don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第219章

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tell　you　I　am　not　available　for　anybody's　purpose；　thanks　to　the
peerless　beauty　of　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso。　In　short；　Senora
Dona　Rodriguez；　if　you　will　leave　out　and　put　aside　all　love　messages；
you　may　go　and　light　your　candle　and　come　back；　and　we　will　discuss
all　the　commands　you　have　for　me　and　whatever　you　wish；　saving　only；
as　I　said；　all　seductive　communications。〃
　　〃I　carry　nobody's　messages；　senor；〃　said　the　duenna；　〃little　you
know　me。　Nay；　I'm　not　far　enough　advanced　in　years　to　take　to　any　such
childish　tricks。　God　be　praised　I　have　a　soul　in　my　body　still；　and
all　my　teeth　and　grinders　in　my　mouth；　except　one　or　two　that　the
colds；　so　common　in　this　Aragon　country；　have　robbed　me　of。　But　wait　a
little；　while　I　go　and　light　my　candle；　and　I　will　return
immediately　and　lay　my　sorrows　before　you　as　before　one　who　relieves
those　of　all　the　world；〃　and　without　staying　for　an　answer　she　quitted
the　room　and　left　Don　Quixote　tranquilly　meditating　while　he　waited
for　her。　A　thousand　thoughts　at　once　suggested　themselves　to　him　on
the　subject　of　this　new　adventure；　and　it　struck　him　as　being　ill　done
and　worse　advised　in　him　to　expose　himself　to　the　danger　of　breaking
his　plighted　faith　to　his　lady；　and　said　he　to　himself；　〃Who　knows　but
that　the　devil；　being　wily　and　cunning；　may　be　trying　now　to　entrap　me
with　a　duenna；　having　failed　with　empresses；　queens；　duchesses；
marchionesses；　and　countesses？　Many　a　time　have　I　heard　it　said　by
many　a　man　of　sense　that　he　will　sooner　offer　you　a　flat…nosed　wench
than　a　roman…nosed　one；　and　who　knows　but　this　privacy；　this
opportunity；　this　silence；　may　awaken　my　sleeping　desires；　and　lead　me
in　these　my　latter　years　to　fall　where　I　have　never　tripped？　In
cases　of　this　sort　it　is　better　to　flee　than　to　await　the　battle。
But　I　must　be　out　of　my　senses　to　think　and　utter　such　nonsense；　for
it　is　impossible　that　a　long；　white…hooded　spectacled　duenna　could
stir　up　or　excite　a　wanton　thought　in　the　most　graceless　bosom　in
the　world。　Is　there　a　duenna　on　earth　that　has　fair　flesh？　Is　there
a　duenna　in　the　world　that　escapes　being　ill…tempered；　wrinkled；　and
prudish？　Avaunt；　then；　ye　duenna　crew；　undelightful　to　all　mankind。
Oh；　but　that　lady　did　well　who；　they　say；　had　at　the　end　of　her
reception　room　a　couple　of　figures　of　duennas　with　spectacles　and
lace…cushions；　as　if　at　work；　and　those　statues　served　quite　as　well
to　give　an　air　of　propriety　to　the　room　as　if　they　had　been　real
duennas。〃
　　So　saying　he　leaped　off　the　bed；　intending　to　close　the　door　and　not
allow　Senora　Rodriguez　to　enter；　but　as　he　went　to　shut　it　Senora
Rodriguez　returned　with　a　wax　candle　lighted；　and　having　a　closer　view
of　Don　Quixote；　with　the　coverlet　round　him；　and　his　bandages　and
night…cap；　she　was　alarmed　afresh；　and　retreating　a　couple　of　paces；
exclaimed；　〃Am　I　safe；　sir　knight？　for　I　don't　look　upon　it　as　a
sign　of　very　great　virtue　that　your　worship　should　have　got　up　out
of　bed。〃
　　〃I　may　well　ask　the　same；　senora；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　I　do　ask
whether　I　shall　be　safe　from　being　assailed　and　forced？〃
　　〃Of　whom　and　against　whom　do　you　demand　that　security；　sir
knight？〃　said　the　duenna。
　　〃Of　you　and　against　you　I　ask　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　am　not
marble；　nor　are　you　brass；　nor　is　it　now　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；
but　midnight；　or　a　trifle　past　it　I　fancy；　and　we　are　in　a　room　more
secluded　and　retired　than　the　cave　could　have　been　where　the
treacherous　and　daring　AEneas　enjoyed　the　fair　soft…hearted　Dido。
But　give　me　your　hand；　senora；　I　require　no　better　protection　than
my　own　continence；　and　my　own　sense　of　propriety；　as　well　as　that
which　is　inspired　by　that　venerable　head…dress；〃　and　so　saying　he
kissed　her　right　hand　and　took　it　in　his　own；　she　yielding　it　to　him
with　equal　ceremoniousness。　And　here　Cide　Hamete　inserts　a　parenthesis
in　which　he　says　that　to　have　seen　the　pair　marching　from　the　door
to　the　bed；　linked　hand　in　hand　in　this　way；　he　would　have　given　the
best　of　the　two　tunics　he　had。
　　Don　Quixote　finally　got　into　bed；　and　Dona　Rodriguez　took　her　seat
on　a　chair　at　some　little　distance　from　his　couch；　without　taking
off　her　spectacles　or　putting　aside　the　candle。　Don　Quixote　wrapped
the　bedclothes　round　him　and　covered　himself　up　completely；　leaving
nothing　but　his　face　visible；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　both　regained
their　composure　he　broke　silence；　saying；　〃Now；　Senora　Dona　Rodriguez；
you　may　unbosom　yourself　and　out　with　everything　you　have　in　your
sorrowful　heart　and　afflicted　bowels；　and　by　me　you　shall　be
listened　to　with　chaste　ears；　and　aided　by　compassionate　exertions。〃
　　〃I　believe　it；〃　replied　the　duenna；　〃from　your　worship's　gentle
and　winning　presence　only　such　a　Christian　answer　could　be　expected。
The　fact　is；　then；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　though　you　see　me　seated　in
this　chair；　here　in　the　middle　of　the　kingdom　of　Aragon；　and　in　the
attire　of　a　despised　outcast　duenna；　I　am　from　the　Asturias　of　Oviedo；
and　of　a　family　with　which　many　of　the　best　of　the　province　are
connected　by　blood；　but　my　untoward　fate　and　the　improvidence　of　my
parents；　who；　I　know　not　how；　were　unseasonably　reduced　to　poverty；
brought　me　to　the　court　of　Madrid；　where　as　a　provision　and　to　avoid
greater　misfortunes；　my　parents　placed　me　as　seamstress　in　the　service
of　a　lady　of　quality；　and　I　would　have　you　know　that　for　hemming　and
sewing　I　have　never　been　surpassed　by　any　all　my　life。　My　parents　left
me　in　service　and　returned　to　their　own　country；　and　a　few　years　later
went；　no　doubt；　to　heaven；　for　they　were　excellent　good　Catholic
Christians。　I　was　left　an　orphan　with　nothing　but　the　miserable
wages　and　trifling　presents　that　are　given　to　servants　of　my　sort　in
palaces；　but　about　this　time；　without　any　encouragement　on　my　part；
one　of　the　esquires　of　the　household　fell　in　love　with　me；　a　man
somewhat　advanced　in　years；　full…bearded　and　personable；　and　above　all
as　good　a　gentleman　as　the　king　himself；　for　he　came　of　a　mountain
stock。　We　did　not　carry　on　our　loves　with　such　secrecy　but　that　they
came　to　the　knowledge　of　my　lady；　and　she；　not　to　have　any　fuss
about　it；　had　us　married　with　the　full　sanction　of　the　holy　mother
Roman　Catholic　Church；　of　which　marriage　a　daughter　was　born　to　put　an
end　to　my　good　fortune；　if　I　had　any；　not　that　I　died　in　childbirth；
for　I　passed　through　it　safely　and　in　due　season；　but　because
shortly　afterwards　my　husband　died　of　a　certain　shock　he　received；　and
had　I　time　to　tell　you　of　it　I　know　your　worship　would　be
surprised；〃　and　here　she　began　to　weep　bitterly　and　said；　〃Pardon
me；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　if　I　am　unable　to　control　myself；　for　every
time　I　think　of　my　unfortunate　husband　my　eyes　fill　up　with　tears。　God
bless　me；　with　what　an　air　of　dignity　he　used　to　carry　my　lady
behind　him　on　a　stout　mule　as　black　as　jet！　for　in　those　days　they　did
not　use　coaches　or　chairs；　as　they　say　they　do　now；　and　ladies　rode
behind　their　squires。　This　much　at　least　I　cannot　help　telling　you；
that　you　may　observe　the　good　breeding　and　punctiliousness　of　my
worthy　husband。　As　he　was　turning　into　the　Calle　de　Santiago　in
Madrid；　which　is　rather　narrow；　one　of　the　alcaldes　of　the　Court；　with
two　alguacils　before　him；　was　coming　out　of　it；　and　as　soon　as　my　good
squire　saw　him　he　wheeled　his　mule　about　and　made　as　if　he　would
turn　and　accompany　him。　My　lady；　who　was　riding　behind　him；　said　to
him　in　a　low　voice；　'What　are　you　about；　you　sneak；　don't　you　see　that
I　am　here？'　The　alcalde　like　a　polite　man　pulled　up　his　horse　and　said
to　him；　'Proceed；　senor；　for　it　is　I；　rather；　who　ought　to　accompany
my　lady　Dona　Casilda'…　for　that　was　my　mistress's　name。　Still　my
husband；　cap　in　hand；　persisted　in　trying　to　accompany　the　alcalde；
and　seeing　this　my　lady；　filled　with　rage　and　vexation；　pulled　out　a
big　pin；　or；　I　rather　think；　a　bodkin；　out　of　her　needle…case　and
drove　it　into　his　back　with　such　force　that　my　husband　gave　a　loud
yell；　and　writhing　fell　to　the　ground　with　his　lady。　Her　two
lacqueys　ran　to　rise　her　up；　and　the　alcalde　and　the　alguacils　did　the
same；　the　Guadalajara　gate　was　all　in　commotion　…I　mean　the　idlers
congregated　there；　my　mi