don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第252章

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uncles；　as　I　have　said；　and　others　of　our　kindred　and　neighbours；
passed　over　to　Barbary；　and　the　place　where　we　took　up　our　abode　was
Algiers；　much　the　same　as　if　we　had　taken　it　up　in　hell　itself。　The
king　heard　of　my　beauty；　and　report　told　him　of　my　wealth；　which　was
in　some　degree　fortunate　for　me。　He　summoned　me　before　him；　and
asked　me　what　part　of　Spain　I　came　from；　and　what　money　and　jewels　I
had。　I　mentioned　the　place；　and　told　him　the　jewels　and　money　were
buried　there；　but　that　they　might　easily　be　recovered　if　I　myself　went
back　for　them。　All　this　I　told　him；　in　dread　lest　my　beauty　and　not
his　own　covetousness　should　influence　him。　While　he　was　engaged　in
conversation　with　me；　they　brought　him　word　that　in　company　with　me
was　one　of　the　handsomest　and　most　graceful　youths　that　could　be
imagined。　I　knew　at　once　that　they　were　speaking　of　Don　Gaspar
Gregorio；　whose　comeliness　surpasses　the　most　highly　vaunted　beauty。　I
was　troubled　when　I　thought　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　for　among　those
barbarous　Turks　a　fair　youth　is　more　esteemed　than　a　woman；　be　she
ever　so　beautiful。　The　king　immediately　ordered　him　to　be　brought
before　him　that　he　might　see　him；　and　asked　me　if　what　they　said　about
the　youth　was　true。　I　then；　almost　as　if　inspired　by　heaven；　told
him　it　was；　but　that　I　would　have　him　to　know　it　was　not　a　man；　but
a　woman　like　myself；　and　I　entreated　him　to　allow　me　to　go　and　dress
her　in　the　attire　proper　to　her；　so　that　her　beauty　might　be　seen　to
perfection；　and　that　she　might　present　herself　before　him　with　less
embarrassment。　He　bade　me　go　by　all　means；　and　said　that　the　next
day　we　should　discuss　the　plan　to　be　adopted　for　my　return　to　Spain　to
carry　away　the　hidden　treasure。　I　saw　Don　Gaspar；　I　told　him　the
danger　he　was　in　if　he　let　it　be　seen　he　was　a　man；　I　dressed　him　as　a
Moorish　woman；　and　that　same　afternoon　I　brought　him　before　the
king；　who　was　charmed　when　he　saw　him；　and　resolved　to　keep　the　damsel
and　make　a　present　of　her　to　the　Grand　Signor；　and　to　avoid　the　risk
she　might　run　among　the　women　of　his　seraglio；　and　distrustful　of
himself；　he　commanded　her　to　be　placed　in　the　house　of　some　Moorish
ladies　of　rank　who　would　protect　and　attend　to　her；　and　thither　he　was
taken　at　once。　What　we　both　suffered　（for　I　cannot　deny　that　I　love
him）　may　be　left　to　the　imagination　of　those　who　are　separated　if　they
love　one　an。　other　dearly。　The　king　then　arranged　that　I　should　return
to　Spain　in　this　brigantine；　and　that　two　Turks；　those　who　killed　your
soldiers；　should　accompany　me。　There　also　came　with　me　this　Spanish
renegade〃…　and　here　she　pointed　to　him　who　had　first　spoken…　〃whom　I
know　to　be　secretly　a　Christian；　and　to　be　more　desirous　of　being　left
in　Spain　than　of　returning　to　Barbary。　The　rest　of　the　crew　of　the
brigantine　are　Moors　and　Turks；　who　merely　serve　as　rowers。　The　two
Turks；　greedy　and　insolent；　instead　of　obeying　the　orders　we　had　to
land　me　and　this　renegade　in　Christian　dress　（with　which　we　came
provided）　on　the　first　Spanish　ground　we　came　to；　chose　to　run　along
the　coast　and　make　some　prize　if　they　could；　fearing　that　if　they
put　us　ashore　first；　we　might；　in　case　of　some　accident　befalling
us；　make　it　known　that　the　brigantine　was　at　sea；　and　thus；　if　there
happened　to　be　any　galleys　on　the　coast；　they　might　be　taken。　We
sighted　this　shore　last　night；　and　knowing　nothing　of　these　galleys；
we　were　discovered；　and　the　result　was　what　you　have　seen。　To　sum
up；　there　is　Don　Gregorio　in　woman's　dress；　among　women；　in　imminent
danger　of　his　life；　and　here　am　I；　with　hands　bound；　in　expectation；
or　rather　in　dread；　of　losing　my　life；　of　which　I　am　already　weary。
Here；　sirs；　ends　my　sad　story；　as　true　as　it　is　unhappy；　all　I　ask
of　you　is　to　allow　me　to　die　like　a　Christian；　for；　as　I　have
already　said；　I　am　not　to　be　charged　with　the　offence　of　which　those
of　my　nation　are　guilty；〃　and　she　stood　silent；　her　eyes　filled　with
moving　tears；　accompanied　by　plenty　from　the　bystanders。　The
viceroy；　touched　with　compassion；　went　up　to　her　without　speaking
and　untied　the　cord　that　bound　the　hands　of　the　Moorish　girl。
　　But　all　the　while　the　Morisco　Christian　was　telling　her　strange
story；　an　elderly　pilgrim；　who　had　come　on　board　of　the　galley　at
the　same　time　as　the　viceroy；　kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　and　the
instant　she　ceased　speaking　he　threw　himself　at　her　feet；　and
embracing　them　said　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs　and　sighs；　〃O　Ana　Felix；
my　unhappy　daughter；　I　am　thy　father　Ricote；　come　back　to　look　for
thee；　unable　to　live　without　thee；　my　soul　that　thou　art！〃
　　At　these　words　of　his；　Sancho　opened　his　eyes　and　raised　his　head；
which　he　had　been　holding　down；　brooding　over　his　unlucky　excursion；
and　looking　at　the　pilgrim　he　recognised　in　him　that　same　Ricote　he
met　the　day　he　quitted　his　government；　and　felt　satisfied　that　this
was　his　daughter。　She　being　now　unbound　embraced　her　father；
mingling　her　tears　with　his；　while　he　addressing　the　general　and　the
viceroy　said；　〃This；　sirs；　is　my　daughter；　more　unhappy　in　her
adventures　than　in　her　name。　She　is　Ana　Felix；　surnamed　Ricote；
celebrated　as　much　for　her　own　beauty　as　for　my　wealth。　I　quitted　my
native　land　in　search　of　some　shelter　or　refuge　for　us　abroad；　and
having　found　one　in　Germany　I　returned　in　this　pilgrim's　dress；　in　the
company　of　some　other　German　pilgrims；　to　seek　my　daughter　and　take　up
a　large　quantity　of　treasure　I　had　left　buried。　My　daughter　I　did
not　find；　the　treasure　I　found　and　have　with　me；　and　now；　in　this
strange　roundabout　way　you　have　seen；　I　find　the　treasure　that　more
than　all　makes　me　rich；　my　beloved　daughter。　If　our　innocence　and
her　tears　and　mine　can　with　strict　justice　open　the　door　to
clemency；　extend　it　to　us；　for　we　never　had　any　intention　of
injuring　you；　nor　do　we　sympathise　with　the　aims　of　our　people；　who
have　been　justly　banished。〃
　　〃I　know　Ricote　well；〃　said　Sancho　at　this；　〃and　I　know　too　that　what
he　says　about　Ana　Felix　being　his　daughter　is　true；　but　as　to　those
other　particulars　about　going　and　coming；　and　having　good　or　bad
intentions；　I　say　nothing。〃
　　While　all　present　stood　amazed　at　this　strange　occurrence　the
general　said；　〃At　any　rate　your　tears　will　not　allow　me　to　keep　my
oath；　live；　fair　Ana　Felix；　all　the　years　that　heaven　has　allotted
you；　but　these　rash　insolent　fellows　must　pay　the　penalty　of　the　crime
they　have　committed；〃　and　with　that　he　gave　orders　to　have　the　two
Turks　who　had　killed　his　two　soldiers　hanged　at　once　at　the
yard…arm。　The　viceroy；　however；　begged　him　earnestly　not　to　hang　them；
as　their　behaviour　savoured　rather　of　madness　than　of　bravado。　The
general　yielded　to　the　viceroy's　request；　for　revenge　is　not　easily
taken　in　cold　blood。　They　then　tried　to　devise　some　scheme　for
rescuing　Don　Gaspar　Gregorio　from　the　danger　in　which　he　had　been
left。　Ricote　offered　for　that　object　more　than　two　thousand　ducats
that　he　had　in　pearls　and　gems；　they　proposed　several　plans；　but
none　so　good　as　that　suggested　by　the　renegade　already　mentioned；
who　offered　to　return　to　Algiers　in　a　small　vessel　of　about　six　banks；
manned　by　Christian　rowers；　as　he　knew　where；　how；　and　when　he　could
and　should　land；　nor　was　he　ignorant　of　the　house　in　which　Don
Gaspar　was　staying。　The　general　and　the　viceroy　had　some　hesitation
about　placing　confidence　in　the　renegade　and　entrusting　him　with　the
Christians　who　were　to　row；　but　Ana　Felix　said　she　could　answer　for
him；　and　her　father　offered　to　go　and　pay　the　ransom　of　the　Christians
if　by　any　chance　they　should　not　be　forthcoming。　This；　then；　being
agreed　upon；　the　viceroy　landed；　and　Don　Antonio　Moreno　took　the
fair　Morisco　and　her　father　home　with　him；　the　viceroy　charging　him　to
give　them　the　best　reception　and　welcome　in　his　power；　while　on　his
own　part　he　offered　all　that　house　contained　for　their
entertainment；　so　great　was　the　good…will　and　kindliness　the　beauty　of
Ana　Felix　had　infused　into　his　heart。


　　CHAPTER　LXIV
　　TREATING　OF　THE　ADVENTURE　WHICH　GAVE　DON　QUIXOTE　MORE　UNHAPPINESS
THAN　ALL　THAT　HAD　HITHERTO　BEFALLEN　HIM

　　THE　wife　of　Don　Antonio　Moreno；　so　the　history　says；　was　extremely
happy　to　see　An