don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第255章

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Gregorio　and　the　renegade　had　given　the　viceroy　an　account　of　the
voyage　out　and　home；　Don　Gregorio；　eager　to　see　Ana　Felix；　came　with
the　renegade　to　Don　Antonio's　house。　When　they　carried　him　away　from
Algiers　he　was　in　woman's　dress；　on　board　the　vessel；　however；　he
exchanged　it　for　that　of　a　captive　who　escaped　with　him；　but　in
whatever　dress　he　might　be　he　looked　like　one　to　be　loved　and　served
and　esteemed；　for　he　was　surpassingly　well…favoured；　and　to　judge　by
appearances　some　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　of　age。　Ricote　and　his
daughter　came　out　to　welcome　him；　the　father　with　tears；　the
daughter　with　bashfulness。　They　did　not　embrace　each　other；　for
where　there　is　deep　love　there　will　never　be　overmuch　boldness。　Seen
side　by　side；　the　comeliness　of　Don　Gregorio　and　the　beauty　of　Ana
Felix　were　the　admiration　of　all　who　were　present。　It　was　silence　that
spoke　for　the　lovers　at　that　moment；　and　their　eyes　were　the　tongues
that　declared　their　pure　and　happy　feelings。　The　renegade　explained
the　measures　and　means　he　had　adopted　to　rescue　Don　Gregorio；　and
Don　Gregorio　at　no　great　length；　but　in　a　few　words；　in　which　he
showed　that　his　intelligence　was　in　advance　of　his　years；　described
the　peril　and　embarrassment　he　found　himself　in　among　the　women　with
whom　he　had　sojourned。　To　conclude；　Ricote　liberally　recompensed　and
rewarded　as　well　the　renegade　as　the　men　who　had　rowed；　and　the
renegade　effected　his　readmission　into　the　body　of　the　Church　and
was　reconciled　with　it；　and　from　a　rotten　limb　became　by　penance　and
repentance　a　clean　and　sound　one。
　　Two　days　later　the　viceroy　discussed　with　Don　Antonio　the　steps　they
should　take　to　enable　Ana　Felix　and　her　father　to　stay　in　Spain；　for
it　seemed　to　them　there　could　be　no　objection　to　a　daughter　who　was　so
good　a　Christian　and　a　father　to　all　appearance　so　well　disposed
remaining　there。　Don　Antonio　offered　to　arrange　the　matter　at　the
capital；　whither　he　was　compelled　to　go　on　some　other　business；
hinting　that　many　a　difficult　affair　was　settled　there　with　the　help
of　favour　and　bribes。
　　〃Nay；〃　said　Ricote；　who　was　present　during　the　conversation；　〃it
will　not　do　to　rely　upon　favour　or　bribes；　because　with　the　great
Don　Bernardino　de　Velasco；　Conde　de　Salazar；　to　whom　his　Majesty　has
entrusted　our　expulsion；　neither　entreaties　nor　promises；　bribes　nor
appeals　to　compassion；　are　of　any　use；　for　though　it　is　true　he
mingles　mercy　with　justice；　still；　seeing　that　the　whole　body　of　our
nation　is　tainted　and　corrupt；　he　applies　to　it　the　cautery　that　burns
rather　than　the　salve　that　soothes；　and　thus；　by　prudence；　sagacity；
care　and　the　fear　he　inspires；　he　has　borne　on　his　mighty　shoulders
the　weight　of　this　great　policy　and　carried　it　into　effect；　all　our
schemes　and　plots；　importunities　and　wiles；　being　ineffectual　to　blind
his　Argus　eyes；　ever　on　the　watch　lest　one　of　us　should　remain
behind　in　concealment；　and　like　a　hidden　root　come　in　course　of　time
to　sprout　and　bear　poisonous　fruit　in　Spain；　now　cleansed；　and
relieved　of　the　fear　in　which　our　vast　numbers　kept　it。　Heroic　resolve
of　the　great　Philip　the　Third；　and　unparalleled　wisdom　to　have
entrusted　it　to　the　said　Don　Bernardino　de　Velasco！〃
　　〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Don　Antonio；　〃when　I　am　there　I　will　make　all
possible　efforts；　and　let　heaven　do　as　pleases　it　best；　Don　Gregorio
will　come　with　me　to　relieve　the　anxiety　which　his　parents　must　be
suffering　on　account　of　his　absence；　Ana　Felix　will　remain　in　my　house
with　my　wife；　or　in　a　monastery；　and　I　know　the　viceroy　will　be　glad
that　the　worthy　Ricote　should　stay　with　him　until　we　see　what　terms
I　can　make。〃
　　The　viceroy　agreed　to　all　that　was　proposed；　but　Don　Gregorio　on
learning　what　had　passed　declared　he　could　not　and　would　not　on　any
account　leave　Ana　Felix；　however；　as　it　was　his　purpose　to　go　and
see　his　parents　and　devise　some　way　of　returning　for　her；　he　fell　in
with　the　proposed　arrangement。　Ana　Felix　remained　with　Don　Antonio's
wife；　and　Ricote　in　the　viceroy's　house。
　　The　day　for　Don　Antonio's　departure　came；　and　two　days　later　that
for　Don　Quixote's　and　Sancho's；　for　Don　Quixote's　fall　did　not
suffer　him　to　take　the　road　sooner。　There　were　tears　and　sighs；
swoonings　and　sobs；　at　the　parting　between　Don　Gregorio　and　Ana　Felix。
Ricote　offered　Don　Gregorio　a　thousand　crowns　if　he　would　have　them；
but　he　would　not　take　any　save　five　which　Don　Antonio　lent　him　and
he　promised　to　repay　at　the　capital。　So　the　two　of　them　took　their
departure；　and　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　afterwards；　as　has　been
already　said；　Don　Quixote　without　his　armour　and　in　travelling　gear；
and　Sancho　on　foot；　Dapple　being　loaded　with　the　armour。


　　CHAPTER　LXVI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　WHAT　HE　WHO　READS　WILL　SEE；　OR　WHAT　HE　WHO　HAS　IT
READ　TO　HIM　WILL　HEAR

　　AS　HE　left　Barcelona；　Don　Quixote　turned　gaze　upon　the　spot　where　he
had　fallen。　〃Here　Troy　was；〃　said　he；　〃here　my　ill…luck；　not　my
cowardice；　robbed　me　of　all　the　glory　I　had　won；　here　Fortune　made
me　the　victim　of　her　caprices；　here　the　lustre　of　my　achievements
was　dimmed；　here；　in　a　word；　fell　my　happiness　never　to　rise　again。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　said　Sancho　on　hearing　this；　〃it　is　the　part　of　brave
hearts　to　be　patient　in　adversity　just　as　much　as　to　be　glad　in
prosperity；　I　judge　by　myself；　for；　if　when　I　was　a　governor　I　was
glad；　now　that　I　am　a　squire　and　on　foot　I　am　not　sad；　and　I　have
heard　say　that　she　whom　commonly　they　call　Fortune　is　a　drunken
whimsical　jade；　and；　what　is　more；　blind；　and　therefore　neither　sees
what　she　does；　nor　knows　whom　she　casts　down　or　whom　she　sets　up。〃
　　〃Thou　art　a　great　philosopher；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃thou
speakest　very　sensibly；　I　know　not　who　taught　thee。　But　I　can　tell
thee　there　is　no　such　thing　as　Fortune　in　the　world；　nor　does　anything
which　takes　place　there；　be　it　good　or　bad；　come　about　by　chance；
but　by　the　special　preordination　of　heaven；　and　hence　the　common
saying　that　'each　of　us　is　the　maker　of　his　own　Fortune。'　I　have
been　that　of　mine；　but　not　with　the　proper　amount　of　prudence；　and
my　self…confidence　has　therefore　made　me　pay　dearly；　for　I　ought　to
have　reflected　that　Rocinante's　feeble　strength　could　not　resist　the
mighty　bulk　of　the　Knight　of　the　White　Moon's　horse。　In　a　word；　I
ventured　it；　I　did　my　best；　I　was　overthrown；　but　though　I　lost　my
honour　I　did　not　lose　nor　can　I　lose　the　virtue　of　keeping　my　word。
When　I　was　a　knight…errant；　daring　and　valiant；　I　supported　my
achievements　by　hand　and　deed；　and　now　that　I　am　a　humble　squire　I
will　support　my　words　by　keeping　the　promise　I　have　given。　Forward
then；　Sancho　my　friend；　let　us　go　to　keep　the　year　of　the　novitiate　in
our　own　country；　and　in　that　seclusion　we　shall　pick　up　fresh　strength
to　return　to　the　by　me　never…forgotten　calling　of　arms。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃travelling　on　foot　is　not　such　a　pleasant
thing　that　it　makes　me　feel　disposed　or　tempted　to　make　long
marches。　Let　us　leave　this　armour　hung　up　on　some　tree；　instead　of
some　one　that　has　been　hanged；　and　then　with　me　on　Dapple's　back　and
my　feet　off　the　ground　we　will　arrange　the　stages　as　your　worship
pleases　to　measure　them　out；　but　to　suppose　that　I　am　going　to
travel　on　foot；　and　make　long　ones；　is　to　suppose　nonsense。〃
　　〃Thou　sayest　well；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃let　my　armour　be　hung
up　for　a　trophy；　and　under　it　or　round　it　we　will　carve　on　the　trees
what　was　inscribed　on　the　trophy　of　Roland's　armour…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　These　let　none　move
　　　　　Who　dareth　not　his　might　with　Roland　prove。〃

　　〃That's　the　very　thing；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　if　it　was　not　that　we
should　feel　the　want　of　Rocinante　on　the　road；　it　would　be　as　well
to　leave　him　hung　up　too。〃
　　〃And　yet；　I　had　rather　not　have　either　him　or　the　armour　hung　up；〃
said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　it　may　not　be　said；　'for　good　service　a　bad
return。'〃
　　〃Your　worship　is　right；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for；　as　sensible　people　hold；
'the　fault　of　the　ass　must　not　be　laid　on　the　pack…saddle；'　and；　as　in
this　affair　the　fault　is　your　worship's；　punish　yourself　and　don't　let
your　anger　break　out　against　the　already　battered　and　bloody　armour；
or　the　meekness　of　Rocinante；　or　the　tenderness　of