don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第213章
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Thy mighty arms enfold；
Or even sit beside thy bed
And scratch thy dusty poll！
I rave；… to favours such as these
Unworthy to aspire；
Thy feet to tickle were enough
For one so mean as I。
What caps； what slippers silver…laced；
Would I on thee bestow！
What damask breeches make for thee；
What fine long holland cloaks！
And I would give thee pearls that should
As big as oak…galls show；
So matchless big that each might well
Be called the great 〃Alone。〃
Manchegan Nero； look not down
From thy Tarpeian Rock
Upon this burning heart； nor add
The fuel of thy wrath。
A virgin soft and young am I；
Not yet fifteen years old；
（I'm only three months past fourteen；
I swear upon my soul）。
I hobble not nor do I limp；
All blemish I'm without；
And as I walk my lily locks
Are trailing on the ground。
And though my nose be rather flat；
And though my mouth be wide；
My teeth like topazes exalt
My beauty to the sky。
Thou knowest that my voice is sweet；
That is if thou dost hear；
And I am moulded in a form
Somewhat below the mean。
These charms； and many more； are thine；
Spoils to thy spear and bow all；
A damsel of this house am I；
By name Altisidora。
Here the lay of the heart…stricken Altisidora came to an end；
while the warmly wooed Don Quixote began to feel alarm； and with a
deep sigh he said to himself； 〃O that I should be such an unlucky
knight that no damsel can set eyes on me but falls in love with me！
O that the peerless Dulcinea should be so unfortunate that they cannot
let her enjoy my incomparable constancy in peace！ What would ye with
her； ye queens？ Why do ye persecute her； ye empresses？ Why ye pursue
her； ye virgins of from fourteen to fifteen？ Leave the unhappy being
to triumph； rejoice and glory in the lot love has been pleased to
bestow upon her in surrendering my heart and yielding up my soul to
her。 Ye love…smitten host； know that to Dulcinea only I am dough and
sugar…paste； flint to all others； for her I am honey； for you aloes。
For me Dulcinea alone is beautiful； wise； virtuous； graceful； and
high…bred； and all others are ill…favoured； foolish； light； and
low…born。 Nature sent me into the world to be hers and no other's；
Altisidora may weep or sing； the lady for whose sake they belaboured
me in the castle of the enchanted Moor may give way to despair； but
I must be Dulcinea's； boiled or roast； pure； courteous； and chaste； in
spite of all the magic…working powers on earth。〃 And with that he shut
the window with a bang； and； as much out of temper and out of sorts as
if some great misfortune had befallen him； stretched himself on his
bed； where we will leave him for the present； as the great Sancho
Panza； who is about to set up his famous government； now demands our
attention。
CHAPTER XLV
OF HOW THE GREAT SANCHO PANZA TOOK POSSESSION OF HIS ISLAND； AND
OF HOW HE MADE A BEGINNING IN GOVERNING
O PERPETUAL discoverer of the antipodes； torch of the world； eye
of heaven； sweet stimulator of the water…coolers！ Thimbraeus here；
Phoebus there； now archer； now physician； father of poetry； inventor
of music； thou that always risest and； notwithstanding appearances；
never settest！ To thee； O Sun； by whose aid man begetteth man； to thee
I appeal to help me and lighten the darkness of my wit that I may be
able to proceed with scrupulous exactitude in giving an account of the
great Sancho Panza's government； for without thee I feel myself
weak； feeble； and uncertain。
To come to the point； then… Sancho with all his attendants arrived
at a village of some thousand inhabitants； and one of the largest
the duke possessed。 They informed him that it was called the island of
Barataria； either because the name of the village was Baratario； or
because of the joke by way of which the government had been
conferred upon him。 On reaching the gates of the town； which was a
walled one； the municipality came forth to meet him； the bells rang
out a peal； and the inhabitants showed every sign of general
satisfaction； and with great pomp they conducted him to the
principal church to give thanks to God； and then with burlesque
ceremonies they presented him with the keys of the town； and
acknowledged him as perpetual governor of the island of Barataria。 The
costume； the beard； and the fat squat figure of the new governor
astonished all those who were not in the secret； and even all who
were； and they were not a few。 Finally； leading him out of the
church they carried him to the judgment seat and seated him on it； and
the duke's majordomo said to him； 〃It is an ancient custom in this
island； senor governor； that he who comes to take possession of this
famous island is bound to answer a question which shall be put to him；
and which must he a somewhat knotty and difficult one； and by his
answer the people take the measure of their new governor's wit； and
hail with joy or deplore his arrival accordingly。〃
While the majordomo was making this speech Sancho was gazing at
several large letters inscribed on the wall opposite his seat； and
as he could not read he asked what that was that was painted on the
wall。 The answer was； 〃Senor； there is written and recorded the day on
which your lordship took possession of this island； and the
inscription says； 'This day； the so…and…so of such…and…such a month
and year； Senor Don Sancho Panza took possession of this island；
many years may he enjoy it。'〃
〃And whom do they call Don Sancho Panza？〃 asked Sancho。
〃Your lordship；〃 replied the majordomo； 〃for no other Panza but
the one who is now seated in that chair has ever entered this island。〃
〃Well then； let me tell you； brother；〃 said Sancho； 〃I haven't got
the 'Don；' nor has any one of my family ever had it； my name is
plain Sancho Panza； and Sancho was my father's name； and Sancho was my
grandfather's and they were all Panzas； without any Dons or Donas
tacked on； I suspect that in this island there are more Dons than
stones； but never mind； God knows what I mean； and maybe if my
government lasts four days I'll weed out these Dons that no doubt
are as great a nuisance as the midges； they're so plenty。 Let the
majordomo go on with his question； and I'll give the best answer I
can； whether the people deplore or not。〃
At this instant there came into court two old men； one carrying a
cane by way of a walking…stick； and the one who had no stick said；
〃Senor； some time ago I lent this good man ten gold…crowns in gold
to gratify him and do him a service； on the condition that he was to
return them to me whenever I should ask for them。 A long time passed
before I asked for them； for I would not put him to any greater
straits to return them than he was in when I lent them to him； but
thinking he was growing careless about payment I asked for them once
and several times； and not only will he not give them back； but he
denies that he owes them； and says I never lent him any such crowns；
or if I did； that he repaid them； and I have no witnesses either of
the loan； or the payment； for he never paid me； I want your worship to
put him to his oath； and if he swears he returned them to me I forgive
him the debt here and before God。〃
〃What say you to this； good old man； you with the stick？〃 said
Sancho。
To which the old man replied； 〃I admit； senor； that he lent them
to me； but let your worship lower your staff； and as he leaves it to
my oath； I'll swear that I gave them back； and paid him really and
truly。〃
The governor lowered the staff； and as he did so the old man who had
the stick handed it to the other old man to hold for him while he
swore； as if he found it in his way； and then laid his hand on the
cross of the staff； saying that it was true the ten crowns that were
demanded of him had been lent him； but that he had with his own hand
given them back into the hand of the other； and that he； not
recollecting it； was
