don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第26章

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where　I　may　be　cured　of　my　wounds。　And　moreover　I　shall　not　hold　it
any　dishonour　to　be　so　mounted；　for　I　remember　having　read　how　the
good　old　Silenus；　the　tutor　and　instructor　of　the　gay　god　of　laughter；
when　he　entered　the　city　of　the　hundred　gates；　went　very　contentedly
mounted　on　a　handsome　ass。〃
　　〃It　may　be　true　that　he　went　mounted　as　your　worship　says；〃　answered
Sancho；　〃but　there　is　a　great　difference　between　going　mounted　and
going　slung　like　a　sack　of　manure。〃
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　replied；　〃Wounds　received　in　battle　confer
honour　instead　of　taking　it　away；　and　so；　friend　Panza；　say　no　more；
but；　as　I　told　thee　before；　get　up　as　well　as　thou　canst　and　put　me　on
top　of　thy　beast　in　whatever　fashion　pleases　thee　best；　and　let　us
go　hence　ere　night　come　on　and　surprise　us　in　these　wilds。〃
　　〃And　yet　I　have　heard　your　worship　say；〃　observed　Panza；　〃that　it　is
very　meet　for　knights…errant　to　sleep　in　wastes　and　deserts；　and
that　they　esteem　it　very　good　fortune。〃
　　〃That　is；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃when　they　cannot　help　it；　or　when　they
are　in　love；　and　so　true　is　this　that　there　have　been　knights　who　have
remained　two　years　on　rocks；　in　sunshine　and　shade　and　all　the
inclemencies　of　heaven；　without　their　ladies　knowing　anything　of　it；
and　one　of　these　was　Amadis；　when；　under　the　name　of　Beltenebros；　he
took　up　his　abode　on　the　Pena　Pobre　for　…I　know　not　if　it　was　eight
years　or　eight　months；　for　I　am　not　very　sure　of　the　reckoning；　at　any
rate　he　stayed　there　doing　penance　for　I　know　not　what　pique　the
Princess　Oriana　had　against　him；　but　no　more　of　this　now；　Sancho；
and　make　haste　before　a　mishap　like　Rocinante's　befalls　the　ass。〃
　　〃The　very　devil　would　be　in　it　in　that　case；〃　said　Sancho；　and
letting　off　thirty　〃ohs；〃　and　sixty　sighs；　and　a　hundred　and　twenty
maledictions　and　execrations　on　whomsoever　it　was　that　had　brought　him
there；　he　raised　himself；　stopping　half…way　bent　like　a　Turkish　bow
without　power　to　bring　himself　upright；　but　with　all　his　pains　he
saddled　his　ass；　who　too　had　gone　astray　somewhat；　yielding　to　the
excessive　licence　of　the　day；　he　next　raised　up　Rocinante；　and　as
for　him；　had　he　possessed　a　tongue　to　complain　with；　most　assuredly
neither　Sancho　nor　his　master　would　have　been　behind　him。　To　be　brief；
Sancho　fixed　Don　Quixote　on　the　ass　and　secured　Rocinante　with　a
leading　rein；　and　taking　the　ass　by　the　halter；　he　proceeded　more　or
less　in　the　direction　in　which　it　seemed　to　him　the　high　road　might
be；　and；　as　chance　was　conducting　their　affairs　for　them　from　good
to　better；　he　had　not　gone　a　short　league　when　the　road　came　in　sight；
and　on　it　he　perceived　an　inn；　which　to　his　annoyance　and　to　the
delight　of　Don　Quixote　must　needs　be　a　castle。　Sancho　insisted　that　it
was　an　inn；　and　his　master　that　it　was　not　one；　but　a　castle；　and
the　dispute　lasted　so　long　that　before　the　point　was　settled　they
had　time　to　reach　it；　and　into　it　Sancho　entered　with　all　his　team
without　any　further　controversy。

　　CHAPTER　XVI
　　OF　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　THE　INGENIOUS　GENTLEMAN　IN　THE　INN　WHICH　HE　TOOK
TO　BE　A　CASTLE

　　THE　innkeeper；　seeing　Don　Quixote　slung　across　the　ass；　asked　Sancho
what　was　amiss　with　him。　Sancho　answered　that　it　was　nothing；　only
that　he　had　fallen　down　from　a　rock　and　had　his　ribs　a　little　bruised。
The　innkeeper　had　a　wife　whose　disposition　was　not　such　as　those　of
her　calling　commonly　have；　for　she　was　by　nature　kind…hearted　and　felt
for　the　sufferings　of　her　neighbours；　so　she　at　once　set　about　tending
Don　Quixote；　and　made　her　young　daughter；　a　very　comely　girl；　help　her
in　taking　care　of　her　guest。　There　was　besides　in　the　inn；　as　servant；
an　Asturian　lass　with　a　broad　face；　flat　poll；　and　snub　nose；　blind　of
one　eye　and　not　very　sound　in　the　other。　The　elegance　of　her　shape；　to
be　sure；　made　up　for　all　her　defects；　she　did　not　measure　seven
palms　from　head　to　foot；　and　her　shoulders；　which　overweighted　her
somewhat；　made　her　contemplate　the　ground　more　than　she　liked。　This
graceful　lass；　then；　helped　the　young　girl；　and　the　two　made　up　a　very
bad　bed　for　Don　Quixote　in　a　garret　that　showed　evident　signs　of
having　formerly　served　for　many　years　as　a　straw…loft；　in　which
there　was　also　quartered　a　carrier　whose　bed　was　placed　a　little
beyond　our　Don　Quixote's；　and；　though　only　made　of　the　pack…saddles
and　cloths　of　his　mules；　had　much　the　advantage　of　it；　as　Don
Quixote's　consisted　simply　of　four　rough　boards　on　two　not　very　even
trestles；　a　mattress；　that　for　thinness　might　have　passed　for　a　quilt；
full　of　pellets　which；　were　they　not　seen　through　the　rents　to　be
wool；　would　to　the　touch　have　seemed　pebbles　in　hardness；　two　sheets
made　of　buckler　leather；　and　a　coverlet　the　threads　of　which　anyone
that　chose　might　have　counted　without　missing　one　in　the　reckoning。
　　On　this　accursed　bed　Don　Quixote　stretched　himself；　and　the
hostess　and　her　daughter　soon　covered　him　with　plasters　from　top　to
toe；　while　Maritornes…　for　that　was　the　name　of　the　Asturian…　held　the
light　for　them；　and　while　plastering　him；　the　hostess；　observing　how
full　of　wheals　Don　Quixote　was　in　some　places；　remarked　that　this
had　more　the　look　of　blows　than　of　a　fall。
　　It　was　not　blows；　Sancho　said；　but　that　the　rock　had　many　points　and
projections；　and　that　each　of　them　had　left　its　mark。　〃Pray；
senora；〃　he　added；　〃manage　to　save　some　tow；　as　there　will　be　no
want　of　some　one　to　use　it；　for　my　loins　too　are　rather　sore。〃
　　〃Then　you　must　have　fallen　too；〃　said　the　hostess。
　　〃I　did　not　fall；〃　said　Sancho　Panza；　〃but　from　the　shock　I　got　at
seeing　my　master　fall；　my　body　aches　so　that　I　feel　as　if　I　had　had
a　thousand　thwacks。〃
　　〃That　may　well　be；〃　said　the　young　girl；　〃for　it　has　many　a　time
happened　to　me　to　dream　that　I　was　falling　down　from　a　tower　and　never
coming　to　the　ground；　and　when　I　awoke　from　the　dream　to　find　myself
as　weak　and　shaken　as　if　I　had　really　fallen。〃
　　〃There　is　the　point；　senora；〃　replied　Sancho　Panza；　〃that　I
without　dreaming　at　all；　but　being　more　awake　than　I　am　now；　find
myself　with　scarcely　less　wheals　than　my　master；　Don　Quixote。〃
　　〃How　is　the　gentleman　called？〃　asked　Maritornes　the　Asturian。
　　〃Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；〃　answered　Sancho　Panza；　〃and　he　is　a
knight…adventurer；　and　one　of　the　best　and　stoutest　that　have　been
seen　in　the　world　this　long　time　past。〃
　　〃What　is　a　knight…adventurer？〃　said　the　lass。
　　〃Are　you　so　new　in　the　world　as　not　to　know？〃　answered　Sancho　Panza。
〃Well；　then；　you　must　know；　sister；　that　a　knight…adventurer　is　a
thing　that　in　two　words　is　seen　drubbed　and　emperor；　that　is　to…day
the　most　miserable　and　needy　being　in　the　world；　and　to…morrow　will
have　two　or　three　crowns　of　kingdoms　to　give　his　squire。〃
　　〃Then　how　is　it；〃　said　the　hostess；　〃that　belonging　to　so　good　a
master　as　this；　you　have　not；　to　judge　by　appearances；　even　so　much　as
a　county？〃
　　〃It　is　too　soon　yet；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃for　we　have　only　been　a
month　going　in　quest　of　adventures；　and　so　far　we　have　met　with
nothing　that　can　be　called　one；　for　it　will　happen　that　when　one　thing
is　looked　for　another　thing　is　found；　however；　if　my　master　Don
Quixote　gets　well　of　this　wound；　or　fall；　and　I　am　left　none　the　worse
of　it；　I　would　not　change　my　hopes　for　the　best　title　in　Spain。〃
　　To　all　this　conversation　Don　Quixote　was　listening　very　attentively；
and　sitting　up　in　bed　as　well　as　he　could；　and　taking　the　hostess　by
the　hand　he　said　to　her；　〃Believe　me；　fair　lady；　you　may　call　yourself
fortunate　in　having　in　this　castle　of　yours　sheltered　my　person；　which
is　such　that　if　I　do　not　myself　praise　it；　it　is　because　of　what　is
commonly　said；　that　self…praise　debaseth；　but　my　squire　will　inform
you　who　I　am。　I　only　tell　you　that　I　shall　preserve　for　ever　inscribed
on　my　memory　the　service　you　have　rendered　me　in　order　to　tender　you
my　gratitude　while　life　shall　last　me；　and　would　to　Heaven　love　held
me　not　so　enthralled　and　subject　to　its　laws　and　to　the　eyes　of　that
fair　ingrate　whom　I　name　between　my　teeth；　but　that　those　of　this
lovely　damsel　might　be　the　masters　of　my　liberty。〃
　　The　hostess；　her　daughter；　and　the　worthy　Maritornes　listened　in
bewilderment　to　the　words　of　t