don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第221章

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and　turning　to　the　doctor　at　supper　he　said　to　him；　〃Look　here；
senor　doctor；　for　the　future　don't　trouble　yourself　about　giving　me
dainty　things　or　choice　dishes　to　eat；　for　it　will　be　only　taking　my
stomach　off　its　hinges；　it　is　accustomed　to　goat；　cow；　bacon；　hung
beef；　turnips　and　onions；　and　if　by　any　chance　it　is　given　these
palace　dishes；　it　receives　them　squeamishly；　and　sometimes　with
loathing。　What　the　head…carver　had　best　do　is　to　serve　me　with　what
they　call　ollas　podridas　（and　the　rottener　they　are　the　better　they
smell）；　and　he　can　put　whatever　he　likes　into　them；　so　long　as　it　is
good　to　eat；　and　I'll　be　obliged　to　him；　and　will　requite　him　some
day。　But　let　nobody　play　pranks　on　me；　for　either　we　are　or　we　are
not；　let　us　live　and　eat　in　peace　and　good…fellowship；　for　when　God
sends　the　dawn；　be　sends　it　for　all。　I　mean　to　govern　this　island
without　giving　up　a　right　or　taking　a　bribe；　let　everyone　keep　his　eye
open；　and　look　out　for　the　arrow；　for　I　can　tell　them　'the　devil's
in　Cantillana；'　and　if　they　drive　me　to　it　they'll　see　something
that　will　astonish　them。　Nay！　make　yourself　honey　and　the　flies　eat
you。〃
　　〃Of　a　truth；　senor　governor；〃　said　the　carver；　〃your　worship　is　in
the　right　of　it　in　everything　you　have　said；　and　I　promise　you　in
the　name　of　all　the　inhabitants　of　this　island　that　they　will　serve
your　worship　with　all　zeal；　affection；　and　good…will；　for　the　mild
kind　of　government　you　have　given　a　sample　of　to　begin　with；　leaves
them　no　ground　for　doing　or　thinking　anything　to　your　worship's
disadvantage。〃
　　〃That　I　believe；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　they　would　be　great　fools　if
they　did　or　thought　otherwise；　once　more　I　say；　see　to　my　feeding
and　my　Dapple's　for　that　is　the　great　point　and　what　is　most　to　the
purpose；　and　when　the　hour　comes　let　us　go　the　rounds；　for　it　is　my
intention　to　purge　this　island　of　all　manner　of　uncleanness　and　of　all
idle　good…for…nothing　vagabonds；　for　I　would　have　you　know　that　lazy
idlers　are　the　same　thing　in　a　State　as　the　drones　in　a　hive；　that　eat
up　the　honey　the　industrious　bees　make。　I　mean　to　protect　the
husbandman；　to　preserve　to　the　gentleman　his　privileges；　to　reward　the
virtuous；　and　above　all　to　respect　religion　and　honour　its
ministers。　What　say　you　to　that；　my　friends？　Is　there　anything　in　what
I　say；　or　am　I　talking　to　no　purpose？〃
　　〃There　is　so　much　in　what　your　worship　says；　senor　governor；〃　said
the　majordomo；　〃that　I　am　filled　with　wonder　when　I　see　a　man　like
your　worship；　entirely　without　learning　（for　I　believe　you　have　none
at　all）；　say　such　things；　and　so　full　of　sound　maxims　and　sage
remarks；　very　different　from　what　was　expected　of　your　worship's
intelligence　by　those　who　sent　us　or　by　us　who　came　here。　Every　day　we
see　something　new　in　this　world；　jokes　become　realities；　and　the
jokers　find　the　tables　turned　upon　them。〃
　　Night　came；　and　with　the　permission　of　Doctor　Pedro　Recio；　the
governor　had　supper。　They　then　got　ready　to　go　the　rounds；　and　he
started　with　the　majordomo；　the　secretary；　the　head…carver；　the
chronicler　charged　with　recording　his　deeds；　and　alguacils　and
notaries　enough　to　form　a　fair…sized　squadron。　In　the　midst　marched
Sancho　with　his　staff；　as　fine　a　sight　as　one　could　wish　to　see；　and
but　a　few　streets　of　the　town　had　been　traversed　when　they　heard　a
noise　as　of　a　clashing　of　swords。　They　hastened　to　the　spot；　and　found
that　the　combatants　were　but　two；　who　seeing　the　authorities
approaching　stood　still；　and　one　of　them　exclaimed；　〃Help；　in　the　name
of　God　and　the　king！　Are　men　to　he　allowed　to　rob　in　the　middle　of
this　town；　and　rush　out　and　attack　people　in　the　very　streets？〃
　　〃Be　calm；　my　good　man；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　tell　me　what　the　cause
of　this　quarrel　is；　for　I　am　the　governor。〃
　　Said　the　other　combatant；　〃Senor　governor；　I　will　tell　you　in　a　very
few　words。　Your　worship　must　know　that　this　gentleman　has　just　now　won
more　than　a　thousand　reals　in　that　gambling　house　opposite；　and　God
knows　how。　I　was　there；　and　gave　more　than　one　doubtful　point　in　his
favour；　very　much　against　what　my　conscience　told　me。　He　made　off　with
his　winnings；　and　when　I　made　sure　he　was　going　to　give　me　a　crown
or　so　at　least　by　way　of　a　present；　as　it　is　usual　and　customary　to
give　men　of　quality　of　my　sort　who　stand　by　to　see　fair　or　foul
play；　and　back　up　swindles；　and　prevent　quarrels；　he　pocketed　his
money　and　left　the　house。　Indignant　at　this　I　followed　him；　and
speaking　him　fairly　and　civilly　asked　him　to　give　me　if　it　were　only
eight　reals；　for　he　knows　I　am　an　honest　man　and　that　I　have　neither
profession　nor　property；　for　my　parents　never　brought　me　up　to　any
or　left　me　any；　but　the　rogue；　who　is　a　greater　thief　than　Cacus　and　a
greater　sharper　than　Andradilla；　would　not　give　me　more　than　four
reals；　so　your　worship　may　see　how　little　shame　and　conscience　he　has。
But　by　my　faith　if　you　had　not　come　up　I'd　have　made　him　disgorge
his　winnings；　and　he'd　have　learned　what　the　range　of　the　steel…yard
was。〃
　　〃What　say　you　to　this？〃　asked　Sancho。　The　other　replied　that　all　his
antagonist　said　was　true；　and　that　he　did　not　choose　to　give　him
more　than　four　reals　because　he　very　often　gave　him　money；　and　that
those　who　expected　presents　ought　to　be　civil　and　take　what　is　given
them　with　a　cheerful　countenance；　and　not　make　any　claim　against
winners　unless　they　know　them　for　certain　to　be　sharpers　and　their
winnings　to　be　unfairly　won；　and　that　there　could　be　no　better　proof
that　he　himself　was　an　honest　man　than　his　having　refused　to　give
anything；　for　sharpers　always　pay　tribute　to　lookers…on　who　know　them。
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　majordomo；　〃let　your　worship　consider
what　is　to　be　done　with　these　men。〃
　　〃What　is　to　be　done；〃　said　Sancho；　〃is　this；　you；　the　winner；　be　you
good；　bad；　or　indifferent；　give　this　assailant　of　yours　a　hundred
reals　at　once；　and　you　must　disburse　thirty　more　for　the　poor
prisoners；　and　you　who　have　neither　profession　nor　property；　and
hang　about　the　island　in　idleness；　take　these　hundred　reals　now；　and
some　time　of　the　day　to…morrow　quit　the　island　under　sentence　of
banishment　for　ten　years；　and　under　pain　of　completing　it　in　another
life　if　you　violate　the　sentence；　for　I'll　hang　you　on　a　gibbet；　or　at
least　the　hangman　will　by　my　orders；　not　a　word　from　either　of　you；　or
I'll　make　him　feel　my　hand。〃
　　The　one　paid　down　the　money　and　the　other　took　it；　and　the　latter
quitted　the　island；　while　the　other　went　home；　and　then　the　governor
said；　〃Either　I　am　not　good　for　much；　or　I'll　get　rid　of　these
gambling　houses；　for　it　strikes　me　they　are　very　mischievous。〃
　　〃This　one　at　least；〃　said　one　of　the　notaries；　〃your　worship　will
not　be　able　to　get　rid　of；　for　a　great　man　owns　it；　and　what　he
loses　every　year　is　beyond　all　comparison　more　than　what　he　makes　by
the　cards。　On　the　minor　gambling　houses　your　worship　may　exercise　your
power；　and　it　is　they　that　do　most　harm　and　shelter　the　most　barefaced
practices；　for　in　the　houses　of　lords　and　gentlemen　of　quality　the
notorious　sharpers　dare　not　attempt　to　play　their　tricks；　and　as　the
vice　of　gambling　has　become　common；　it　is　better　that　men　should
play　in　houses　of　repute　than　in　some　tradesman's；　where　they　catch　an
unlucky　fellow　in　the　small　hours　of　the　morning　and　skin　him　alive。〃
　　〃I　know　already；　notary；　that　there　is　a　good　deal　to　he　said　on
that　point；〃　said　Sancho。
　　And　now　a　tipstaff　came　up　with　a　young　man　in　his　grasp；　and
said；　〃Senor　governor；　this　youth　was　coming　towards　us；　and　as　soon
as　he　saw　the　officers　of　justice　he　turned　about　and　ran　like　a　deer；
a　sure　proof　that　he　must　be　some　evil…doer；　I　ran　after　him；　and
had　it　not　been　that　he　stumbled　and　fell；　I　should　never　have
caught　him。〃
　　〃What　did　you　run　for；　fellow？〃　said　Sancho。
　　To　which　the　young　man　replied；　〃Senor；　it　was　to　avoid　answering
all　the　questions　officers　of　justice　put。〃
　　〃What　are　you　by　trade？〃
　　〃A　weaver。〃
　　〃And　what　do　you　weave？〃
　　〃Lance　heads；　with　your　worship's　good　leave。〃
　　〃You're　facetious　with　me！　You　plume　yourself　on　being　a　wag？　Very
good；　and　where　were　you　going　just　now？〃
　　〃To　take　the　air；　senor。〃
　　〃And　where