don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第250章

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indistinct；　and　they　do　not　show　with　the　smoothness　and　brightness　of
the　right　side；　and　translation　from　easy　languages　argues　neither
ingenuity　nor　command　of　words；　any　more　than　transcribing　or
copying　out　one　document　from　another。　But　I　do　not　mean　by　this　to
draw　the　inference　that　no　credit　is　to　be　allowed　for　the　work　of
translating；　for　a　man　may　employ　himself　in　ways　worse　and　less
profitable　to　himself。　This　estimate　does　not　include　two　famous
translators；　Doctor　Cristobal　de　Figueroa；　in　his　Pastor　Fido；　and　Don
Juan　de　Jauregui；　in　his　Aminta；　wherein　by　their　felicity　they
leave　it　in　doubt　which　is　the　translation　and　which　the　original。　But
tell　me；　are　you　printing　this　book　at　your　own　risk；　or　have　you　sold
the　copyright　to　some　bookseller？〃
　　〃I　print　at　my　own　risk；〃　said　the　author；　〃and　I　expect　to　make　a
thousand　ducats　at　least　by　this　first　edition；　which　is　to　be　of
two　thousand　copies　that　will　go　off　in　a　twinkling　at　six　reals
apiece。〃
　　〃A　fine　calculation　you　are　making！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃it　is
plain　you　don't　know　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　printers；　and　how　they
play　into　one　another's　hands。　I　promise　you　when　you　find　yourself
saddled　with　two　thousand　copies　you　will　feel　so　sore　that　it　will
astonish　you；　particularly　if　the　book　is　a　little　out　of　the　common
and　not　in　any　way　highly　spiced。〃
　　〃What！〃　said　the　author；　〃would　your　worship；　then；　have　me　give
it　to　a　bookseller　who　will　give　three　maravedis　for　the　copyright　and
think　he　is　doing　me　a　favour？　I　do　not　print　my　books　to　win　fame
in　the　world；　for　I　am　known　in　it　already　by　my　works；　I　want　to　make
money；　without　which　reputation　is　not　worth　a　rap。〃
　　〃God　send　your　worship　good　luck；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　and　he　moved　on
to　another　case；　where　he　saw　them　correcting　a　sheet　of　a　book　with
the　title　of　〃Light　of　the　Soul；〃　noticing　it　he　observed；　〃Books　like
this；　though　there　are　many　of　the　kind；　are　the　ones　that　deserve
to　be　printed；　for　many　are　the　sinners　in　these　days；　and　lights
unnumbered　are　needed　for　all　that　are　in　darkness。〃
　　He　passed　on；　and　saw　they　were　also　correcting　another　book；　and
when　he　asked　its　title　they　told　him　it　was　called；　〃The　Second
Part　of　the　Ingenious　Gentleman　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　by　one　of
Tordesillas。
　　〃I　have　heard　of　this　book　already；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　verily
and　on　my　conscience　I　thought　it　had　been　by　this　time　burned　to
ashes　as　a　meddlesome　intruder；　but　its　Martinmas　will　come　to　it　as
it　does　to　every　pig；　for　fictions　have　the　more　merit　and　charm　about
them　the　more　nearly　they　approach　the　truth　or　what　looks　like　it；
and　true　stories；　the　truer　they　are　the　better　they　are；〃　and　so
saying　he　walked　out　of　the　printing　office　with　a　certain　amount　of
displeasure　in　his　looks。　That　same　day　Don　Antonio　arranged　to　take
him　to　see　the　galleys　that　lay　at　the　beach；　whereat　Sancho　was　in
high　delight；　as　he　had　never　seen　any　all　his　life。　Don　Antonio
sent　word　to　the　commandant　of　the　galleys　that　he　intended　to　bring
his　guest；　the　famous　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　of　whom　the　commandant
and　all　the　citizens　had　already　heard；　that　afternoon　to　see　them；
and　what　happened　on　board　of　them　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。


　　CHAPTER　LXIII
　　OF　THE　MISHAP　THAT　BEFELL　SANCHO　PANZA　THROUGH　THE　VISIT　TO　THE
GALLEYS；　AND　THE　STRANGE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　FAIR　MORISCO

　　PROFOUND　were　Don　Quixote's　reflections　on　the　reply　of　the
enchanted　head；　not　one　of　them；　however；　hitting　on　the　secret　of　the
trick；　but　all　concentrated　on　the　promise；　which　he　regarded　as　a
certainty；　of　Dulcinea's　disenchantment。　This　he　turned　over　in　his
mind　again　and　again　with　great　satisfaction；　fully　persuaded　that
he　would　shortly　see　its　fulfillment；　and　as　for　Sancho；　though；　as
has　been　said；　he　hated　being　a　governor；　still　he　had　a　longing　to　be
giving　orders　and　finding　himself　obeyed　once　more；　this　is　the
misfortune　that　being　in　authority；　even　in　jest；　brings　with　it。
　　To　resume；　that　afternoon　their　host　Don　Antonio　Moreno　and　his
two　friends；　with　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho；　went　to　the　galleys。　The
commandant　had　been　already　made　aware　of　his　good　fortune　in　seeing
two　such　famous　persons　as　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho；　and　the　instant
they　came　to　the　shore　all　the　galleys　struck　their　awnings　and　the
clarions　rang　out。　A　skiff　covered　with　rich　carpets　and　cushions　of
crimson　velvet　was　immediately　lowered　into　the　water；　and　as　Don
Quixote　stepped　on　board　of　it；　the　leading　galley　fired　her　gangway
gun；　and　the　other　galleys　did　the　same；　and　as　he　mounted　the
starboard　ladder　the　whole　crew　saluted　him　（as　is　the　custom　when　a
personage　of　distinction　comes　on　board　a　galley）　by　exclaiming　〃Hu；
hu；　hu；〃　three　times。　The　general；　for　so　we　shall　call　him；　a
Valencian　gentleman　of　rank；　gave　him　his　hand　and　embraced　him；
saying；　〃I　shall　mark　this　day　with　a　white　stone　as　one　of　the
happiest　I　can　expect　to　enjoy　in　my　lifetime；　since　I　have　seen　Senor
Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　pattern　and　image　wherein　we　see　contained
and　condensed　all　that　is　worthy　in　knight…errantry。〃
　　Don　Quixote　delighted　beyond　measure　with　such　a　lordly　reception；
replied　to　him　in　words　no　less　courteous。　All　then　proceeded　to　the
poop；　which　was　very　handsomely　decorated；　and　seated　themselves　on
the　bulwark　benches；　the　boatswain　passed　along　the　gangway　and
piped　all　hands　to　strip；　which　they　did　in　an　instant。　Sancho；　seeing
such　a　number　of　men　stripped　to　the　skin；　was　taken　aback；　and
still　more　when　he　saw　them　spread　the　awning　so　briskly　that　it
seemed　to　him　as　if　all　the　devils　were　at　work　at　it；　but　all　this
was　cakes　and　fancy　bread　to　what　I　am　going　to　tell　now。　Sancho　was
seated　on　the　captain's　stage；　close　to　the　aftermost　rower　on　the
right…hand　side。　He；　previously　instructed　in　what　he　was　to　do；
laid　hold　of　Sancho；　hoisting　him　up　in　his　arms；　and　the　whole
crew；　who　were　standing　ready；　beginning　on　the　right；　proceeded　to
pass　him　on；　whirling　him　along　from　hand　to　hand　and　from　bench　to
bench　with　such　rapidity　that　it　took　the　sight　out　of　poor　Sancho's
eyes；　and　he　made　quite　sure　that　the　devils　themselves　were　flying
away　with　him；　nor　did　they　leave　off　with　him　until　they　had　sent　him
back　along　the　left　side　and　deposited　him　on　the　poop；　and　the　poor
fellow　was　left　bruised　and　breathless　and　all　in　a　sweat；　and
unable　to　comprehend　what　it　was　that　had　happened　to　him。
　　Don　Quixote　when　he　saw　Sancho's　flight　without　wings　asked　the
general　if　this　was　a　usual　ceremony　with　those　who　came　on　board
the　galleys　for　the　first　time；　for；　if　so；　as　he　had　no　intention
of　adopting　them　as　a　profession；　he　had　no　mind　to　perform　such　feats
of　agility；　and　if　anyone　offered　to　lay　hold　of　him　to　whirl　him
about；　he　vowed　to　God　he　would　kick　his　soul　out；　and　as　he　said　this
he　stood　up　and　clapped　his　hand　upon　his　sword。　At　this　instant
they　struck　the　awning　and　lowered　the　yard　with　a　prodigious
rattle。　Sancho　thought　heaven　was　coming　off　its　hinges　and　going　to
fall　on　his　head；　and　full　of　terror　he　ducked　it　and　buried　it
between　his　knees；　nor　were　Don　Quixote's　knees　altogether　under
control；　for　he　too　shook　a　little；　squeezed　his　shoulders　together
and　lost　colour。　The　crew　then　hoisted　the　yard　with　the　same　rapidity
and　clatter　as　when　they　lowered　it；　all　the　while　keeping　silence
as　though　they　had　neither　voice　nor　breath。　The　boatswain　gave　the
signal　to　weigh　anchor；　and　leaping　upon　the　middle　of　the　gangway
began　to　lay　on　to　the　shoulders　of　the　crew　with　his　courbash　or
whip；　and　to　haul　out　gradually　to　sea。
　　When　Sancho　saw　so　many　red　feet　（for　such　he　took　the　oars　to　be）
moving　all　together；　he　said　to　himself；　〃It's　these　that　are　the　real
chanted　things；　and　not　the　ones　my　master　talks　of。　What　can　those
wretches　have　done　to　be　so　whipped；　and　how　does　that　one　man　who
goes　along　there　whistling　dare　to　whip　so　many？　I　declare　this　is
hell；　or　at　least　purgatory！〃
　　Don　Quixote；　observing　how　attentively　Sancho　regarded　what　was
going　on；　said　to　him；　〃Ah；　Sancho　my　friend；　how　quickly　and
cheaply　might　you