don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第230章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TERESA　PANZA。

　　The　letters　were　applauded；　laughed　over；　relished；　and　admired；　and
then；　as　if　to　put　the　seal　to　the　business；　the　courier　arrived；
bringing　the　one　Sancho　sent　to　Don　Quixote；　and　this；　too；　was　read
out；　and　it　raised　some　doubts　as　to　the　governor's　simplicity。　The
duchess　withdrew　to　hear　from　the　page　about　his　adventures　in
Sancho's　village；　which　he　narrated　at　full　length　without　leaving　a
single　circumstance　unmentioned。　He　gave　her　the　acorns；　and　also　a
cheese　which　Teresa　had　given　him　as　being　particularly　good　and
superior　to　those　of　Tronchon。　The　duchess　received　it　with　greatest
delight；　in　which　we　will　leave　her；　to　describe　the　end　of　the
government　of　the　great　Sancho　Panza；　flower　and　mirror　of　all
governors　of　islands。


　　CHAPTER　LIII
　　OF　THE　TROUBLOUS　END　AND　TERMINATION　SANCHO　PANZA'S　GOVERNMENT
CAME　TO

　　TO　FANCY　that　in　this　life　anything　belonging　to　it　will　remain
for　ever　in　the　same　state　is　an　idle　fancy；　on　the　contrary；　in　it
everything　seems　to　go　in　a　circle；　I　mean　round　and　round。　The　spring
succeeds　the　summer；　the　summer　the　fall；　the　fall　the　autumn；　the
autumn　the　winter；　and　the　winter　the　spring；　and　so　time　rolls　with
never…ceasing　wheel。　Man's　life　alone；　swifter　than　time；　speeds
onward　to　its　end　without　any　hope　of　renewal；　save　it　be　in　that
other　life　which　is　endless　and　boundless。　Thus　saith　Cide　Hamete
the　Mahometan　philosopher；　for　there　are　many　that　by　the　light　of
nature　alone；　without　the　light　of　faith；　have　a　comprehension　of
the　fleeting　nature　and　instability　of　this　present　life　and　the
endless　duration　of　that　eternal　life　we　hope　for；　but　our　author　is
here　speaking　of　the　rapidity　with　which　Sancho's　government　came　to
an　end；　melted　away；　disappeared；　vanished　as　it　were　in　smoke　and
shadow。　For　as　he　lay　in　bed　on　the　night　of　the　seventh　day　of　his
government；　sated；　not　with　bread　and　wine；　but　with　delivering
judgments　and　giving　opinions　and　making　laws　and　proclamations；
just　as　sleep；　in　spite　of　hunger；　was　beginning　to　close　his　eyelids；
he　heard　such　a　noise　of　bell…ringing　and　shouting　that　one　would　have
fancied　the　whole　island　was　going　to　the　bottom。　He　sat　up　in　bed　and
remained　listening　intently　to　try　if　he　could　make　out　what　could
be　the　cause　of　so　great　an　uproar；　not　only；　however；　was　he　unable
to　discover　what　it　was；　but　as　countless　drums　and　trumpets　now
helped　to　swell　the　din　of　the　bells　and　shouts；　he　was　more　puzzled
than　ever；　and　filled　with　fear　and　terror；　and　getting　up　he　put　on　a
pair　of　slippers　because　of　the　dampness　of　the　floor；　and　without
throwing　a　dressing　gown　or　anything　of　the　kind　over　him　he　rushed
out　of　the　door　of　his　room；　just　in　time　to　see　approaching　along　a
corridor　a　band　of　more　than　twenty　persons　with　lighted　torches　and
naked　swords　in　their　hands；　all　shouting　out；　〃To　arms；　to　arms；
senor　governor；　to　arms！　The　enemy　is　in　the　island　in　countless
numbers；　and　we　are　lost　unless　your　skill　and　valour　come　to　our
support。〃
　　Keeping　up　this　noise；　tumult；　and　uproar；　they　came　to　where　Sancho
stood　dazed　and　bewildered　by　what　he　saw　and　heard；　and　as　they
approached　one　of　them　called　out　to　him；　〃Arm　at　once；　your　lordship；
if　you　would　not　have　yourself　destroyed　and　the　whole　island　lost。〃
　　〃What　have　I　to　do　with　arming？〃　said　Sancho。　〃What　do　I　know
about　arms　or　supports？　Better　leave　all　that　to　my　master　Don
Quixote；　who　will　settle　it　and　make　all　safe　in　a　trice；　for　I；
sinner　that　I　am；　God　help　me；　don't　understand　these　scuffles。〃
　　〃Ah；　senor　governor；〃　said　another；　〃what　slackness　of　mettle　this
is！　Arm　yourself；　here　are　arms　for　you；　offensive　and　defensive；　come
out　to　the　plaza　and　be　our　leader　and　captain；　it　falls　upon　you　by
right；　for　you　are　our　governor。〃
　　〃Arm　me　then；　in　God's　name；〃　said　Sancho；　and　they　at　once　produced
two　large　shields　they　had　come　provided　with；　and　placed　them　upon
him　over　his　shirt；　without　letting　him　put　on　anything　else；　one
shield　in　front　and　the　other　behind；　and　passing　his　arms　through
openings　they　had　made；　they　bound　him　tight　with　ropes；　so　that　there
he　was　walled　and　boarded　up　as　straight　as　a　spindle　and　unable　to
bend　his　knees　or　stir　a　single　step。　In　his　hand　they　placed　a　lance；
on　which　he　leant　to　keep　himself　from　falling；　and　as　soon　as　they
had　him　thus　fixed　they　bade　him　march　forward　and　lead　them　on　and
give　them　all　courage；　for　with　him　for　their　guide　and　lamp　and
morning　star；　they　were　sure　to　bring　their　business　to　a　successful
issue。
　　〃How　am　I　to　march；　unlucky　being　that　I　am？〃　said　Sancho；　〃when　I
can't　stir　my　knee…caps；　for　these　boards　I　have　bound　so　tight　to
my　body　won't　let　me。　What　you　must　do　is　carry　me　in　your　arms；　and
lay　me　across　or　set　me　upright　in　some　postern；　and　I'll　hold　it
either　with　this　lance　or　with　my　body。〃
　　〃On；　senor　governor！〃　cried　another；　〃it　is　fear　more　than　the
boards　that　keeps　you　from　moving；　make　haste；　stir　yourself；　for
there　is　no　time　to　lose；　the　enemy　is　increasing　in　numbers；　the
shouts　grow　louder；　and　the　danger　is　pressing。〃
　　Urged　by　these　exhortations　and　reproaches　the　poor　governor　made　an
attempt　to　advance；　but　fell　to　the　ground　with　such　a　crash　that　he
fancied　he　had　broken　himself　all　to　pieces。　There　he　lay　like　a
tortoise　enclosed　in　its　shell；　or　a　side　of　bacon　between　two
kneading…troughs；　or　a　boat　bottom　up　on　the　beach；　nor　did　the　gang
of　jokers　feel　any　compassion　for　him　when　they　saw　him　down；　so　far
from　that；　extinguishing　their　torches　they　began　to　shout　afresh
and　to　renew　the　calls　to　arms　with　such　energy；　trampling　on　poor
Sancho；　and　slashing　at　him　over　the　shield　with　their　swords　in
such　a　way　that；　if　he　had　not　gathered　himself　together　and　made
himself　small　and　drawn　in　his　head　between　the　shields；　it　would　have
fared　badly　with　the　poor　governor；　as；　squeezed　into　that　narrow
compass；　he　lay；　sweating　and　sweating　again；　and　commending　himself
with　all　his　heart　to　God　to　deliver　him　from　his　present　peril。
Some　stumbled　over　him；　others　fell　upon　him；　and　one　there　was　who
took　up　a　position　on　top　of　him　for　some　time；　and　from　thence　as
if　from　a　watchtower　issued　orders　to　the　troops；　shouting　out；　〃Here；
our　side！　Here　the　enemy　is　thickest！　Hold　the　breach　there！　Shut　that
gate！　Barricade　those　ladders！　Here　with　your　stink…pots　of　pitch
and　resin；　and　kettles　of　boiling　oil！　Block　the　streets　with
feather　beds！〃　In　short；　in　his　ardour　he　mentioned　every　little
thing；　and　every　implement　and　engine　of　war　by　means　of　which　an
assault　upon　a　city　is　warded　off；　while　the　bruised　and　battered
Sancho；　who　heard　and　suffered　all；　was　saying　to　himself；　〃O　if　it
would　only　please　the　Lord　to　let　the　island　be　lost　at　once；　and　I
could　see　myself　either　dead　or　out　of　this　torture！〃　Heaven　heard　his
prayer；　and　when　he　least　expected　it　he　heard　voices　exclaiming；
〃Victory；　victory！　The　enemy　retreats　beaten！　Come；　senor　governor；
get　up；　and　come　and　enjoy　the　victory；　and　divide　the　spoils　that
have　been　won　from　the　foe　by　the　might　of　that　invincible　arm。〃
　　〃Lift　me　up；〃　said　the　wretched　Sancho　in　a　woebegone　voice。　They
helped　him　to　rise；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　on　his　feet　said；　〃The　enemy
I　have　beaten　you　may　nail　to　my　forehead；　I　don't　want　to　divide
the　spoils　of　the　foe；　I　only　beg　and　entreat　some　friend；　if　I　have
one；　to　give　me　a　sup　of　wine；　for　I'm　parched　with　thirst；　and　wipe
me　dry；　for　I'm　turning　to　water。〃
　　They　rubbed　him　down；　fetched　him　wine　and　unbound　the　shields；
and　he　seated　himself　upon　his　bed；　and　with　fear；　agitation；　and
fatigue　he　fainted　away。　Those　who　had　been　concerned　in　the　joke　were
now　sorry　they　had　pushed　it　so　far；　however；　the　anxiety　his　fainting
away　had　caused　them　was　relieved　by　his　returning　to　himself。　He
asked　what　o'clock　it　was；　they　told　him　it　was　just　daybreak。　He　said
no　more；　and　in　silence　began　to　dress　himself；　while　all　watched　him；
waiting　to　see　what　the　haste　with　which　he　was　putting　on　his　clothes
meant。
　　He　got　himself　dressed　at　last；　and　then；