don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第248章

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assembled。　In　the　meantime　Sancho　had　recounted　to　them　several　of　the
adventures　and　accidents　that　had　happened　his　master。
　　That　afternoon　they　took　Don　Quixote　out　for　a　stroll；　not　in　his
armour　but　in　street　costume；　with　a　surcoat　of　tawny　cloth　upon
him；　that　at　that　season　would　have　made　ice　itself　sweat。　Orders　were
left　with　the　servants　to　entertain　Sancho　so　as　not　to　let　him
leave　the　house。　Don　Quixote　was　mounted；　not　on　Rocinante；　but　upon　a
tall　mule　of　easy　pace　and　handsomely　caparisoned。　They　put　the
surcoat　on　him；　and　on　the　back；　without　his　perceiving　it；　they
stitched　a　parchment　on　which　they　wrote　in　large　letters；　〃This　is
Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha。〃　As　they　set　out　upon　their　excursion　the
placard　attracted　the　eyes　of　all　who　chanced　to　see　him；　and　as
they　read　out；　〃This　is　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　Don　Quixote　was
amazed　to　see　how　many　people　gazed　at　him；　called　him　by　his　name；
and　recognised　him；　and　turning　to　Don　Antonio；　who　rode　at　his
side；　he　observed　to　him；　〃Great　are　the　privileges　knight…errantry
involves；　for　it　makes　him　who　professes　it　known　and　famous　in
every　region　of　the　earth；　see；　Don　Antonio；　even　the　very　boys　of
this　city　know　me　without　ever　having　seen　me。〃
　　〃True；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃　returned　Don　Antonio；　〃for　as　fire　cannot
be　hidden　or　kept　secret；　virtue　cannot　escape　being　recognised；　and
that　which　is　attained　by　the　profession　of　arms　shines
distinguished　above　all　others。〃
　　It　came　to　pass；　however；　that　as　Don　Quixote　was　proceeding　amid
the　acclamations　that　have　been　described；　a　Castilian；　reading　the
inscription　on　his　back；　cried　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃The　devil　take
thee　for　a　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha！　What！　art　thou　here；　and　not　dead
of　the　countless　drubbings　that　have　fallen　on　thy　ribs？　Thou　art　mad；
and　if　thou　wert　so　by　thyself；　and　kept　thyself　within　thy　madness；
it　would　not　be　so　bad；　but　thou　hast　the　gift　of　making　fools　and
blockheads　of　all　who　have　anything　to　do　with　thee　or　say　to　thee。
Why；　look　at　these　gentlemen　bearing　thee　company！　Get　thee　home；
blockhead；　and　see　after　thy　affairs；　and　thy　wife　and　children；　and
give　over　these　fooleries　that　are　sapping　thy　brains　and　skimming
away　thy　wits。〃
　　〃Go　your　own　way；　brother；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃and　don't　offer
advice　to　those　who　don't　ask　you　for　it。　Senor　Don　Quixote　is　in
his　full　senses；　and　we　who　bear　him　company　are　not　fools；　virtue
is　to　be　honoured　wherever　it　may　be　found；　go；　and　bad　luck　to　you；
and　don't　meddle　where　you　are　not　wanted。〃
　　〃By　God；　your　worship　is　right；〃　replied　the　Castilian；　〃for　to
advise　this　good　man　is　to　kick　against　the　pricks；　still　for　all　that
it　fills　me　with　pity　that　the　sound　wit　they　say　the　blockhead　has　in
everything　should　dribble　away　by　the　channel　of　his
knight…errantry；　but　may　the　bad　luck　your　worship　talks　of　follow
me　and　all　my　descendants；　if；　from　this　day　forth；　though　I　should
live　longer　than　Methuselah；　I　ever　give　advice　to　anybody　even　if
he　asks　me　for　it。〃
　　The　advice…giver　took　himself　off；　and　they　continued　their
stroll；　but　so　great　was　the　press　of　the　boys　and　people　to　read
the　placard；　that　Don　Antonio　was　forced　to　remove　it　as　if　he　were
taking　off　something　else。
　　Night　came　and　they　went　home；　and　there　was　a　ladies'　dancing
party；　for　Don　Antonio's　wife；　a　lady　of　rank　and　gaiety；　beauty　and
wit；　had　invited　some　friends　of　hers　to　come　and　do　honour　to　her
guest　and　amuse　themselves　with　his　strange　delusions。　Several　of　them
came；　they　supped　sumptuously；　the　dance　began　at　about　ten　o'clock。
Among　the　ladies　were　two　of　a　mischievous　and　frolicsome　turn；　and；
though　perfectly　modest；　somewhat　free　in　playing　tricks　for
harmless　diversion　sake。　These　two　were　so　indefatigable　in　taking　Don
Quixote　out　to　dance　that　they　tired　him　down；　not　only　in　body　but　in
spirit。　It　was　a　sight　to　see　the　figure　Don　Quixote　made；　long；　lank；
lean；　and　yellow；　his　garments　clinging　tight　to　him；　ungainly；　and
above　all　anything　but　agile。　The　gay　ladies　made　secret　love　to
him；　and　he　on　his　part　secretly　repelled　them；　but　finding　himself
hard　pressed　by　their　blandishments　he　lifted　up　his　voice　and
exclaimed；　〃Fugite；　partes　adversae！　Leave　me　in　peace；　unwelcome
overtures；　avaunt；　with　your　desires；　ladies；　for　she　who　is　queen
of　mine；　the　peerless　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　suffers　none　but　hers　to
lead　me　captive　and　subdue　me；〃　and　so　saying　he　sat　down　on　the　floor
in　the　middle　of　the　room；　tired　out　and　broken　down　by　all　this
exertion　in　the　dance。
　　Don　Antonio　directed　him　to　be　taken　up　bodily　and　carried　to　bed；
and　the　first　that　laid　hold　of　him　was　Sancho；　saying　as　he　did　so；
〃In　an　evil　hour　you　took　to　dancing；　master　mine；　do　you　fancy　all
mighty　men　of　valour　are　dancers；　and　all　knights…errant　given　to
capering？　If　you　do；　I　can　tell　you　you　are　mistaken；　there's　many　a
man　would　rather　undertake　to　kill　a　giant　than　cut　a　caper。　If　it　had
been　the　shoe…fling　you　were　at　I　could　take　your　place；　for　I　can
do　the　shoe…fling　like　a　gerfalcon；　but　I'm　no　good　at　dancing。〃
　　With　these　and　other　observations　Sancho　set　the　whole　ball…room
laughing；　and　then　put　his　master　to　bed；　covering　him　up　well　so　that
he　might　sweat　out　any　chill　caught　after　his　dancing。
　　The　next　day　Don　Antonio　thought　he　might　as　well　make　trial　of
the　enchanted　head；　and　with　Don　Quixote；　Sancho；　and　two　others；
friends　of　his；　besides　the　two　ladies　that　had　tired　out　Don
Quixote　at　the　ball；　who　had　remained　for　the　night　with　Don　Antonio's
wife；　he　locked　himself　up　in　the　chamber　where　the　head　was。　He
explained　to　them　the　property　it　possessed　and　entrusted　the　secret
to　them；　telling　them　that　now　for　the　first　time　he　was　going　to
try　the　virtue　of　the　enchanted　head；　but　except　Don　Antonio's　two
friends　no　one　else　was　privy　to　the　mystery　of　the　enchantment；　and
if　Don　Antonio　had　not　first　revealed　it　to　them　they　would　have
been　inevitably　reduced　to　the　same　state　of　amazement　as　the　rest；　so
artfully　and　skilfully　was　it　contrived。
　　The　first　to　approach　the　ear　of　the　head　was　Don　Antonio　himself；
and　in　a　low　voice　but　not　so　low　as　not　to　be　audible　to　all；　he　said
to　it；　〃Head；　tell　me　by　the　virtue　that　lies　in　thee　what　am　I　at
this　moment　thinking　of？〃
　　The　head；　without　any　movement　of　the　lips；　answered　in　a　clear
and　distinct　voice；　so　as　to　be　heard　by　all；　〃I　cannot　judge　of
thoughts。〃
　　All　were　thunderstruck　at　this；　and　all　the　more　so　as　they　saw　that
there　was　nobody　anywhere　near　the　table　or　in　the　whole　room　that
could　have　answered。　〃How　many　of　us　are　here？〃　asked　Don　Antonio　once
more；　and　it　was　answered　him　in　the　same　way　softly；　〃Thou　and　thy
wife；　with　two　friends　of　thine　and　two　of　hers；　and　a　famous　knight
called　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　and　a　squire　of　his；　Sancho　Panza
by　name。〃
　　Now　there　was　fresh　astonishment；　now　everyone's　hair　was　standing
on　end　with　awe；　and　Don　Antonio　retiring　from　the　head　exclaimed；
〃This　suffices　to　show　me　that　I　have　not　been　deceived　by　him　who
sold　thee　to　me；　O　sage　head；　talking　head；　answering　head；
wonderful　head！　Let　some　one　else　go　and　put　what　question　he　likes　to
it。〃
　　And　as　women　are　commonly　impulsive　and　inquisitive；　the　first　to
come　forward　was　one　of　the　two　friends　of　Don　Antonio's　wife；　and　her
question　was；　〃Tell　me；　Head；　what　shall　I　do　to　be　very　beautiful？〃
and　the　answer　she　got　was；　〃Be　very　modest。〃
　　〃I　question　thee　no　further；〃　said　the　fair　querist。
　　Her　companion　then　came　up　and　said；　〃I　should　like　to　know；　Head；
whether　my　husband　loves　me　or　not；〃　the　answer　given　to　her　was；
〃Think　how　he　uses　thee；　and　thou　mayest　guess；〃　and　the　married
lady　went　off　saying；　〃That　answer　did　not　need　a　question；　for　of
course　the　treatment　one　receives　shows　the　disposition　of　him　from
whom　it　is　received。〃
　　Then　one　of　Don　Antonio's　two　friends　advanced　and　asked　it；　〃Who　am
I？〃　〃Thou　knowest；〃　was　the　answer。　〃That　is　not　what　I　ask　thee；〃
said　the　gentleman；　〃but　to　tell　me　if　thou　knowest　me。〃　〃Yes；　I
know　thee；　thou　art　Don　Pedro　Noriz；〃　was　the　reply。
　　〃I　do　not　seek　to　know