don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第176章

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passed　on　without　stopping。　Don　Quixote　called　to　him；　〃Stay；　good
fellow；　you　seem　to　be　making　more　haste　than　suits　that　mule。〃
　　〃I　cannot　stop；　senor；〃　answered　the　man；　〃for　the　arms　you　see　I
carry　here　are　to　be　used　tomorrow；　so　I　must　not　delay；　God　be　with
you。　But　if　you　want　to　know　what　I　am　carrying　them　for；　I　mean　to
lodge　to…night　at　the　inn　that　is　beyond　the　hermitage；　and　if　you
be　going　the　same　road　you　will　find　me　there；　and　I　will　tell　you
some　curious　things；　once　more　God　be　with　you；〃　and　he　urged　on　his
mule　at　such　a　pace　that　Don　Quixote　had　no　time　to　ask　him　what　these
curious　things　were　that　he　meant　to　tell　them；　and　as　he　was　somewhat
inquisitive；　and　always　tortured　by　his　anxiety　to　learn　something
new；　he　decided　to　set　out　at　once；　and　go　and　pass　the　night　at　the
inn　instead　of　stopping　at　the　hermitage；　where　the　cousin　would
have　had　them　halt。　Accordingly　they　mounted　and　all　three　took　the
direct　road　for　the　inn；　which　they　reached　a　little　before　nightfall。
On　the　road　the　cousin　proposed　they　should　go　up　to　the　hermitage
to　drink　a　sup。　The　instant　Sancho　heard　this　he　steered　his　Dapple
towards　it；　and　Don　Quixote　and　the　cousin　did　the　same；　but　it
seems　Sancho's　bad　luck　so　ordered　it　that　the　hermit　was　not　at　home；
for　so　a　sub…hermit　they　found　in　the　hermitage　told　them。　They　called
for　some　of　the　best。　She　replied　that　her　master　had　none；　but　that
if　they　liked　cheap　water　she　would　give　it　with　great　pleasure。
　　〃If　I　found　any　in　water；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there　are　wells　along　the
road　where　I　could　have　had　enough　of　it。　Ah；　Camacho's　wedding；　and
plentiful　house　of　Don　Diego；　how　often　do　I　miss　you！〃
　　Leaving　the　hermitage；　they　pushed　on　towards　the　inn；　and　a
little　farther　they　came　upon　a　youth　who　was　pacing　along　in　front　of
them　at　no　great　speed；　so　that　they　overtook　him。　He　carried　a
sword　over　his　shoulder；　and　slung　on　it　a　budget　or　bundle　of　his
clothes　apparently；　probably　his　breeches　or　pantaloons；　and　his　cloak
and　a　shirt　or　two；　for　he　had　on　a　short　jacket　of　velvet　with　a
gloss　like　satin　on　it　in　places；　and　had　his　shirt　out；　his　stockings
were　of　silk；　and　his　shoes　square…toed　as　they　wear　them　at　court。
His　age　might　have　been　eighteen　or　nineteen；　he　was　of　a　merry
countenance；　and　to　all　appearance　of　an　active　habit；　and　he　went
along　singing　seguidillas　to　beguile　the　wearisomeness　of　the　road。　As
they　came　up　with　him　he　was　just　finishing　one；　which　the　cousin
got　by　heart　and　they　say　ran　thus…

　　　　　　　　　I'm　off　to　the　wars
　　　　　　　　　　　For　the　want　of　pence；
　　　　　　　　　Oh；　had　I　but　money
　　　　　　　　　　　I'd　show　more　sense。

　　The　first　to　address　him　was　Don　Quixote；　who　said；　〃You　travel　very
airily；　sir　gallant；　whither　bound；　may　we　ask；　if　it　is　your　pleasure
to　tell　us？〃
　　To　which　the　youth　replied；　〃The　heat　and　my　poverty　are　the
reason　of　my　travelling　so　airily；　and　it　is　to　the　wars　that　I　am
bound。〃
　　〃How　poverty？〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃the　heat　one　can　understand。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　the　youth；　〃in　this　bundle　I　carry　velvet
pantaloons　to　match　this　jacket；　if　I　wear　them　out　on　the　road；　I
shall　not　be　able　to　make　a　decent　appearance　in　them　in　the　city；　and
I　have　not　the　wherewithal　to　buy　others；　and　so　for　this　reason；　as
well　as　to　keep　myself　cool；　I　am　making　my　way　in　this　fashion　to
overtake　some　companies　of　infantry　that　are　not　twelve　leagues　off；
in　which　I　shall　enlist；　and　there　will　be　no　want　of　baggage　trains
to　travel　with　after　that　to　the　place　of　embarkation；　which　they
say　will　be　Carthagena；　I　would　rather　have　the　King　for　a　master；　and
serve　him　in　the　wars；　than　serve　a　court　pauper。〃
　　〃And　did　you　get　any　bounty；　now？〃　asked　the　cousin。
　　〃If　I　had　been　in　the　service　of　some　grandee　of　Spain　or
personage　of　distinction；〃　replied　the　youth；　〃I　should　have　been　safe
to　get　it；　for　that　is　the　advantage　of　serving　good　masters；　that　out
of　the　servants'　hall　men　come　to　be　ancients　or　captains；　or　get　a
good　pension。　But　I；　to　my　misfortune；　always　served　place…hunters　and
adventurers；　whose　keep　and　wages　were　so　miserable　and　scanty　that
half　went　in　paying　for　the　starching　of　one's　collars；　it　would　be
a　miracle　indeed　if　a　page　volunteer　ever　got　anything　like　a
reasonable　bounty。〃
　　〃And　tell　me；　for　heaven's　sake；〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃is　it
possible；　my　friend；　that　all　the　time　you　served　you　never　got　any
livery？〃
　　〃They　gave　me　two；〃　replied　the　page；　〃but　just　as　when　one　quits
a　religious　community　before　making　profession；　they　strip　him　of
the　dress　of　the　order　and　give　him　back　his　own　clothes；　so　did　my
masters　return　me　mine；　for　as　soon　as　the　business　on　which　they　came
to　court　was　finished；　they　went　home　and　took　back　the　liveries
they　had　given　merely　for　show。〃
　　〃What　spilorceria！…　as　an　Italian　would　say；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but
for　all　that；　consider　yourself　happy　in　having　left　court　with　as
worthy　an　object　as　you　have；　for　there　is　nothing　on　earth　more
honourable　or　profitable　than　serving；　first　of　all　God；　and　then
one's　king　and　natural　lord；　particularly　in　the　profession　of　arms；
by　which；　if　not　more　wealth；　at　least　more　honour　is　to　be　won　than
by　letters；　as　I　have　said　many　a　time；　for　though　letters　may　have
founded　more　great　houses　than　arms；　still　those　founded　by　arms
have　I　know　not　what　superiority　over　those　founded　by　letters；　and
a　certain　splendour　belonging　to　them　that　distinguishes　them　above
all。　And　bear　in　mind　what　I　am　now　about　to　say　to　you；　for　it　will
be　of　great　use　and　comfort　to　you　in　time　of　trouble；　it　is；　not　to
let　your　mind　dwell　on　the　adverse　chances　that　may　befall　you；　for
the　worst　of　all　is　death；　and　if　it　be　a　good　death；　the　best　of
all　is　to　die。　They　asked　Julius　Caesar；　the　valiant　Roman　emperor；
what　was　the　best　death。　He　answered；　that　which　is　unexpected；
which　comes　suddenly　and　unforeseen；　and　though　he　answered　like　a
pagan；　and　one　without　the　knowledge　of　the　true　God；　yet；　as　far　as
sparing　our　feelings　is　concerned；　he　was　right；　for　suppose　you　are
killed　in　the　first　engagement　or　skirmish；　whether　by　a　cannon　ball
or　blown　up　by　mine；　what　matters　it？　It　is　only　dying；　and　all　is
over；　and　according　to　Terence；　a　soldier　shows　better　dead　in　battle；
than　alive　and　safe　in　flight；　and　the　good　soldier　wins　fame　in
proportion　as　he　is　obedient　to　his　captains　and　those　in　command　over
him。　And　remember；　my　son；　that　it　is　better　for　the　soldier　to
smell　of　gunpowder　than　of　civet；　and　that　if　old　age　should　come　upon
you　in　this　honourable　calling；　though　you　may　be　covered　with
wounds　and　crippled　and　lame；　it　will　not　come　upon　you　without
honour；　and　that　such　as　poverty　cannot　lessen；　especially　now　that
provisions　are　being　made　for　supporting　and　relieving　old　and
disabled　soldiers；　for　it　is　not　right　to　deal　with　them　after　the
fashion　of　those　who　set　free　and　get　rid　of　their　black　slaves　when
they　are　old　and　useless；　and；　turning　them　out　of　their　houses
under　the　pretence　of　making　them　free；　make　them　slaves　to　hunger；
from　which　they　cannot　expect　to　be　released　except　by　death。　But
for　the　present　I　won't　say　more　than　get　ye　up　behind　me　on　my
horse　as　far　as　the　inn；　and　sup　with　me　there；　and　to…morrow　you
shall　pursue　your　journey；　and　God　give　you　as　good　speed　as　your
intentions　deserve。〃
　　The　page　did　not　accept　the　invitation　to　mount；　though　he　did
that　to　supper　at　the　inn；　and　here　they　say　Sancho　said　to　himself；
〃God　be　with　you　for　a　master；　is　it　possible　that　a　man　who　can　say
things　so　many　and　so　good　as　he　has　said　just　now；　can　say　that　he
saw　the　impossible　absurdities　he　reports　about　the　cave　of
Montesinos？　Well；　well；　we　shall　see。〃
　　And　now；　just　as　night　was　falling；　they　reached　the　inn；　and　it　was
not　without　satisfaction　that　Sancho　perceived　his　master　took　it
for　a　real　inn；　and　not　for　a　castle　as　usual。　The　instant　they
entered　Don　Quixote　asked　the　landlord　after　the　man　with　the　lances
and　halberds；　and　was　told　that　he　was　in　the　stable　seeing　to　his
mule；　which　was　what　Sancho　and　the　cousin　proceeded　to　do　for　their
beasts；