don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第238章

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honour；　life　may　and　should　be　ventured；　and　on　the　other　hand；
captivity　is　the　greatest　evil　that　can　fall　to　the　lot　of　man。　I
say　this；　Sancho；　because　thou　hast　seen　the　good　cheer；　the　abundance
we　have　enjoyed　in　this　castle　we　are　leaving；　well　then；　amid　those
dainty　banquets　and　snow…cooled　beverages　I　felt　as　though　I　were
undergoing　the　straits　of　hunger；　because　I　did　not　enjoy　them　with
the　same　freedom　as　if　they　had　been　mine　own；　for　the　sense　of
being　under　an　obligation　to　return　benefits　and　favours　received　is　a
restraint　that　checks　the　independence　of　the　spirit。　Happy　he；　to
whom　heaven　has　given　a　piece　of　bread　for　which　he　is　not　bound　to
give　thanks　to　any　but　heaven　itself！〃
　　〃For　all　your　worship　says；〃　said　Sancho；　〃it　is　not　becoming　that
there　should　he　no　thanks　on　our　part　for　two　hundred　gold　crowns　that
the　duke's　majordomo　has　given　me　in　a　little　purse　which　I　carry　next
my　heart；　like　a　warming　plaster　or　comforter；　to　meet　any　chance
calls；　for　we　shan't　always　find　castles　where　they'll　entertain　us；
now　and　then　we　may　light　upon　roadside　inns　where　they'll　cudgel　us。〃
　　In　conversation　of　this　sort　the　knight　and　squire　errant　were
pursuing　their　journey；　when；　after　they　had　gone　a　little　more　than
half　a　league；　they　perceived　some　dozen　men　dressed　like　labourers
stretched　upon　their　cloaks　on　the　grass　of　a　green　meadow　eating
their　dinner。　They　had　beside　them　what　seemed　to　be　white　sheets
concealing　some　objects　under　them；　standing　upright　or　lying　flat；
and　arranged　at　intervals。　Don　Quixote　approached　the　diners；　and；
saluting　them　courteously　first；　he　asked　them　what　it　was　those
cloths　covered。　〃Senor；〃　answered　one　of　the　party；　〃under　these
cloths　are　some　images　carved　in　relief　intended　for　a　retablo　we
are　putting　up　in　our　village；　we　carry　them　covered　up　that　they
may　not　be　soiled；　and　on　our　shoulders　that　they　may　not　be　broken。〃
　　〃With　your　good　leave；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　should　like　to　see
them；　for　images　that　are　carried　so　carefully　no　doubt　must　be　fine
ones。〃
　　〃I　should　think　they　were！〃　said　the　other；　〃let　the　money　they　cost
speak　for　that；　for　as　a　matter　of　fact　there　is　not　one　of　them
that　does　not　stand　us　in　more　than　fifty　ducats；　and　that　your
worship　may　judge；　wait　a　moment；　and　you　shall　see　with　your　own
eyes；〃　and　getting　up　from　his　dinner　he　went　and　uncovered　the
first　image；　which　proved　to　be　one　of　Saint　George　on　horseback
with　a　serpent　writhing　at　his　feet　and　the　lance　thrust　down　its
throat　with　all　that　fierceness　that　is　usually　depicted。　The　whole
group　was　one　blaze　of　gold；　as　the　saying　is。　On　seeing　it　Don
Quixote　said；　〃That　knight　was　one　of　the　best　knights…errant　the　army
of　heaven　ever　owned；　he　was　called　Don　Saint　George；　and　he　was
moreover　a　defender　of　maidens。　Let　us　see　this　next　one。〃
　　The　man　uncovered　it；　and　it　was　seen　to　be　that　of　Saint　Martin
on　his　horse；　dividing　his　cloak　with　the　beggar。　The　instant　Don
Quixote　saw　it　he　said；　〃This　knight　too　was　one　of　the　Christian
adventurers；　but　I　believe　he　was　generous　rather　than　valiant；　as
thou　mayest　perceive；　Sancho；　by　his　dividing　his　cloak　with　the
beggar　and　giving　him　half　of　it；　no　doubt　it　was　winter　at　the
time；　for　otherwise　he　would　have　given　him　the　whole　of　it；　so
charitable　was　he。〃
　　〃It　was　not　that；　most　likely；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　that　he　held
with　the　proverb　that　says；　'For　giving　and　keeping　there's　need　of
brains。'〃
　　Don　Quixote　laughed；　and　asked　them　to　take　off　the　next　cloth；
underneath　which　was　seen　the　image　of　the　patron　saint　of　the
Spains　seated　on　horseback；　his　sword　stained　with　blood；　trampling　on
Moors　and　treading　heads　underfoot；　and　on　seeing　it　Don　Quixote
exclaimed；　〃Ay；　this　is　a　knight；　and　of　the　squadrons　of　Christ！　This
one　is　called　Don　Saint　James　the　Moorslayer；　one　of　the　bravest
saints　and　knights　the　world　ever　had　or　heaven　has　now。〃
　　They　then　raised　another　cloth　which　it　appeared　covered　Saint
Paul　falling　from　his　horse；　with　all　the　details　that　are　usually
given　in　representations　of　his　conversion。　When　Don　Quixote　saw　it；
rendered　in　such　lifelike　style　that　one　would　have　said　Christ　was
speaking　and　Paul　answering；　〃This；〃　he　said；　〃was　in　his　time　the
greatest　enemy　that　the　Church　of　God　our　Lord　had；　and　the　greatest
champion　it　will　ever　have；　a　knight…errant　in　life；　a　steadfast　saint
in　death；　an　untiring　labourer　in　the　Lord's　vineyard；　a　teacher　of
the　Gentiles；　whose　school　was　heaven；　and　whose　instructor　and　master
was　Jesus　Christ　himself。〃
　　There　were　no　more　images；　so　Don　Quixote　bade　them　cover　them　up
again；　and　said　to　those　who　had　brought　them；　〃I　take　it　as　a　happy
omen；　brothers；　to　have　seen　what　I　have；　for　these　saints　and　knights
were　of　the　same　profession　as　myself；　which　is　the　calling　of　arms；
only　there　is　this　difference　between　them　and　me；　that　they　were
saints；　and　fought　with　divine　weapons；　and　I　am　a　sinner　and　fight
with　human　ones。　They　won　heaven　by　force　of　arms；　for　heaven
suffereth　violence；　and　I；　so　far；　know　not　what　I　have　won　by　dint　of
my　sufferings；　but　if　my　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　were　to　be　released
from　hers；　perhaps　with　mended　fortunes　and　a　mind　restored　to
itself　I　might　direct　my　steps　in　a　better　path　than　I　am　following　at
present。〃
　　〃May　God　hear　and　sin　be　deaf；〃　said　Sancho　to　this。
　　The　men　were　filled　with　wonder；　as　well　at　the　figure　as　at　the
words　of　Don　Quixote；　though　they　did　not　understand　one　half　of
what　he　meant　by　them。　They　finished　their　dinner；　took　their　images
on　their　backs；　and　bidding　farewell　to　Don　Quixote　resumed　their
journey。
　　Sancho　was　amazed　afresh　at　the　extent　of　his　master's　knowledge；　as
much　as　if　he　had　never　known　him；　for　it　seemed　to　him　that　there　was
no　story　or　event　in　the　world　that　he　had　not　at　his　fingers'　ends
and　fixed　in　his　memory；　and　he　said　to　him；　〃In　truth；　master　mine；
if　this　that　has　happened　to　us　to…day　is　to　be　called　an　adventure；
it　has　been　one　of　the　sweetest　and　pleasantest　that　have　befallen
us　in　the　whole　course　of　our　travels；　we　have　come　out　of　it
unbelaboured　and　undismayed；　neither　have　we　drawn　sword　nor　have　we
smitten　the　earth　with　our　bodies；　nor　have　we　been　left　famishing；
blessed　be　God　that　he　has　let　me　see　such　a　thing　with　my　own　eyes！〃
　　〃Thou　sayest　well；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　remember　all
times　are　not　alike　nor　do　they　always　run　the　same　way；　and　these
things　the　vulgar　commonly　call　omens；　which　are　not　based　upon　any
natural　reason；　will　by　him　who　is　wise　be　esteemed　and　reckoned　happy
accidents　merely。　One　of　these　believers　in　omens　will　get　up　of　a
morning；　leave　his　house；　and　meet　a　friar　of　the　order　of　the　blessed
Saint　Francis；　and；　as　if　he　had　met　a　griffin；　he　will　turn　about　and
go　home。　With　another　Mendoza　the　salt　is　spilt　on　his　table；　and
gloom　is　spilt　over　his　heart；　as　if　nature　was　obliged　to　give
warning　of　coming　misfortunes　by　means　of　such　trivial　things　as
these。　The　wise　man　and　the　Christian　should　not　trifle　with　what　it
may　please　heaven　to　do。　Scipio　on　coming　to　Africa　stumbled　as　he
leaped　on　shore；　his　soldiers　took　it　as　a　bad　omen；　but　he；
clasping　the　soil　with　his　arms；　exclaimed；　'Thou　canst　not　escape　me；
Africa；　for　I　hold　thee　tight　between　my　arms。'　Thus；　Sancho；
meeting　those　images　has　been　to　me　a　most　happy　occurrence。〃
　　〃I　can　well　believe　it；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I　wish　your　worship　would
tell　me　what　is　the　reason　that　the　Spaniards；　when　they　are　about
to　give　battle；　in　calling　on　that　Saint　James　the　Moorslayer；　say
'Santiago　and　close　Spain！'　Is　Spain；　then；　open；　so　that　it　is
needful　to　close　it；　or　what　is　the　meaning　of　this　form？〃
　　〃Thou　art　very　simple；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃God；　look　you；
gave　that　great　knight　of　the　Red　Cross　to　Spain　as　her　patron　saint
and　protector；　especially　in　those　hard　struggles　the　Spaniards　had
with　the　Moors；　and　therefore　they　invoke　and　call　upon　him　as　their
defender　in　all　their　battles；　and　in　these　he　has　been　many　a　time
seen　beating　down；　trampling　under　foot；　destroying　and　slaughtering
the　Ha