don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第3章

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four　turrets　and　pinnacles　of　shining　silver；　not　forgetting　the
drawbridge　and　moat　and　all　the　belongings　usually　ascribed　to　castles
of　the　sort。　To　this　inn；　which　to　him　seemed　a　castle；　he　advanced；
and　at　a　short　distance　from　it　he　checked　Rocinante；　hoping　that　some
dwarf　would　show　himself　upon　the　battlements；　and　by　sound　of　trumpet
give　notice　that　a　knight　was　approaching　the　castle。　But　seeing
that　they　were　slow　about　it；　and　that　Rocinante　was　in　a　hurry　to
reach　the　stable；　he　made　for　the　inn　door；　and　perceived　the　two
gay　damsels　who　were　standing　there；　and　who　seemed　to　him　to　be　two
fair　maidens　or　lovely　ladies　taking　their　ease　at　the　castle　gate。
　　At　this　moment　it　so　happened　that　a　swineherd　who　was　going　through
the　stubbles　collecting　a　drove　of　pigs　（for；　without　any　apology；
that　is　what　they　are　called）　gave　a　blast　of　his　horn　to　bring　them
together；　and　forthwith　it　seemed　to　Don　Quixote　to　be　what　he　was
expecting；　the　signal　of　some　dwarf　announcing　his　arrival；　and　so
with　prodigious　satisfaction　he　rode　up　to　the　inn　and　to　the
ladies；　who；　seeing　a　man　of　this　sort　approaching　in　full　armour
and　with　lance　and　buckler；　were　turning　in　dismay　into　the　inn；
when　Don　Quixote；　guessing　their　fear　by　their　flight；　raising　his
pasteboard　visor；　disclosed　his　dry　dusty　visage；　and　with　courteous
bearing　and　gentle　voice　addressed　them；　〃Your　ladyships　need　not
fly　or　fear　any　rudeness；　for　that　it　belongs　not　to　the　order　of
knighthood　which　I　profess　to　offer　to　anyone；　much　less　to　highborn
maidens　as　your　appearance　proclaims　you　to　be。〃　The　girls　were
looking　at　him　and　straining　their　eyes　to　make　out　the　features　which
the　clumsy　visor　obscured；　but　when　they　heard　themselves　called
maidens；　a　thing　so　much　out　of　their　line；　they　could　not　restrain
their　laughter；　which　made　Don　Quixote　wax　indignant；　and　say；
〃Modesty　becomes　the　fair；　and　moreover　laughter　that　has　little　cause
is　great　silliness；　this；　however；　I　say　not　to　pain　or　anger　you；　for
my　desire　is　none　other　than　to　serve　you。〃
　　The　incomprehensible　language　and　the　unpromising　looks　of　our
cavalier　only　increased　the　ladies'　laughter；　and　that　increased　his
irritation；　and　matters　might　have　gone　farther　if　at　that　moment
the　landlord　had　not　come　out；　who；　being　a　very　fat　man；　was　a　very
peaceful　one。　He；　seeing　this　grotesque　figure　clad　in　armour　that　did
not　match　any　more　than　his　saddle；　bridle；　lance；　buckler；　or
corselet；　was　not　at　all　indisposed　to　join　the　damsels　in　their
manifestations　of　amusement；　but；　in　truth；　standing　in　awe　of　such
a　complicated　armament；　he　thought　it　best　to　speak　him　fairly；　so
he　said；　〃Senor　Caballero；　if　your　worship　wants　lodging；　bating　the
bed　（for　there　is　not　one　in　the　inn）　there　is　plenty　of　everything
else　here。〃　Don　Quixote；　observing　the　respectful　bearing　of　the
Alcaide　of　the　fortress　（for　so　innkeeper　and　inn　seemed　in　his　eyes）；
made　answer；　〃Sir　Castellan；　for　me　anything　will　suffice；　for

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'My　armour　is　my　only　wear；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　My　only　rest　the　fray。'〃

The　host　fancied　he　called　him　Castellan　because　he　took　him　for　a
〃worthy　of　Castile；〃　though　he　was　in　fact　an　Andalusian；　and　one　from
the　strand　of　San　Lucar；　as　crafty　a　thief　as　Cacus　and　as　full　of
tricks　as　a　student　or　a　page。　〃In　that　case；〃　said　he；

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Your　bed　is　on　the　flinty　rock；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　sleep　to　watch　alway；'

and　if　so；　you　may　dismount　and　safely　reckon　upon　any　quantity　of
sleeplessness　under　this　roof　for　a　twelvemonth；　not　to　say　for　a
single　night。〃　So　saying；　he　advanced　to　hold　the　stirrup　for　Don
Quixote；　who　got　down　with　great　difficulty　and　exertion　（for　he　had
not　broken　his　fast　all　day）；　and　then　charged　the　host　to　take
great　care　of　his　horse；　as　he　was　the　best　bit　of　flesh　that　ever　ate
bread　in　this　world。　The　landlord　eyed　him　over　but　did　not　find　him
as　good　as　Don　Quixote　said；　nor　even　half　as　good；　and　putting　him　up
in　the　stable；　he　returned　to　see　what　might　be　wanted　by　his　guest；
whom　the　damsels；　who　had　by　this　time　made　their　peace　with　him；　were
now　relieving　of　his　armour。　They　had　taken　off　his　breastplate　and
backpiece；　but　they　neither　knew　nor　saw　how　to　open　his　gorget　or
remove　his　make…shift　helmet；　for　he　had　fastened　it　with　green
ribbons；　which；　as　there　was　no　untying　the　knots；　required　to　be　cut。
This；　however；　he　would　not　by　any　means　consent　to；　so　he　remained
all　the　evening　with　his　helmet　on；　the　drollest　and　oddest　figure
that　can　be　imagined；　and　while　they　were　removing　his　armour；
taking　the　baggages　who　were　about　it　for　ladies　of　high　degree
belonging　to　the　castle；　he　said　to　them　with　great　sprightliness：

　　　　　　　　　〃Oh；　never；　surely；　was　there　knight
　　　　　　　　　　　So　served　by　hand　of　dame；
　　　　　　　　　As　served　was　he；　Don　Quixote　hight；
　　　　　　　　　　　When　from　his　town　he　came；
　　　　　　　　　With　maidens　waiting　on　himself；
　　　　　　　　　　　Princesses　on　his　hack…

…or　Rocinante；　for　that；　ladies　mine；　is　my　horse's　name；　and　Don
Quixote　of　La　Mancha　is　my　own；　for　though　I　had　no　intention　of
declaring　myself　until　my　achievements　in　your　service　and　honour
had　made　me　known；　the　necessity　of　adapting　that　old　ballad　of
Lancelot　to　the　present　occasion　has　given　you　the　knowledge　of　my
name　altogether　prematurely。　A　time；　however；　will　come　for　your
ladyships　to　command　and　me　to　obey；　and　then　the　might　of　my　arm　will
show　my　desire　to　serve　you。〃
　　The　girls；　who　were　not　used　to　hearing　rhetoric　of　this　sort；　had
nothing　to　say　in　reply；　they　only　asked　him　if　he　wanted　anything
to　eat。　〃I　would　gladly　eat　a　bit　of　something；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃for　I　feel　it　would　come　very　seasonably。〃　The　day　happened　to　be　a
Friday；　and　in　the　whole　inn　there　was　nothing　but　some　pieces　of
the　fish　they　call　in　Castile　〃abadejo；〃　in　Andalusia　〃bacallao；〃
and　in　some　places　〃curadillo；〃　and　in　others　〃troutlet；〃　so　they
asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　eat　troutlet；　for　there　was　no
other　fish　to　give　him。　〃If　there　be　troutlets　enough；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃they　will　be　the　same　thing　as　a　trout；　for　it　is　all　one　to
me　whether　I　am　given　eight　reals　in　small　change　or　a　piece　of　eight；
moreover；　it　may　be　that　these　troutlets　are　like　veal；　which　is
better　than　beef；　or　kid；　which　is　better　than　goat。　But　whatever　it
be　let　it　come　quickly；　for　the　burden　and　pressure　of　arms　cannot
be　borne　without　support　to　the　inside。〃　They　laid　a　table　for　him
at　the　door　of　the　inn　for　the　sake　of　the　air；　and　the　host　brought
him　a　portion　of　ill…soaked　and　worse　cooked　stockfish；　and　a　piece　of
bread　as　black　and　mouldy　as　his　own　armour；　but　a　laughable　sight
it　was　to　see　him　eating；　for　having　his　helmet　on　and　the　beaver
up；　he　could　not　with　his　own　hands　put　anything　into　his　mouth　unless
some　one　else　placed　it　there；　and　this　service　one　of　the　ladies
rendered　him。　But　to　give　him　anything　to　drink　was　impossible；　or
would　have　been　so　had　not　the　landlord　bored　a　reed；　and　putting
one　end　in　his　mouth　poured　the　wine　into　him　through　the　other；　all
which　he　bore　with　patience　rather　than　sever　the　ribbons　of　his
helmet。
　　While　this　was　going　on　there　came　up　to　the　inn　a　sowgelder；　who；
as　he　approached；　sounded　his　reed　pipe　four　or　five　times；　and
thereby　completely　convinced　Don　Quixote　that　he　was　in　some　famous
castle；　and　that　they　were　regaling　him　with　music；　and　that　the
stockfish　was　trout；　the　bread　the　whitest；　the　wenches　ladies；　and
the　landlord　the　castellan　of　the　castle；　and　consequently　he　held
that　his　enterprise　and　sally　had　been　to　some　purpose。　But　still　it
distressed　him　to　think　he　had　not　been　dubbed　a　knight；　for　it　was
plain　to　him　he　could　not　lawfully　engage　in　any　adventure　without
receiving　the　order　of　knighthood。

　　CHAPTER　III
　　WHEREIN　IS　RELATED　THE　DROLL　WAY　IN　WHICH　DON　QUIXOTE　HAD　HIMSELF
DUBBED　A　KNIGHT

　　HARASSED　by　this　reflection；　he　made　haste　with　his　scanty
pothouse　supper；　and　having　finished　it　called　the　landlord；　and
shutting　himself　into　the　stable　with　him；　fell　on　his　knees　before
him；　saying；　〃From　this　spot　I　rise　not；　valiant　knight；　un