don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第241章

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ADVENTURE；　THAT　HAPPENED　DON　QUIXOTE

　　A　CLEAR　limpid　spring　which　they　discovered　in　a　cool　grove　relieved
Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　of　the　dust　and　fatigue　due　to　the　unpolite
behaviour　of　the　bulls；　and　by　the　side　of　this；　having　turned
Dapple　and　Rocinante　loose　without　headstall　or　bridle；　the　forlorn
pair；　master　and　man；　seated　themselves。　Sancho　had　recourse　to　the
larder　of　his　alforjas　and　took　out　of　them　what　he　called　the　prog；
Don　Quixote　rinsed　his　mouth　and　bathed　his　face；　by　which　cooling
process　his　flagging　energies　were　revived。　Out　of　pure　vexation　he
remained　without　eating；　and　out　of　pure　politeness　Sancho　did　not
venture　to　touch　a　morsel　of　what　was　before　him；　but　waited　for　his
master　to　act　as　taster。　Seeing；　however；　that；　absorbed　in　thought；
he　was　forgetting　to　carry　the　bread　to　his　mouth；　he　said　never　a
word；　and　trampling　every　sort　of　good　breeding　under　foot；　began　to
stow　away　in　his　paunch　the　bread　and　cheese　that　came　to　his　hand。
　　〃Eat；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃support　life；　which　is
of　more　consequence　to　thee　than　to　me；　and　leave　me　to　die　under
the　pain　of　my　thoughts　and　pressure　of　my　misfortunes。　I　was　born；
Sancho；　to　live　dying；　and　thou　to　die　eating；　and　to　prove　the
truth　of　what　I　say；　look　at　me；　printed　in　histories；　famed　in
arms；　courteous　in　behaviour；　honoured　by　princes；　courted　by　maidens；
and　after　all；　when　I　looked　forward　to　palms；　triumphs；　and　crowns；
won　and　earned　by　my　valiant　deeds；　I　have　this　morning　seen　myself
trampled　on；　kicked；　and　crushed　by　the　feet　of　unclean　and　filthy
animals。　This　thought　blunts　my　teeth；　paralyses　my　jaws；　cramps　my
hands；　and　robs　me　of　all　appetite　for　food；　so　much　so　that　I　have
a　mind　to　let　myself　die　of　hunger；　the　cruelest　death　of　all　deaths。〃
　　〃So　then；〃　said　Sancho；　munching　hard　all　the　time；　〃your　worship
does　not　agree　with　the　proverb　that　says；　'Let　Martha　die；　but　let
her　die　with　a　full　belly。'　I；　at　any　rate；　have　no　mind　to　kill
myself；　so　far　from　that；　I　mean　to　do　as　the　cobbler　does；　who
stretches　the　leather　with　his　teeth　until　he　makes　it　reach　as　far　as
he　wants。　I'll　stretch　out　my　life　by　eating　until　it　reaches　the
end　heaven　has　fixed　for　it；　and　let　me　tell　you；　senor；　there's　no
greater　folly　than　to　think　of　dying　of　despair　as　your　worship
does；　take　my　advice；　and　after　eating　lie　down　and　sleep　a　bit　on
this　green　grass…mattress；　and　you　will　see　that　when　you　awake　you'll
feel　something　better。〃
　　Don　Quixote　did　as　he　recommended；　for　it　struck　him　that　Sancho's
reasoning　was　more　like　a　philosopher's　than　a　blockhead's；　and　said
he；　〃Sancho；　if　thou　wilt　do　for　me　what　I　am　going　to　tell　thee　my
ease　of　mind　would　be　more　assured　and　my　heaviness　of　heart　not　so
great；　and　it　is　this；　to　go　aside　a　little　while　I　am　sleeping　in
accordance　with　thy　advice；　and；　making　bare　thy　carcase　to　the　air；
to　give　thyself　three　or　four　hundred　lashes　with　Rocinante's　reins；
on　account　of　the　three　thousand　and　odd　thou　art　to　give　thyself
for　the　disenchantment　of　Dulcinea；　for　it　is　a　great　pity　that　the
poor　lady　should　be　left　enchanted　through　thy　carelessness　and
negligence。〃
　　〃There　is　a　good　deal　to　be　said　on　that　point；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let
us　both　go　to　sleep　now；　and　after　that；　God　has　decreed　what　will
happen。　Let　me　tell　your　worship　that　for　a　man　to　whip　himself　in
cold　blood　is　a　hard　thing；　especially　if　the　stripes　fall　upon　an
ill…nourished　and　worse…fed　body。　Let　my　lady　Dulcinea　have
patience；　and　when　she　is　least　expecting　it；　she　will　see　me　made　a
riddle　of　with　whipping；　and　'until　death　it's　all　life；'　I　mean
that　I　have　still　life　in　me；　and　the　desire　to　make　good　what　I
have　promised。〃
　　Don　Quixote　thanked　him；　and　ate　a　little；　and　Sancho　a　good　deal；
and　then　they　both　lay　down　to　sleep；　leaving　those　two　inseparable
friends　and　comrades；　Rocinante　and　Dapple；　to　their　own　devices　and
to　feed　unrestrained　upon　the　abundant　grass　with　which　the　meadow　was
furnished。　They　woke　up　rather　late；　mounted　once　more　and　resumed
their　journey；　pushing　on　to　reach　an　inn　which　was　in　sight；
apparently　a　league　off。　I　say　an　inn；　because　Don　Quixote　called　it
so；　contrary　to　his　usual　practice　of　calling　all　inns　castles。　They
reached　it；　and　asked　the　landlord　if　they　could　put　up　there。　He　said
yes；　with　as　much　comfort　and　as　good　fare　as　they　could　find　in
Saragossa。　They　dismounted；　and　Sancho　stowed　away　his　larder　in　a
room　of　which　the　landlord　gave　him　the　key。　He　took　the　beasts　to　the
stable；　fed　them；　and　came　back　to　see　what　orders　Don　Quixote；　who
was　seated　on　a　bench　at　the　door；　had　for　him；　giving　special
thanks　to　heaven　that　this　inn　had　not　been　taken　for　a　castle　by
his　master。　Supper…time　came；　and　they　repaired　to　their　room；　and
Sancho　asked　the　landlord　what　he　had　to　give　them　for　supper。　To　this
the　landlord　replied　that　his　mouth　should　be　the　measure；　he　had　only
to　ask　what　he　would；　for　that　inn　was　provided　with　the　birds　of
the　air　and　the　fowls　of　the　earth　and　the　fish　of　the　sea。
　　〃There's　no　need　of　all　that；〃　said　Sancho；　〃if　they'll　roast　us　a
couple　of　chickens　we'll　be　satisfied；　for　my　master　is　delicate　and
eats　little；　and　I'm　not　over　and　above　gluttonous。〃
　　The　landlord　replied　he　had　no　chickens；　for　the　kites　had　stolen
them。
　　〃Well　then；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let　senor　landlord　tell　them　to　roast　a
pullet；　so　that　it　is　a　tender　one。〃
　　〃Pullet！　My　father！〃　said　the　landlord；　〃indeed　and　in　truth　it's
only　yesterday　I　sent　over　fifty　to　the　city　to　sell；　but　saving
pullets　ask　what　you　will。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Sancho；　〃you　will　not　be　without　veal　or　kid。〃
　　〃Just　now；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃there's　none　in　the　house；　for
it's　all　finished；　but　next　week　there　will　he　enough　and　to　spare。〃
　　〃Much　good　that　does　us；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I'll　lay　a　bet　that　all
these　short…comings　are　going　to　wind　up　in　plenty　of　bacon　and　eggs。〃
　　〃By　God；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃my　guest's　wits　must　he　precious　dull；
I　tell　him　I　have　neither　pullets　nor　hens；　and　he　wants　me　to　have
eggs！　Talk　of　other　dainties；　if　you　please；　and　don't　ask　for　hens
again。〃
　　〃Body　o'　me！〃　said　Sancho；　〃let's　settle　the　matter；　say　at　once
what　you　have　got；　and　let　us　have　no　more　words　about　it。〃
　　〃In　truth　and　earnest；　senor　guest；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃all　I
have　is　a　couple　of　cow…heels　like　calves'　feet；　or　a　couple　of
calves'　feet　like　cowheels；　they　are　boiled　with　chick…peas；　onions；
and　bacon；　and　at　this　moment　they　are　crying　'Come　eat　me；　come　eat
me。〃
　　〃I　mark　them　for　mine　on　the　spot；〃　said　Sancho；　〃let　nobody　touch
them；　I'll　pay　better　for　them　than　anyone　else；　for　I　could　not
wish　for　anything　more　to　my　taste；　and　I　don't　care　a　pin　whether
they　are　feet　or　heels。〃
　　〃Nobody　shall　touch　them；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃for　the　other
guests　I　have；　being　persons　of　high　quality；　bring　their　own　cook　and
caterer　and　larder　with　them。〃
　　〃If　you　come　to　people　of　quality；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there's　nobody
more　so　than　my　master；　but　the　calling　he　follows　does　not　allow　of
larders　or　store…rooms；　we　lay　ourselves　down　in　the　middle　of　a
meadow；　and　fill　ourselves　with　acorns　or　medlars。〃
　　Here　ended　Sancho's　conversation　with　the　landlord；　Sancho　not
caring　to　carry　it　any　farther　by　answering　him；　for　he　had　already
asked　him　what　calling　or　what　profession　it　was　his　master　was　of。
　　Supper…time　having　come；　then；　Don　Quixote　betook　himself　to　his
room；　the　landlord　brought　in　the　stew…pan　just　as　it　was；　and　he
sat　himself　down　to　sup　very　resolutely。　It　seems　that　in　another
room；　which　was　next　to　Don　Quixote's；　with　nothing　but　a　thin
partition　to　separate　it；　he　overheard　these　words；　〃As　you　live；
Senor　Don　Jeronimo；　while　they　are　bringing　supper；　let　us　read
another　chapter　of　the　Second　Part　of　'Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha。'〃
　　The　instant　Don　Quixote　heard　his　own　name　be　started　to　his　feet
and　listened　with　open　ears　to　catch　what　they　said　about　him；　and
heard　the　Don　Jeronimo　who　had　been　addressed　say　in　reply；　〃Why　would
you　have　us　read　that　absurd　stuff；　Don　Juan；　when　it　is　impossible
for　anyone　who