don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第33章

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any　other　but　myself？〃
　　〃What！　are　the　alforjas　missing；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Yes；　they　are　missing；〃　answered　Sancho。
　　〃In　that　case　we　have　nothing　to　eat　to…day；〃　replied　Don　Quixote。
　　〃It　would　be　so；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃if　there　were　none　of　the
herbs　your　worship　says　you　know　in　these　meadows；　those　with　which
knights…errant　as　unlucky　as　your　worship　are　wont　to　supply　such…like
shortcomings。〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃I　would　rather　have　just
now　a　quarter　of　bread；　or　a　loaf　and　a　couple　of　pilchards'　heads；
than　all　the　herbs　described　by　Dioscorides；　even　with　Doctor　Laguna's
notes。　Nevertheless；　Sancho　the　Good；　mount　thy　beast　and　come　along
with　me；　for　God；　who　provides　for　all　things；　will　not　fail　us
（more　especially　when　we　are　so　active　in　his　service　as　we　are）；
since　he　fails　not　the　midges　of　the　air；　nor　the　grubs　of　the
earth；　nor　the　tadpoles　of　the　water；　and　is　so　merciful　that　he
maketh　his　sun　to　rise　on　the　good　and　on　the　evil；　and　sendeth　rain
on　the　unjust　and　on　the　just。〃
　　〃Your　worship　would　make　a　better　preacher　than　knight…errant；〃　said
Sancho。
　　〃Knights…errant　knew　and　ought　to　know　everything；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　there　were　knights…errant　in　former　times　as　well
qualified　to　deliver　a　sermon　or　discourse　in　the　middle　of　an
encampment；　as　if　they　had　graduated　in　the　University　of　Paris；
whereby　we　may　see　that　the　lance　has　never　blunted　the　pen；　nor　the
pen　the　lance。〃
　　〃Well；　be　it　as　your　worship　says；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃let　us　be　off
now　and　find　some　place　of　shelter　for　the　night；　and　God　grant　it　may
be　somewhere　where　there　are　no　blankets；　nor　blanketeers；　nor
phantoms；　nor　enchanted　Moors；　for　if　there　are；　may　the　devil　take
the　whole　concern。〃
　　〃Ask　that　of　God；　my　son；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　and　do　thou　lead　on
where　thou　wilt；　for　this　time　I　leave　our　lodging　to　thy　choice；
but　reach　me　here　thy　hand；　and　feel　with　thy　finger；　and　find　out　how
many　of　my　teeth　and　grinders　are　missing　from　this　right　side　of
the　upper　jaw；　for　it　is　there　I　feel　the　pain。〃
　　Sancho　put　in　his　fingers；　and　feeling　about　asked　him；　〃How　many
grinders　used　your　worship　have　on　this　side？〃
　　〃Four；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃besides　the　back…tooth；　all　whole
and　quite　sound。〃
　　〃Mind　what　you　are　saying；　senor。〃
　　〃I　say　four；　if　not　five；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃for　never　in　my
life　have　I　had　tooth　or　grinder　drawn；　nor　has　any　fallen　out　or　been
destroyed　by　any　decay　or　rheum。〃
　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　Sancho；　〃in　this　lower　side　your　worship　has　no
more　than　two　grinders　and　a　half；　and　in　the　upper　neither　a　half　nor
any　at　all；　for　it　is　all　as　smooth　as　the　palm　of　my　hand。〃
　　〃Luckless　that　I　am！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　hearing　the　sad　news　his
squire　gave　him；　〃I　had　rather　they　despoiled　me　of　an　arm；　so　it　were
not　the　sword…arm；　for　I　tell　thee；　Sancho；　a　mouth　without　teeth　is
like　a　mill　without　a　millstone；　and　a　tooth　is　much　more　to　be　prized
than　a　diamond；　but　we　who　profess　the　austere　order　of　chivalry　are
liable　to　all　this。　Mount；　friend；　and　lead　the　way；　and　I　will　follow
thee　at　whatever　pace　thou　wilt。〃
　　Sancho　did　as　he　bade　him；　and　proceeded　in　the　direction　in　which
he　thought　he　might　find　refuge　without　quitting　the　high　road；
which　was　there　very　much　frequented。　As　they　went　along；　then；　at　a
slow　pace…　for　the　pain　in　Don　Quixote's　jaws　kept　him　uneasy　and
ill…disposed　for　speed…　Sancho　thought　it　well　to　amuse　and　divert　him
by　talk　of　some　kind；　and　among　the　things　he　said　to　him　was　that
which　will　be　told　in　the　following　chapter。

　　CHAPTER　XIX
　　OF　THE　SHREWD　DISCOURSE　WHICH　SANCHO　HELD　WITH　HIS　MASTER；　AND　OF
THE　ADVENTURE　THAT　BEFELL　HIM　WITH　A　DEAD　BODY；　TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER
NOTABLE　OCCURRENCES

　　〃IT　SEEMS　to　me；　senor；　that　all　these　mishaps　that　have　befallen　us
of　late　have　been　without　any　doubt　a　punishment　for　the　offence
committed　by　your　worship　against　the　order　of　chivalry　in　not　keeping
the　oath　you　made　not　to　eat　bread　off　a　tablecloth　or　embrace　the
queen；　and　all　the　rest　of　it　that　your　worship　swore　to　observe　until
you　had　taken　that　helmet　of　Malandrino's；　or　whatever　the　Moor　is
called；　for　I　do　not　very　well　remember。〃
　　〃Thou　art　very　right；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　to　tell　the
truth；　it　had　escaped　my　memory；　and　likewise　thou　mayest　rely　upon　it
that　the　affair　of　the　blanket　happened　to　thee　because　of　thy　fault
in　not　reminding　me　of　it　in　time；　but　I　will　make　amends；　for　there
are　ways　of　compounding　for　everything　in　the　order　of　chivalry。〃
　　〃Why！　have　I　taken　an　oath　of　some　sort；　then？〃　said　Sancho。
　　〃It　makes　no　matter　that　thou　hast　not　taken　an　oath；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃suffice　it　that　I　see　thou　art　not　quite　clear　of
complicity；　and　whether　or　no；　it　will　not　be　ill　done　to　provide
ourselves　with　a　remedy。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Sancho；　〃mind　that　your　worship　does　not　forget
this　as　you　did　the　oath；　perhaps　the　phantoms　may　take　it　into
their　heads　to　amuse　themselves　once　more　with　me；　or　even　with　your
worship　if　they　see　you　so　obstinate。〃
　　While　engaged　in　this　and　other　talk；　night　overtook　them　on　the
road　before　they　had　reached　or　discovered　any　place　of　shelter；　and
what　made　it　still　worse　was　that　they　were　dying　of　hunger；　for
with　the　loss　of　the　alforjas　they　had　lost　their　entire　larder　and
commissariat；　and　to　complete　the　misfortune　they　met　with　an
adventure　which　without　any　invention　had　really　the　appearance　of
one。　It　so　happened　that　the　night　closed　in　somewhat　darkly；　but
for　all　that　they　pushed　on；　Sancho　feeling　sure　that　as　the　road
was　the　king's　highway　they　might　reasonably　expect　to　find　some　inn
within　a　league　or　two。　Going　along；　then；　in　this　way；　the　night
dark；　the　squire　hungry；　the　master　sharp…set；　they　saw　coming　towards
them　on　the　road　they　were　travelling　a　great　number　of　lights　which
looked　exactly　like　stars　in　motion。　Sancho　was　taken　aback　at　the
sight　of　them；　nor　did　Don　Quixote　altogether　relish　them：　the　one
pulled　up　his　ass　by　the　halter；　the　other　his　hack　by　the　bridle；　and
they　stood　still；　watching　anxiously　to　see　what　all　this　would　turn
out　to　be；　and　found　that　the　lights　were　approaching　them；　and　the
nearer　they　came　the　greater　they　seemed；　at　which　spectacle　Sancho
began　to　shake　like　a　man　dosed　with　mercury；　and　Don　Quixote's　hair
stood　on　end；　he；　however；　plucking　up　spirit　a　little；　said：
　　〃This；　no　doubt；　Sancho；　will　be　a　most　mighty　and　perilous
adventure；　in　which　it　will　be　needful　for　me　to　put　forth　all　my
valour　and　resolution。〃
　　〃Unlucky　me！〃　answered　Sancho；　〃if　this　adventure　happens　to　be
one　of　phantoms；　as　I　am　beginning　to　think　it　is；　where　shall　I
find　the　ribs　to　bear　it？〃
　　〃Be　they　phantoms　ever　so　much；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　will　not
permit　them　to　touch　a　thread　of　thy　garments；　for　if　they　played
tricks　with　thee　the　time　before；　it　was　because　I　was　unable　to
leap　the　walls　of　the　yard；　but　now　we　are　on　a　wide　plain；　where　I
shall　be　able　to　wield　my　sword　as　I　please。〃
　　〃And　if　they　enchant　and　cripple　you　as　they　did　the　last　time；〃
said　Sancho；　〃what　difference　will　it　make　being　on　the　open　plain
or　not？〃
　　〃For　all　that；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃I　entreat　thee；　Sancho；　to
keep　a　good　heart；　for　experience　will　tell　thee　what　mine　is。〃
　　〃I　will；　please　God；〃　answered　Sancho；　and　the　two　retiring　to　one
side　of　the　road　set　themselves　to　observe　closely　what　all　these
moving　lights　might　be；　and　very　soon　afterwards　they　made　out　some
twenty　encamisados；　all　on　horseback；　with　lighted　torches　in　their
hands；　the　awe…inspiring　aspect　of　whom　completely　extinguished　the
courage　of　Sancho；　who　began　to　chatter　with　his　teeth　like　one　in　the
cold　fit　of　an　ague；　and　his　heart　sank　and　his　teeth　chattered
still　more　when　they　perceived　distinctly　that　behind　them　there
came　a　litter　covered　over　with　black　and　followed　by　six　more　mounted
figures　in　mourning　down　to　the　very　feet　of　their　mules…　for　they
could　perceive　plainly　they　were　not　horses　by　the　easy　pace　at
which　they　went。　And　as　the　encamisados　came　along　they　muttered　to
themselves　in　a