don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第192章

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lives。　Many　a　time　before　have　I　said　it；　and　I　say　it　now　once
more；　a　knight…errant　without　a　lady　is　like　a　tree　without　leaves；
a　building　without　a　foundation；　or　a　shadow　without　the　body　that
causes　it。〃
　　〃There　is　no　denying　it；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃but　still；　if　we　are　to
believe　the　history　of　Don　Quixote　that　has　come　out　here　lately
with　general　applause；　it　is　to　be　inferred　from　it；　if　I　mistake　not；
that　you　never　saw　the　lady　Dulcinea；　and　that　the　said　lady　is
nothing　in　the　world　but　an　imaginary　lady；　one　that　you　yourself
begot　and　gave　birth　to　in　your　brain；　and　adorned　with　whatever
charms　and　perfections　you　chose。〃
　　〃There　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　on　that　point；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃God　knows　whether　there　he　any　Dulcinea　or　not　in　the　world；　or
whether　she　is　imaginary　or　not　imaginary；　these　are　things　the
proof　of　which　must　not　be　pushed　to　extreme　lengths。　I　have　not
begotten　nor　given　birth　to　my　lady；　though　I　behold　her　as　she
needs　must　be；　a　lady　who　contains　in　herself　all　the　qualities　to
make　her　famous　throughout　the　world；　beautiful　without　blemish；
dignified　without　haughtiness；　tender　and　yet　modest；　gracious　from
courtesy　and　courteous　from　good　breeding；　and　lastly；　of　exalted
lineage；　because　beauty　shines　forth　and　excels　with　a　higher　degree
of　perfection　upon　good　blood　than　in　the　fair　of　lowly　birth。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　duke；　〃but　Senor　Don　Quixote　will　give　me
leave　to　say　what　I　am　constrained　to　say　by　the　story　of　his　exploits
that　I　have　read；　from　which　it　is　to　be　inferred　that；　granting　there
is　a　Dulcinea　in　El　Toboso；　or　out　of　it；　and　that　she　is　in　the
highest　degree　beautiful　as　you　have　described　her　to　us；　as　regards
the　loftiness　of　her　lineage　she　is　not　on　a　par　with　the　Orianas；
Alastrajareas；　Madasimas；　or　others　of　that　sort；　with　whom；　as　you
well　know；　the　histories　abound。〃
　　〃To　that　I　may　reply；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　Dulcinea　is　the
daughter　of　her　own　works；　and　that　virtues　rectify　blood；　and　that
lowly　virtue　is　more　to　be　regarded　and　esteemed　than　exalted　vice。
Dulcinea；　besides；　has　that　within　her　that　may　raise　her　to　be　a
crowned　and　sceptred　queen；　for　the　merit　of　a　fair　and　virtuous　woman
is　capable　of　performing　greater　miracles；　and　virtually；　though　not
formally；　she　has　in　herself　higher　fortunes。〃
　　〃I　protest；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that　in　all　you
say；　you　go　most　cautiously　and　lead　in　hand；　as　the　saying　is；
henceforth　I　will　believe　myself；　and　I　will　take　care　that　everyone
in　my　house　believes；　even　my　lord　the　duke　if　needs　be；　that　there　is
a　Dulcinea　in　El　Toboso；　and　that　she　is　living　to…day；　and　that　she
is　beautiful　and　nobly　born　and　deserves　to　have　such　a　knight　as
Senor　Don　Quixote　in　her　service；　and　that　is　the　highest　praise
that　it　is　in　my　power　to　give　her　or　that　I　can　think　of。　But　I
cannot　help　entertaining　a　doubt；　and　having　a　certain　grudge
against　Sancho　Panza；　the　doubt　is　this；　that　the　aforesaid　history
declares　that　the　said　Sancho　Panza；　when　he　carried　a　letter　on
your　worship's　behalf　to　the　said　lady　Dulcinea；　found　her　sifting　a
sack　of　wheat；　and　more　by　token　it　says　it　was　red　wheat；　a　thing
which　makes　me　doubt　the　loftiness　of　her　lineage。〃
　　To　this　Don　Quixote　made　answer；　〃Senora；　your　highness　must　know
that　everything　or　almost　everything　that　happens　me　transcends　the
ordinary　limits　of　what　happens　to　other　knights…errant；　whether　it　he
that　it　is　directed　by　the　inscrutable　will　of　destiny；　or　by　the
malice　of　some　jealous　enchanter。　Now　it　is　an　established　fact　that
all　or　most　famous　knights…errant　have　some　special　gift；　one　that
of　being　proof　against　enchantment；　another　that　of　being　made　of　such
invulnerable　flesh　that　he　cannot　be　wounded；　as　was　the　famous
Roland；　one　of　the　twelve　peers　of　France；　of　whom　it　is　related
that　he　could　not　be　wounded　except　in　the　sole　of　his　left　foot；
and　that　it　must　be　with　the　point　of　a　stout　pin　and　not　with　any
other　sort　of　weapon　whatever；　and　so；　when　Bernardo　del　Carpio　slew
him　at　Roncesvalles；　finding　that　he　could　not　wound　him　with　steel；
he　lifted　him　up　from　the　ground　in　his　arms　and　strangled　him；
calling　to　mind　seasonably　the　death　which　Hercules　inflicted　on
Antaeus；　the　fierce　giant　that　they　say　was　the　son　of　Terra。　I
would　infer　from　what　I　have　mentioned　that　perhaps　I　may　have　some
gift　of　this　kind；　not　that　of　being　invulnerable；　because
experience　has　many　times　proved　to　me　that　I　am　of　tender　flesh　and
not　at　all　impenetrable；　nor　that　of　being　proof　against
enchantment；　for　I　have　already　seen　myself　thrust　into　a　cage；　in
which　all　the　world　would　not　have　been　able　to　confine　me　except　by
force　of　enchantments。　But　as　I　delivered　myself　from　that　one；　I　am
inclined　to　believe　that　there　is　no　other　that　can　hurt　me；　and　so；
these　enchanters；　seeing　that　they　cannot　exert　their　vile　craft
against　my　person；　revenge　themselves　on　what　I　love　most；　and　seek　to
rob　me　of　life　by　maltreating　that　of　Dulcinea　in　whom　I　live；　and
therefore　I　am　convinced　that　when　my　squire　carried　my　message　to
her；　they　changed　her　into　a　common　peasant　girl；　engaged　in　such　a
mean　occupation　as　sifting　wheat；　I　have　already　said；　however；　that
that　wheat　was　not　red　wheat；　nor　wheat　at　all；　but　grains　of　orient
pearl。　And　as　a　proof　of　all　this；　I　must　tell　your　highnesses　that；
coming　to　El　Toboso　a　short　time　back；　I　was　altogether　unable　to
discover　the　palace　of　Dulcinea；　and　that　the　next　day；　though　Sancho；
my　squire；　saw　her　in　her　own　proper　shape；　which　is　the　fairest　in
the　world；　to　me　she　appeared　to　be　a　coarse；　ill…favoured　farm…wench；
and　by　no　means　a　well…spoken　one；　she　who　is　propriety　itself。　And
so；　as　I　am　not　and；　so　far　as　one　can　judge；　cannot　be　enchanted；　she
it　is　that　is　enchanted；　that　is　smitten；　that　is　altered；　changed；
and　transformed；　in　her　have　my　enemies　revenged　themselves　upon　me；
and　for　her　shall　I　live　in　ceaseless　tears；　until　I　see　her　in　her
pristine　state。　I　have　mentioned　this　lest　anybody　should　mind　what
Sancho　said　about　Dulcinea's　winnowing　or　sifting；　for；　as　they
changed　her　to　me；　it　is　no　wonder　if　they　changed　her　to　him。
Dulcinea　is　illustrious　and　well…born；　and　of　one　of　the　gentle
families　of　El　Toboso；　which　are　many；　ancient；　and　good。　Therein；
most　assuredly；　not　small　is　the　share　of　the　peerless　Dulcinea；
through　whom　her　town　will　be　famous　and　celebrated　in　ages　to　come；
as　Troy　was　through　Helen；　and　Spain　through　La　Cava；　though　with　a
better　title　and　tradition。　For　another　thing；　I　would　have　your
graces　understand　that　Sancho　Panza　is　one　of　the　drollest　squires
that　ever　served　knight…errant；　sometimes　there　is　a　simplicity
about　him　so　acute　that　it　is　an　amusement　to　try　and　make　out　whether
he　is　simple　or　sharp；　he　has　mischievous　tricks　that　stamp　him　rogue；
and　blundering　ways　that　prove　him　a　booby；　he　doubts　everything　and
believes　everything；　when　I　fancy　he　is　on　the　point　of　coming　down
headlong　from　sheer　stupidity；　he　comes　out　with　something　shrewd　that
sends　him　up　to　the　skies。　After　all；　I　would　not　exchange　him　for
another　squire；　though　I　were　given　a　city　to　boot；　and　therefore　I　am
in　doubt　whether　it　will　be　well　to　send　him　to　the　government　your
highness　has　bestowed　upon　him；　though　I　perceive　in　him　a　certain
aptitude　for　the　work　of　governing；　so　that；　with　a　little　trimming　of
his　understanding；　he　would　manage　any　government　as　easily　as　the
king　does　his　taxes；　and　moreover；　we　know　already　ample　experience
that　it　does　not　require　much　cleverness　or　much　learning　to　be　a
governor；　for　there　are　a　hundred　round　about　us　that　scarcely　know
how　to　read；　and　govern　like　gerfalcons。　The　main　point　is　that　they
should　have　good　intentions　and　be　desirous　of　doing　right　in　all
things；　for　they　will　never　be　at　a　loss　for　persons　to　advise　and
direct　them　in　what　they　have　to　do；　like　those　knight…governors
who；　being　no　lawyers；　pronounce　sentences　with　the　aid　of　an
assessor。　My　advice　to　him　will　be　to　take　no　bribe　and　surrender　no
right；　and　I　have　some　other　little　matters　in　reserve；