don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第187章

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said　about　having　heard　of　his　master；　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；　for　if　she　did　not　call　him　Knight　of　the　Lions　it　was　no
doubt　because　he　had　so　lately　taken　the　name。　〃Tell　me；　brother
squire；〃　asked　the　duchess　（whose　title；　however；　is　not　known）；　〃this
master　of　yours；　is　he　not　one　of　whom　there　is　a　history　extant　in
print；　called　'The　Ingenious　Gentleman；　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；'　who
has　for　the　lady　of　his　heart　a　certain　Dulcinea　del　Toboso？〃
　　〃He　is　the　same；　senora；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃and　that　squire　of　his
who　figures；　or　ought　to　figure；　in　the　said　history　under　the　name　of
Sancho　Panza；　is　myself；　unless　they　have　changed　me　in　the　cradle；
I　mean　in　the　press。〃
　　〃I　am　rejoiced　at　all　this；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃go；　brother　Panza；
and　tell　your　master　that　he　is　welcome　to　my　estate；　and　that　nothing
could　happen　me　that　could　give　me　greater　pleasure。〃
　　Sancho　returned　to　his　master　mightily　pleased　with　this
gratifying　answer；　and　told　him　all　the　great　lady　had　said　to　him；
lauding　to　the　skies；　in　his　rustic　phrase；　her　rare　beauty；　her
graceful　gaiety；　and　her　courtesy。　Don　Quixote　drew　himself　up　briskly
in　his　saddle；　fixed　himself　in　his　stirrups；　settled　his　visor；
gave　Rocinante　the　spur；　and　with　an　easy　bearing　advanced　to　kiss　the
hands　of　the　duchess；　who；　having　sent　to　summon　the　duke　her　husband；
told　him　while　Don　Quixote　was　approaching　all　about　the　message；
and　as　both　of　them　had　read　the　First　Part　of　this　history；　and
from　it　were　aware　of　Don　Quixote's　crazy　turn；　they　awaited　him
with　the　greatest　delight　and　anxiety　to　make　his　acquaintance；
meaning　to　fall　in　with　his　humour　and　agree　with　everything　he
said；　and；　so　long　as　he　stayed　with　them；　to　treat　him　as　a
knight…errant；　with　all　the　ceremonies　usual　in　the　books　of
chivalry　they　had　read；　for　they　themselves　were　very　fond　of　them。
　　Don　Quixote　now　came　up　with　his　visor　raised；　and　as　he　seemed
about　to　dismount　Sancho　made　haste　to　go　and　hold　his　stirrup　for
him；　but　in　getting　down　off　Dapple　he　was　so　unlucky　as　to　hitch
his　foot　in　one　of　the　ropes　of　the　pack…saddle　in　such　a　way　that
he　was　unable　to　free　it；　and　was　left　hanging　by　it　with　his　face　and
breast　on　the　ground。　Don　Quixote；　who　was　not　used　to　dismount
without　having　the　stirrup　held；　fancying　that　Sancho　had　by　this　time
come　to　hold　it　for　him；　threw　himself　off　with　a　lurch　and　brought
Rocinante's　saddle　after　him；　which　was　no　doubt　badly　girthed；　and
saddle　and　he　both　came　to　the　ground；　not　without　discomfiture　to　him
and　abundant　curses　muttered　between　his　teeth　against　the　unlucky
Sancho；　who　had　his　foot　still　in　the　shackles。　The　duke　ordered　his
huntsmen　to　go　to　the　help　of　knight　and　squire；　and　they　raised　Don
Quixote；　sorely　shaken　by　his　fall；　and　he；　limping；　advanced　as
best　he　could　to　kneel　before　the　noble　pair。　This；　however；　the
duke　would　by　no　means　permit；　on　the　contrary；　dismounting　from　his
horse；　he　went　and　embraced　Don　Quixote；　saying；　〃I　am　grieved；　Sir
Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance；　that　your　first　experience　on　my
ground　should　have　been　such　an　unfortunate　one　as　we　have　seen；　but
the　carelessness　of　squires　is　often　the　cause　of　worse　accidents。〃
　　〃That　which　has　happened　me　in　meeting　you；　mighty　prince；〃
replied　Don　Quixote；　〃cannot　be　unfortunate；　even　if　my　fall　had　not
stopped　short　of　the　depths　of　the　bottomless　pit；　for　the　glory　of
having　seen　you　would　have　lifted　me　up　and　delivered　me　from　it。　My
squire；　God's　curse　upon　him；　is　better　at　unloosing　his　tongue　in
talking　impertinence　than　in　tightening　the　girths　of　a　saddle　to　keep
it　steady；　but　however　I　may　be；　allen　or　raised　up；　on　foot　or　on
horseback；　I　shall　always　be　at　your　service　and　that　of　my　lady　the
duchess；　your　worthy　consort；　worthy　queen　of　beauty　and　paramount
princess　of　courtesy。〃
　　〃Gently；　Senor　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　said　the　duke；　〃where　my
lady　Dona　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　is；　it　is　not　right　that　other
beauties　should　he　praised。〃
　　Sancho；　by　this　time　released　from　his　entanglement；　was　standing
by；　and　before　his　master　could　answer　he　said；　〃There　is　no
denying；　and　it　must　be　maintained；　that　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso
is　very　beautiful；　but　the　hare　jumps　up　where　one　least　expects　it；
and　I　have　heard　say　that　what　we　call　nature　is　like　a　potter　that
makes　vessels　of　clay；　and　he　who　makes　one　fair　vessel　can　as　well
make　two；　or　three；　or　a　hundred；　I　say　so　because；　by　my　faith；　my
lady　the　duchess　is　in　no　way　behind　my　mistress　the　lady　Dulcinea　del
Toboso。〃
　　Don　Quixote　turned　to　the　duchess　and　said；　〃Your　highness　may
conceive　that　never　had　knight…errant　in　this　world　a　more　talkative
or　a　droller　squire　than　I　have；　and　he　will　prove　the　truth　of　what　I
say；　if　your　highness　is　pleased　to　accept　of　my　services　for　a　few
days。〃
　　To　which　the　duchess　made　answer；　〃that　worthy　Sancho　is　droll　I
consider　a　very　good　thing；　because　it　is　a　sign　that　he　is　shrewd；
for　drollery　and　sprightliness；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　as　you　very　well
know；　do　not　take　up　their　abode　with　dull　wits；　and　as　good　Sancho　is
droll　and　sprightly　I　here　set　him　down　as　shrewd。〃
　　〃And　talkative；〃　added　Don　Quixote。
　　〃So　much　the　better；〃　said　the　duke；　〃for　many　droll　things　cannot
be　said　in　few　words；　but　not　to　lose　time　in　talking；　come；　great
Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance…〃
　　〃Of　the　Lions；　your　highness　must　say；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　there　is
no　Rueful　Countenance　nor　any　such　character　now。〃
　　〃He　of　the　Lions　be　it；〃　continued　the　duke；　〃I　say；　let　Sir
Knight　of　the　Lions　come　to　a　castle　of　mine　close　by；　where　he
shall　be　given　that　reception　which　is　due　to　so　exalted　a
personage；　and　which　the　duchess　and　I　are　wont　to　give　to　all
knights…errant　who　come　there。〃
　　By　this　time　Sancho　had　fixed　and　girthed　Rocinante's　saddle；　and
Don　Quixote　having　got　on　his　back　and　the　duke　mounted　a　fine
horse；　they　placed　the　duchess　in　the　middle　and　set　out　for　the
castle。　The　duchess　desired　Sancho　to　come　to　her　side；　for　she
found　infinite　enjoyment　in　listening　to　his　shrewd　remarks。　Sancho
required　no　pressing；　but　pushed　himself　in　between　them　and　the　duke；
who　thought　it　rare　good　fortune　to　receive　such　a　knight…errant　and
such　a　homely　squire　in　their　castle。

　　CHAPTER　XXXI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　MANY　AND　GREAT　MATTERS

　　SUPREME　was　the　satisfaction　that　Sancho　felt　at　seeing　himself；
as　it　seemed；　an　established　favourite　with　the　duchess；　for　he　looked
forward　to　finding　in　her　castle　what　he　had　found　in　Don　Diego's
house　and　in　Basilio's；　he　was　always　fond　of　good　living；　and
always　seized　by　the　forelock　any　opportunity　of　feasting　himself
whenever　it　presented　itself。　The　history　informs　us；　then；　that
before　they　reached　the　country　house　or　castle；　the　duke　went　on　in
advance　and　instructed　all　his　servants　how　they　were　to　treat　Don
Quixote；　and　so　the　instant　he　came　up　to　the　castle　gates　with　the
duchess；　two　lackeys　or　equerries；　clad　in　what　they　call　morning
gowns　of　fine　crimson　satin　reaching　to　their　feet；　hastened　out；
and　catching　Don　Quixote　in　their　arms　before　he　saw　or　heard　them；
said　to　him；　〃Your　highness　should　go　and　take　my　lady　the　duchess　off
her　horse。〃　Don　Quixote　obeyed；　and　great　bandying　of　compliments
followed　between　the　two　over　the　matter；　but　in　the　end　the　duchess's
determination　carried　the　day；　and　she　refused　to　get　down　or　dismount
from　her　palfrey　except　in　the　arms　of　the　duke；　saying　she　did　not
consider　herself　worthy　to　impose　so　unnecessary　a　burden　on　so
great　a　knight。　At　length　the　duke　came　out　to　take　her　down；　and　as
they　entered　a　spacious　court　two　fair　damsels　came　forward　and
threw　over　Don　Quixote's　shoulders　a　large　mantle　of　the　finest
scarlet　cloth；　and　at　the　same　instant　all　the　galleries　of　the
court　were　lined　with　the　men…servants　and　women…servants　of　the
household；　crying；　〃Welcome；　flower　and　cream　of　knight…errantry！〃
while　all　or　most　of　them　flung　pellets　filled　with　scented　water　over
Don　Quixote　and　the　duke　and　duchess；　at　all　which　Don　Quixote　was
greatly　astonished；　and　this　was　the　first　time　that　he　thorou