don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第186章

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yourselves；　or　dash　yourselves　to　pieces　among　these　wheels？〃
　　〃Did　I　not　tell　thee；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃that　we
had　reached　the　place　where　I　am　to　show　what　the　might　of　my　arm
can　do？　See　what　ruffians　and　villains　come　out　against　me；　see　what
monsters　oppose　me；　see　what　hideous　countenances　come　to　frighten　us！
You　shall　soon　see；　scoundrels！〃　And　then　standing　up　in　the　boat　he
began　in　a　loud　voice　to　hurl　threats　at　the　millers；　exclaiming；
〃Ill…conditioned　and　worse…counselled　rabble；　restore　to　liberty　and
freedom　the　person　ye　hold　in　durance　in　this　your　fortress　or　prison；
high　or　low　or　of　whatever　rank　or　quality　he　be；　for　I　am　Don　Quixote
of　La　Mancha；　otherwise　called　the　Knight　of　the　Lions；　for　whom；　by
the　disposition　of　heaven　above；　it　is　reserved　to　give　a　happy
issue　to　this　adventure；〃　and　so　saying　he　drew　his　sword　and　began
making　passes　in　the　air　at　the　millers；　who；　hearing　but　not
understanding　all　this　nonsense；　strove　to　stop　the　boat；　which　was
now　getting　into　the　rushing　channel　of　the　wheels。　Sancho　fell　upon
his　knees　devoutly　appealing　to　heaven　to　deliver　him　from　such
imminent　peril；　which　it　did　by　the　activity　and　quickness　of　the
millers；　who；　pushing　against　the　boat　with　their　poles；　stopped　it；
not；　however；　without　upsetting　and　throwing　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho
into　the　water；　and　lucky　it　was　for　Don　Quixote　that　he　could　swim
like　a　goose；　though　the　weight　of　his　armour　carried　him　twice　to　the
bottom；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　millers；　who　plunged　in　and
hoisted　them　both　out；　it　would　have　been　Troy　town　with　the　pair　of
them。　As　soon　as；　more　drenched　than　thirsty；　they　were　landed；　Sancho
went　down　on　his　knees　and　with　clasped　hands　and　eyes　raised　to
heaven；　prayed　a　long　and　fervent　prayer　to　God　to　deliver　him
evermore　from　the　rash　projects　and　attempts　of　his　master。　The
fishermen；　the　owners　of　the　boat；　which　the　mill…wheels　had　knocked
to　pieces；　now　came　up；　and　seeing　it　smashed　they　proceeded　to
strip　Sancho　and　to　demand　payment　for　it　from　Don　Quixote；　but　he
with　great　calmness；　just　as　if　nothing　had　happened　him；　told　the
millers　and　fishermen　that　he　would　pay　for　the　bark　most
cheerfully；　on　condition　that　they　delivered　up　to　him；　free　and
unhurt；　the　person　or　persons　that　were　in　durance　in　that　castle　of
theirs。
　　〃What　persons　or　what　castle　art　thou　talking　of；　madman？　Art　thou
for　carrying　off　the　people　who　come　to　grind　corn　in　these　mills？〃
　　〃That's　enough；〃　said　Don　Quixote　to　himself；　〃it　would　be　preaching
in　the　desert　to　attempt　by　entreaties　to　induce　this　rabble　to　do　any
virtuous　action。　In　this　adventure　two　mighty　enchanters　must　have
encountered　one　another；　and　one　frustrates　what　the　other　attempts；
one　provided　the　bark　for　me；　and　the　other　upset　me；　God　help　us；
this　world　is　all　machinations　and　schemes　at　cross　purposes　one
with　the　other。　I　can　do　no　more。〃　And　then　turning　towards　the
mills　he　said　aloud；　〃Friends；　whoe'er　ye　be　that　are　immured　in
that　prison；　forgive　me　that；　to　my　misfortune　and　yours；　I　cannot
deliver　you　from　your　misery；　this　adventure　is　doubtless　reserved　and
destined　for　some　other　knight。〃
　　So　saying　he　settled　with　the　fishermen；　and　paid　fifty　reals　for
the　boat；　which　Sancho　handed　to　them　very　much　against　the　grain；
saying；　〃With　a　couple　more　bark　businesses　like　this　we　shall　have
sunk　our　whole　capital。〃
　　The　fishermen　and　the　millers　stood　staring　in　amazement　at　the
two　figures；　so　very　different　to　all　appearance　from　ordinary　men；
and　were　wholly　unable　to　make　out　the　drift　of　the　observations　and
questions　Don　Quixote　addressed　to　them；　and　coming　to　the
conclusion　that　they　were　madmen；　they　left　them　and　betook
themselves；　the　millers　to　their　mills；　and　the　fishermen　to　their
huts。　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　returned　to　their　beasts；　and　to　their
life　of　beasts；　and　so　ended　the　adventure　of　the　enchanted　bark。

　　CHAPTER　XXX
　　OF　DON　QUIXOTE'S　ADVENTURE　WITH　A　FAIR　HUNTRESS

　　THEY　reached　their　beasts　in　low　spirits　and　bad　humour　enough；
knight　and　squire；　Sancho　particularly；　for　with　him　what　touched
the　stock　of　money　touched　his　heart；　and　when　any　was　taken　from
him　he　felt　as　if　he　was　robbed　of　the　apples　of　his　eyes。　In　fine；
without　exchanging　a　word；　they　mounted　and　quitted　the　famous
river；　Don　Quixote　absorbed　in　thoughts　of　his　love；　Sancho　in
thinking　of　his　advancement；　which　just　then；　it　seemed　to　him；　he　was
very　far　from　securing；　for；　fool　as　he　was；　he　saw　clearly　enough
that　his　master's　acts　were　all　or　most　of　them　utterly　senseless；　and
he　began　to　cast　about　for　an　opportunity　of　retiring　from　his　service
and　going　home　some　day；　without　entering　into　any　explanations　or
taking　any　farewell　of　him。　Fortune；　however；　ordered　matters　after
a　fashion　very　much　the　opposite　of　what　he　contemplated。
　　It　so　happened　that　the　next　day　towards　sunset；　on　coming　out　of
a　wood；　Don　Quixote　cast　his　eyes　over　a　green　meadow；　and　at　the
far　end　of　it　observed　some　people；　and　as　he　drew　nearer　saw　that
it　was　a　hawking　party。　Coming　closer；　he　distinguished　among　them　a
lady　of　graceful　mien；　on　a　pure　white　palfrey　or　hackney
caparisoned　with　green　trappings　and　a　silver…mounted　side…saddle。　The
lady　was　also　in　green；　and　so　richly　and　splendidly　dressed　that
splendour　itself　seemed　personified　in　her。　On　her　left　hand　she
bore　a　hawk；　a　proof　to　Don　Quixote's　mind　that　she　must　be　some　great
lady　and　the　mistress　of　the　whole　hunting　party；　which　was　the
fact；　so　he　said　to　Sancho；　〃Run　Sancho；　my　son；　and　say　to　that
lady　on　the　palfrey　with　the　hawk　that　I；　the　Knight　of　the　Lions；
kiss　the　hands　of　her　exalted　beauty；　and　if　her　excellence　will　grant
me　leave　I　will　go　and　kiss　them　in　person　and　place　myself　at　her
service　for　aught　that　may　be　in　my　power　and　her　highness　may
command；　and　mind；　Sancho；　how　thou　speakest；　and　take　care　not　to
thrust　in　any　of　thy　proverbs　into　thy　message。〃
　　〃You've　got　a　likely　one　here　to　thrust　any　in！〃　said　Sancho；　〃leave
me　alone　for　that！　Why；　this　is　not　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have
carried　messages　to　high　and　exalted　ladies。〃
　　〃Except　that　thou　didst　carry　to　the　lady　Dulcinea；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃I　know　not　that　thou　hast　carried　any　other；　at　least　in
my　service。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　pledges　don't　distress　a　good
payer；　and　in　a　house　where　there's　plenty　supper　is　soon　cooked；　I
mean　there's　no　need　of　telling　or　warning　me　about　anything；　for
I'm　ready　for　everything　and　know　a　little　of　everything。〃
　　〃That　I　believe；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃go　and　good　luck　to
thee；　and　God　speed　thee。〃
　　Sancho　went　off　at　top　speed；　forcing　Dapple　out　of　his　regular
pace；　and　came　to　where　the　fair　huntress　was　standing；　and
dismounting　knelt　before　her　and　said；　〃Fair　lady；　that　knight　that
you　see　there；　the　Knight　of　the　Lions　by　name；　is　my　master；　and　I　am
a　squire　of　his；　and　at　home　they　call　me　Sancho　Panza。　This　same
Knight　of　the　Lions；　who　was　called　not　long　since　the　Knight　of　the
Rueful　Countenance；　sends　by　me　to　say　may　it　please　your　highness
to　give　him　leave　that；　with　your　permission；　approbation；　and
consent；　he　may　come　and　carry　out　his　wishes；　which　are；　as　he　says
and　I　believe；　to　serve　your　exalted　loftiness　and　beauty；　and　if
you　give　it；　your　ladyship　will　do　a　thing　which　will　redound　to
your　honour；　and　he　will　receive　a　most　distinguished　favour　and
happiness。〃
　　〃You　have　indeed；　squire；〃　said　the　lady；　〃delivered　your　message
with　all　the　formalities　such　messages　require；　rise　up；　for　it　is　not
right　that　the　squire　of　a　knight　so　great　as　he　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　of　whom　we　have　heard　a　great　deal　here；　should　remain　on
his　knees；　rise；　my　friend；　and　bid　your　master　welcome　to　the
services　of　myself　and　the　duke　my　husband；　in　a　country　house　we　have
here。〃
　　Sancho　got　up；　charmed　as　much　by　the　beauty　of　the　good　lady　as
by　her　high…bred　air　and　her　courtesy；　but；　above　all；　by　what　she　had
said　about　having　heard　of　his　master；　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　for　if　she　did　not　call　him　Knight　of　the　Lion