don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第194章

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everybody's　that　listens　to　him；　are　so　wise；　and　run　in　such　a
straight　furrow；　that　Satan　himself　could　not　have　said　them　better；
but　for　all　that；　really；　and　beyond　all　question；　it's　my　firm　belief
he　is　cracked。　Well；　then；　as　this　is　clear　to　my　mind；　I　can
venture　to　make　him　believe　things　that　have　neither　head　nor　tail；
like　that　affair　of　the　answer　to　the　letter；　and　that　other　of　six　or
eight　days　ago；　which　is　not　yet　in　history；　that　is　to　say；　the
affair　of　the　enchantment　of　my　lady　Dulcinea；　for　I　made　him
believe　she　is　enchanted；　though　there's　no　more　truth　in　it　than　over
the　hills　of　Ubeda。
　　The　duchess　begged　him　to　tell　her　about　the　enchantment　or
deception；　so　Sancho　told　the　whole　story　exactly　as　it　had
happened；　and　his　hearers　were　not　a　little　amused　by　it；　and　then
resuming；　the　duchess　said；　〃In　consequence　of　what　worthy　Sancho
has　told　me；　a　doubt　starts　up　in　my　mind；　and　there　comes　a　kind　of
whisper　to　my　ear　that　says；　'If　Don　Quixote　be　mad；　crazy；　and
cracked；　and　Sancho　Panza　his　squire　knows　it；　and；　notwithstanding；
serves　and　follows　him；　and　goes　trusting　to　his　empty　promises；　there
can　be　no　doubt　he　must　be　still　madder　and　sillier　than　his　master；
and　that　being　so；　it　will　be　cast　in　your　teeth；　senora　duchess；　if
you　give　the　said　Sancho　an　island　to　govern；　for　how　will　he　who　does
not　know　how　to　govern　himself　know　how　to　govern　others？'〃
　　〃By　God；　senora；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　that　doubt　comes　timely；　but
your　grace　may　say　it　out；　and　speak　plainly；　or　as　you　like；　for　I
know　what　you　say　is　true；　and　if　I　were　wise　I　should　have　left　my
master　long　ago；　but　this　was　my　fate；　this　was　my　bad　luck；　I　can't
help　it；　I　must　follow　him；　we're　from　the　same　village；　I've　eaten
his　bread；　I'm　fond　of　him；　I'm　grateful；　he　gave　me　his　ass…colts；
and　above　all　I'm　faithful；　so　it's　quite　impossible　for　anything　to
separate　us；　except　the　pickaxe　and　shovel。　And　if　your　highness
does　not　like　to　give　me　the　government　you　promised；　God　made　me
without　it；　and　maybe　your　not　giving　it　to　me　will　be　all　the
better　for　my　conscience；　for　fool　as　I　am　I　know　the　proverb　'to
her　hurt　the　ant　got　wings；'　and　it　may　be　that　Sancho　the　squire　will
get　to　heaven　sooner　than　Sancho　the　governor。　'They　make　as　good
bread　here　as　in　France；'　and　'by　night　all　cats　are　grey；'　and　'a
hard　case　enough　his；　who　hasn't　broken　his　fast　at　two　in　the
afternoon；'　and　'there's　no　stomach　a　hand's　breadth　bigger　than
another；'　and　the　same　can　he　filled　'with　straw　or　hay；'　as　the
saying　is；　and　'the　little　birds　of　the　field　have　God　for　their
purveyor　and　caterer；'　and　'four　yards　of　Cuenca　frieze　keep　one
warmer　than　four　of　Segovia　broad…cloth；'　and　'when　we　quit　this　world
and　are　put　underground　the　prince　travels　by　as　narrow　a　path　as
the　journeyman；'　and　'the　Pope's　body　does　not　take　up　more　feet　of
earth　than　the　sacristan's；'　for　all　that　the　one　is　higher　than　the
other；　for　when　we　go　to　our　graves　we　all　pack　ourselves　up　and
make　ourselves　small；　or　rather　they　pack　us　up　and　make　us　small　in
spite　of　us；　and　then…　good　night　to　us。　And　I　say　once　more；　if
your　ladyship　does　not　like　to　give　me　the　island　because　I'm　a
fool；　like　a　wise　man　I　will　take　care　to　give　myself　no　trouble　about
it；　I　have　heard　say　that　'behind　the　cross　there's　the　devil；'　and
that　'all　that　glitters　is　not　gold；'　and　that　from　among　the　oxen；
and　the　ploughs；　and　the　yokes；　Wamba　the　husbandman　was　taken　to　be
made　King　of　Spain；　and　from　among　brocades；　and　pleasures；　and
riches；　Roderick　was　taken　to　be　devoured　by　adders；　if　the　verses
of　the　old　ballads　don't　lie。〃
　　〃To　be　sure　they　don't　lie！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Rodriguez；　the　duenna；
who　was　one　of　the　listeners。　〃Why；　there's　a　ballad　that　says　they
put　King　Rodrigo　alive　into　a　tomb　full　of　toads；　and　adders；　and
lizards；　and　that　two　days　afterwards　the　king；　in　a　plaintive；　feeble
voice；　cried　out　from　within　the　tomb…

　　　　　　　They　gnaw　me　now；　they　gnaw　me　now；
　　　　　　　There　where　I　most　did　sin。

And　according　to　that　the　gentleman　has　good　reason　to　say　he　would
rather　be　a　labouring　man　than　a　king；　if　vermin　are　to　eat　him。〃
　　The　duchess　could　not　help　laughing　at　the　simplicity　of　her　duenna；
or　wondering　at　the　language　and　proverbs　of　Sancho；　to　whom　she　said；
〃Worthy　Sancho　knows　very　well　that　when　once　a　knight　has　made　a
promise　he　strives　to　keep　it；　though　it　should　cost　him　his　life。
My　lord　and　husband　the　duke；　though　not　one　of　the　errant　sort；　is
none　the　less　a　knight　for　that　reason；　and　will　keep　his　word　about
the　promised　island；　in　spite　of　the　envy　and　malice　of　the　world。　Let
Sancho　he　of　good　cheer；　for　when　he　least　expects　it　he　will　find
himself　seated　on　the　throne　of　his　island　and　seat　of　dignity；　and
will　take　possession　of　his　government　that　he　may　discard　it　for
another　of　three…bordered　brocade。　The　charge　I　give　him　is　to　be
careful　how　he　governs　his　vassals；　bearing　in　mind　that　they　are
all　loyal　and　well…born。〃
　　〃As　to　governing　them　well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there's　no　need　of
charging　me　to　do　that；　for　I'm　kind…hearted　by　nature；　and　full　of
compassion　for　the　poor；　there's　no　stealing　the　loaf　from　him　who
kneads　and　bakes；'　and　by　my　faith　it　won't　do　to　throw　false　dice
with　me；　I　am　an　old　dog；　and　I　know　all　about　'tus；　tus；'　I　can　be
wide…awake　if　need　be；　and　I　don't　let　clouds　come　before　my　eyes；　for
I　know　where　the　shoe　pinches　me；　I　say　so；　because　with　me　the　good
will　have　support　and　protection；　and　the　bad　neither　footing　nor
access。　And　it　seems　to　me　that；　in　governments；　to　make　a　beginning
is　everything；　and　maybe；　after　having　been　governor　a　fortnight；　I'll
take　kindly　to　the　work　and　know　more　about　it　than　the　field　labour　I
have　been　brought　up　to。〃
　　〃You　are　right；　Sancho；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃for　no　one　is　born　ready
taught；　and　the　bishops　are　made　out　of　men　and　not　out　of　stones。　But
to　return　to　the　subject　we　were　discussing　just　now；　the
enchantment　of　the　lady　Dulcinea；　I　look　upon　it　as　certain；　and
something　more　than　evident；　that　Sancho's　idea　of　practising　a
deception　upon　his　master；　making　him　believe　that　the　peasant　girl
was　Dulcinea　and　that　if　he　did　not　recognise　her　it　must　be　because
she　was　enchanted；　was　all　a　device　of　one　of　the　enchanters　that
persecute　Don　Quixote。　For　in　truth　and　earnest；　I　know　from　good
authority　that　the　coarse　country　wench　who　jumped　up　on　the　ass　was
and　is　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　and　that　worthy　Sancho；　though　he
fancies　himself　the　deceiver；　is　the　one　that　is　deceived；　and　that
there　is　no　more　reason　to　doubt　the　truth　of　this；　than　of　anything
else　we　never　saw。　Senor　Sancho　Panza　must　know　that　we　too　have
enchanters　here　that　are　well　disposed　to　us；　and　tell　us　what　goes　on
in　the　world；　plainly　and　distinctly；　without　subterfuge　or　deception；
and　believe　me；　Sancho；　that　agile　country　lass　was　and　is　Dulcinea
del　Toboso；　who　is　as　much　enchanted　as　the　mother　that　bore　her；
and　when　we　least　expect　it；　we　shall　see　her　in　her　own　proper
form；　and　then　Sancho　will　he　disabused　of　the　error　he　is　under　at
present。〃
　　〃All　that's　very　possible；〃　said　Sancho　Panza；　〃and　now　I'm
willing　to　believe　what　my　master　says　about　what　he　saw　in　the　cave
of　Montesinos；　where　he　says　he　saw　the　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　in
the　very　same　dress　and　apparel　that　I　said　I　had　seen　her　in　when　I
enchanted　her　all　to　please　myself。　It　must　be　all　exactly　the　other
way；　as　your　ladyship　says；　because　it　is　impossible　to　suppose　that
out　of　my　poor　wit　such　a　cunning　trick　could　be　concocted　in　a
moment；　nor　do　I　think　my　master　is　so　mad　that　by　my　weak　and
feeble　persuasion　he　could　be　made　to　believe　a　thing　so　out　of　all
reason。　But；　senora；　your　excellence　must　not　therefore　think　me
ill…disposed；　for　a　dolt　like　me　is　not　bound　to　see　into　the　thoughts
and　plots　of　those　vile　enchanters。　I　invented　all　that　to　escape　my
master's　scolding；　and　not　with　any　intention　of　hurting　him；　and　if
it　has　turned　out　differently；　there　is　a　God　in　heaven　who　judges　our
hearts。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃but　tell　me；　Sanch