don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第240章

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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；　your
unequalled　beauty　makes　it　a　matter　of　doubt。　But　spare　yourselves　the
trouble；　ladies；　of　pressing　me　to　stay；　for　the　urgent　calls　of　my
profession　do　not　allow　me　to　take　rest　under　any　circumstances。〃
　　At　this　instant　there　came　up　to　the　spot　where　the　four　stood　a
brother　of　one　of　the　two　shepherdesses；　like　them　in　shepherd
costume；　and　as　richly　and　gaily　dressed　as　they　were。　They　told　him
that　their　companion　was　the　valiant　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　and　the
other　Sancho　his　squire；　of　whom　he　knew　already　from　having　read
their　history。　The　gay　shepherd　offered　him　his　services　and　begged
that　he　would　accompany　him　to　their　tents；　and　Don　Quixote　had　to
give　way　and　comply。　And　now　the　gave　was　started；　and　the　nets　were
filled　with　a　variety　of　birds　that　deceived　by　the　colour　fell　into
the　danger　they　were　flying　from。　Upwards　of　thirty　persons；　all　gaily
attired　as　shepherds　and　shepherdesses；　assembled　on　the　spot；　and
were　at　once　informed　who　Don　Quixote　and　his　squire　were；　whereat
they　were　not　a　little　delighted；　as　they　knew　of　him　already
through　his　history。　They　repaired　to　the　tents；　where　they　found
tables　laid　out；　and　choicely；　plentifully；　and　neatly　furnished。　They
treated　Don　Quixote　as　a　person　of　distinction；　giving　him　the　place
of　honour；　and　all　observed　him；　and　were　full　of　astonishment　at
the　spectacle。　At　last　the　cloth　being　removed；　Don　Quixote　with　great
composure　lifted　up　his　voice　and　said：
　　〃One　of　the　greatest　sins　that　men　are　guilty　of　is…　some　will　say
pride…　but　I　say　ingratitude；　going　by　the　common　saying　that　hell
is　full　of　ingrates。　This　sin；　so　far　as　it　has　lain　in　my　power；　I
have　endeavoured　to　avoid　ever　since　I　have　enjoyed　the　faculty　of
reason；　and　if　I　am　unable　to　requite　good　deeds　that　have　been　done
me　by　other　deeds；　I　substitute　the　desire　to　do　so；　and　if　that　be
not　enough　I　make　them　known　publicly；　for　he　who　declares　and　makes
known　the　good　deeds　done　to　him　would　repay　them　by　others　if　it　were
in　his　power；　and　for　the　most　part　those　who　receive　are　the
inferiors　of　those　who　give。　Thus；　God　is　superior　to　all　because　he
is　the　supreme　giver；　and　the　offerings　of　man　fall　short　by　an
infinite　distance　of　being　a　full　return　for　the　gifts　of　God；　but
gratitude　in　some　degree　makes　up　for　this　deficiency　and　shortcoming。
I　therefore；　grateful　for　the　favour　that　has　been　extended　to　me
here；　and　unable　to　make　a　return　in　the　same　measure；　restricted　as　I
am　by　the　narrow　limits　of　my　power；　offer　what　I　can　and　what　I
have　to　offer　in　my　own　way；　and　so　I　declare　that　for　two　full　days　I
will　maintain　in　the　middle　of　this　highway　leading　to　Saragossa；　that
these　ladies　disguised　as　shepherdesses；　who　are　here　present；　are　the
fairest　and　most　courteous　maidens　in　the　world；　excepting　only　the
peerless　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　sole　mistress　of　my　thoughts；　be　it　said
without　offence　to　those　who　hear　me；　ladies　and　gentlemen。〃
　　On　hearing　this　Sancho；　who　had　been　listening　with　great　attention；
cried　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Is　it　possible　there　is　anyone　in　the
world　who　will　dare　to　say　and　swear　that　this　master　of　mine　is　a
madman？　Say；　gentlemen　shepherds；　is　there　a　village　priest；　be　he
ever　so　wise　or　learned；　who　could　say　what　my　master　has　said；　or
is　there　knight…errant；　whatever　renown　he　may　have　as　a　man　of
valour；　that　could　offer　what　my　master　has　offered　now？〃
　　Don　Quixote　turned　upon　Sancho；　and　with　a　countenance　glowing
with　anger　said　to　him；　〃Is　it　possible；　Sancho；　there　is　anyone　in
the　whole　world　who　will　say　thou　art　not　a　fool；　with　a　lining　to
match；　and　I　know　not　what　trimmings　of　impertinence　and　roguery？
Who　asked　thee　to　meddle　in　my　affairs；　or　to　inquire　whether　I　am　a
wise　man　or　a　blockhead？　Hold　thy　peace；　answer　me　not　a　word；
saddle　Rocinante　if　he　be　unsaddled；　and　let　us　go　to　put　my　offer
into　execution；　for　with　the　right　that　I　have　on　my　side　thou
mayest　reckon　as　vanquished　all　who　shall　venture　to　question　it；〃　and
in　a　great　rage；　and　showing　his　anger　plainly；　he　rose　from　his　seat；
leaving　the　company　lost　in　wonder；　and　making　them　feel　doubtful
whether　they　ought　to　regard　him　as　a　madman　or　a　rational　being。　In
the　end；　though　they　sought　to　dissuade　him　from　involving　himself
in　such　a　challenge；　assuring　him　they　admitted　his　gratitude　as　fully
established；　and　needed　no　fresh　proofs　to　be　convinced　of　his　valiant
spirit；　as　those　related　in　the　history　of　his　exploits　were
sufficient；　still　Don　Quixote　persisted　in　his　resolve；　and　mounted　on
Rocinante；　bracing　his　buckler　on　his　arm　and　grasping　his　lance；　he
posted　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　high　road　that　was　not　far　from
the　green　meadow。　Sancho　followed　on　Dapple；　together　with　all　the
members　of　the　pastoral　gathering；　eager　to　see　what　would　be　the
upshot　of　his　vainglorious　and　extraordinary　proposal。
　　Don　Quixote；　then；　having；　as　has　been　said；　planted　himself　in
the　middle　of　the　road；　made　the　welkin　ring　with　words　to　this
effect：　〃Ho　ye　travellers　and　wayfarers；　knights；　squires；　folk　on
foot　or　on　horseback；　who　pass　this　way　or　shall　pass　in　the　course　of
the　next　two　days！　Know　that　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；
knight…errant；　is　posted　here　to　maintain　by　arms　that　the　beauty
and　courtesy　enshrined　in　the　nymphs　that　dwell　in　these　meadows　and
groves　surpass　all　upon　earth；　putting　aside　the　lady　of　my　heart；
Dulcinea　del　Toboso。　Wherefore；　let　him　who　is　of　the　opposite　opinion
come　on；　for　here　I　await　him。〃
　　Twice　he　repeated　the　same　words；　and　twice　they　fell　unheard　by　any
adventurer；　but　fate；　that　was　guiding　affairs　for　him　from　better
to　better；　so　ordered　it　that　shortly　afterwards　there　appeared　on　the
road　a　crowd　of　men　on　horseback；　many　of　them　with　lances　in　their
hands；　all　riding　in　a　compact　body　and　in　great　haste。　No　sooner
had　those　who　were　with　Don　Quixote　seen　them　than　they　turned　about
and　withdrew　to　some　distance　from　the　road；　for　they　knew　that　if
they　stayed　some　harm　might　come　to　them；　but　Don　Quixote　with
intrepid　heart　stood　his　ground；　and　Sancho　Panza　shielded　himself
with　Rocinante's　hind…quarters。　The　troop　of　lancers　came　up；　and
one　of　them　who　was　in　advance　began　shouting　to　Don　Quixote；　〃Get　out
of　the　way；　you　son　of　the　devil；　or　these　bulls　will　knock　you　to
pieces！〃
　　〃Rabble！〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃I　care　nothing　for　bulls；　be　they
the　fiercest　Jarama　breeds　on　its　banks。　Confess　at　once；
scoundrels；　that　what　I　have　declared　is　true；　else　ye　have　to　deal
with　me　in　combat。〃
　　The　herdsman　had　no　time　to　reply；　nor　Don　Quixote　to　get　out　of　the
way　even　if　he　wished；　and　so　the　drove　of　fierce　bulls　and　tame
bullocks；　together　with　the　crowd　of　herdsmen　and　others　who　were
taking　them　to　be　penned　up　in　a　village　where　they　were　to　be　run　the
next　day；　passed　over　Don　Quixote　and　over　Sancho；　Rocinante　and
Dapple；　hurling　them　all　to　the　earth　and　rolling　them　over　on　the
ground。　Sancho　was　left　crushed；　Don　Quixote　scared；　Dapple　belaboured
and　Rocinante　in　no　very　sound　condition。　They　all　got　up；　however；　at
length；　and　Don　Quixote　in　great　haste；　stumbling　here　and　falling
there；　started　off　running　after　the　drove；　shouting　out；　〃Hold！　stay！
ye　rascally　rabble；　a　single　knight　awaits　you；　and　he　is　not　of　the
temper　or　opinion　of　those　who　say；　'For　a　flying　enemy　make　a
bridge　of　silver。'〃　The　retreating　party　in　their　haste；　however；
did　not　stop　for　that；　or　heed　his　menaces　any　more　than　last　year's
clouds。　Weariness　brought　Don　Quixote　to　a　halt；　and　more　enraged　than
avenged　he　sat　down　on　the　road　to　wait　until　Sancho；　Rocinante　and
Dapple　came　up。　When　they　reached　him　master　and　man　mounted　once
more；　and　without　going　back　to　bid　farewell　to　the　mock　or
imitation　Arcadia；　and　more　in　humiliation　than　contentment；　they
continued　their　journey。


　　CHAPTER　LIX
　　WHEREIN　IS　RELATED　THE　STRANGE　THING；　WHICH　MAY　BE　REGARDED　AS　AN
ADVENTURE；　THAT　HAPPENED　DON　QUIXOTE

　　A　CLEAR　limpid