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第38章

don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第38章

小说: don quixote(堂·吉珂德) 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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