don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第256章

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your　anger　break　out　against　the　already　battered　and　bloody　armour；
or　the　meekness　of　Rocinante；　or　the　tenderness　of　my　feet；　trying
to　make　them　travel　more　than　is　reasonable。〃
　　In　converse　of　this　sort　the　whole　of　that　day　went　by；　as　did　the
four　succeeding　ones；　without　anything　occurring　to　interrupt　their
journey；　but　on　the　fifth　as　they　entered　a　village　they　found　a　great
number　of　people　at　the　door　of　an　inn　enjoying　themselves；　as　it
was　a　holiday。　Upon　Don　Quixote's　approach　a　peasant　called　out；
〃One　of　these　two　gentlemen　who　come　here；　and　who　don't　know　the
parties；　will　tell　us　what　we　ought　to　do　about　our　wager。〃
　　〃That　I　will；　certainly；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　according　to　the
rights　of　the　case；　if　I　can　manage　to　understand　it。〃
　　〃Well；　here　it　is；　worthy　sir；〃　said　the　peasant；　〃a　man　of　this
village　who　is　so　fat　that　he　weighs　twenty　stone　challenged
another；　a　neighbour　of　his；　who　does　not　weigh　more　than　nine；　to　run
a　race。　The　agreement　was　that　they　were　to　run　a　distance　of　a
hundred　paces　with　equal　weights；　and　when　the　challenger　was　asked
how　the　weights　were　to　be　equalised　he　said　that　the　other；　as　he
weighed　nine　stone；　should　put　eleven　in　iron　on　his　back；　and　that　in
this　way　the　twenty　stone　of　the　thin　man　would　equal　the　twenty　stone
of　the　fat　one。〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　exclaimed　Sancho　at　once；　before　Don　Quixote　could
answer；　〃it's　for　me；　that　only　a　few　days　ago　left　off　being　a
governor　and　a　judge；　as　all　the　world　knows；　to　settle　these　doubtful
questions　and　give　an　opinion　in　disputes　of　all　sorts。〃
　　〃Answer　in　God's　name；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I
am　not　fit　to　give　crumbs　to　a　cat；　my　wits　are　so　confused　and
upset。〃
　　With　this　permission　Sancho　said　to　the　peasants　who　stood　clustered
round　him；　waiting　with　open　mouths　for　the　decision　to　come　from　his；
〃Brothers；　what　the　fat　man　requires　is　not　in　reason；　nor　has　it　a
shadow　of　justice　in　it；　because；　if　it　be　true；　as　they　say；　that　the
challenged　may　choose　the　weapons；　the　other　has　no　right　to　choose
such　as　will　prevent　and　keep　him　from　winning。　My　decision；
therefore；　is　that　the　fat　challenger　prune；　peel；　thin；　trim　and
correct　himself；　and　take　eleven　stone　of　his　flesh　off　his　body；　here
or　there；　as　he　pleases；　and　as　suits　him　best；　and　being　in　this
way　reduced　to　nine　stone　weight；　he　will　make　himself　equal　and
even　with　nine　stone　of　his　opponent；　and　they　will　be　able　to　run
on　equal　terms。〃
　　〃By　all　that's　good；〃　said　one　of　the　peasants　as　he　heard
Sancho's　decision；　〃but　the　gentleman　has　spoken　like　a　saint；　and
given　judgment　like　a　canon！　But　I'll　be　bound　the　fat　man　won't
part　with　an　ounce　of　his　flesh；　not　to　say　eleven　stone。〃
　　〃The　best　plan　will　be　for　them　not　to　run；〃　said　another；　〃so
that　neither　the　thin　man　break　down　under　the　weight；　nor　the　fat　one
strip　himself　of　his　flesh；　let　half　the　wager　be　spent　in　wine；　and
let's　take　these　gentlemen　to　the　tavern　where　there's　the　best；　and
'over　me　be　the　cloak　when　it　rains。〃
　　〃I　thank　you；　sirs；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　I　cannot　stop　for　an
instant；　for　sad　thoughts　and　unhappy　circumstances　force　me　to　seem
discourteous　and　to　travel　apace；〃　and　spurring　Rocinante　he　pushed
on；　leaving　them　wondering　at　what　they　had　seen　and　heard；　at　his　own
strange　figure　and　at　the　shrewdness　of　his　servant；　for　such　they
took　Sancho　to　be；　and　another　of　them　observed；　〃If　the　servant　is　so
clever；　what　must　the　master　be？　I'll　bet；　if　they　are　going　to
Salamanca　to　study；　they'll　come　to　be　alcaldes　of　the　Court　in　a
trice；　for　it's　a　mere　joke…　only　to　read　and　read；　and　have
interest　and　good　luck；　and　before　a　man　knows　where　he　is　he　finds
himself　with　a　staff　in　his　hand　or　a　mitre　on　his　head。〃
　　That　night　master　and　man　passed　out　in　the　fields　in　the　open
air；　and　the　next　day　as　they　were　pursuing　their　journey　they　saw
coming　towards　them　a　man　on　foot　with　alforjas　at　the　neck　and　a
javelin　or　spiked　staff　in　his　hand；　the　very　cut　of　a　foot　courier；
who；　as　soon　as　he　came　close　to　Don　Quixote；　increased　his　pace　and
half　running　came　up　to　him；　and　embracing　his　right　thigh；　for　he
could　reach　no　higher；　exclaimed　with　evident　pleasure；　〃O　Senor　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　what　happiness　it　will　be　to　the　heart　of　my
lord　the　duke　when　he　knows　your　worship　is　coming　back　to　his　castle；
for　he　is　still　there　with　my　lady　the　duchess！〃
　　〃I　do　not　recognise　you；　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃nor　do　I　know
who　you　are；　unless　you　tell　me。〃
　　〃I　am　Tosilos；　my　lord　the　duke's　lacquey；　Senor　Don　Quixote；〃
replied　the　courier；　〃he　who　refused　to　fight　your　worship　about
marrying　the　daughter　of　Dona　Rodriguez。〃
　　〃God　bless　me！〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote；　〃is　it　possible　that　you
are　the　one　whom　mine　enemies　the　enchanters　changed　into　the
lacquey　you　speak　of　in　order　to　rob　me　of　the　honour　of　that　battle？〃
　　〃Nonsense；　good　sir！〃　said　the　messenger；　〃there　was　no
enchantment　or　transformation　at　all；　I　entered　the　lists　just　as　much
lacquey　Tosilos　as　I　came　out　of　them　lacquey　Tosilos。　I　thought　to
marry　without　fighting；　for　the　girl　had　taken　my　fancy；　but　my　scheme
had　a　very　different　result；　for　as　soon　as　your　worship　had　left
the　castle　my　lord　the　duke　had　a　hundred　strokes　of　the　stick　given
me　for　having　acted　contrary　to　the　orders　he　gave　me　before
engaging　in　the　combat；　and　the　end　of　the　whole　affair　is　that　the
girl　has　become　a　nun；　and　Dona　Rodriguez　has　gone　back　to　Castile；
and　I　am　now　on　my　way　to　Barcelona　with　a　packet　of　letters　for　the
viceroy　which　my　master　is　sending　him。　If　your　worship　would　like　a
drop；　sound　though　warm；　I　have　a　gourd　here　full　of　the　best；　and
some　scraps　of　Tronchon　cheese　that　will　serve　as　a　provocative　and
wakener　of　your　thirst　if　so　be　it　is　asleep。〃
　　〃I　take　the　offer；〃　said　Sancho；　〃no　more　compliments　about　it；　pour
out；　good　Tosilos；　in　spite　of　all　the　enchanters　in　the　Indies。〃
　　〃Thou　art　indeed　the　greatest　glutton　in　the　world；　Sancho；〃　said
Don　Quixote；　〃and　the　greatest　booby　on　earth；　not　to　be　able　to　see
that　this　courier　is　enchanted　and　this　Tosilos　a　sham　one；　stop
with　him　and　take　thy　fill；　I　will　go　on　slowly　and　wait　for　thee　to
come　up　with　me。〃
　　The　lacquey　laughed；　unsheathed　his　gourd；　unwalletted　his　scraps；
and　taking　out　a　small　loaf　of　bread　he　and　Sancho　seated　themselves
on　the　green　grass；　and　in　peace　and　good　fellowship　finished　off
the　contents　of　the　alforjas　down　to　the　bottom；　so　resolutely　that
they　licked　the　wrapper　of　the　letters；　merely　because　it　smelt　of
cheese。
　　Said　Tosilos　to　Sancho；　〃Beyond　a　doubt；　Sancho　my　friend；　this
master　of　thine　ought　to　be　a　madman。〃
　　〃Ought！〃　said　Sancho；　〃he　owes　no　man　anything；　he　pays　for
everything；　particularly　when　the　coin　is　madness。　I　see　it　plain
enough；　and　I　tell　him　so　plain　enough；　but　what's　the　use？　especially
now　that　it　is　all　over　with　him；　for　here　he　is　beaten　by　the
Knight　of　the　White　Moon。〃
　　Tosilos　begged　him　to　explain　what　had　happened　him；　but　Sancho
replied　that　it　would　not　be　good　manners　to　leave　his　master
waiting　for　him；　and　that　some　other　day　if　they　met　there　would　be
time　enough　for　that；　and　then　getting　up；　after　shaking　his　doublet
and　brushing　the　crumbs　out　of　his　beard；　he　drove　Dapple　on　before
him；　and　bidding　adieu　to　Tosilos　left　him　and　rejoined　his　master；
who　was　waiting　for　him　under　the　shade　of　a　tree。


　　CHAPTER　LXVII
　　OF　THE　RESOLUTION　DON　QUIXOTE　FORMED　TO　TURN　SHEPHERD　AND　TAKE　TO
A　LIFE　IN　THE　FIELDS　WHILE　THE　YEAR　FOR　WHICH　HE　HAD　GIVEN　HIS　WORD
WAS　RUNNING　ITS　COURSE；　WITH　OTHER　EVENTS　TRULY　DELECTABLE　AND　HAPPY

　　IF　A　multitude　of　reflections　used　to　harass　Don　Quixote　before　he
had　been　overthrown；　a　great　many　more　harassed　him　since　his　fall。　He
was　under　the　shade　of　a　tree；　as　has　been　said；　and　there；　like　flies
on　honey；　thoughts　came　crowding　upon　him　and　stinging　him。　Some　of
them　turned　upon　the　disenchantment　of　Dulcinea；　others　upon　the
life　he　was　about　to　lead　in　his　enforced　retirement。　Sancho　came　up
and　spoke　in　high　praise　of　the　generous　disposition　of　the　lacquey