don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第38章

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began　to　move　towards　that　quarter　whence　the　sound　of　the　water　and
of　the　strokes　seemed　to　come。
　　Sancho　followed　him　on　foot；　leading　by　the　halter；　as　his　custom
was；　his　ass；　his　constant　comrade　in　prosperity　or　adversity；　and
advancing　some　distance　through　the　shady　chestnut　trees　they　came
upon　a　little　meadow　at　the　foot　of　some　high　rocks；　down　which　a
mighty　rush　of　water　flung　itself。　At　the　foot　of　the　rocks　were
some　rudely　constructed　houses　looking　more　like　ruins　than　houses；
from　among　which　came；　they　perceived；　the　din　and　clatter　of　blows；
which　still　continued　without　intermission。　Rocinante　took　fright　at
the　noise　of　the　water　and　of　the　blows；　but　quieting　him　Don
Quixote　advanced　step　by　step　towards　the　houses；　commending　himself
with　all　his　heart　to　his　lady；　imploring　her　support　in　that　dread
pass　and　enterprise；　and　on　the　way　commending　himself　to　God；　too；
not　to　forget　him。　Sancho　who　never　quitted　his　side；　stretched　his
neck　as　far　as　he　could　and　peered　between　the　legs　of　Rocinante　to
see　if　he　could　now　discover　what　it　was　that　caused　him　such　fear　and
apprehension。　They　went　it　might　be　a　hundred　paces　farther；　when　on
turning　a　corner　the　true　cause；　beyond　the　possibility　of　any
mistake；　of　that　dread…sounding　and　to　them　awe…inspiring　noise　that
had　kept　them　all　the　night　in　such　fear　and　perplexity；　appeared
plain　and　obvious；　and　it　was　（if；　reader；　thou　art　not　disgusted
and　disappointed）　six　fulling　hammers　which　by　their　alternate　strokes
made　all　the　din。
　　When　Don　Quixote　perceived　what　it　was；　he　was　struck　dumb　and　rigid
from　head　to　foot。　Sancho　glanced　at　him　and　saw　him　with　his　head
bent　down　upon　his　breast　in　manifest　mortification；　and　Don　Quixote
glanced　at　Sancho　and　saw　him　with　his　cheeks　puffed　out　and　his　mouth
full　of　laughter；　and　evidently　ready　to　explode　with　it；　and　in　spite
of　his　vexation　he　could　not　help　laughing　at　the　sight　of　him；　and
when　Sancho　saw　his　master　begin　he　let　go　so　heartily　that　he　had
to　hold　his　sides　with　both　hands　to　keep　himself　from　bursting　with
laughter。　Four　times　he　stopped；　and　as　many　times　did　his　laughter
break　out　afresh　with　the　same　violence　as　at　first；　whereat　Don
Quixote　grew　furious；　above　all　when　he　heard　him　say　mockingly；　〃Thou
must　know；　friend　Sancho；　that　of　Heaven's　will　I　was　born　in　this　our
iron　age　to　revive　in　it　the　golden　or　age　of　gold；　I　am　he　for　whom
are　reserved　perils；　mighty　achievements；　valiant　deeds；〃　and　here
he　went　on　repeating　the　words　that　Don　Quixote　uttered　the　first　time
they　heard　the　awful　strokes。
　　Don　Quixote；　then；　seeing　that　Sancho　was　turning　him　into　ridicule；
was　so　mortified　and　vexed　that　he　lifted　up　his　pike　and　smote　him
two　such　blows　that　if；　instead　of　catching　them　on　his　shoulders；
he　had　caught　them　on　his　head　there　would　have　been　no　wages　to
pay；　unless　indeed　to　his　heirs。　Sancho　seeing　that　he　was　getting
an　awkward　return　in　earnest　for　his　jest；　and　fearing　his　master
might　carry　it　still　further；　said　to　him　very　humbly；　〃Calm　yourself；
sir；　for　by　God　I　am　only　joking。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　if　you　are　joking　I　am　not；〃　replied　Don　Quixote。　〃Look
here；　my　lively　gentleman；　if　these；　instead　of　being　fulling　hammers；
had　been　some　perilous　adventure；　have　I　not；　think　you；　shown　the
courage　required　for　the　attempt　and　achievement？　Am　I；　perchance；
being；　as　I　am；　a　gentleman；　bound　to　know　and　distinguish　sounds
and　tell　whether　they　come　from　fulling　mills　or　not；　and　that；　when
perhaps；　as　is　the　case；　I　have　never　in　my　life　seen　any　as　you　have；
low　boor　as　you　are；　that　have　been　born　and　bred　among　them？　But　turn
me　these　six　hammers　into　six　giants；　and　bring　them　to　beard　me；
one　by　one　or　all　together；　and　if　I　do　not　knock　them　head　over
heels；　then　make　what　mockery　you　like　of　me。〃
　　〃No　more　of　that；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃I　own　I　went　a　little
too　far　with　the　joke。　But　tell　me；　your　worship；　now　that　peace　is
made　between　us　（and　may　God　bring　you　out　of　all　the　adventures
that　may　befall　you　as　safe　and　sound　as　he　has　brought　you　out　of
this　one）；　was　it　not　a　thing　to　laugh　at；　and　is　it　not　a　good　story；
the　great　fear　we　were　in？…　at　least　that　I　was　in；　for　as　to　your
worship　I　see　now　that　you　neither　know　nor　understand　what　either
fear　or　dismay　is。〃
　　〃I　do　not　deny；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　what　happened　to　us　may
be　worth　laughing　at；　but　it　is　not　worth　making　a　story　about；　for　it
is　not　everyone　that　is　shrewd　enough　to　hit　the　right　point　of　a
thing。〃
　　〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Sancho；　〃your　worship　knew　how　to　hit　the
right　point　with　your　pike；　aiming　at　my　head　and　hitting　me　on　the
shoulders；　thanks　be　to　God　and　my　own　smartness　in　dodging　it。　But
let　that　pass；　all　will　come　out　in　the　scouring；　for　I　have　heard　say
'he　loves　thee　well　that　makes　thee　weep；'　and　moreover　that　it　is　the
way　with　great　lords　after　any　hard　words　they　give　a　servant　to
give　him　a　pair　of　breeches；　though　I　do　not　know　what　they　give　after
blows；　unless　it　be　that　knights…errant　after　blows　give　islands；　or
kingdoms　on　the　mainland。〃
　　〃It　may　be　on　the　dice；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃that　all　thou　sayest
will　come　true；　overlook　the　past；　for　thou　art　shrewd　enough　to
know　that　our　first　movements　are　not　in　our　own　control；　and　one
thing　for　the　future　bear　in　mind；　that　thou　curb　and　restrain　thy
loquacity　in　my　company；　for　in　all　the　books　of　chivalry　that　I
have　read；　and　they　are　innumerable；　I　never　met　with　a　squire　who
talked　so　much　to　his　lord　as　thou　dost　to　thine；　and　in　fact　I　feel
it　to　be　a　great　fault　of　thine　and　of　mine：　of　thine；　that　thou
hast　so　little　respect　for　me；　of　mine；　that　I　do　not　make　myself　more
respected。　There　was　Gandalin；　the　squire　of　Amadis　of　Gaul；　that
was　Count　of　the　Insula　Firme；　and　we　read　of　him　that　he　always
addressed　his　lord　with　his　cap　in　his　hand；　his　head　bowed　down　and
his　body　bent　double；　more　turquesco。　And　then；　what　shall　we　say　of
Gasabal；　the　squire　of　Galaor；　who　was　so　silent　that　in　order　to
indicate　to　us　the　greatness　of　his　marvellous　taciturnity　his　name　is
only　once　mentioned　in　the　whole　of　that　history；　as　long　as　it　is
truthful？　From　all　I　have　said　thou　wilt　gather；　Sancho；　that　there
must　be　a　difference　between　master　and　man；　between　lord　and
lackey；　between　knight　and　squire：　so　that　from　this　day　forward　in
our　intercourse　we　must　observe　more　respect　and　take　less
liberties；　for　in　whatever　way　I　may　be　provoked　with　you　it　will　be
bad　for　the　pitcher。　The　favours　and　benefits　that　I　have　promised　you
will　come　in　due　time；　and　if　they　do　not　your　wages　at　least　will　not
be　lost；　as　I　have　already　told　you。〃
　　〃All　that　your　worship　says　is　very　well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃but　I
should　like　to　know　（in　case　the　time　of　favours　should　not　come；
and　it　might　be　necessary　to　fall　back　upon　wages）　how　much　did　the
squire　of　a　knight…errant　get　in　those　days；　and　did　they　agree　by　the
month；　or　by　the　day　like　bricklayers？〃
　　〃I　do　not　believe；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃that　such　squires　were
ever　on　wages；　but　were　dependent　on　favour；　and　if　I　have　now
mentioned　thine　in　the　sealed　will　I　have　left　at　home；　it　was　with
a　view　to　what　may　happen；　for　as　yet　I　know　not　how　chivalry　will
turn　out　in　these　wretched　times　of　ours；　and　I　do　not　wish　my　soul　to
suffer　for　trifles　in　the　other　world；　for　I　would　have　thee　know；
Sancho；　that　in　this　there　is　no　condition　more　hazardous　than　that　of
adventurers。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Sancho；　〃since　the　mere　noise　of　the　hammers　of
a　fulling　mill　can　disturb　and　disquiet　the　heart　of　such　a　valiant
errant　adventurer　as　your　worship；　but　you　may　be　sure　I　will　not　open
my　lips　henceforward　to　make　light　of　anything　of　your　worship's；
but　only　to　honour　you　as　my　master　and　natural　lord。〃
　　〃By　so　doing；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃shalt　thou　live　long　on　the
face　of　the　earth；　for　next　to　parents；　masters　are　to　be　respected　as
though　they　were　parents。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXI
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　THE　EXALTED　ADVENTURE　AND　RICH　PRIZE　OF　MAMBRINO'S
HELMET；　TOGETHER　WITH　OTHER　THINGS　THAT　HAPPENED　TO　OUR　INVINCIBLE
KNIGHT

　　IT　NO