don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第25章

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no　business　to　put　hand　to　sword　against　men　who　where　not　dubbed
knights　like　myself；　and　so　I　believe　that　in　punishment　for　having
transgressed　the　laws　of　chivalry　the　God　of　battles　has　permitted
this　chastisement　to　be　administered　to　me；　for　which　reason；
brother　Sancho；　it　is　well　thou　shouldst　receive　a　hint　on　the
matter　which　I　am　now　about　to　mention　to　thee；　for　it　is　of　much
importance　to　the　welfare　of　both　of　us。　It　is　at　when　thou　shalt
see　rabble　of　this　sort　offering　us　insult　thou　art　not　to　wait　till　I
draw　sword　against　them；　for　I　shall　not　do　so　at　all；　but　do　thou
draw　sword　and　chastise　them　to　thy　heart's　content；　and　if　any
knights　come　to　their　aid　and　defence　I　will　take　care　to　defend
thee　and　assail　them　with　all　my　might；　and　thou　hast　already　seen
by　a　thousand　signs　and　proofs　what　the　might　of　this　strong　arm　of
mine　is　equal　to〃…　so　uplifted　had　the　poor　gentleman　become　through
the　victory　over　the　stout　Biscayan。
　　But　Sancho　did　not　so　fully　approve　of　his　master's　admonition　as　to
let　it　pass　without　saying　in　reply；　〃Senor；　I　am　a　man　of　peace；　meek
and　quiet；　and　I　can　put　up　with　any　affront　because　I　have　a　wife　and
children　to　support　and　bring　up；　so　let　it　be　likewise　a　hint　to　your
worship；　as　it　cannot　be　a　mandate；　that　on　no　account　will　I　draw
sword　either　against　clown　or　against　knight；　and　that　here　before　God
I　forgive　the　insults　that　have　been　offered　me；　whether　they　have
been；　are；　or　shall　be　offered　me　by　high　or　low；　rich　or　poor；
noble　or　commoner；　not　excepting　any　rank　or　condition　whatsoever。〃
　　To　all　which　his　master　said　in　reply；　〃I　wish　I　had　breath　enough
to　speak　somewhat　easily；　and　that　the　pain　I　feel　on　this　side
would　abate　so　as　to　let　me　explain　to　thee；　Panza；　the　mistake　thou
makest。　Come　now；　sinner；　suppose　the　wind　of　fortune；　hitherto　so
adverse；　should　turn　in　our　favour；　filling　the　sails　of　our　desires
so　that　safely　and　without　impediment　we　put　into　port　in　some　one
of　those　islands　I　have　promised　thee；　how　would　it　be　with　thee　if　on
winning　it　I　made　thee　lord　of　it？　Why；　thou　wilt　make　it　well…nigh
impossible　through　not　being　a　knight　nor　having　any　desire　to　be　one；
nor　possessing　the　courage　nor　the　will　to　avenge　insults　or　defend
thy　lordship；　for　thou　must　know　that　in　newly　conquered　kingdoms
and　provinces　the　minds　of　the　inhabitants　are　never　so　quiet　nor　so
well　disposed　to　the　new　lord　that　there　is　no　fear　of　their　making
some　move　to　change　matters　once　more；　and　try；　as　they　say；　what
chance　may　do　for　them；　so　it　is　essential　that　the　new　possessor
should　have　good　sense　to　enable　him　to　govern；　and　valour　to　attack
and　defend　himself；　whatever　may　befall　him。〃
　　〃In　what　has　now　befallen　us；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃I'd　have　been
well　pleased　to　have　that　good　sense　and　that　valour　your　worship
speaks　of；　but　I　swear　on　the　faith　of　a　poor　man　I　am　more　fit　for
plasters　than　for　arguments。　See　if　your　worship　can　get　up；　and　let
us　help　Rocinante；　though　he　does　not　deserve　it；　for　he　was　the
main　cause　of　all　this　thrashing。　I　never　thought　it　of　Rocinante；　for
I　took　him　to　be　a　virtuous　person　and　as　quiet　as　myself。　After
all；　they　say　right　that　it　takes　a　long　time　to　come　to　know
people；　and　that　there　is　nothing　sure　in　this　life。　Who　would　have
said　that；　after　such　mighty　slashes　as　your　worship　gave　that　unlucky
knight…errant；　there　was　coming；　travelling　post　and　at　the　very　heels
of　them；　such　a　great　storm　of　sticks　as　has　fallen　upon　our
shoulders？〃
　　〃And　yet　thine；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃ought　to　be　used　to
such　squalls；　but　mine；　reared　in　soft　cloth　and　fine　linen；　it　is
plain　they　must　feel　more　keenly　the　pain　of　this　mishap；　and　if　it
were　not　that　I　imagine…　why　do　I　say　imagine？…　know　of　a　certainty
that　all　these　annoyances　are　very　necessary　accompaniments　of　the
calling　of　arms；　I　would　lay　me　down　here　to　die　of　pure　vexation。〃
　　To　this　the　squire　replied；　〃Senor；　as　these　mishaps　are　what　one
reaps　of　chivalry；　tell　me　if　they　happen　very　often；　or　if　they
have　their　own　fixed　times　for　coming　to　pass；　because　it　seems　to
me　that　after　two　harvests　we　shall　be　no　good　for　the　third；　unless
God　in　his　infinite　mercy　helps　us。〃
　　〃Know；　friend　Sancho；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃that　the　life　of
knights…errant　is　subject　to　a　thousand　dangers　and　reverses；　and
neither　more　nor　less　is　it　within　immediate　possibility　for
knights…errant　to　become　kings　and　emperors；　as　experience　has　shown
in　the　case　of　many　different　knights　with　whose　histories　I　am
thoroughly　acquainted；　and　I　could　tell　thee　now；　if　the　pain　would
let　me；　of　some　who　simply　by　might　of　arm　have　risen　to　the　high
stations　I　have　mentioned；　and　those　same；　both　before　and　after；
experienced　divers　misfortunes　and　miseries；　for　the　valiant　Amadis　of
Gaul　found　himself　in　the　power　of　his　mortal　enemy　Arcalaus　the
magician；　who；　it　is　positively　asserted；　holding　him　captive；　gave
him　more　than　two　hundred　lashes　with　the　reins　of　his　horse　while
tied　to　one　of　the　pillars　of　a　court；　and　moreover　there　is　a　certain
recondite　author　of　no　small　authority　who　says　that　the　Knight　of
Phoebus；　being　caught　in　a　certain　pitfall；　which　opened　under　his
feet　in　a　certain　castle；　on　falling　found　himself　bound　hand　and　foot
in　a　deep　pit　underground；　where　they　administered　to　him　one　of　those
things　they　call　clysters；　of　sand　and　snow…water；　that　well…nigh
finished　him；　and　if　he　had　not　been　succoured　in　that　sore
extremity　by　a　sage；　a　great　friend　of　his；　it　would　have　gone　very
hard　with　the　poor　knight；　so　I　may　well　suffer　in　company　with　such
worthy　folk；　for　greater　were　the　indignities　which　they　had　to　suffer
than　those　which　we　suffer。　For　I　would　have　thee　know；　Sancho；　that
wounds　caused　by　any　instruments　which　happen　by　chance　to　be　in
hand　inflict　no　indignity；　and　this　is　laid　down　in　the　law　of　the
duel　in　express　words：　if；　for　instance；　the　cobbler　strikes　another
with　the　last　which　he　has　in　his　hand；　though　it　be　in　fact　a　piece
of　wood；　it　cannot　be　said　for　that　reason　that　he　whom　he　struck　with
it　has　been　cudgelled。　I　say　this　lest　thou　shouldst　imagine　that
because　we　have　been　drubbed　in　this　affray　we　have　therefore　suffered
any　indignity；　for　the　arms　those　men　carried；　with　which　they　pounded
us；　were　nothing　more　than　their　stakes；　and　not　one　of　them；　so　far
as　I　remember；　carried　rapier；　sword；　or　dagger。〃
　　〃They　gave　me　no　time　to　see　that　much；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃for
hardly　had　I　laid　hand　on　my　tizona　when　they　signed　the　cross　on　my
shoulders　with　their　sticks　in　such　style　that　they　took　the　sight　out
of　my　eyes　and　the　strength　out　of　my　feet；　stretching　me　where　I
now　lie；　and　where　thinking　of　whether　all　those　stake…strokes　were　an
indignity　or　not　gives　me　no　uneasiness；　which　the　pain　of　the　blows
does；　for　they　will　remain　as　deeply　impressed　on　my　memory　as　on　my
shoulders。〃
　　〃For　all　that　let　me　tell　thee；　brother　Panza；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃that　there　is　no　recollection　which　time　does　not　put　an　end　to；
and　no　pain　which　death　does　not　remove。〃
　　〃And　what　greater　misfortune　can　there　be；〃　replied　Panza；　〃than　the
one　that　waits　for　time　to　put　an　end　to　it　and　death　to　remove　it？　If
our　mishap　were　one　of　those　that　are　cured　with　a　couple　of　plasters；
it　would　not　be　so　bad；　but　I　am　beginning　to　think　that　all　the
plasters　in　a　hospital　almost　won't　be　enough　to　put　us　right。〃
　　〃No　more　of　that：　pluck　strength　out　of　weakness；　Sancho；　as　I
mean　to　do；〃　returned　Don　Quixote；　〃and　let　us　see　how　Rocinante　is；
for　it　seems　to　me　that　not　the　least　share　of　this　mishap　has
fallen　to　the　lot　of　the　poor　beast。〃
　　〃There　is　nothing　wonderful　in　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃since　he　is　a
knight…errant　too；　what　I　wonder　at　is　that　my　beast　should　have
come　off　scot…free　where　we　come　out　scotched。〃
　　〃Fortune　always　leaves　a　door　open　in　adversity　in　order　to　bring
relief　to　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　say　so　because　this　little　beast
may　now　supply　the　want　of　Rocinante；　carrying　me　hence　to　some　castle
where　I　may　be　cured　of　my　wounds。　And　moreover　I　shall　not　hold　it
a