don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第28章

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the　quarter　where　he　had　heard　the　disturbance。　The　wench；　seeing　that
her　master　was　coming　and　knowing　that　his　temper　was　terrible；
frightened　and　panic…stricken　made　for　the　bed　of　Sancho　Panza；　who
still　slept；　and　crouching　upon　it　made　a　ball　of　herself。
　　The　innkeeper　came　in　exclaiming；　〃Where　art　thou；　strumpet？　Of
course　this　is　some　of　thy　work。〃　At　this　Sancho　awoke；　and　feeling
this　mass　almost　on　top　of　him　fancied　he　had　the　nightmare　and
began　to　distribute　fisticuffs　all　round；　of　which　a　certain　share
fell　upon　Maritornes；　who；　irritated　by　the　pain　and　flinging
modesty　aside；　paid　back　so　many　in　return　to　Sancho　that　she　woke　him
up　in　spite　of　himself。　He　then；　finding　himself　so　handled；　by　whom
he　knew　not；　raising　himself　up　as　well　as　he　could；　grappled　with
Maritornes；　and　he　and　she　between　them　began　the　bitterest　and
drollest　scrimmage　in　the　world。　The　carrier；　however；　perceiving　by
the　light　of　the　innkeeper　candle　how　it　fared　with　his　ladylove；
quitting　Don　Quixote；　ran　to　bring　her　the　help　she　needed；　and　the
innkeeper　did　the　same　but　with　a　different　intention；　for　his　was
to　chastise　the　lass；　as　he　believed　that　beyond　a　doubt　she　alone　was
the　cause　of　all　the　harmony。　And　so；　as　the　saying　is；　cat　to　rat；
rat　to　rope；　rope　to　stick；　the　carrier　pounded　Sancho；　Sancho　the
lass；　she　him；　and　the　innkeeper　her；　and　all　worked　away　so　briskly
that　they　did　not　give　themselves　a　moment's　rest；　and　the　best　of
it　was　that　the　innkeeper's　lamp　went　out；　and　as　they　were　left　in
the　dark　they　all　laid　on　one　upon　the　other　in　a　mass　so　unmercifully
that　there　was　not　a　sound　spot　left　where　a　hand　could　light。
　　It　so　happened　that　there　was　lodging　that　night　in　the　inn　a
caudrillero　of　what　they　call　the　Old　Holy　Brotherhood　of　Toledo；　who；
also　hearing　the　extraordinary　noise　of　the　conflict；　seized　his　staff
and　the　tin　case　with　his　warrants；　and　made　his　way　in　the　dark
into　the　room　crying：　〃Hold！　in　the　name　of　the　Jurisdiction！　Hold！　in
the　name　of　the　Holy　Brotherhood！〃
　　The　first　that　he　came　upon　was　the　pummelled　Don　Quixote；　who　lay
stretched　senseless　on　his　back　upon　his　broken…down　bed；　and；　his
hand　falling　on　the　beard　as　he　felt　about；　he　continued　to　cry；　〃Help
for　the　Jurisdiction！〃　but　perceiving　that　he　whom　he　had　laid　hold　of
did　not　move　or　stir；　he　concluded　that　he　was　dead　and　that　those
in　the　room　were　his　murderers；　and　with　this　suspicion　he　raised
his　voice　still　higher；　calling　out；　〃Shut　the　inn　gate；　see　that　no
one　goes　out；　they　have　killed　a　man　here！〃　This　cry　startled　them
all；　and　each　dropped　the　contest　at　the　point　at　which　the　voice
reached　him。　The　innkeeper　retreated　to　his　room；　the　carrier　to　his
pack…saddles；　the　lass　to　her　crib；　the　unlucky　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho
alone　were　unable　to　move　from　where　they　were。　The　cuadrillero　on
this　let　go　Don　Quixote's　beard；　and　went　out　to　look　for　a　light　to
search　for　and　apprehend　the　culprits；　but　not　finding　one；　as　the
innkeeper　had　purposely　extinguished　the　lantern　on　retreating　to
his　room；　he　was　compelled　to　have　recourse　to　the　hearth；　where　after
much　time　and　trouble　he　lit　another　lamp。

　　CHAPTER　XVII
　　IN　WHICH　ARE　CONTAINED　THE　INNUMERABLE　TROUBLES　WHICH　THE　BRAVE
DON　QUIXOTE　AND　HIS　GOOD　SQUIRE　SANCHO　PANZA　ENDURED　IN　THE　INN；　WHICH
TO　HIS　MISFORTUNE　HE　TOOK　TO　BE　A　CASTLE

　　BY　THIS　time　Don　Quixote　had　recovered　from　his　swoon；　and　in　the
same　tone　of　voice　in　which　he　had　called　to　his　squire　the　day　before
when　he　lay　stretched　〃in　the　vale　of　the　stakes；〃　he　began　calling　to
him　now；　〃Sancho；　my　friend；　art　thou　asleep？　sleepest　thou；　friend
Sancho？〃
　　〃How　can　I　sleep；　curses　on　it！〃　returned　Sancho　discontentedly
and　bitterly；　〃when　it　is　plain　that　all　the　devils　have　been　at　me
this　night？〃
　　〃Thou　mayest　well　believe　that；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃because；
either　I　know　little；　or　this　castle　is　enchanted；　for　thou　must　know…
but　this　that　I　am　now　about　to　tell　thee　thou　must　swear　to　keep
secret　until　after　my　death。〃
　　〃I　swear　it；〃　answered　Sancho。
　　〃I　say　so；〃　continued　Don　Quixote；　〃because　I　hate　taking　away
anyone's　good　name。〃
　　〃I　say；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃that　I　swear　to　hold　my　tongue　about　it
till　the　end　of　your　worship's　days；　and　God　grant　I　may　be　able　to
let　it　out　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Do　I　do　thee　such　injuries；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　thou
wouldst　see　me　dead　so　soon？〃
　　〃It　is　not　for　that；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃but　because　I　hate　keeping
things　long；　and　I　don't　want　them　to　grow　rotten　with　me　from
over…keeping。〃
　　〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　have　more　confidence　in　thy
affection　and　good　nature；　and　so　I　would　have　thee　know　that　this
night　there　befell　me　one　of　the　strangest　adventures　that　I　could
describe；　and　to　relate　it　to　thee　briefly　thou　must　know　that　a
little　while　ago　the　daughter　of　the　lord　of　this　castle　came　to　me；
and　that　she　is　the　most　elegant　and　beautiful　damsel　that　could　be
found　in　the　wide　world。　What　I　could　tell　thee　of　the　charms　of　her
person！　of　her　lively　wit！　of　other　secret　matters　which；　to
preserve　the　fealty　I　owe　to　my　lady　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　I　shall　pass
over　unnoticed　and　in　silence！　I　will　only　tell　thee　that；　either　fate
being　envious　of　so　great　a　boon　placed　in　my　hands　by　good　fortune；
or　perhaps　（and　this　is　more　probable）　this　castle　being；　as　I　have
already　said；　enchanted；　at　the　time　when　I　was　engaged　in　the
sweetest　and　most　amorous　discourse　with　her；　there　came；　without　my
seeing　or　knowing　whence　it　came；　a　hand　attached　to　some　arm　of
some　huge　giant；　that　planted　such　a　cuff　on　my　jaws　that　I　have
them　all　bathed　in　blood；　and　then　pummelled　me　in　such　a　way　that　I
am　in　a　worse　plight　than　yesterday　when　the　carriers；　on　account　of
Rocinante's　misbehaviour；　inflicted　on　us　the　injury　thou　knowest
of；　whence　conjecture　that　there　must　be　some　enchanted　Moor
guarding　the　treasure　of　this　damsel's　beauty；　and　that　it　is　not
for　me。〃
　　〃Not　for　me　either；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　more　than　four　hundred
Moors　have　so　thrashed　me　that　the　drubbing　of　the　stakes　was　cakes
and　fancy…bread　to　it。　But　tell　me；　senor；　what　do　you　call　this
excellent　and　rare　adventure　that　has　left　us　as　we　are　left　now？
Though　your　worship　was　not　so　badly　off；　having　in　your　arms　that
incomparable　beauty　you　spoke　of；　but　I；　what　did　I　have；　except　the
heaviest　whacks　I　think　I　had　in　all　my　life？　Unlucky　me　and　the
mother　that　bore　me！　for　I　am　not　a　knight…errant　and　never　expect
to　be　one；　and　of　all　the　mishaps；　the　greater　part　falls　to　my
share。〃
　　〃Then　thou　hast　been　thrashed　too？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Didn't　I　say　so？　worse　luck　to　my　line！〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃Be　not　distressed；　friend；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃for　I　will　now
make　the　precious　balsam　with　which　we　shall　cure　ourselves　in　the
twinkling　of　an　eye。〃
　　By　this　time　the　cuadrillero　had　succeeded　in　lighting　the　lamp；　and
came　in　to　see　the　man　that　he　thought　had　been　killed；　and　as
Sancho　caught　sight　of　him　at　the　door；　seeing　him　coming　in　his
shirt；　with　a　cloth　on　his　head；　and　a　lamp　in　his　hand；　and　a　very
forbidding　countenance；　he　said　to　his　master；　〃Senor；　can　it　be
that　this　is　the　enchanted　Moor　coming　back　to　give　us　more
castigation　if　there　be　anything　still　left　in　the　ink…bottle？〃
　　〃It　cannot　be　the　Moor；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃for　those　under
enchantment　do　not　let　themselves　be　seen　by　anyone。〃
　　〃If　they　don't　let　themselves　be　seen；　they　let　themselves　be　felt；〃
said　Sancho；　〃if　not；　let　my　shoulders　speak　to　the　point。〃
　　〃Mine　could　speak　too；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　that　is　not　a
sufficient　reason　for　believing　that　what　we　see　is　the　enchanted
Moor。〃
　　The　officer　came　up；　and　finding　them　engaged　in　such　a　peaceful
conversation；　stood　amazed；　though　Don　Quixote；　to　be　sure；　still
lay　on　his　back　unable　to　move　from　pure　pummelling　and　plasters。
The　officer　turned　to　him　and　said；　〃Well；　how　goes　it；　good　man？〃
　　〃I　would　speak　more　politely　if　I　were　you；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；
〃is　it　the　way　of　this　country　to　address　knights…errant　in　that
style；　you　booby？〃
　　The　cuadrillero　finding　himself　so　disr