don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第209章
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boorish stupid wife。
〃If perchance thou art left a widower… a thing which may happen… and
in virtue of thy office seekest a consort of higher degree； choose not
one to serve thee for a hook； or for a fishing…rod； or for the hood of
thy 'won't have it；' for verily； I tell thee； for all the judge's wife
receives； the husband will be held accountable at the general
calling to account； where he will have repay in death fourfold；
items that in life he regarded as naught。
〃Never go by arbitrary law； which is so much favoured by ignorant
men who plume themselves on cleverness。
〃Let the tears of the poor man find with thee more compassion； but
not more justice； than the pleadings of the rich。
〃Strive to lay bare the truth； as well amid the promises and
presents of the rich man； as amid the sobs and entreaties of the poor。
〃When equity may and should be brought into play； press not the
utmost rigour of the law against the guilty； for the reputation of the
stern judge stands not higher than that of the compassionate。
〃If perchance thou permittest the staff of justice to swerve； let it
be not by the weight of a gift； but by that of mercy。
〃If it should happen thee to give judgment in the cause of one who
is thine enemy； turn thy thoughts away from thy injury and fix them on
the justice of the case。
〃Let not thine own passion blind thee in another man's cause； for
the errors thou wilt thus commit will be most frequently irremediable；
or if not； only to be remedied at the expense of thy good name and
even of thy fortune。
〃If any handsome woman come to seek justice of thee； turn away thine
eyes from her tears and thine ears from her lamentations； and consider
deliberately the merits of her demand； if thou wouldst not have thy
reason swept away by her weeping； and thy rectitude by her sighs。
〃Abuse not by word him whom thou hast to punish in deed； for the
pain of punishment is enough for the unfortunate without the
addition of thine objurgations。
〃Bear in mind that the culprit who comes under thy jurisdiction is
but a miserable man subject to all the propensities of our depraved
nature； and so far as may be in thy power show thyself lenient and
forbearing； for though the attributes of God are all equal； to our
eyes that of mercy is brighter and loftier than that of justice。
〃If thou followest these precepts and rules； Sancho； thy days will
be long； thy fame eternal； thy reward abundant； thy felicity
unutterable； thou wilt marry thy children as thou wouldst； they and
thy grandchildren will bear titles； thou wilt live in peace and
concord with all men； and； when life draws to a close； death will come
to thee in calm and ripe old age； and the light and loving hands of
thy great…grandchildren will close thine eyes。
〃What I have thus far addressed to thee are instructions for the
adornment of thy mind； listen now to those which tend to that of the
body。〃
CHAPTER XLIII
OF THE SECOND SET OF COUNSELS DON QUIXOTE GAVE SANCHO PANZA
WHO； hearing the foregoing discourse of Don Quixote； would not
have set him down for a person of great good sense and greater
rectitude of purpose？ But； as has been frequently observed in the
course of this great history； he only talked nonsense when he
touched on chivalry； and in discussing all other subjects showed
that he had a clear and unbiassed understanding； so that at every turn
his acts gave the lie to his intellect； and his intellect to his acts；
but in the case of these second counsels that he gave Sancho he showed
himself to have a lively turn of humour； and displayed conspicuously
his wisdom； and also his folly。
Sancho listened to him with the deepest attention； and endeavoured
to fix his counsels in his memory； like one who meant to follow them
and by their means bring the full promise of his government to a happy
issue。 Don Quixote； then； went on to say：
〃With regard to the mode in which thou shouldst govern thy person
and thy house； Sancho； the first charge I have to give thee is to be
clean； and to cut thy nails； not letting them grow as some do； whose
ignorance makes them fancy that long nails are an ornament to their
hands； as if those excrescences they neglect to cut were nails； and
not the talons of a lizard…catching kestrel… a filthy and unnatural
abuse。
〃Go not ungirt and loose； Sancho； for disordered attire is a sign of
an unstable mind； unless indeed the slovenliness and slackness is to
he set down to craft； as was the common opinion in the case of
Julius Caesar。
〃Ascertain cautiously what thy office may be worth； and if it will
allow thee to give liveries to thy servants； give them respectable and
serviceable； rather than showy and gay ones； and divide them between
thy servants and the poor； that is to say； if thou canst clothe six
pages； clothe three and three poor men； and thus thou wilt have
pages for heaven and pages for earth； the vainglorious never think
of this new mode of giving liveries。
〃Eat not garlic nor onions； lest they find out thy boorish origin by
the smell； walk slowly and speak deliberately； but not in such a way
as to make it seem thou art listening to thyself； for all
affectation is bad。
〃Dine sparingly and sup more sparingly still； for the health of
the whole body is forged in the workshop of the stomach。
〃Be temperate in drinking； bearing in mind that wine in excess keeps
neither secrets nor promises。
〃Take care； Sancho； not to chew on both sides； and not to eruct in
anybody's presence。〃
〃Eruct！〃 said Sancho； 〃I don't know what that means。〃
〃To eruct； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃means to belch； and that is
one of the filthiest words in the Spanish language； though a very
expressive one； and therefore nice folk have had recourse to the
Latin； and instead of belch say eruct； and instead of belches say
eructations； and if some do not understand these terms it matters
little； for custom will bring them into use in the course of time；
so that they will be readily understood； this is the way a language is
enriched； custom and the public are all…powerful there。〃
〃In truth； senor；〃 said Sancho； 〃one of the counsels and cautions
I mean to bear in mind shall be this； not to belch； for I'm constantly
doing it。〃
〃Eruct； Sancho； not belch；〃 said Don Quixote。
〃Eruct； I shall say henceforth； and I swear not to forget it；〃
said Sancho。
〃Likewise； Sancho；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃thou must not mingle such a
quantity of proverbs in thy discourse as thou dost； for though
proverbs are short maxims； thou dost drag them in so often by the head
and shoulders that they savour more of nonsense than of maxims。〃
〃God alone can cure that；〃 said Sancho； 〃for I have more proverbs in
me than a book； and when I speak they come so thick together into my
mouth that they fall to fighting among themselves to get out； that's
why my tongue lets fly the first that come； though they may not be pat
to the purpose。 But I'll take care henceforward to use such as befit
the dignity of my office； for 'in a house where there's plenty； supper
is soon cooked；' and 'he who binds does not wrangle；' and 'the
bell…ringer's in a safe berth；' and 'giving and keeping require
brains。'〃
〃That's it； Sancho！〃 said Don Quixote； 〃pack； tack； string
proverbs together； nobody is hindering thee！ 'My mother beats me；
and I go on with my tricks。' I am bidding thee avoid proverbs； and
here in a second thou hast shot out a whole litany of them； which have
as much to do with what we are talking about as 'over the hills of
Ubeda。' Mind； Sancho； I do not say that a proverb aptly brought in
is objectionable； but to pile up and string together proverbs at
random makes conversation dull and vulgar。
〃When thou ridest on horseback； do not go lolling with thy body on
the back of the saddle； nor carry thy legs stiff or sticking out
from the horse's belly； nor yet sit so loosely that one would
suppose thou wert on Dapple； for the seat on a horse makes gentlemen
of some and grooms of others。
〃Be moderate in thy sleep； for he who does not rise early does not
get the benefit of the day； and remember； Sancho； diligence is the
mother of good fortune； and indolence； i
