don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第35章

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　　On　hearing　this　the　bachelor　took　his　departure；　as　has　been　said；
without　making　any　reply；　and　Don　Quixote　asked　Sancho　what　had
induced　him　to　call　him　the　〃Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance〃　more
then　than　at　any　other　time。
　　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃it　was　because　I　have　been
looking　at　you　for　some　time　by　the　light　of　the　torch　held　by　that
unfortunate；　and　verily　your　worship　has　got　of　late　the　most
ill…favoured　countenance　I　ever　saw：　it　must　be　either　owing　to　the
fatigue　of　this　combat；　or　else　to　the　want　of　teeth　and　grinders。〃
　　〃It　is　not　that；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃but　because　the　sage　whose
duty　it　will　be　to　write　the　history　of　my　achievements　must　have
thought　it　proper　that　I　should　take　some　distinctive　name　as　all
knights　of　yore　did；　one　being　'He　of　the　Burning　Sword；'　another
'He　of　the　Unicorn；'　this　one　'He　of　the　Damsels；'　that　'He　of　the
Phoenix；'　another　'The　Knight　of　the　Griffin；'　and　another　'He　of
the　Death；'　and　by　these　names　and　designations　they　were　known　all
the　world　round；　and　so　I　say　that　the　sage　aforesaid　must　have　put　it
into　your　mouth　and　mind　just　now　to　call　me　'The　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance；'　as　I　intend　to　call　myself　from　this　day　forward；　and
that　the　said　name　may　fit　me　better；　I　mean；　when　the　opportunity
offers；　to　have　a　very　rueful　countenance　painted　on　my　shield。〃
　　〃There　is　no　occasion；　senor；　for　wasting　time　or　money　on　making
that　countenance；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　all　that　need　be　done　is　for　your
worship　to　show　your　own；　face　to　face；　to　those　who　look　at　you；
and　without　anything　more；　either　image　or　shield；　they　will　call
you　'Him　of　the　Rueful　Countenance'　and　believe　me　I　am　telling　you
the　truth；　for　I　assure　you；　senor　（and　in　good　part　be　it　said）；
hunger　and　the　loss　of　your　grinders　have　given　you　such　an
ill…favoured　face　that；　as　I　say；　the　rueful　picture　may　be　very
well　spared。〃
　　Don　Quixote　laughed　at　Sancho's　pleasantry；　nevertheless　he　resolved
to　call　himself　by　that　name；　and　have　his　shield　or　buckler　painted
as　he　had　devised。
　　Don　Quixote　would　have　looked　to　see　whether　the　body　in　the
litter　were　bones　or　not；　but　Sancho　would　not　have　it；　saying：
　　〃Senor；　you　have　ended　this　perilous　adventure　more　safely　for
yourself　than　any　of　those　I　have　seen：　perhaps　these　people；　though
beaten　and　routed；　may　bethink　themselves　that　it　is　a　single　man　that
has　beaten　them；　and　feeling　sore　and　ashamed　of　it　may　take　heart　and
come　in　search　of　us　and　give　us　trouble　enough。　The　ass　is　in
proper　trim；　the　mountains　are　near　at　hand；　hunger　presses；　we　have
nothing　more　to　do　but　make　good　our　retreat；　and；　as　the　saying　is；
the　dead　to　the　grave　and　the　living　to　the　loaf。〃
　　And　driving　his　ass　before　him　he　begged　his　master　to　follow；
who；　feeling　that　Sancho　was　right；　did　so　without　replying；　and　after
proceeding　some　little　distance　between　two　hills　they　found
themselves　in　a　wide　and　retired　valley；　where　they　alighted；　and
Sancho　unloaded　his　beast；　and　stretched　upon　the　green　grass；　with
hunger　for　sauce；　they　breakfasted；　dined；　lunched；　and　supped　all
at　once；　satisfying　their　appetites　with　more　than　one　store　of　cold
meat　which　the　dead　man's　clerical　gentlemen　（who　seldom　put
themselves　on　short　allowance）　had　brought　with　them　on　their
sumpter　mule。　But　another　piece　of　ill…luck　befell　them；　which
Sancho　held　the　worst　of　all；　and　that　was　that　they　had　no　wine　to
drink；　nor　even　water　to　moisten　their　lips；　and　as　thirst　tormented
them；　Sancho；　observing　that　the　meadow　where　they　were　was　full　of
green　and　tender　grass；　said　what　will　be　told　in　the　following
chapter。

　　CHAPTER　XX
　　OF　THE　UNEXAMPLED　AND　UNHEARD…OF　ADVENTURE　WHICH　WAS　ACHIEVED　BY　THE
VALIANT　DON　QUIXOTE　OF　LA　MANCHA　WITH　LESS　PERIL　THAN　ANY　EVER
ACHIEVED　BY　ANY　FAMOUS　KNIGHT　IN　THE　WORLD

　　〃IT　CANNOT　be；　senor；　but　that　this　grass　is　a　proof　that　there　must
be　hard　by　some　spring　or　brook　to　give　it　moisture；　so　it　would　be
well　to　move　a　little　farther　on；　that　we　may　find　some　place　where　we
may　quench　this　terrible　thirst　that　plagues　us；　which　beyond　a
doubt　is　more　distressing　than　hunger。〃
　　The　advice　seemed　good　to　Don　Quixote；　and；　he　leading　Rocinante
by　the　bridle　and　Sancho　the　ass　by　the　halter；　after　he　had　packed
away　upon　him　the　remains　of　the　supper；　they　advanced　the　meadow
feeling　their　way；　for　the　darkness　of　the　night　made　it　impossible　to
see　anything；　but　they　had　not　gone　two　hundred　paces　when　a　loud
noise　of　water；　as　if　falling　from　great　rocks；　struck　their　ears。　The
sound　cheered　them　greatly；　but　halting　to　make　out　by　listening
from　what　quarter　it　came　they　heard　unseasonably　another　noise
which　spoiled　the　satisfaction　the　sound　of　the　water　gave　them；
especially　for　Sancho；　who　was　by　nature　timid　and　faint…hearted。　They
heard；　I　say；　strokes　falling　with　a　measured　beat；　and　a　certain
rattling　of　iron　and　chains　that；　together　with　the　furious　din　of　the
water；　would　have　struck　terror　into　any　heart　but　Don　Quixote's。
The　night　was；　as　has　been　said；　dark；　and　they　had　happened　to
reach　a　spot　in　among　some　tall　trees；　whose　leaves　stirred　by　a
gentle　breeze　made　a　low　ominous　sound；　so　that；　what　with　the
solitude；　the　place；　the　darkness；　the　noise　of　the　water；　and　the
rustling　of　the　leaves；　everything　inspired　awe　and　dread；　more
especially　as　they　perceived　that　the　strokes　did　not　cease；　nor　the
wind　lull；　nor　morning　approach；　to　all　which　might　be　added　their
ignorance　as　to　where　they　were。　But　Don　Quixote；　supported　by　his
intrepid　heart；　leaped　on　Rocinante；　and　bracing　his　buckler　on　his
arm；　brought　his　pike　to　the　slope；　and　said；　〃Friend　Sancho；　know
that　I　by　Heaven's　will　have　been　born　in　this　our　iron　age　to
revive　revive　in　it　the　age　of　gold；　or　the　golden　as　it　is　called；
I　am　he　for　whom　perils；　mighty　achievements；　and　valiant　deeds　are
reserved；　I　am；　I　say　again；　he　who　is　to　revive　the　Knights　of　the
Round　Table；　the　Twelve　of　France　and　the　Nine　Worthies；　and　he　who　is
to　consign　to　oblivion　the　Platirs；　the　Tablantes；　the　Olivantes　and
Tirantes；　the　Phoebuses　and　Belianises；　with　the　whole　herd　of
famous　knights…errant　of　days　gone　by；　performing　in　these　in　which
I　live　such　exploits；　marvels；　and　feats　of　arms　as　shall　obscure
their　brightest　deeds。　Thou　dost　mark　well；　faithful　and　trusty
squire；　the　gloom　of　this　night；　its　strange　silence；　the　dull
confused　murmur　of　those　trees；　the　awful　sound　of　that　water　in　quest
of　which　we　came；　that　seems　as　though　it　were　precipitating　and
dashing　itself　down　from　the　lofty　mountains　of　the　Moon；　and　that
incessant　hammering　that　wounds　and　pains　our　ears；　which　things　all
together　and　each　of　itself　are　enough　to　instil　fear；　dread；　and
dismay　into　the　breast　of　Mars　himself；　much　more　into　one　not　used　to
hazards　and　adventures　of　the　kind。　Well；　then；　all　this　that　I　put
before　thee　is　but　an　incentive　and　stimulant　to　my　spirit；　making
my　heart　burst　in　my　bosom　through　eagerness　to　engage　in　this
adventure；　arduous　as　it　promises　to　be；　therefore　tighten　Rocinante's
girths　a　little；　and　God　be　with　thee；　wait　for　me　here　three　days　and
no　more；　and　if　in　that　time　I　come　not　back；　thou　canst　return　to　our
village；　and　thence；　to　do　me　a　favour　and　a　service；　thou　wilt　go
to　El　Toboso；　where　thou　shalt　say　to　my　incomparable　lady　Dulcinea
that　her　captive　knight　hath　died　in　attempting　things　that　might　make
him　worthy　of　being　called　hers。〃
　　When　Sancho　heard　his　master's　words　he　began　to　weep　in　the　most
pathetic　way；　saying：
　　〃Senor；　I　know　not　why　your　worship　wants　to　attempt　this　so
dreadful　adventure；　it　is　night　now；　no　one　sees　us　here；　we　can
easily　turn　about　and　take　ourselves　out　of　danger；　even　if　we　don't
drink　for　three　days　to　come；　and　as　there　is　no　one　to　see　us；　all
the　less　will　there　be　anyone　to　set　us　down　as　cowards；　besides；　I
have　many　a　time　heard　the　curate　of　our　village；　whom　your　worship
knows　well；　preach　that　he　who　seeks　danger　perishes　in　it；　so　it　is
not　right　to　tempt　God　by　trying　so　tremendous　a　feat　from　which　there
can　be　no　escape　save　by　a　miracle；