don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第211章

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and　of　so　little　variety　as　this　of　Don　Quixote；　for　he　found
himself　forced　to　speak　perpetually　of　him　and　Sancho；　without
venturing　to　indulge　in　digressions　and　episodes　more　serious　and　more
interesting。　He　said；　too；　that　to　go　on；　mind；　hand；　pen　always
restricted　to　writing　upon　one　single　subject；　and　speaking　through
the　mouths　of　a　few　characters；　was　intolerable　drudgery；　the　result
of　which　was　never　equal　to　the　author's　labour；　and　that　to　avoid
this　he　had　in　the　First　Part　availed　himself　of　the　device　of　novels；
like　〃The　Ill…advised　Curiosity；〃　and　〃The　Captive　Captain；〃　which
stand；　as　it　were；　apart　from　the　story；　the　others　are　given　there
being　incidents　which　occurred　to　Don　Quixote　himself　and　could　not　be
omitted。　He　also　thought；　he　says；　that　many；　engrossed　by　the
interest　attaching　to　the　exploits　of　Don　Quixote；　would　take　none
in　the　novels；　and　pass　them　over　hastily　or　impatiently　without
noticing　the　elegance　and　art　of　their　composition；　which　would　be
very　manifest　were　they　published　by　themselves　and　not　as　mere
adjuncts　to　the　crazes　of　Don　Quixote　or　the　simplicities　of　Sancho。
Therefore　in　this　Second　Part　he　thought　it　best　not　to　insert　novels；
either　separate　or　interwoven；　but　only　episodes；　something　like　them；
arising　out　of　the　circumstances　the　facts　present；　and　even　these
sparingly；　and　with　no　more　words　than　suffice　to　make　them　plain；　and
as　he　confines　and　restricts　himself　to　the　narrow　limits　of　the
narrative；　though　he　has　ability；　capacity；　and　brains　enough　to
deal　with　the　whole　universe；　he　requests　that　his　labours　may　not
be　despised；　and　that　credit　be　given　him；　not　alone　for　what　he
writes；　but　for　what　he　has　refrained　from　writing。
　　And　so　he　goes　on　with　his　story；　saying　that　the　day　Don　Quixote
gave　the　counsels　to　Sancho；　the　same　afternoon　after　dinner　he　handed
them　to　him　in　writing　so　that　he　might　get　some　one　to　read　them　to
him。　They　had　scarcely；　however；　been　given　to　him　when　he　let　them
drop；　and　they　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　duke；　who　showed　them　to　the
duchess　and　they　were　both　amazed　afresh　at　the　madness　and　wit　of　Don
Quixote。　To　carry　on　the　joke；　then；　the　same　evening　they
despatched　Sancho　with　a　large　following　to　the　village　that　was　to
serve　him　for　an　island。　It　happened　that　the　person　who　had　him　in
charge　was　a　majordomo　of　the　duke's；　a　man　of　great　discretion　and
humour…　and　there　can　be　no　humour　without　discretion…　and　the　same
who　played　the　part　of　the　Countess　Trifaldi　in　the　comical　way　that
has　been　already　described；　and　thus　qualified；　and　instructed　by
his　master　and　mistress　as　to　how　to　deal　with　Sancho；　he　carried
out　their　scheme　admirably。　Now　it　came　to　pass　that　as　soon　as　Sancho
saw　this　majordomo　he　seemed　in　his　features　to　recognise　those　of　the
Trifaldi；　and　turning　to　his　master；　he　said　to　him；　〃Senor；　either
the　devil　will　carry　me　off；　here　on　this　spot；　righteous　and
believing；　or　your　worship　will　own　to　me　that　the　face　of　this
majordomo　of　the　duke's　here　is　the　very　face　of　the　Distressed　One。〃
　　Don　Quixote　regarded　the　majordomo　attentively；　and　having　done
so；　said　to　Sancho；　〃There　is　no　reason　why　the　devil　should　carry
thee　off；　Sancho；　either　righteous　or　believing…　and　what　thou　meanest
by　that　I　know　not；　the　face　of　the　Distressed　One　is　that　of　the
majordomo；　but　for　all　that　the　majordomo　is　not　the　Distressed　One；
for　his　being　so　would　involve　a　mighty　contradiction；　but　this　is　not
the　time　for　going　into　questions　of　the　sort；　which　would　be
involving　ourselves　in　an　inextricable　labyrinth。　Believe　me；　my
friend；　we　must　pray　earnestly　to　our　Lord　that　he　deliver　us　both
from　wicked　wizards　and　enchanters。〃
　　〃It　is　no　joke；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　before　this　I　heard　him
speak；　and　it　seemed　exactly　as　if　the　voice　of　the　Trifaldi　was
sounding　in　my　ears。　Well；　I'll　hold　my　peace；　but　I'll　take　care　to
be　on　the　look…out　henceforth　for　any　sign　that　may　be　seen　to　confirm
or　do　away　with　this　suspicion。〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　do　well；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　thou　wilt　let　me
know　all　thou　discoverest；　and　all　that　befalls　thee　in　thy
government。〃
　　Sancho　at　last　set　out　attended　by　a　great　number　of　people。　He
was　dressed　in　the　garb　of　a　lawyer；　with　a　gaban　of　tawny　watered
camlet　over　all　and　a　montera　cap　of　the　same　material；　and　mounted
a　la　gineta　upon　a　mule。　Behind　him；　in　accordance　with　the　duke's
orders；　followed　Dapple　with　brand　new　ass…trappings　and　ornaments
of　silk；　and　from　time　to　time　Sancho　turned　round　to　look　at　his　ass；
so　well　pleased　to　have　him　with　him　that　he　would　not　have　changed
places　with　the　emperor　of　Germany。　On　taking　leave　he　kissed　the
hands　of　the　duke　and　duchess　and　got　his　master's　blessing；　which　Don
Quixote　gave　him　with　tears；　and　he　received　blubbering。
　　Let　worthy　Sancho　go　in　peace；　and　good　luck　to　him；　Gentle
Reader；　and　look　out　for　two　bushels　of　laughter；　which　the　account　of
how　he　behaved　himself　in　office　will　give　thee。　In　the　meantime
turn　thy　attention　to　what　happened　his　master　the　same　night；　and
if　thou　dost　not　laugh　thereat；　at　any　rate　thou　wilt　stretch　thy
mouth　with　a　grin；　for　Don　Quixote's　adventures　must　be　honoured
either　with　wonder　or　with　laughter。
　　It　is　recorded；　then；　that　as　soon　as　Sancho　had　gone；　Don　Quixote
felt　his　loneliness；　and　had　it　been　possible　for　him　to　revoke　the
mandate　and　take　away　the　government　from　him　he　would　have　done　so。
The　duchess　observed　his　dejection　and　asked　him　why　he　was
melancholy；　because；　she　said；　if　it　was　for　the　loss　of　Sancho；　there
were　squires；　duennas；　and　damsels　in　her　house　who　would　wait　upon
him　to　his　full　satisfaction。
　　〃The　truth　is；　senora；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　I　do　feel　the
loss　of　Sancho；　but　that　is　not　the　main　cause　of　my　looking　sad；
and　of　all　the　offers　your　excellence　makes　me；　I　accept　only　the
good…will　with　which　they　are　made；　and　as　to　the　remainder　I
entreat　of　your　excellence　to　permit　and　allow　me　alone　to　wait　upon
myself　in　my　chamber。〃
　　〃Indeed；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that　must　not　be；
four　of　my　damsels；　as　beautiful　as　flowers；　shall　wait　upon　you。〃
　　〃To　me；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃they　will　not　be　flowers；　but　thorns
to　pierce　my　heart。　They；　or　anything　like　them；　shall　as　soon　enter
my　chamber　as　fly。　If　your　highness　wishes　to　gratify　me　still
further；　though　I　deserve　it　not；　permit　me　to　please　myself；　and　wait
upon　myself　in　my　own　room；　for　I　place　a　barrier　between　my
inclinations　and　my　virtue；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　break　this　rule
through　the　generosity　your　highness　is　disposed　to　display　towards
me；　and；　in　short；　I　will　sleep　in　my　clothes；　sooner　than　allow
anyone　to　undress　me。〃
　　〃Say　no　more；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　say　no　more；〃　said　the　duchess；
〃I　assure　you　I　will　give　orders　that　not　even　a　fly；　not　to　say　a
damsel；　shall　enter　your　room。　I　am　not　the　one　to　undermine　the
propriety　of　Senor　Don　Quixote；　for　it　strikes　me　that　among　his
many　virtues　the　one　that　is　pre…eminent　is　that　of　modesty。　Your
worship　may　undress　and　dress　in　private　and　in　your　own　way；　as　you
please　and　when　you　please；　for　there　will　be　no　one　to　hinder　you；
and　in　your　chamber　you　will　find　all　the　utensils　requisite　to　supply
the　wants　of　one　who　sleeps　with　his　door　locked；　to　the　end　that　no
natural　needs　compel　you　to　open　it。　May　the　great　Dulcinea　del　Toboso
live　a　thousand　years；　and　may　her　fame　extend　all　over　the　surface　of
the　globe；　for　she　deserves　to　be　loved　by　a　knight　so　valiant　and
so　virtuous；　and　may　kind　heaven　infuse　zeal　into　the　heart　of　our
governor　Sancho　Panza　to　finish　off　his　discipline　speedily；　so　that
the　world　may　once　more　enjoy　the　beauty　of　so　grand　a　lady。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Your　highness　has　spoken　like　what
you　are；　from　the　mouth　of　a　noble　lady　nothing　bad　can　come；　and
Dulcinea　will　be　more　fortunate；　and　better　known　to　the　world　by
the　praise　of　your　highness　than　by　all　the　eulogies　the　greatest
orators　on　earth　could　bestow　upon　her。〃
　　〃Well；　well；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　said　the　duchess；　is　nearly
supper…time；　and　the　duke　is