therefore；　as　it　is　possible　for　me　to　do　so；　I
give　thee　the　hand　of　a　lawful　wife；　and　take　thine　if　thou　givest
it　to　me　of　thine　own　free　will；　untroubled　and　unaffected　by　the
calamity　thy　hasty　act　has　brought　upon　thee。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　give　it；〃　said　Basilio；　〃not　agitated　or　distracted；　but
with　unclouded　reason　that　heaven　is　pleased　to　grant　me；　thus　do　I
give　myself　to　be　thy　husband。〃
　　〃And　I　give　myself　to　be　thy　wife；〃　said　Quiteria；　〃whether　thou
livest　many　years；　or　they　carry　thee　from　my　arms　to　the　grave。〃
　　〃For　one　so　badly　wounded；〃　observed　Sancho　at　this　point；　〃this
young　man　has　a　great　deal　to　say；　they　should　make　him　leave　off
billing　and　cooing；　and　attend　to　his　soul；　for　to　my　thinking　he
has　it　more　on　his　tongue　than　at　his　teeth。〃
　　Basilio　and　Quiteria　having　thus　joined　hands；　the　priest；　deeply
moved　and　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　pronounced　the　blessing　upon　them；
and　implored　heaven　to　grant　an　easy　passage　to　the　soul　of　the
newly　wedded　man；　who；　the　instant　he　received　the　blessing；　started
nimbly　to　his　feet　and　with　unparalleled　effrontery　pulled　out　the
rapier　that　had　been　sheathed　in　his　body。　All　the　bystanders　were
astounded；　and　some；　more　simple　than　inquiring；　began　shouting；　〃A
miracle；　a　miracle！〃　But　Basilio　replied；　〃No　miracle；　no　miracle；
only　a　trick；　a　trick！〃　The　priest；　perplexed　and　amazed；　made　haste
to　examine　the　wound　with　both　hands；　and　found　that　the　blade　had
passed；　not　through　Basilio's　flesh　and　ribs；　but　through　a　hollow
iron　tube　full　of　blood；　which　he　had　adroitly　fixed　at　the　place；　the
blood；　as　was　afterwards　asc