don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第223章

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the　damsel；　〃for　ill…placed　desires　can　only　be　paid　for　in　some
such　way。〃
　　The　maiden's　beauty　had　made　a　deep　impression　on　the
head…carver's　heart；　and　he　again　raised　his　lantern　for　another
look　at　her；　and　thought　they　were　not　tears　she　was　shedding；　but
seed…pearl　or　dew　of　the　meadow；　nay；　he　exalted　them　still　higher；
and　made　Oriental　pearls　of　them；　and　fervently　hoped　her　misfortune
might　not　be　so　great　a　one　as　her　tears　and　sobs　seemed　to
indicate。　The　governor　was　losing　patience　at　the　length　of　time　the
girl　was　taking　to　tell　her　story；　and　told　her　not　to　keep　them
waiting　any　longer；　for　it　was　late；　and　there　still　remained　a　good
deal　of　the　town　to　be　gone　over。
　　She；　with　broken　sobs　and　half…suppressed　sighs；　went　on　to　say；　〃My
misfortune；　my　misadventure；　is　simply　this；　that　I　entreated　my
brother　to　dress　me　up　as　a　man　in　a　suit　of　his　clothes；　and　take
me　some　night；　when　our　father　was　asleep；　to　see　the　whole　town；
he；　overcome　by　my　entreaties；　consented；　and　dressing　me　in　this　suit
and　himself　in　clothes　of　mine　that　fitted　him　as　if　made　for　him　（for
he　has　not　a　hair　on　his　chin；　and　might　pass　for　a　very　beautiful
young　girl）；　to…night；　about　an　hour　ago；　more　or　less；　we　left　the
house；　and　guided　by　our　youthful　and　foolish　impulse　we　made　the
circuit　of　the　whole　town；　and　then；　as　we　were　about　to　return
home；　we　saw　a　great　troop　of　people　coming；　and　my　brother　said　to
me；　'Sister；　this　must　be　the　round；　stir　your　feet　and　put　wings　to
them；　and　follow　me　as　fast　as　you　can；　lest　they　recognise　us；　for
that　would　be　a　bad　business　for　us；'　and　so　saying　he　turned　about
and　began；　I　cannot　say　to　run　but　to　fly；　in　less　than　six　paces　I
fell　from　fright；　and　then　the　officer　of　justice　came　up　and
carried　me　before　your　worships；　where　I　find　myself　put　to　shame
before　all　these　people　as　whimsical　and　vicious。〃
　　〃So　then；　senora；〃　said　Sancho；　〃no　other　mishap　has　befallen　you；
nor　was　it　jealousy　that　made　you　leave　home；　as　you　said　at　the
beginning　of　your　story？〃
　　〃Nothing　has　happened　me；〃　said　she；　〃nor　was　it　jealousy　that
brought　me　out；　but　merely　a　longing　to　see　the　world；　which　did　not
go　beyond　seeing　the　streets　of　this　town。〃
　　The　appearance　of　the　tipstaffs　with　her　brother　in　custody；　whom
one　of　them　had　overtaken　as　he　ran　away　from　his　sister；　now　fully
confirmed　the　truth　of　what　the　damsel　said。　He　had　nothing　on　but　a
rich　petticoat　and　a　short　blue　damask　cloak　with　fine　gold　lace；
and　his　head　was　uncovered　and　adorned　only　with　its　own　hair；　which
looked　like　rings　of　gold；　so　bright　and　curly　was　it。　The　governor；
the　majordomo；　and　the　carver　went　aside　with　him；　and；　unheard　by　his
sister；　asked　him　how　he　came　to　be　in　that　dress；　and　he　with　no　less
shame　and　embarrassment　told　exactly　the　same　story　as　his　sister；
to　the　great　delight　of　the　enamoured　carver；　the　governor；　however；
said　to　them；　〃In　truth；　young　lady　and　gentleman；　this　has　been　a
very　childish　affair；　and　to　explain　your　folly　and　rashness　there　was
no　necessity　for　all　this　delay　and　all　these　tears　and　sighs；　for
if　you　had　said　we　are　so…and…so；　and　we　escaped　from　our　father's
house　in　this　way　in　order　to　ramble　about；　out　of　mere　curiosity
and　with　no　other　object；　there　would　have　been　an　end　of　the
matter；　and　none　of　these　little　sobs　and　tears　and　all　the　rest　of
it。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃but　you　see　the　confusion　I　was　in
was　so　great　it　did　not　let　me　behave　as　I　ought。〃
　　〃No　harm　has　been　done；〃　said　Sancho；　〃come；　we　will　leave　you　at
your　father's　house；　perhaps　they　will　not　have　missed　you；　and
another　time　don't　be　so　childish　or　eager　to　see　the　world；　for　a
respectable　damsel　should　have　a　broken　leg　and　keep　at　home；　and
the　woman　and　the　hen　by　gadding　about　are　soon　lost；　and　she　who　is
eager　to　see　is　also　eager　to　be　seen；　I　say　no　more。〃
　　The　youth　thanked　the　governor　for　his　kind　offer　to　take　them　home；
and　they　directed　their　steps　towards　the　house；　which　was　not　far
off。　On　reaching　it　the　youth　threw　a　pebble　up　at　a　grating；　and
immediately　a　woman…servant　who　was　waiting　for　them　came　down　and
opened　the　door　to　them；　and　they　went　in；　leaving　the　party
marvelling　as　much　at　their　grace　and　beauty　as　at　the　fancy　they
had　for　seeing　the　world　by　night　and　without　quitting　the　village；
which；　however；　they　set　down　to　their　youth。
　　The　head…carver　was　left　with　a　heart　pierced　through　and　through；
and　he　made　up　his　mind　on　the　spot　to　demand　the　damsel　in　marriage
of　her　father　on　the　morrow；　making　sure　she　would　not　be　refused
him　as　he　was　a　servant　of　the　duke's；　and　even　to　Sancho　ideas　and
schemes　of　marrying　the　youth　to　his　daughter　Sanchica　suggested
themselves；　and　he　resolved　to　open　the　negotiation　at　the　proper
season；　persuading　himself　that　no　husband　could　be　refused　to　a
governor's　daughter。　And　so　the　night's　round　came　to　an　end；　and　a
couple　of　days　later　the　government；　whereby　all　his　plans　were
overthrown　and　swept　away；　as　will　be　seen　farther　on。
　　

CHAPTER　L
　　WHEREIN　IS　SET　FORTH　WHO　THE　ENCHANTERS　AND　EXECUTIONERS　WERE　WHO
FLOGGED　THE　DUENNA　AND　PINCHED　DON　QUIXOTE；　AND　ALSO　WHAT　BEFELL　THE
PAGE　WHO　CARRIED　THE　LETTER　TO　TERESA　PANZA；　SANCHO　PANZA'S　WIFE

　　CIDE　HAMETE；　the　painstaking　investigator　of　the　minute　points　of
this　veracious　history；　says　that　when　Dona　Rodriguez　left　her　own
room　to　go　to　Don　Quixote's；　another　duenna　who　slept　with　her
observed　her；　and　as　all　duennas　are　fond　of　prying；　listening；　and
sniffing；　she　followed　her　so　silently　that　the　good　Rodriguez　never
perceived　it；　and　as　soon　as　the　duenna　saw　her　enter　Don　Quixote's
room；　not　to　fail　in　a　duenna's　invariable　practice　of　tattling；　she
hurried　off　that　instant　to　report　to　the　duchess　how　Dona　Rodriguez
was　closeted　with　Don　Quixote。　The　duchess　told　the　duke；　and　asked
him　to　let　her　and　Altisidora　go　and　see　what　the　said　duenna　wanted
with　Don　Quixote。　The　duke　gave　them　leave；　and　the　pair　cautiously
and　quietly　crept　to　the　door　of　the　room　and　posted　themselves　so
close　to　it　that　they　could　hear　all　that　was　said　inside。　But　when
the　duchess　heard　how　the　Rodriguez　had　made　public　the　Aranjuez　of
her　issues　she　could　not　restrain　herself；　nor　Altisidora　either；
and　so；　filled　with　rage　and　thirsting　for　vengeance；　they　burst
into　the　room　and　tormented　Don　Quixote　and　flogged　the　duenna　in
the　manner　already　described；　for　indignities　offered　to　their
charms　and　self…esteem　mightily　provoke　the　anger　of　women　and　make
them　eager　for　revenge。　The　duchess　told　the　duke　what　had　happened；
and　he　was　much　amused　by　it；　and　she；　in　pursuance　of　her　design　of
making　merry　and　diverting　herself　with　Don　Quixote；　despatched　the
page　who　had　played　the　part　of　Dulcinea　in　the　negotiations　for　her
disenchantment　（which　Sancho　Panza　in　the　cares　of　government　had
forgotten　all　about）　to　Teresa　Panza　his　wife　with　her　husband's
letter　and　another　from　herself；　and　also　a　great　string　of　fine　coral
beads　as　a　present。
　　Now　the　history　says　this　page　was　very　sharp　and　quick…witted；
and　eager　to　serve　his　lord　and　lady　he　set　off　very　willingly　for
Sancho's　village。　Before　he　entered　it　he　observed　a　number　of　women
washing　in　a　brook；　and　asked　them　if　they　could　tell　him　whether
there　lived　there　a　woman　of　the　name　of　Teresa　Panza；　wife　of　one
Sancho　Panza；　squire　to　a　knight　called　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha。　At
the　question　a　young　girl　who　was　washing　stood　up　and　said；　〃Teresa
Panza　is　my　mother；　and　that　Sancho　is　my　father；　and　that　knight　is
our　master。〃
　　〃Well　then；　miss；〃　said　the　page；　〃come　and　show　me　where　your
mother　is；　for　I　bring　her　a　letter　and　a　present　from　your　father。〃
　　〃That　I　will　with　all　my　heart；　senor；〃　said　the　girl；　who　seemed　to
be　about　fourteen；　more　or　less；　and　leaving　the　clothes　she　was
washing　to　one　of　her　companions；　and　without　putting　anything　on
her　head　or　feet；　for　she　was　bare…legged　and　had　her　hair　hanging
about　her；　away　she　skipped　in　front　of　the　page's　horse；　saying；
〃Come；　your　worship；　our　house　is　at　the　entrance　of　the　town；　and
my　mothe