don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第239章

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seen　beating　down；　trampling　under　foot；　destroying　and　slaughtering
the　Hagarene　squadrons　in　the　sight　of　all；　of　which　fact　I　could　give
thee　many　examples　recorded　in　truthful　Spanish　histories。〃
　　Sancho　changed　the　subject；　and　said　to　his　master；　〃I　marvel；
senor；　at　the　boldness　of　Altisidora；　the　duchess's　handmaid；　he
whom　they　call　Love　must　have　cruelly　pierced　and　wounded　her；　they
say　he　is　a　little　blind　urchin　who；　though　blear…eyed；　or　more
properly　speaking　sightless；　if　he　aims　at　a　heart；　be　it　ever　so
small；　hits　it　and　pierces　it　through　and　through　with　his　arrows。　I
have　heard　it　said　too　that　the　arrows　of　Love　are　blunted　and
robbed　of　their　points　by　maidenly　modesty　and　reserve；　but　with
this　Altisidora　it　seems　they　are　sharpened　rather　than　blunted。〃
　　〃Bear　in　mind；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　love　is　influenced
by　no　consideration；　recognises　no　restraints　of　reason；　and　is　of　the
same　nature　as　death；　that　assails　alike　the　lofty　palaces　of　kings
and　the　humble　cabins　of　shepherds；　and　when　it　takes　entire
possession　of　a　heart；　the　first　thing　it　does　is　to　banish　fear　and
shame　from　it；　and　so　without　shame　Altisidora　declared　her　passion；
which　excited　in　my　mind　embarrassment　rather　than　commiseration。〃
　　〃Notable　cruelty！〃　exclaimed　Sancho；　〃unheard…of　ingratitude！　I
can　only　say　for　myself　that　the　very　smallest　loving　word　of　hers
would　have　subdued　me　and　made　a　slave　of　me。　The　devil！　What　a
heart　of　marble；　what　bowels　of　brass；　what　a　soul　of　mortar！　But　I
can't　imagine　what　it　is　that　this　damsel　saw　in　your　worship　that
could　have　conquered　and　captivated　her　so。　What　gallant　figure　was
it；　what　bold　bearing；　what　sprightly　grace；　what　comeliness　of
feature；　which　of　these　things　by　itself；　or　what　all　together；
could　have　made　her　fall　in　love　with　you？　For　indeed　and　in　truth
many　a　time　I　stop　to　look　at　your　worship　from　the　sole　of　your
foot　to　the　topmost　hair　of　your　head；　and　I　see　more　to　frighten
one　than　to　make　one　fall　in　love；　moreover　I　have　heard　say　that
beauty　is　the　first　and　main　thing　that　excites　love；　and　as　your
worship　has　none　at　all；　I　don't　know　what　the　poor　creature　fell　in
love　with。〃
　　〃Recollect；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃there　are　two　sorts　of
beauty；　one　of　the　mind；　the　other　of　the　body；　that　of　the　mind
displays　and　exhibits　itself　in　intelligence；　in　modesty；　in
honourable　conduct；　in　generosity；　in　good　breeding；　and　all　these
qualities　are　possible　and　may　exist　in　an　ugly　man；　and　when　it　is
this　sort　of　beauty　and　not　that　of　the　body　that　is　the　attraction；
love　is　apt　to　spring　up　suddenly　and　violently。　I；　Sancho；　perceive
clearly　enough　that　I　am　not　beautiful；　but　at　the　same　time　I　know
I　am　not　hideous；　and　it　is　enough　for　an　honest　man　not　to　be　a
monster　to　he　an　object　of　love；　if　only　he　possesses　the　endowments
of　mind　I　have　mentioned。〃
　　While　engaged　in　this　discourse　they　were　making　their　way　through　a
wood　that　lay　beyond　the　road；　when　suddenly；　without　expecting
anything　of　the　kind；　Don　Quixote　found　himself　caught　in　some　nets　of
green　cord　stretched　from　one　tree　to　another；　and　unable　to
conceive　what　it　could　be；　he　said　to　Sancho；　〃Sancho；　it　strikes　me
this　affair　of　these　nets　will　prove　one　of　the　strangest　adventures
imaginable。　May　I　die　if　the　enchanters　that　persecute　me　are　not
trying　to　entangle　me　in　them　and　delay　my　journey；　by　way　of
revenge　for　my　obduracy　towards　Altisidora。　Well　then　let　me　tell　them
that　if　these　nets；　instead　of　being　green　cord；　were　made　of　the
hardest　diamonds；　or　stronger　than　that　wherewith　the　jealous　god　of
blacksmiths　enmeshed　Venus　and　Mars；　I　would　break　them　as　easily　as
if　they　were　made　of　rushes　or　cotton　threads。〃　But　just　as　he　was
about　to　press　forward　and　break　through　all；　suddenly　from　among　some
trees　two　shepherdesses　of　surpassing　beauty　presented　themselves　to
his　sight…　or　at　least　damsels　dressed　like　shepherdesses；　save　that
their　jerkins　and　sayas　were　of　fine　brocade；　that　is　to　say；　the
sayas　were　rich　farthingales　of　gold　embroidered　tabby。　Their　hair；
that　in　its　golden　brightness　vied　with　the　beams　of　the　sun　itself；
fell　loose　upon　their　shoulders　and　was　crowned　with　garlands　twined
with　green　laurel　and　red　everlasting；　and　their　years　to　all
appearance　were　not　under　fifteen　nor　above　eighteen。　Such　was　the
spectacle　that　filled　Sancho　with　amazement；　fascinated　Don　Quixote；
made　the　sun　halt　in　his　course　to　behold　them；　and　held　all　four　in　a
strange　silence。　One　of　the　shepherdesses；　at　length；　was　the　first　to
speak　and　said　to　Don　Quixote；　〃Hold；　sir　knight；　and　do　not　break
these　nets；　for　they　are　not　spread　here　to　do　you　any　harm；　but
only　for　our　amusement；　and　as　I　know　you　will　ask　why　they　have
been　put　up；　and　who　we　are；　I　will　tell　you　in　a　few　words。　In　a
village　some　two　leagues　from　this；　where　there　are　many　people　of
quality　and　rich　gentlefolk；　it　was　agreed　upon　by　a　number　of　friends
and　relations　to　come　with　their　wives；　sons　and　daughters；
neighbours；　friends　and　kinsmen；　and　make　holiday　in　this　spot；
which　is　one　of　the　pleasantest　in　the　whole　neighbourhood；　setting　up
a　new　pastoral　Arcadia　among　ourselves；　we　maidens　dressing
ourselves　as　shepherdesses　and　the　youths　as　shepherds。　We　have
prepared　two　eclogues；　one　by　the　famous　poet　Garcilasso；　the　other　by
the　most　excellent　Camoens；　in　its　own　Portuguese　tongue；　but　we
have　not　as　yet　acted　them。　Yesterday　was　the　first　day　of　our
coming　here；　we　have　a　few　of　what　they　say　are　called　field…tents
pitched　among　the　trees　on　the　bank　of　an　ample　brook　that
fertilises　all　these　meadows；　last　night　we　spread　these　nets　in　the
trees　here　to　snare　the　silly　little　birds　that　startled　by　the
noise　we　make　may　fly　into　them。　If　you　please　to　he　our　guest；　senor；
you　will　be　welcomed　heartily　and　courteously；　for　here　just　now
neither　care　nor　sorrow　shall　enter。〃
　　She　held　her　peace　and　said　no　more；　and　Don　Quixote　made　answer；
〃Of　a　truth；　fairest　lady；　Actaeon　when　he　unexpectedly　beheld　Diana
bathing　in　the　stream　could　not　have　been　more　fascinated　and
wonderstruck　than　I　at　the　sight　of　your　beauty。　I　commend　your　mode
of　entertainment；　and　thank　you　for　the　kindness　of　your　invitation；
and　if　I　can　serve　you；　you　may　command　me　with　full　confidence　of
being　obeyed；　for　my　profession　is　none　other　than　to　show　myself
grateful；　and　ready　to　serve　persons　of　all　conditions；　but　especially
persons　of　quality　such　as　your　appearance　indicates；　and　if；
instead　of　taking　up；　as　they　probably　do；　but　a　small　space；　these
nets　took　up　the　whole　surface　of　the　globe；　I　would　seek　out　new
worlds　through　which　to　pass；　so　as　not　to　break　them；　and　that　ye　may
give　some　degree　of　credence　to　this　exaggerated　language　of　mine；
know　that　it　is　no　less　than　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　that　makes
this　declaration　to　you；　if　indeed　it　be　that　such　a　name　has
reached　your　ears。〃
　　〃Ah！　friend　of　my　soul；〃　instantly　exclaimed　the　other
shepherdess；　〃what　great　good　fortune　has　befallen　us！　Seest　thou　this
gentleman　we　have　before　us？　Well　then　let　me　tell　thee　he　is　the　most
valiant　and　the　most　devoted　and　the　most　courteous　gentleman　in　all
the　world；　unless　a　history　of　his　achievements　that　has　been
printed　and　I　have　read　is　telling　lies　and　deceiving　us。　I　will　lay　a
wager　that　this　good　fellow　who　is　with　him　is　one　Sancho　Panza　his
squire；　whose　drolleries　none　can　equal。〃
　　〃That's　true；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　am　that　same　droll　and　squire　you
speak　of；　and　this　gentleman　is　my　master　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；
the　same　that's　in　the　history　and　that　they　talk　about。〃
　　〃Oh；　my　friend；〃　said　the　other；　〃let　us　entreat　him　to　stay；　for　it
will　give　our　fathers　and　brothers　infinite　pleasure；　I　too　have　heard
just　what　thou　hast　told　me　of　the　valour　of　the　one　and　the
drolleries　of　the　other；　and　what　is　more；　of　him　they　say　that　he
is　the　most　constant　and　loyal　lover　that　was　ever　heard　of；　and
that　his　lady　is　one　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　to　whom　all　over　Spain　the
palm　of　beauty　is　awarded。〃
　　〃And　justly　awarded；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃unless；　indeed；　yo