don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第264章

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signals　with　a　half　sheet　to　her　fugitive　guest　who　was　out　at　sea
flying　in　a　frigate　or　brigantine。　He　noticed　in　the　two　stories
that　Helen　did　not　go　very　reluctantly；　for　she　was　laughing　slyly　and
roguishly；　but　the　fair　Dido　was　shown　dropping　tears　the　size　of
walnuts　from　her　eyes。　Don　Quixote　as　he　looked　at　them　observed；
〃Those　two　ladies　were　very　unfortunate　not　to　have　been　born　in
this　age；　and　I　unfortunate　above　all　men　not　to　have　been　born　in
theirs。　Had　I　fallen　in　with　those　gentlemen；　Troy　would　not　have　been
burned　or　Carthage　destroyed；　for　it　would　have　been　only　for　me　to
slay　Paris；　and　all　these　misfortunes　would　have　been　avoided。〃
　　〃I'll　lay　a　bet；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　before　long　there　won't　be　a
tavern；　roadside　inn；　hostelry；　or　barber's　shop　where　the　story　of
our　doings　won't　be　painted　up；　but　I'd　like　it　painted　by　the　hand　of
a　better　painter　than　painted　these。〃
　　〃Thou　art　right；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　this　painter　is
like　Orbaneja；　a　painter　there　was　at　Ubeda；　who　when　they　asked　him
what　he　was　painting；　used　to　say；　'Whatever　it　may　turn　out；　and　if
he　chanced　to　paint　a　cock　he　would　write　under　it；　'This　is　a
cock；'　for　fear　they　might　think　it　was　a　fox。　The　painter　or
writer；　for　it's　all　the　same；　who　published　the　history　of　this　new
Don　Quixote　that　has　come　out；　must　have　been　one　of　this　sort　I
think；　Sancho；　for　he　painted　or　wrote　'whatever　it　might　turn　out；'
or　perhaps　he　is　like　a　poet　called　Mauleon　that　was　about　the　Court
some　years　ago；　who　used　to　answer　at　haphazard　whatever　he　was　asked；
and　on　one　asking　him　what　Deum　de　Deo　meant；　he　replied　De　donde
diere。　But；　putting　this　aside；　tell　me；　Sancho；　hast　thou　a　mind　to
have　another　turn　at　thyself　to…night；　and　wouldst　thou　rather　have　it
indoors　or　in　the　open　air？〃
　　〃Egad；　senor；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　what　I'm　going　to　give　myself；　it
comes　all　the　same　to　me　whether　it　is　in　a　house　or　in　the　fields；
still　I'd　like　it　to　be　among　trees；　for　I　think　they　are　company
for　me　and　help　me　to　bear　my　pain　wonderfully。〃
　　〃And　yet　it　must　not　be；　Sancho　my　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃but；　to　enable　thee　to　recover　strength；　we　must　keep　it　for　our
own　village；　for　at　the　latest　we　shall　get　there　the　day　after
tomorrow。〃
　　Sancho　said　he　might　do　as　he　pleased；　but　that　for　his　own　part
he　would　like　to　finish　off　the　business　quickly　before　his　blood
cooled　and　while　he　had　an　appetite；　because　〃in　delay　there　is　apt　to
be　danger〃　very　often；　and　〃praying　to　God　and　plying　the　hammer；〃　and
〃one　take　was　better　than　two　I'll　give　thee's；〃　and　〃a　sparrow　in　the
hand　than　a　vulture　on　the　wing。〃
　　〃For　God's　sake；　Sancho；　no　more　proverbs！〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote；
〃it　seems　to　me　thou　art　becoming　sicut　erat　again；　speak　in　a
plain；　simple；　straight…forward　way；　as　I　have　often　told　thee；　and
thou　wilt　find　the　good　of　it。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　bad　luck　it　is　of　mine；〃　argument　to　my　mind；
however；　I　mean　to　mend　said　Sancho；　〃but　I　can't　utter　a　word　without
a　proverb　that　is　not　as　good　as　an　argument　to　my　mind；　however；　I
mean　to　mend　if　I　can；〃　and　so　for　the　present　the　conversation　ended。


　　CHAPTER　LXXII
　　OF　HOW　DON　QUIXOTE　AND　SANCHO　REACHED　THEIR　VILLAGE

　　ALL　that　day　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　remained　in　the　village　and
inn　waiting　for　night；　the　one　to　finish　off　his　task　of　scourging
in　the　open　country；　the　other　to　see　it　accomplished；　for　therein　lay
the　accomplishment　of　his　wishes。　Meanwhile　there　arrived　at　the
hostelry　a　traveller　on　horseback　with　three　or　four　servants；　one
of　whom　said　to　him　who　appeared　to　be　the　master；　〃Here；　Senor　Don
Alvaro　Tarfe；　your　worship　may　take　your　siesta　to…day；　the　quarters
seem　clean　and　cool。〃
　　When　he　heard　this　Don　Quixote　said　to　Sancho；　〃Look　here；　Sancho；
on　turning　over　the　leaves　of　that　book　of　the　Second　Part　of　my
history　I　think　I　came　casually　upon　this　name　of　Don　Alvaro　Tarfe。〃
　　〃Very　likely；〃　said　Sancho；　〃we　had　better　let　him　dismount；　and
by…and…by　we　can　ask　about　it。〃
　　The　gentleman　dismounted；　and　the　landlady　gave　him　a　room　on　the
ground　floor　opposite　Don　Quixote's　and　adorned　with　painted　serge
hangings　of　the　same　sort。　The　newly　arrived　gentleman　put　on　a　summer
coat；　and　coming　out　to　the　gateway　of　the　hostelry；　which　was　wide
and　cool；　addressing　Don　Quixote；　who　was　pacing　up　and　down　there；　he
asked；　〃In　what　direction　your　worship　bound；　gentle　sir？〃
　　〃To　a　village　near　this　which　is　my　own　village；〃　replied　Don
Quixote；　〃and　your　worship；　where　are　you　bound　for？〃
　　〃I　am　going　to　Granada；　senor；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃to　my　own
country。〃
　　〃And　a　goodly　country；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　will　your　worship
do　me　the　favour　of　telling　me　your　name；　for　it　strikes　me　it　is　of
more　importance　to　me　to　know　it　than　I　can　tell　you。〃
　　〃My　name　is　Don　Alvaro　Tarfe；〃　replied　the　traveller。
　　To　which　Don　Quixote　returned；　〃I　have　no　doubt　whatever　that　your
worship　is　that　Don　Alvaro　Tarfe　who　appears　in　print　in　the　Second
Part　of　the　history　of　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　lately　printed　and
published　by　a　new　author。〃
　　〃I　am　the　same；〃　replied　the　gentleman；　〃and　that　same　Don
Quixote；　the　principal　personage　in　the　said　history；　was　a　very　great
friend　of　mine；　and　it　was　I　who　took　him　away　from　home；　or　at
least　induced　him　to　come　to　some　jousts　that　were　to　be　held　at
Saragossa；　whither　I　was　going　myself；　indeed；　I　showed　him　many
kindnesses；　and　saved　him　from　having　his　shoulders　touched　up　by
the　executioner　because　of　his　extreme　rashness。〃
　　Tell　me；　Senor　Don　Alvaro；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃am　I　at　all　like　that
Don　Quixote　you　talk　of？〃
　　〃No　indeed；〃　replied　the　traveller；　〃not　a　bit。〃
　　〃And　that　Don　Quixote…〃　said　our　one；　〃had　he　with　him　a　squire
called　Sancho　Panza？〃
　　〃He　had；〃　said　Don　Alvaro；　〃but　though　he　had　the　name　of　being　very
droll；　I　never　heard　him　say　anything　that　had　any　drollery　in　it。〃
　　〃That　I　can　well　believe；〃　said　Sancho　at　this；　〃for　to　come　out
with　drolleries　is　not　in　everybody's　line；　and　that　Sancho　your
worship　speaks　of；　gentle　sir；　must　be　some　great　scoundrel；
dunderhead；　and　thief；　all　in　one；　for　I　am　the　real　Sancho　Panza；　and
I　have　more　drolleries　than　if　it　rained　them；　let　your　worship　only
try；　come　along　with　me　for　a　year　or　so；　and　you　will　find　they
fall　from　me　at　every　turn；　and　so　rich　and　so　plentiful　that　though
mostly　I　don't　know　what　I　am　saying　I　make　everybody　that　hears　me
laugh。　And　the　real　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　the　famous；　the　valiant；
the　wise；　the　lover；　the　righter　of　wrongs；　the　guardian　of　minors　and
orphans；　the　protector　of　widows；　the　killer　of　damsels；　he　who　has
for　his　sole　mistress　the　peerless　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　is　this
gentleman　before　you；　my　master；　all　other　Don　Quixotes　and　all
other　Sancho　Panzas　are　dreams　and　mockeries。〃
　　〃By　God　I　believe　it；〃　said　Don　Alvaro；　〃for　you　have　uttered　more
drolleries；　my　friend；　in　the　few　words　you　have　spoken　than　the　other
Sancho　Panza　in　all　I　ever　heard　from　him；　and　they　were　not　a　few。　He
was　more　greedy　than　well…spoken；　and　more　dull　than　droll；　and　I　am

convinced　that　the　enchanters　who　persecute　Don　Quixote　the　Good
have　been　trying　to　persecute　me　with　Don　Quixote　the　Bad。　But　I　don't
know　what　to　say；　for　I　am　ready　to　swear　I　left　him　shut　up　in　the
Casa　del　Nuncio　at　Toledo；　and　here　another　Don　Quixote　turns　up；
though　a　very　different　one　from　mine。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　good；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　I　can
safely　say　I　am　not　'the　Bad；'　and　to　prove　it；　let　me　tell　you；　Senor
Don　Alvaro　Tarfe；　I　have　never　in　my　life　been　in　Saragossa；　so　far
from　that；　when　it　was　told　me　that　this　imaginary　Don　Quixote　had
been　present　at　the　jousts　in　that　city；　I　declined　to　enter　it；　in
order　to　drag　his　falsehood　before　the　face　of　the　world；　and　so　I
went　on　straight　to　Barcelona；　the　treasure…house　of　courtesy；　haven
of　strangers；　asylum　of　the　poor；　home　of　the　valiant；　champion　of　the
wronged；　pleasant　exchange　of　firm　friendships；　and　city　unrivalled　in
site　and　beauty。　And　though　the　adventures　that　befell　me　there　are
not　by　any　means　matters　of