don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第31章

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doubt。〃
　　〃Very　likely；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃though　I　do　not　know　it；　all　I　know
is　that　since　we　have　been　knights…errant；　or　since　your　worship　has
been　one　（for　I　have　no　right　to　reckon　myself　one　of　so　honourable
a　number）　we　have　never　won　any　battle　except　the　one　with　the
Biscayan；　and　even　out　of　that　your　worship　car…ne　with　half　an　ear
and　half　a　helmet　the　less；　and　from　that　till　now　it　has　been　all
cudgellings　and　more　cudgellings；　cuffs　and　more　cuffs；　I　getting
the　blanketing　over　and　above；　and　falling　in　with　enchanted　persons
on　whom　I　cannot　avenge　myself　so　as　to　know　what　the　delight；　as　your
worship　calls　it；　of　conquering　an　enemy　is　like。〃
　　〃That　is　what　vexes　me；　and　what　ought　to　vex　thee；　Sancho；〃　replied
Don　Quixote；　〃but　henceforward　I　will　endeavour　to　have　at　hand　some
sword　made　by　such　craft　that　no　kind　of　enchantments　can　take
effect　upon　him　who　carries　it；　and　it　is　even　possible　that　fortune
may　procure　for　me　that　which　belonged　to　Amadis　when　he　was　called
'The　Knight　of　the　Burning　Sword；'　which　was　one　of　the　best　swords
that　ever　knight　in　the　world　possessed；　for；　besides　having　the
said　virtue；　it　cut　like　a　razor；　and　there　was　no　armour；　however
strong　and　enchanted　it　might　be；　that　could　resist　it。〃
　　〃Such　is　my　luck；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　even　if　that　happened　and　your
worship　found　some　such　sword；　it　would；　like　the　balsam；　turn　out
serviceable　and　good　for　dubbed　knights　only；　and　as　for　the
squires；　they　might　sup　sorrow。〃
　　〃Fear　not　that；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote：　〃Heaven　will　deal
better　by　thee。〃
　　Thus　talking；　Don　Quixote　and　his　squire　were　going　along；　when；
on　the　road　they　were　following；　Don　Quixote　perceived　approaching
them　a　large　and　thick　cloud　of　dust；　on　seeing　which　he　turned　to
Sancho　and　said：
　　〃This　is　the　day；　Sancho；　on　which　will　be　seen　the　boon　my
fortune　is　reserving　for　me；　this；　I　say；　is　the　day　on　which　as
much　as　on　any　other　shall　be　displayed　the　might　of　my　arm；　and　on
which　I　shall　do　deeds　that　shall　remain　written　in　the　book　of　fame
for　all　ages　to　come。　Seest　thou　that　cloud　of　dust　which　rises
yonder？　Well；　then；　all　that　is　churned　up　by　a　vast　army　composed
of　various　and　countless　nations　that　comes　marching　there。〃
　　〃According　to　that　there　must　be　two；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　on　this
opposite　side　also　there　rises　just　such　another　cloud　of　dust。〃
　　Don　Quixote　turned　to　look　and　found　that　it　was　true；　and　rejoicing
exceedingly；　he　concluded　that　they　were　two　armies　about　to　engage
and　encounter　in　the　midst　of　that　broad　plain；　for　at　all　times　and
seasons　his　fancy　was　full　of　the　battles；　enchantments；　adventures；
crazy　feats；　loves；　and　defiances　that　are　recorded　in　the　books　of
chivalry；　and　everything　he　said；　thought；　or　did　had　reference　to
such　things。　Now　the　cloud　of　dust　he　had　seen　was　raised　by　two　great
droves　of　sheep　coming　along　the　same　road　in　opposite　directions；
which；　because　of　the　dust；　did　not　become　visible　until　they　drew
near；　but　Don　Quixote　asserted　so　positively　that　they　were　armies
that　Sancho　was　led　to　believe　it　and　say；　〃Well；　and　what　are　we　to
do；　senor？〃
　　〃What？〃　said　Don　Quixote：　〃give　aid　and　assistance　to　the　weak　and
those　who　need　it；　and　thou　must　know；　Sancho；　that　this　which　comes
opposite　to　us　is　conducted　and　led　by　the　mighty　emperor　Alifanfaron；
lord　of　the　great　isle　of　Trapobana；　this　other　that　marches　behind　me
is　that　of　his　enemy　the　king　of　the　Garamantas；　Pentapolin　of　the
Bare　Arm；　for　he　always　goes　into　battle　with　his　right　arm　bare。〃
　　〃But　why　are　these　two　lords　such　enemies？〃
　　〃They　are　at　enmity；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃because　this　Alifanfaron
is　a　furious　pagan　and　is　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　Pentapolin；　who
is　a　very　beautiful　and　moreover　gracious　lady；　and　a　Christian；　and
her　father　is　unwilling　to　bestow　her　upon　the　pagan　king　unless　he
first　abandons　the　religion　of　his　false　prophet　Mahomet；　and　adopts
his　own。〃
　　〃By　my　beard；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　Pentapolin　does　quite　right；　and
I　will　help　him　as　much　as　I　can。〃
　　〃In　that　thou　wilt　do　what　is　thy　duty；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；
〃for　to　engage　in　battles　of　this　sort　it　is　not　requisite　to　be　a
dubbed　knight。〃
　　〃That　I　can　well　understand；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃but　where　shall　we
put　this　ass　where　we　may　be　sure　to　find　him　after　the　fray　is
over？　for　I　believe　it　has　not　been　the　custom　so　far　to　go　into
battle　on　a　beast　of　this　kind。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　what　you　had　best　do　with　him
is　to　leave　him　to　take　his　chance　whether　he　be　lost　or　not；　for
the　horses　we　shall　have　when　we　come　out　victors　will　be　so　many　that
even　Rocinante　will　run　a　risk　of　being　changed　for　another。　But
attend　to　me　and　observe；　for　I　wish　to　give　thee　some　account　of
the　chief　knights　who　accompany　these　two　armies；　and　that　thou　mayest
the　better　see　and　mark；　let　us　withdraw　to　that　hillock　which　rises
yonder；　whence　both　armies　may　be　seen。〃
　　They　did　so；　and　placed　themselves　on　a　rising　ground　from　which　the
two　droves　that　Don　Quixote　made　armies　of　might　have　been　plainly
seen　if　the　clouds　of　dust　they　raised　had　not　obscured　them　and
blinded　the　sight；　nevertheless；　seeing　in　his　imagination　what　he　did
not　see　and　what　did　not　exist；　he　began　thus　in　a　loud　voice：
　　〃That　knight　whom　thou　seest　yonder　in　yellow　armour；　who　bears　upon
his　shield　a　lion　crowned　crouching　at　the　feet　of　a　damsel；　is　the
valiant　Laurcalco；　lord　of　the　Silver　Bridge；　that　one　in　armour
with　flowers　of　gold；　who　bears　on　his　shield　three　crowns　argent　on
an　azure　field；　is　the　dreaded　Micocolembo；　grand　duke　of　Quirocia；
that　other　of　gigantic　frame；　on　his　right　hand；　is　the　ever　dauntless
Brandabarbaran　de　Boliche；　lord　of　the　three　Arabias；　who　for　armour
wears　that　serpent　skin；　and　has　for　shield　a　gate　which；　according　to
tradition；　is　one　of　those　of　the　temple　that　Samson　brought　to　the
ground　when　by　his　death　he　revenged　himself　upon　his　enemies。　But
turn　thine　eyes　to　the　other　side；　and　thou　shalt　see　in　front　and
in　the　van　of　this　other　army　the　ever　victorious　and　never　vanquished
Timonel　of　Carcajona；　prince　of　New　Biscay；　who　comes　in　armour　with
arms　quartered　azure；　vert；　white；　and　yellow；　and　bears　on　his　shield
a　cat　or　on　a　field　tawny　with　a　motto　which　says　Miau；　which　is　the
beginning　of　the　name　of　his　lady；　who　according　to　report　is　the
peerless　Miaulina；　daughter　of　the　duke　Alfeniquen　of　the　Algarve；　the
other；　who　burdens　and　presses　the　loins　of　that　powerful　charger
and　bears　arms　white　as　snow　and　a　shield　blank　and　without　any
device；　is　a　novice　knight；　a　Frenchman　by　birth；　Pierres　Papin　by
name；　lord　of　the　baronies　of　Utrique；　that　other；　who　with
iron…shod　heels　strikes　the　flanks　of　that　nimble　parti…coloured
zebra；　and　for　arms　bears　azure　vair；　is　the　mighty　duke　of　Nerbia；
Espartafilardo　del　Bosque；　who　bears　for　device　on　his　shield　an
asparagus　plant　with　a　motto　in　Castilian　that　says；　Rastrea　mi
suerte。〃　And　so　he　went　on　naming　a　number　of　knights　of　one
squadron　or　the　other　out　of　his　imagination；　and　to　all　he　assigned
off…hand　their　arms；　colours；　devices；　and　mottoes；　carried　away　by
the　illusions　of　his　unheard…of　craze；　and　without　a　pause；　he
continued；　〃People　of　divers　nations　compose　this　squadron　in　front；
here　are　those　that　drink　of　the　sweet　waters　of　the　famous　Xanthus；
those　that　scour　the　woody　Massilian　plains；　those　that　sift　the
pure　fine　gold　of　Arabia　Felix；　those　that　enjoy　the　famed　cool
banks　of　the　crystal　Thermodon；　those　that　in　many　and　various　ways
divert　the　streams　of　the　golden　Pactolus；　the　Numidians；　faithless　in
their　promises；　the　Persians　renowned　in　archery；　the　Parthians　and
the　Medes　that　fight　as　they　fly；　the　Arabs　that　ever　shift　their
dwellings；　the　Scythians　as　cruel　as　they　are　fair；　the　Ethiopians
with　pierced　lips；　and　an　infinity　of　other　nations　whose　features　I
recognise　and　descry；　though　I　cannot　recall　their　names。　In　this
other　squadron　there　come　those　that　drink　of　the　crystal　streams　of
the　olive…bearing　Betis；　those　that　make　smooth　their　countenances
with　the　water　of　the　e