don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第204章

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　　〃That　is　the　truth；　senor；〃　said　one　of　the　twelve；　〃we　have　not　the
money　to　get　ourselves　shaved；　and　so　we　have；　some　of　us；　taken　to
using　sticking…plasters　by　way　of　an　economical　remedy；　for　by
applying　them　to　our　faces　and　plucking　them　off　with　a　jerk　we　are
left　as　bare　and　smooth　as　the　bottom　of　a　stone　mortar。　There　are；　to
be　sure；　women　in　Kandy　that　go　about　from　house　to　house　to　remove
down；　and　trim　eyebrows；　and　make　cosmetics　for　the　use　of　the
women；　but　we；　the　duennas　of　my　lady；　would　never　let　them　in；　for
most　of　them　have　a　flavour　of　agents　that　have　ceased　to　be
principals；　and　if　we　are　not　relieved　by　Senor　Don　Quixote　we　shall
be　carried　to　our　graves　with　beards。〃
　　〃I　will　pluck　out　my　own　in　the　land　of　the　Moors；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃if　I　don't　cure　yours。〃
　　At　this　instant　the　Trifaldi　recovered　from　her　swoon　and　said；　〃The
chink　of　that　promise；　valiant　knight；　reached　my　ears　in　the　midst　of
my　swoon；　and　has　been　the　means　of　reviving　me　and　bringing　back　my
senses；　and　so　once　more　I　implore　you；　illustrious　errant；
indomitable　sir；　to　let　your　gracious　promises　be　turned　into　deeds。〃
　　〃There　shall　be　no　delay　on　my　part；〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃Bethink
you；　senora；　of　what　I　must　do；　for　my　heart　is　most　eager　to　serve
you。〃
　　〃The　fact　is；〃　replied　the　Distressed　One；　〃it　is　five　thousand
leagues；　a　couple　more　or　less；　from　this　to　the　kingdom　of　Kandy；
if　you　go　by　land；　but　if　you　go　through　the　air　and　in　a　straight
line；　it　is　three　thousand　two　hundred　and　twenty…seven。　You　must
know；　too；　that　Malambruno　told　me　that；　whenever　fate　provided　the
knight　our　deliverer；　he　himself　would　send　him　a　steed　far　better　and
with　less　tricks　than　a　post…horse；　for　he　will　be　that　same　wooden
horse　on　which　the　valiant　Pierres　carried　off　the　fair　Magalona；
which　said　horse　is　guided　by　a　peg　he　has　in　his　forehead　that　serves
for　a　bridle；　and　flies　through　the　air　with　such　rapidity　that　you
would　fancy　the　very　devils　were　carrying　him。　This　horse；　according
to　ancient　tradition；　was　made　by　Merlin。　He　lent　him　to　Pierres；
who　was　a　friend　of　his；　and　who　made　long　journeys　with　him；　and；
as　has　been　said；　carried　off　the　fair　Magalona；　bearing　her　through
the　air　on　its　haunches　and　making　all　who　beheld　them　from　the
earth　gape　with　astonishment；　and　he　never　lent　him　save　to　those　whom
he　loved　or　those　who　paid　him　well；　and　since　the　great　Pierres　we
know　of　no　one　having　mounted　him　until　now。　From　him　Malambruno　stole
him　by　his　magic　art；　and　he　has　him　now　in　his　possession；　and
makes　use　of　him　in　his　journeys　which　he　constantly　makes　through
different　parts　of　the　world；　he　is　here　to…day；　to…morrow　in
France；　and　the　next　day　in　Potosi；　and　the　best　of　it　is　the　said
horse　neither　eats　nor　sleeps　nor　wears　out　shoes；　and　goes　at　an
ambling　pace　through　the　air　without　wings；　so　that　he　whom　he　has
mounted　upon　him　can　carry　a　cup　full　of　water　in　his　hand　without
spilling　a　drop；　so　smoothly　and　easily　does　he　go；　for　which　reason
the　fair　Magalona　enjoyed　riding　him　greatly。〃
　　〃For　going　smoothly　and　easily；〃　said　Sancho　at　this；　〃give　me　my
Dapple；　though　he　can't　go　through　the　air；　but　on　the　ground　I'll
back　him　against　all　the　amblers　in　the　world。〃
　　They　all　laughed；　and　the　Distressed　One　continued：　〃And　this　same
horse；　if　so　be　that　Malambruno　is　disposed　to　put　an　end　to　our
sufferings；　will　be　here　before　us　ere　the　night　shall　have　advanced
half　an　hour；　for　he　announced　to　me　that　the　sign　he　would　give　me
whereby　I　might　know　that　I　had　found　the　knight　I　was　in　quest　of；
would　be　to　send　me　the　horse　wherever　he　might　be；　speedily　and
promptly。〃
　　〃And　how　many　is　there　room　for　on　this　horse？〃　asked　Sancho。
　　〃Two；〃　said　the　Distressed　One；　〃one　in　the　saddle；　and　the　other　on
the　croup；　and　generally　these　two　are　knight　and　squire；　when　there
is　no　damsel　that's　being　carried　off。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　know；　Senora　Distressed　One；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　is　the
name　of　this　horse？〃
　　〃His　name；〃　said　the　Distressed　One；　〃is　not　the　same　as
Bellerophon's　horse　that　was　called　Pegasus；　or　Alexander　the　Great's；
called　Bucephalus；　or　Orlando　Furioso's；　the　name　of　which　was
Brigliador；　nor　yet　Bayard；　the　horse　of　Reinaldos　of　Montalvan；　nor
Frontino　like　Ruggiero's；　nor　Bootes　or　Peritoa；　as　they　say　the
horses　of　the　sun　were　called；　nor　is　he　called　Orelia；　like　the　horse
on　which　the　unfortunate　Rodrigo；　the　last　king　of　the　Goths；　rode
to　the　battle　where　he　lost　his　life　and　his　kingdom。〃
　　〃I'll　bet；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　as　they　have　given　him　none　of
these　famous　names　of　well…known　horses；　no　more　have　they　given　him
the　name　of　my　master's　Rocinante；　which　for　being　apt　surpasses　all
that　have　been　mentioned。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　bearded　countess；　〃still　it　fits　him　very
well；　for　he　is　called　Clavileno　the　Swift；　which　name　is　in
accordance　with　his　being　made　of　wood；　with　the　peg　he　has　in　his
forehead；　and　with　the　swift　pace　at　which　he　travels；　and　so；　as
far　as　name　goes；　he　may　compare　with　the　famous　Rocinante。〃
　　〃I　have　nothing　to　say　against　his　name；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　with
what　sort　of　bridle　or　halter　is　he　managed？〃
　　〃I　have　said　already；〃　said　the　Trifaldi；　〃that　it　is　with　a　peg；　by
turning　which　to　one　side　or　the　other　the　knight　who　rides　him
makes　him　go　as　he　pleases；　either　through　the　upper　air；　or
skimming　and　almost　sweeping　the　earth；　or　else　in　that　middle
course　that　is　sought　and　followed　in　all　well…regulated　proceedings。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　see　him；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　to　fancy　I'm　going　to　mount
him；　either　in　the　saddle　or　on　the　croup；　is　to　ask　pears　of　the
elm　tree。　A　good　joke　indeed！　I　can　hardly　keep　my　seat　upon　Dapple；
and　on　a　pack…saddle　softer　than　silk　itself；　and　here　they'd　have
me　hold　on　upon　haunches　of　plank　without　pad　or　cushion　of　any
sort！　Gad；　I　have　no　notion　of　bruising　myself　to　get　rid　of
anyone's　beard；　let　each　one　shave　himself　as　best　he　can；　I'm　not
going　to　accompany　my　master　on　any　such　long　journey；　besides；　I
can't　give　any　help　to　the　shaving　of　these　beards　as　I　can　to　the
disenchantment　of　my　lady　Dulcinea。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　can；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　Trifaldi；　〃and　so　much；
that　without　you；　so　I　understand；　we　shall　be　able　to　do　nothing。〃
　　〃In　the　king's　name！〃　exclaimed　Sancho；　〃what　have　squires　got　to　do
with　the　adventures　of　their　masters？　Are　they　to　have　the　fame　of
such　as　they　go　through；　and　we　the　labour？　Body　o'　me！　if　the
historians　would　only　say；　'Such　and　such　a　knight　finished　such　and
such　an　adventure；　but　with　the　help　of　so　and　so；　his　squire；　without
which　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　accomplish　it；'　but
they　write　curtly；　〃Don　Paralipomenon　of　the　Three　Stars
accomplished　the　adventure　of　the　six　monsters；'　without　mentioning
such　a　person　as　his　squire；　who　was　there　all　the　time；　just　as　if
there　was　no　such　being。　Once　more；　sirs；　I　say　my　master　may　go
alone；　and　much　good　may　it　do　him；　and　I'll　stay　here　in　the
company　of　my　lady　the　duchess；　and　maybe　when　he　comes　back；　he
will　find　the　lady　Dulcinea's　affair　ever　so　much　advanced；　for　I　mean
in　leisure　hours；　and　at　idle　moments；　to　give　myself　a　spell　of
whipping　without　so　much　as　a　hair　to　cover　me。〃
　　〃For　all　that　you　must　go　if　it　be　necessary；　my　good　Sancho；〃
said　the　duchess；　〃for　they　are　worthy　folk　who　ask　you；　and　the　faces
of　these　ladies　must　not　remain　overgrown　in　this　way　because　of
your　idle　fears；　that　would　be　a　hard　case　indeed。〃
　　〃In　the　king's　name；　once　more！〃　said　Sancho；　〃If　this　charitable
work　were　to　be　done　for　the　sake　of　damsels　in　confinement　or
charity…girls；　a　man　might　expose　himself　to　some　hardships；　but　to
bear　it　for　the　sake　of　stripping　beards　off　duennas！　Devil　take　it！
I'd　sooner　see　them　all　bearded；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest；　and
from　the　most　prudish　to　the　most　affected。〃
　　〃You　are　very　hard　on　duennas；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　the
duchess；　〃you　incline　very　much　to　the　opinion　of　the　Toledo
apothecary。　But　indeed　you　are　wrong；　there　are　duennas　in　my　house
that　may　serve　as　patterns　of　duennas；　and　here　is　my　Do