don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第266章

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busy　with　their　breviaries。　It　should　be　mentioned　that　Sancho　had
thrown；　by　way　of　a　sumpter…cloth；　over　Dapple　and　over　the　bundle
of　armour；　the　buckram　robe　painted　with　flames　which　they　had　put
upon　him　at　the　duke's　castle　the　night　Altisidora　came　back　to
life。　He　had　also　fixed　the　mitre　on　Dapple's　head；　the　oddest
transformation　and　decoration　that　ever　ass　in　the　world　underwent。
They　were　at　once　recognised　by　both　the　curate　and　the　bachelor；
who　came　towards　them　with　open　arms。　Don　Quixote　dismounted　and
received　them　with　a　close　embrace；　and　the　boys；　who　are　lynxes
that　nothing　escapes；　spied　out　the　ass's　mitre　and　came　running　to
see　it；　calling　out　to　one　another；　〃Come　here；　boys；　and　see　Sancho
Panza's　ass　figged　out　finer　than　Mingo；　and　Don　Quixote's　beast
leaner　than　ever。〃
　　So　at　length；　with　the　boys　capering　round　them；　and　accompanied
by　the　curate　and　the　bachelor；　they　made　their　entrance　into　the
town；　and　proceeded　to　Don　Quixote's　house；　at　the　door　of　which
they　found　his　housekeeper　and　niece；　whom　the　news　of　his　arrival　had
already　reached。　It　had　been　brought　to　Teresa　Panza；　Sancho's　wife；
as　well；　and　she　with　her　hair　all　loose　and　half　naked；　dragging
Sanchica　her　daughter　by　the　hand；　ran　out　to　meet　her　husband；　but
seeing　him　coming　in　by　no　means　as　good　case　as　she　thought　a
governor　ought　to　be；　she　said　to　him；　〃How　is　it　you　come　this　way；
husband？　It　seems　to　me　you　come　tramping　and　footsore；　and　looking
more　like　a　disorderly　vagabond　than　a　governor。〃
　　〃Hold　your　tongue；　Teresa；〃　said　Sancho；　〃often　'where　there　are
pegs　there　are　no　flitches；'　let's　go　into　the　house　and　there
you'll　hear　strange　things。　I　bring　money；　and　that's　the　main
thing；　got　by　my　own　industry　without　wronging　anybody。〃
　　〃You　bring　the　money；　my　good　husband；〃　said　Teresa；　〃and　no
matter　whether　it　was　got　this　way　or　that；　for；　however　you　may
have　got　it；　you'll　not　have　brought　any　new　practice　into　the　world。〃
　　Sanchica　embraced　her　father　and　asked　him　if　he　brought　her
anything；　for　she　had　been　looking　out　for　him　as　for　the　showers　of
May；　and　she　taking　hold　of　him　by　the　girdle　on　one　side；　and　his
wife　by　the　hand；　while　the　daughter　led　Dapple；　they　made　for　their
house；　leaving　Don　Quixote　in　his；　in　the　hands　of　his　niece　and
housekeeper；　and　in　the　company　of　the　curate　and　the　bachelor。
　　Don　Quixote　at　once；　without　any　regard　to　time　or　season；
withdrew　in　private　with　the　bachelor　and　the　curate；　and　in　a　few
words　told　them　of　his　defeat；　and　of　the　engagement　he　was　under
not　to　quit　his　village　for　a　year；　which　he　meant　to　keep　to　the
letter　without　departing　a　hair's　breadth　from　it；　as　became　a
knight…errant　bound　by　scrupulous　good　faith　and　the　laws　of
knight…errantry；　and　of　how　he　thought　of　turning　shepherd　for　that
year；　and　taking　his　diversion　in　the　solitude　of　the　fields；　where　he
could　with　perfect　freedom　give　range　to　his　thoughts　of　love　while　he
followed　the　virtuous　pastoral　calling；　and　he　besought　them；　if
they　had　not　a　great　deal　to　do　and　were　not　prevented　by　more
important　business；　to　consent　to　be　his　companions；　for　he　would
buy　sheep　enough　to　qualify　them　for　shepherds；　and　the　most　important
point　of　the　whole　affair；　he　could　tell　them；　was　settled；　for　he　had
given　them　names　that　would　fit　them　to　a　T。　The　curate　asked　what
they　were。　Don　Quixote　replied　that　he　himself　was　to　be　called　the
shepherd　Quixotize　and　the　bachelor　the　shepherd　Carrascon；　and　the
curate　the　shepherd　Curambro；　and　Sancho　Panza　the　shepherd　Pancino。
　　Both　were　astounded　at　Don　Quixote's　new　craze；　however；　lest　he
should　once　more　make　off　out　of　the　village　from　them　in　pursuit　of
his　chivalry；　they　trusting　that　in　the　course　of　the　year　he　might　be
cured；　fell　in　with　his　new　project；　applauded　his　crazy　idea　as　a
bright　one；　and　offered　to　share　the　life　with　him。　〃And　what's　more；〃
said　Samson　Carrasco；　〃I　am；　as　all　the　world　knows；　a　very　famous
poet；　and　I'll　be　always　making　verses；　pastoral；　or　courtly；　or　as　it
may　come　into　my　head；　to　pass　away　our　time　in　those　secluded　regions
where　we　shall　be　roaming。　But　what　is　most　needful；　sirs；　is　that
each　of　us　should　choose　the　name　of　the　shepherdess　he　means　to
glorify　in　his　verses；　and　that　we　should　not　leave　a　tree；　be　it　ever
so　hard；　without　writing　up　and　carving　her　name　on　it；　as　is　the
habit　and　custom　of　love…smitten　shepherds。〃
　　〃That's　the　very　thing；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃though　I　am　relieved
from　looking　for　the　name　of　an　imaginary　shepherdess；　for　there's　the
peerless　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　the　glory　of　these　brooksides；　the
ornament　of　these　meadows；　the　mainstay　of　beauty；　the　cream　of　all
the　graces；　and；　in　a　word；　the　being　to　whom　all　praise　is
appropriate；　be　it　ever　so　hyperbolical。〃
　　〃Very　true；〃　said　the　curate；　〃but　we　the　others　must　look　about　for
accommodating　shepherdesses　that　will　answer　our　purpose　one　way　or
another。〃
　　〃And；〃　added　Samson　Carrasco；　〃if　they　fail　us；　we　can　call　them
by　the　names　of　the　ones　in　print　that　the　world　is　filled　with；
Filidas；　Amarilises；　Dianas；　Fleridas；　Galateas；　Belisardas；　for　as
they　sell　them　in　the　market…places　we　may　fairly　buy　them　and　make
them　our　own。　If　my　lady；　or　I　should　say　my　shepherdess；　happens　to
be　called　Ana；　I'll　sing　her　praises　under　the　name　of　Anarda；　and
if　Francisca；　I'll　call　her　Francenia；　and　if　Lucia；　Lucinda；　for　it
all　comes　to　the　same　thing；　and　Sancho　Panza；　if　he　joins　this
fraternity；　may　glorify　his　wife　Teresa　Panza　as　Teresaina。〃
　　Don　Quixote　laughed　at　the　adaptation　of　the　name；　and　the　curate
bestowed　vast　praise　upon　the　worthy　and　honourable　resolution　he
had　made；　and　again　offered　to　bear　him　company　all　the　time　that　he
could　spare　from　his　imperative　duties。　And　so　they　took　their　leave
of　him；　recommending　and　beseeching　him　to　take　care　of　his　health　and
treat　himself　to　a　suitable　diet。
　　It　so　happened　his　niece　and　the　housekeeper　overheard　all　the　three
of　them　said；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　they　both　of　them　came
in　to　Don　Quixote；　and　said　the　niece；　〃What's　this；　uncle？　Now　that
we　were　thinking　you　had　come　back　to　stay　at　home　and　lead　a　quiet
respectable　life　there；　are　you　going　to　get　into　fresh　entanglements；
and　turn　'young　shepherd；　thou　that　comest　here；　young　shepherd
going　there？'　Nay！　indeed　'the　straw　is　too　hard　now　to　make　pipes
of。'〃
　　〃And；〃　added　the　housekeeper；　〃will　your　worship　be　able　to　bear；
out　in　the　fields；　the　heats　of　summer；　and　the　chills　of　winter；
and　the　howling　of　the　wolves？　Not　you；　for　that's　a　life　and　a
business　for　hardy　men；　bred　and　seasoned　to　such　work　almost　from　the
time　they　were　in　swaddling…clothes。　Why；　to　make　choice　of　evils；
it's　better　to　be　a　knight…errant　than　a　shepherd！　Look　here；　senor；
take　my　advice…　and　I'm　not　giving　it　to　you　full　of　bread　and　wine；
but　fasting；　and　with　fifty　years　upon　my　head…　stay　at　home；　look
after　your　affairs；　go　often　to　confession；　be　good　to　the　poor；　and
upon　my　soul　be　it　if　any　evil　comes　to　you。〃
　　〃Hold　your　peace；　my　daughters；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　know　very　well
what　my　duty　is；　help　me　to　bed；　for　I　don't　feel　very　well；　and
rest　assured　that；　knight…errant　now　or　wandering　shepherd　to　be；　I
shall　never　fail　to　have　a　care　for　your　interests；　as　you　will　see　in
the　end。〃　And　the　good　wenches　（for　that　they　undoubtedly　were）；　the
housekeeper　and　niece；　helped　him　to　bed；　where　they　gave　him
something　to　eat　and　made　him　as　comfortable　as　possible。
　　

CHAPTER　LXXIV


　　OF　HOW　DON　QUIXOTE　FELL　SICK；　AND　OF　THE　WILL　HE　MADE；　AND　HOW　HE

DIED



　　AS　NOTHING　that　is　man's　can　last　for　ever；　but　all　tends　ever

downwards　from　its　beginning　to　its　end；　and　above　all　man's　life；　and

as　Don　Quixote's　enjoyed　no　special　dispensation　from　heaven　to　stay

its　course；　its　end　and　close　came　when　he　least　looked　for　it。　For…

whether　it　was　of　the　dejection　the　thought　of　his　defeat　produced；　or

of　heaven's　will　that　so　ordered　it…　a　fever　settled　upon　him　and　kept

him　in　his　bed　for　six　days；　during　which　he　was　often　visited　by

his　friends　the　curate；