don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第172章

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perilous　and　untried　adventure；　and　then　exclaimed　aloud；　〃O
mistress　of　my　actions　and　movements；　illustrious　and　peerless
Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　if　so　be　the　prayers　and　supplications　of　this
fortunate　lover　can　reach　thy　ears；　by　thy　incomparable　beauty　I
entreat　thee　to　listen　to　them；　for　they　but　ask　thee　not　to　refuse　me
thy　favour　and　protection　now　that　I　stand　in　such　need　of　them。　I
am　about　to　precipitate；　to　sink；　to　plunge　myself　into　the　abyss　that
is　here　before　me；　only　to　let　the　world　know　that　while　thou　dost
favour　me　there　is　no　impossibility　I　will　not　attempt　and
accomplish。〃　With　these　words　he　approached　the　cavern；　and
perceived　that　it　was　impossible　to　let　himself　down　or　effect　an
entrance　except　by　sheer　force　or　cleaving　a　passage；　so　drawing　his
sword　he　began　to　demolish　and　cut　away　the　brambles　at　the　mouth　of
the　cave；　at　the　noise　of　which　a　vast　multitude　of　crows　and
choughs　flew　out　of　it　so　thick　and　so　fast　that　they　knocked　Don
Quixote　down；　and　if　he　had　been　as　much　of　a　believer　in　augury　as　he
was　a　Catholic　Christian　he　would　have　taken　it　as　a　bad　omen　and
declined　to　bury　himself　in　such　a　place。　He　got　up；　however；　and　as
there　came　no　more　crows；　or　night…birds　like　the　bats　that　flew　out
at　the　same　time　with　the　crows；　the　cousin　and　Sancho　giving　him
rope；　he　lowered　himself　into　the　depths　of　the　dread　cavern；　and　as
he　entered　it　Sancho　sent　his　blessing　after　him；　making　a　thousand
crosses　over　him　and　saying；　〃God；　and　the　Pena　de　Francia；　and　the
Trinity　of　Gaeta　guide　thee；　flower　and　cream　of　knights…errant。　There
thou　goest；　thou　dare…devil　of　the　earth；　heart　of　steel；　arm　of
brass；　once　more；　God　guide　thee　and　send　thee　back　safe；　sound；　and
unhurt　to　the　light　of　this　world　thou　art　leaving　to　bury　thyself
in　the　darkness　thou　art　seeking　there；〃　and　the　cousin　offered　up
almost　the　same　prayers　and　supplications。
　　Don　Quixote　kept　calling　to　them　to　give　him　rope　and　more　rope；　and
they　gave　it　out　little　by　little；　and　by　the　time　the　calls；　which
came　out　of　the　cave　as　out　of　a　pipe；　ceased　to　be　heard　they　had　let
down　the　hundred　fathoms　of　rope。　They　were　inclined　to　pull　Don
Quixote　up　again；　as　they　could　give　him　no　more　rope；　however；　they
waited　about　half　an　hour；　at　the　end　of　which　time　they　began　to
gather　in　the　rope　again　with　great　ease　and　without　feeling　any
weight；　which　made　them　fancy　Don　Quixote　was　remaining　below；　and
persuaded　that　it　was　so；　Sancho　wept　bitterly；　and　hauled　away　in
great　haste　in　order　to　settle　the　question。　When；　however；　they　had
come　to；　as　it　seemed；　rather　more　than　eighty　fathoms　they　felt　a
weight；　at　which　they　were　greatly　delighted；　and　at　last；　at　ten
fathoms　more；　they　saw　Don　Quixote　distinctly；　and　Sancho　called　out
to　him；　saying；　〃Welcome　back；　senor；　for　we　had　begun　to　think　you
were　going　to　stop　there　to　found　a　family。〃　But　Don　Quixote
answered　not　a　word；　and　drawing　him　out　entirely　they　perceived　he
had　his　eyes　shut　and　every　appearance　of　being　fast　asleep。
　　They　stretched　him　on　the　ground　and　untied　him；　but　still　he　did
not　awake；　however；　they　rolled　him　back　and　forwards　and　shook　and
pulled　him　about；　so　that　after　some　time　he　came　to　himself；
stretching　himself　just　as　if　he　were　waking　up　from　a　deep　and
sound　sleep；　and　looking　about　him　he　said；　〃God　forgive　you；　friends；
ye　have　taken　me　away　from　the　sweetest　and　most　delightful
existence　and　spectacle　that　ever　human　being　enjoyed　or　beheld。　Now
indeed　do　I　know　that　all　the　pleasures　of　this　life　pass　away　like
a　shadow　and　a　dream；　or　fade　like　the　flower　of　the　field。　O
ill…fated　Montesinos！　O　sore…wounded　Durandarte！　O　unhappy　Belerma！
O　tearful　Guadiana；　and　ye　O　hapless　daughters　of　Ruidera　who　show
in　your　waves　the　tears　that　flowed　from　your　beauteous　eyes！〃
　　The　cousin　and　Sancho　Panza　listened　with　deep　attention　to　the
words　of　Don　Quixote；　who　uttered　them　as　though　with　immense　pain
he　drew　them　up　from　his　very　bowels。　They　begged　of　him　to　explain
himself；　and　tell　them　what　he　had　seen　in　that　hell　down　there。
　　〃Hell　do　you　call　it？〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃call　it　by　no　such　name；
for　it　does　not　deserve　it；　as　ye　shall　soon　see。〃
　　He　then　begged　them　to　give　him　something　to　eat；　as　he　was　very
hungry。　They　spread　the　cousin's　sackcloth　on　the　grass；　and　put　the
stores　of　the　alforjas　into　requisition；　and　all　three　sitting　down
lovingly　and　sociably；　they　made　a　luncheon　and　a　supper　of　it　all
in　one；　and　when　the　sackcloth　was　removed；　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha
said；　〃Let　no　one　rise；　and　attend　to　me；　my　sons；　both　of　you。〃


　　CHAPTER　XXIII
　　OF　THE　WONDERFUL　THINGS　THE　INCOMPARABLE　DON　QUIXOTE　SAID　HE　SAW
IN　THE　PROFOUND　CAVE　OF　MONTESINOS；　THE　IMPOSSIBILITY　AND　MAGNITUDE　OF
WHICH　CAUSE　THIS　ADVENTURE　TO　BE　DEEMED　APOCRYPHAL

　　IT　WAS　about　four　in　the　afternoon　when　the　sun；　veiled　in　clouds；
with　subdued　light　and　tempered　beams；　enabled　Don　Quixote　to
relate；　without　heat　or　inconvenience；　what　he　had　seen　in　the　cave　of
Montesinos　to　his　two　illustrious　hearers；　and　he　began　as　follows：
　　〃A　matter　of　some　twelve　or　fourteen　times　a　man's　height　down　in
this　pit；　on　the　right…hand　side；　there　is　a　recess　or　space；　roomy
enough　to　contain　a　large　cart　with　its　mules。　A　little　light
reaches　it　through　some　chinks　or　crevices；　communicating　with　it
and　open　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。　This　recess　or　space　I　perceived
when　I　was　already　growing　weary　and　disgusted　at　finding　myself
hanging　suspended　by　the　rope；　travelling　downwards　into　that　dark
region　without　any　certainty　or　knowledge　of　where　I　was　going；　so　I
resolved　to　enter　it　and　rest　myself　for　a　while。　I　called　out；
telling　you　not　to　let　out　more　rope　until　I　bade　you；　but　you
cannot　have　heard　me。　I　then　gathered　in　the　rope　you　were　sending　me；
and　making　a　coil　or　pile　of　it　I　seated　myself　upon　it；　ruminating
and　considering　what　I　was　to　do　to　lower　myself　to　the　bottom；　having
no　one　to　hold　me　up；　and　as　I　was　thus　deep　in　thought　and
perplexity；　suddenly　and　without　provocation　a　profound　sleep　fell
upon　me；　and　when　I　least　expected　it；　I　know　not　how；　I　awoke　and
found　myself　in　the　midst　of　the　most　beautiful；　delightful　meadow
that　nature　could　produce　or　the　most　lively　human　imagination
conceive。　I　opened　my　eyes；　I　rubbed　them；　and　found　I　was　not
asleep　but　thoroughly　awake。　Nevertheless；　I　felt　my　head　and　breast
to　satisfy　myself　whether　it　was　I　myself　who　was　there　or　some
empty　delusive　phantom；　but　touch；　feeling；　the　collected　thoughts
that　passed　through　my　mind；　all　convinced　me　that　I　was　the　same　then
and　there　that　I　am　this　moment。　Next　there　presented　itself　to　my
sight　a　stately　royal　palace　or　castle；　with　walls　that　seemed　built
of　clear　transparent　crystal；　and　through　two　great　doors　that
opened　wide　therein；　I　saw　coming　forth　and　advancing　towards　me　a
venerable　old　man；　clad　in　a　long　gown　of　mulberry…coloured　serge　that
trailed　upon　the　ground。　On　his　shoulders　and　breast　he　had　a　green
satin　collegiate　hood；　and　covering　his　head　a　black　Milanese
bonnet；　and　his　snow…white　beard　fell　below　his　girdle。　He　carried
no　arms　whatever；　nothing　but　a　rosary　of　beads　bigger　than　fair…sized
filberts；　each　tenth　bead　being　like　a　moderate　ostrich　egg；　his
bearing；　his　gait；　his　dignity　and　imposing　presence　held　me
spellbound　and　wondering。　He　approached　me；　and　the　first　thing　he　did
was　to　embrace　me　closely；　and　then　he　said　to　me；　'For　a　long　time
now；　O　valiant　knight　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　we　who　are　here
enchanted　in　these　solitudes　have　been　hoping　to　see　thee；　that　thou
mayest　make　known　to　the　world　what　is　shut　up　and　concealed　in　this
deep　cave；　called　the　cave　of　Montesinos；　which　thou　hast　entered；
an　achievement　reserved　for　thy　invincible　heart　and　stupendous
courage　alone　to　attempt。　Come　with　me；　illustrious　sir；　and　I　will
show　thee　the　marvels　hidden　within　this　transparent　castle；　whereof　I
am　the　alcaide　and　perpetual　warden；　for　I　am　Montesinos　himself；　from
whom　the　cave　takes　its　name。'
　　〃The　instant　he　told　me　he　was　Montesinos；　I　asked　him　if　the
story　they　told　i