don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第268章
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there are no birds this year。' I was mad； now I am in my senses； I was
Don Quixote of La Mancha； I am now； as I said； Alonso Quixano the
Good； and may my repentance and sincerity restore me to the esteem you
used to have for me； and now let Master Notary proceed。
〃Item； I leave all my property absolutely to Antonia Quixana my
niece； here present； after all has been deducted from the most
available portion of it that may be required to satisfy the bequests I
have made。 And the first disbursement I desire to be made is the
payment of the wages I owe for the time my housekeeper has served
me； with twenty ducats； over and above； for a gown。 The curate and the
bachelor Samson Carrasco； now present； I appoint my executors。
〃Item； it is my wish that if Antonia Quixana； my niece； desires to
marry； she shall marry a man of whom it shall be first of all
ascertained by information taken that he does not know what books of
chivalry are； and if it should be proved that he does； and if； in
spite of this； my niece insists upon marrying him； and does marry him；
then that she shall forfeit the whole of what I have left her； which
my executors shall devote to works of charity as they please。
〃Item； I entreat the aforesaid gentlemen my executors； that； if
any happy chance should lead them to discover the author who is said
to have written a history now going about under the title of 'Second
Part of the Achievements of Don Quixote of La Mancha；' they beg of him
on my behalf as earnestly as they can to forgive me for having been；
without intending it； the cause of his writing so many and such
monstrous absurdities as he has written in it； for I am leaving the
world with a feeling of compunction at having provoked him to write
them。〃
With this he closed his will； and a faintness coming over him he
stretched himself out at full length on the bed。 All were in a flutter
and made haste to relieve him； and during the three days he lived
after that on which he made his will he fainted away very often。 The
house was all in confusion； but still the niece ate and the
housekeeper drank and Sancho Panza enjoyed himself； for inheriting
property wipes out or softens down in the heir the feeling of grief
the dead man might be expected to leave behind him。
At last Don Quixote's end came； after he had received all the
sacraments； and had in full and forcible terms expressed his
detestation of books of chivalry。 The notary was there at the time；
and he said that in no book of chivalry had he ever read of any
knight…errant dying in his bed so calmly and so like a Christian as
Don Quixote； who amid the tears and lamentations of all present
yielded up his spirit； that is to say died。 On perceiving it the
curate begged the notary to bear witness that Alonso Quixano the Good；
commonly called Don Quixote of La Mancha； had passed away from this
present life； and died naturally； and said he desired this testimony
in order to remove the possibility of any other author save Cide
Hamete Benengeli bringing him to life again falsely and making
interminable stories out of his achievements。
Such was the end of the Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha； whose
village Cide Hamete would not indicate precisely； in order to leave
all the towns and villages of La Mancha to contend among themselves
for the right to adopt him and claim him as a son； as the seven cities
of Greece contended for Homer。 The lamentations of Sancho and the
niece and housekeeper are omitted here； as well as the new epitaphs
upon his tomb； Samson Carrasco； however； put the following lines：
A doughty gentleman lies here；
A stranger all his life to fear；
Nor in his death could Death prevail；
In that last hour； to make him quail。
He for the world but little cared；
And at his feats the world was scared；
A crazy man his life he passed；
But in his senses died at last。
And said most sage Cide Hamete to his pen； 〃Rest here； hung up by
this brass wire； upon this shelf； O my pen； whether of skilful make or
clumsy cut I know not； here shalt thou remain long ages hence；
unless presumptuous or malignant story…tellers take thee down to
profane thee。 But ere they touch thee warn them； and； as best thou
canst； say to them：
Hold off！ ye weaklings； hold your hands！
Adventure it let none；
For this emprise； my lord the king；
Was meant for me alone。
For me alone was Don Quixote born； and I for him； it was his to act；
mine to write； we two together make but one； notwithstanding and in
spite of that pretended Tordesillesque writer who has ventured or
would venture with his great； coarse； ill…trimmed ostrich quill to
write the achievements of my valiant knight；… no burden for his
shoulders； nor subject for his frozen wit： whom； if perchance thou
shouldst come to know him； thou shalt warn to leave at rest where they
lie the weary mouldering bones of Don Quixote； and not to attempt to
carry him off； in opposition to all the privileges of death； to Old
Castile； making him rise from the grave where in reality and truth
he lies stretched at full length； powerless to make any third
expedition or new sally； for the two that he has already made； so much
to the enjoyment and approval of everybody to whom they have become
known； in this as well as in foreign countries； are quite sufficient
for the purpose of turning into ridicule the whole of those made by
the whole set of the knights…errant； and so doing shalt thou discharge
thy Christian calling； giving good counsel to one that bears
ill…will to thee。 And I shall remain satisfied； and proud to have been
the first who has ever enjoyed the fruit of his writings as fully as
he could desire； for my desire has been no other than to deliver
over to the detestation of mankind the false and foolish tales of
the books of chivalry； which； thanks to that of my true Don Quixote；
are even now tottering； and doubtless doomed to fall for ever。
Farewell。〃
…THE END…
DEDICATION OF PART II
TO THE COUNT OF LEMOS：
THESE days past； when sending Your Excellency my plays； that had
appeared in print before being shown on the stage； I said； if I
remember well； that Don Quixote was putting on his spurs to go and
render homage to Your Excellency。 Now I say that 〃with his spurs； he
is on his way。〃 Should he reach destination methinks I shall have
rendered some service to Your Excellency； as from many parts I am
urged to send him off； so as to dispel the loathing and disgust caused
by another Don Quixote who； under the name of Second Part； has run
masquerading through the whole world。 And he who has shown the
greatest longing for him has been the great Emperor of China； who
wrote me a letter in Chinese a month ago and sent it by a special
courier。 He asked me； or to be truthful； he begged me to send him
Don Quixote； for he intended to found a college where the Spanish
tongue would be taught； and it was his wish that the book to be read
should be the History of Don Quixote。 He also added that I should go
and be the rector of this college。 I asked the bearer if His Majesty
had afforded a sum in aid of my travel expenses。 He answered； 〃No； not
even in thought。〃
〃Then； brother；〃 I replied； 〃you can return to your China； post
haste or at whatever haste you are bound to go； as I am not fit for so
long a travel and； besides being ill； I am very much without money；
while Emperor for Emperor and Monarch for Monarch； I have at Naples
the great Count of Lemos； who； without so many petty titles of
colleges and rectorships； sustains me； protects me and does me more
favour than I can wish for。〃
Thus I gave him his leave and I beg mine from you； offering Your
Excellency the 〃Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda；〃 a book I shall
finish within four months； Deo volente； and which will be either the
worst or the best that has been composed in our language； I mean of
those intended for entertainment； at which I repent of having called
it the worst； for； in the opinion of
