don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第257章

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and　spoke　in　high　praise　of　the　generous　disposition　of　the　lacquey
Tosilos。
　　〃Is　it　possible；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　thou　dost　still
think　that　he　yonder　is　a　real　lacquey？　Apparently　it　has　escaped
thy　memory　that　thou　hast　seen　Dulcinea　turned　and　transformed　into
a　peasant　wench；　and　the　Knight　of　the　Mirrors　into　the　bachelor
Carrasco；　all　the　work　of　the　enchanters　that　persecute　me。　But　tell
me　now；　didst　thou　ask　this　Tosilos；　as　thou　callest　him；　what　has
become　of　Altisidora；　did　she　weep　over　my　absence；　or　has　she　already
consigned　to　oblivion　the　love　thoughts　that　used　to　afflict　her
when　I　was　present？〃
　　〃The　thoughts　that　I　had；〃　said　Sancho；　〃were　not　such　as　to　leave
time　for　asking　fool's　questions。　Body　o'　me；　senor！　is　your　worship
in　a　condition　now　to　inquire　into　other　people's　thoughts；　above
all　love　thoughts？〃
　　〃Look　ye；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃there　is　a　great　difference
between　what　is　done　out　of　love　and　what　is　done　out　of　gratitude。
A　knight　may　very　possibly　he　proof　against　love；　but　it　is
impossible；　strictly　speaking；　for　him　to　be　ungrateful。　Altisidora；
to　all　appearance；　loved　me　truly；　she　gave　me　the　three　kerchiefs
thou　knowest　of；　she　wept　at　my　departure；　she　cursed　me；　she　abused
me；　casting　shame　to　the　winds　she　bewailed　herself　in　public；　all
signs　that　she　adored　me；　for　the　wrath　of　lovers　always　ends　in
curses。　I　had　no　hopes　to　give　her；　nor　treasures　to　offer　her；　for
mine　are　given　to　Dulcinea；　and　the　treasures　of　knights…errant　are
like　those　of　the　fairies；'　illusory　and　deceptive；　all　I　can　give　her
is　the　place　in　my　memory　I　keep　for　her；　without　prejudice；
however；　to　that　which　I　hold　devoted　to　Dulcinea；　whom　thou　art
wronging　by　thy　remissness　in　whipping　thyself　and　scourging　that
flesh…　would　that　I　saw　it　eaten　by　wolves…　which　would　rather　keep
itself　for　the　worms　than　for　the　relief　of　that　poor　lady。〃
　　〃Senor；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃if　the　truth　is　to　be　told；　I　cannot
persuade　myself　that　the　whipping　of　my　backside　has　anything　to　do
with　the　disenchantment　of　the　enchanted；　it　is　like　saying；　'If
your　head　aches　rub　ointment　on　your　knees；'　at　any　rate　I'll　make
bold　to　swear　that　in　all　the　histories　dealing　with　knight…errantry
that　your　worship　has　read　you　have　never　come　across　anybody
disenchanted　by　whipping；　but　whether　or　no　I'll　whip　myself　when　I
have　a　fancy　for　it；　and　the　opportunity　serves　for　scourging　myself
comfortably。〃
　　〃God　grant　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　heaven　give　thee　grace　to
take　it　to　heart　and　own　the　obligation　thou　art　under　to　help　my
lady；　who　is　thine　also；　inasmuch　as　thou　art　mine。〃
　　As　they　pursued　their　journey　talking　in　this　way　they　came　to　the
very　same　spot　where　they　had　been　trampled　on　by　the　bulls。　Don
Quixote　recognised　it；　and　said　he　to　Sancho；　〃This　is　the　meadow
where　we　came　upon　those　gay　shepherdesses　and　gallant　shepherds　who
were　trying　to　revive　and　imitate　the　pastoral　Arcadia　there；　an
idea　as　novel　as　it　was　happy；　in　emulation　whereof；　if　so　he　thou
dost　approve　of　it；　Sancho；　I　would　have　ourselves　turn　shepherds；
at　any　rate　for　the　time　I　have　to　live　in　retirement。　I　will　buy　some
ewes　and　everything　else　requisite　for　the　pastoral　calling；　and；　I
under　the　name　of　the　shepherd　Quixotize　and　thou　as　the　shepherd
Panzino；　we　will　roam　the　woods　and　groves　and　meadows　singing　songs
here；　lamenting　in　elegies　there；　drinking　of　the　crystal　waters　of
the　springs　or　limpid　brooks　or　flowing　rivers。　The　oaks　will　yield　us
their　sweet　fruit　with　bountiful　hand；　the　trunks　of　the　hard　cork
trees　a　seat；　the　willows　shade；　the　roses　perfume；　the　widespread
meadows　carpets　tinted　with　a　thousand　dyes；　the　clear　pure　air　will
give　us　breath；　the　moon　and　stars　lighten　the　darkness　of　the　night
for　us；　song　shall　be　our　delight；　lamenting　our　joy；　Apollo　will
supply　us　with　verses；　and　love　with　conceits　whereby　we　shall　make
ourselves　famed　for　ever；　not　only　in　this　but　in　ages　to　come。〃
　　〃Egad；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　that　sort　of　life　squares；　nay　corners；
with　my　notions；　and　what　is　more　the　bachelor　Samson　Carrasco　and
Master　Nicholas　the　barber　won't　have　well　seen　it　before　they'll　want
to　follow　it　and　turn　shepherds　along　with　us；　and　God　grant　it　may
not　come　into　the　curate's　head　to　join　the　sheepfold　too；　he's　so
jovial　and　fond　of　enjoying　himself。〃
　　〃Thou　art　in　the　right　of　it；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　the
bachelor　Samson　Carrasco；　if　he　enters　the　pastoral　fraternity；　as
no　doubt　he　will；　may　call　himself　the　shepherd　Samsonino；　or
perhaps　the　shepherd　Carrascon；　Nicholas　the　barber　may　call　himself
Niculoso；　as　old　Boscan　formerly　was　called　Nemoroso；　as　for　the
curate　I　don't　know　what　name　we　can　fit　to　him　unless　it　be　something
derived　from　his　title；　and　we　call　him　the　shepherd　Curiambro。　For
the　shepherdesses　whose　lovers　we　shall　be；　we　can　pick　names　as　we
would　pears；　and　as　my　lady's　name　does　just　as　well　for　a
shepherdess's　as　for　a　princess's；　I　need　not　trouble　myself　to　look
for　one　that　will　suit　her　better；　to　thine；　Sancho；　thou　canst　give
what　name　thou　wilt。〃
　　〃I　don't　mean　to　give　her　any　but　Teresona；〃　said　Sancho；　〃which
will　go　well　with　her　stoutness　and　with　her　own　right　name；　as　she　is
called　Teresa；　and　then　when　I　sing　her　praises　in　my　verses　I'll　show
how　chaste　my　passion　is；　for　I'm　not　going　to　look　'for　better
bread　than　ever　came　from　wheat'　in　other　men's　houses。　It　won't　do
for　the　curate　to　have　a　shepherdess；　for　the　sake　of　good　example；
and　if　the　bachelor　chooses　to　have　one；　that　is　his　look…out。〃
　　〃God　bless　me；　Sancho　my　friend！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃what　a　life
we　shall　lead！　What　hautboys　and　Zamora　bagpipes　we　shall　hear；　what
tabors；　timbrels；　and　rebecks！　And　then　if　among　all　these　different
sorts　of　music　that　of　the　albogues　is　heard；　almost　all　the
pastoral　instruments　will　be　there。〃
　　〃What　are　albogues？〃　asked　Sancho；　〃for　I　never　in　my　life　heard
tell　of　them　or　saw　them。〃
　　〃Albogues；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃are　brass　plates　like　candlesticks
that　struck　against　one　another　on　the　hollow　side　make　a　noise　which；
if　not　very　pleasing　or　harmonious；　is　not　disagreeable　and　accords
very　well　with　the　rude　notes　of　the　bagpipe　and　tabor。　The　word
albogue　is　Morisco；　as　are　all　those　in　our　Spanish　tongue　that
begin　with　al；　for　example；　almohaza；　almorzar；　alhombra；　alguacil；
alhucema；　almacen；　alcancia；　and　others　of　the　same　sort；　of　which
there　are　not　many　more；　our　language　has　only　three　that　are
Morisco　and　end　in　i；　which　are　borcegui；　zaquizami；　and　maravedi。
Alheli　and　alfaqui　are　seen　to　be　Arabic；　as　well　by　the　al　at　the
beginning　as　by　the　they　end　with。　I　mention　this　incidentally；　the
chance　allusion　to　albogues　having　reminded　me　of　it；　and　it　will　be
of　great　assistance　to　us　in　the　perfect　practice　of　this　calling　that
I　am　something　of　a　poet；　as　thou　knowest；　and　that　besides　the
bachelor　Samson　Carrasco　is　an　accomplished　one。　Of　the　curate　I　say
nothing；　but　I　will　wager　he　has　some　spice　of　the　poet　in　him；　and　no
doubt　Master　Nicholas　too；　for　all　barbers；　or　most　of　them；　are
guitar　players　and　stringers　of　verses。　I　will　bewail　my　separation；
thou　shalt　glorify　thyself　as　a　constant　lover；　the　shepherd　Carrascon
will　figure　as　a　rejected　one；　and　the　curate　Curiambro　as　whatever
may　please　him　best；　and　so　all　will　go　as　gaily　as　heart　could　wish。〃
　　To　this　Sancho　made　answer；　〃I　am　so　unlucky；　senor；　that　I'm　afraid
the　day　will　never　come　when　I'll　see　myself　at　such　a　calling。　O　what
neat　spoons　I'll　make　when　I'm　a　shepherd！　What　messes；　creams；
garlands；　pastoral　odds　and　ends！　And　if　they　don't　get　me　a　name
for　wisdom；　they'll　not　fail　to　get　me　one　for　ingenuity。　My
daughter　Sanchica　will　bring　us　our　dinner　to　the　pasture。　But　stay…
she's　good…looking；　and　shepherds　there　are　with　more　mischief　than
simplicity　in　them；　I　would　not　have　her　'come　for　wool　and　go　back
shorn；'　love…making　and　lawless　desires　are　just　as　common　in　the
fields　as　in　the　cities；　and　in　shepherds'　shanties　as　in　royal
palaces；　'do　away　with　the　cause；　you　do　away　with　the　sin；'　'