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第176章

don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第176章

小说: don quixote(堂·吉珂德) 字数: 每页4000字

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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;

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