don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第201章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


or　Three…tails！…　for　in　my　country　skirts　or　tails；　tails　or　skirts；
it's　all　one。〃
　　〃Hush；　friend　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃since　this　lady　duenna
comes　in　quest　of　me　from　such　a　distant　land　she　cannot　be　one　of
those　the　apothecary　meant；　moreover　this　is　a　countess；　and　when
countesses　serve　as　duennas　it　is　in　the　service　of　queens　and
empresses；　for　in　their　own　houses　they　are　mistresses　paramount　and
have　other　duennas　to　wait　on　them。〃
　　To　this　Dona　Rodriguez；　who　was　present；　made　answer；　〃My　lady　the
duchess　has　duennas　in　her　service　that　might　be　countesses　if　it
was　the　will　of　fortune；　'but　laws　go　as　kings　like；'　let　nobody　speak
ill　of　duennas；　above　all　of　ancient　maiden　ones；　for　though　I　am
not　one　myself；　I　know　and　am　aware　of　the　advantage　a　maiden　duenna
has　over　one　that　is　a　widow；　but　'he　who　clipped　us　has　kept　the
scissors。'〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there's　so　much　to　be　clipped　about
duennas；　so　my　barber　said；　that　'it　will　be　better　not　to　stir　the
rice　even　though　it　sticks。'〃
　　〃These　squires；〃　returned　Dona　Rodriguez；　〃are　always　our　enemies；
and　as　they　are　the　haunting　spirits　of　the　antechambers　and　watch
us　at　every　step；　whenever　they　are　not　saying　their　prayers　（and
that's　often　enough）　they　spend　their　time　in　tattling　about　us；
digging　up　our　bones　and　burying　our　good　name。　But　I　can　tell　these
walking　blocks　that　we　will　live　in　spite　of　them；　and　in　great　houses
too；　though　we　die　of　hunger　and　cover　our　flesh；　be　it　delicate　or
not；　with　widow's　weeds；　as　one　covers　or　hides　a　dunghill　on　a
procession　day。　By　my　faith；　if　it　were　permitted　me　and　time　allowed；
I　could　prove；　not　only　to　those　here　present；　but　to　all　the　world；
that　there　is　no　virtue　that　is　not　to　be　found　in　a　duenna。〃
　　〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that　my　good　Dona　Rodriguez　is
right；　and　very　much　so；　but　she　had　better　bide　her　time　for　fighting
her　own　battle　and　that　of　the　rest　of　the　duennas；　so　as　to　crush　the
calumny　of　that　vile　apothecary；　and　root　out　the　prejudice　in　the
great　Sancho　Panza's　mind。〃
　　To　which　Sancho　replied；　〃Ever　since　I　have　sniffed　the　governorship
I　have　got　rid　of　the　humours　of　a　squire；　and　I　don't　care　a　wild　fig
for　all　the　duennas　in　the　world。〃
　　They　would　have　carried　on　this　duenna　dispute　further　had　they
not　heard　the　notes　of　the　fife　and　drums　once　more；　from　which　they
concluded　that　the　Distressed　Duenna　was　making　her　entrance。　The
duchess　asked　the　duke　if　it　would　be　proper　to　go　out　to　receive　her；
as　she　was　a　countess　and　a　person　of　rank。
　　〃In　respect　of　her　being　a　countess；〃　said　Sancho；　before　the　duke
could　reply；　〃I　am　for　your　highnesses　going　out　to　receive　her；　but
in　respect　of　her　being　a　duenna；　it　is　my　opinion　you　should　not　stir
a　step。〃
　　〃Who　bade　thee　meddle　in　this；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Who；　senor？〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　meddle　for　I　have　a　right　to　meddle；
as　a　squire　who　has　learned　the　rules　of　courtesy　in　the　school　of
your　worship；　the　most　courteous　and　best…bred　knight　in　the　whole
world　of　courtliness；　and　in　these　things；　as　I　have　heard　your
worship　say；　as　much　is　lost　by　a　card　too　many　as　by　a　card　too
few；　and　to　one　who　has　his　ears　open；　few　words。〃
　　〃Sancho　is　right；〃　said　the　duke；　〃we'll　see　what　the　countess　is
like；　and　by　that　measure　the　courtesy　that　is　due　to　her。〃
　　And　now　the　drums　and　fife　made　their　entrance　as　before；　and　here
the　author　brought　this　short　chapter　to　an　end　and　began　the　next；
following　up　the　same　adventure；　which　is　one　of　the　most　notable　in
the　history。
　　

CHAPTER　XXXVIII
　　WHEREIN　IS　TOLD　THE　DISTRESSED　DUENNA'S　TALE　OF　HER　MISFORTUNES

　　FOLLOWING　the　melancholy　musicians　there　filed　into　the　garden　as
many　as　twelve　duennas；　in　two　lines；　all　dressed　in　ample　mourning
robes　apparently　of　milled　serge；　with　hoods　of　fine　white　gauze　so
long　that　they　allowed　only　the　border　of　the　robe　to　be　seen。
Behind　them　came　the　Countess　Trifaldi；　the　squire　Trifaldin　of　the
White　Beard　leading　her　by　the　hand；　clad　in　the　finest　unnapped　black
baize；　such　that；　had　it　a　nap；　every　tuft　would　have　shown　as　big
as　a　Martos　chickpea；　the　tail；　or　skirt；　or　whatever　it　might　be
called；　ended　in　three　points　which　were　borne　up　by　the　hands　of
three　pages；　likewise　dressed　in　mourning；　forming　an　elegant
geometrical　figure　with　the　three　acute　angles　made　by　the　three
points；　from　which　all　who　saw　the　peaked　skirt　concluded　that　it　must
be　because　of　it　the　countess　was　called　Trifaldi；　as　though　it　were
Countess　of　the　Three　Skirts；　and　Benengeli　says　it　was　so；　and　that
by　her　right　name　she　was　called　the　Countess　Lobuna；　because　wolves
bred　in　great　numbers　in　her　country；　and　if；　instead　of　wolves；
they　had　been　foxes；　she　would　have　been　called　the　Countess
Zorruna；　as　it　was　the　custom　in　those　parts　for　lords　to　take
distinctive　titles　from　the　thing　or　things　most　abundant　in　their
dominions；　this　countess；　however；　in　honour　of　the　new　fashion　of　her
skirt；　dropped　Lobuna　and　took　up　Trifaldi。
　　The　twelve　duennas　and　the　lady　came　on　at　procession　pace；　their
faces　being　covered　with　black　veils；　not　transparent　ones　like
Trifaldin's；　but　so　close　that　they　allowed　nothing　to　be　seen　through
them。　As　soon　as　the　band　of　duennas　was　fully　in　sight；　the　duke；　the
duchess；　and　Don　Quixote　stood　up；　as　well　as　all　who　were　watching
the　slow…moving　procession。　The　twelve　duennas　halted　and　formed　a
lane；　along　which　the　Distressed　One　advanced；　Trifaldin　still　holding
her　hand。　On　seeing　this　the　duke；　the　duchess；　and　Don　Quixote　went
some　twelve　paces　forward　to　meet　her。　She　then；　kneeling　on　the
ground；　said　in　a　voice　hoarse　and　rough；　rather　than　fine　and
delicate；　〃May　it　please　your　highnesses　not　to　offer　such
courtesies　to　this　your　servant；　I　should　say　to　this　your　handmaid；
for　I　am　in　such　distress　that　I　shall　never　be　able　to　make　a
proper　return；　because　my　strange　and　unparalleled　misfortune　has
carried　off　my　wits；　and　I　know　not　whither；　but　it　must　be　a　long　way
off；　for　the　more　I　look　for　them　the　less　I　find　them。〃
　　〃He　would　be　wanting　in　wits；　senora　countess；〃　said　the　duke；
〃who　did　not　perceive　your　worth　by　your　person；　for　at　a　glance　it
may　be　seen　it　deserves　all　the　cream　of　courtesy　and　flower　of　polite
usage；〃　and　raising　her　up　by　the　hand　he　led　her　to　a　seat　beside　the
duchess；　who　likewise　received　her　with　great　urbanity。　Don　Quixote
remained　silent；　while　Sancho　was　dying　to　see　the　features　of
Trifaldi　and　one　or　two　of　her　many　duennas；　but　there　was　no
possibility　of　it　until　they　themselves　displayed　them　of　their　own
accord　and　free　will。
　　All　kept　still；　waiting　to　see　who　would　break　silence；　which　the
Distressed　Duenna　did　in　these　words：　〃I　am　confident；　most　mighty
lord；　most　fair　lady；　and　most　discreet　company；　that　my　most
miserable　misery　will　be　accorded　a　reception　no　less　dispassionate
than　generous　and　condolent　in　your　most　valiant　bosoms；　for　it　is　one
that　is　enough　to　melt　marble；　soften　diamonds；　and　mollify　the
steel　of　the　most　hardened　hearts　in　the　world；　but　ere　it　is
proclaimed　to　your　hearing；　not　to　say　your　ears；　I　would　fain　be
enlightened　whether　there　be　present　in　this　society；　circle；　or
company；　that　knight　immaculatissimus；　Don　Quixote　de　la
Manchissima；　and　his　squirissimus　Panza。〃
　　〃The　Panza　is　here；〃　said　Sancho；　before　anyone　could　reply；　〃and
Don　Quixotissimus　too；　and　so；　most　distressedest　Duenissima；　you
may　say　what　you　willissimus；　for　we　are　all　readissimus　to　do　you　any
servissimus。〃
　　On　this　Don　Quixote　rose；　and　addressing　the　Distressed　Duenna；
said；　〃If　your　sorrows；　afflicted　lady；　can　indulge　in　any　hope　of
relief　from　the　valour　or　might　of　any　knight…errant；　here　are　mine；
which；　feeble　and　limited　though　they　be；　shall　be　entirely　devoted　to
your　service。　I　am　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　calling　it　is　to
give　aid　to　the　needy　of　all　sorts；　and　that　being　so；　it　is　not
necessary　for　you；　senora；　to　make　any　appeal　to　benevolence；　or
deal　in　preambles；　only　to　tell　your　woes　plainly　and
straightforwardly：　for　you　have　hearers　that　w