don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第40章

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he　heaved　a　sigh　and　sent　it　aloft；　and　said　Sancho；　〃Let　it　pass
for　a　jest　as　it　cannot　be　revenged　in　earnest；　but　I　know　what　sort
of　jest　and　earnest　it　was；　and　I　know　it　will　never　be　rubbed　out
of　my　memory　any　more　than　off　my　shoulders。　But　putting　that　aside；
will　your　worship　tell　me　what　are　we　to　do　with　this　dapple…grey
steed　that　looks　like　a　grey　ass；　which　that　Martino　that　your　worship
overthrew　has　left　deserted　here？　for；　from　the　way　he　took　to　his
heels　and　bolted；　he　is　not　likely　ever　to　come　back　for　it；　and　by　my
beard　but　the　grey　is　a　good　one。〃
　　〃I　have　never　been　in　the　habit；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃of　taking　spoil
of　those　whom　I　vanquish；　nor　is　it　the　practice　of　chivalry　to　take
away　their　horses　and　leave　them　to　go　on　foot；　unless　indeed　it　be
that　the　victor　have　lost　his　own　in　the　combat；　in　which　case　it　is
lawful　to　take　that　of　the　vanquished　as　a　thing　won　in　lawful　war；
therefore；　Sancho；　leave　this　horse；　or　ass；　or　whatever　thou　wilt
have　it　to　be；　for　when　its　owner　sees　us　gone　hence　he　will　come　back
for　it。〃
　　〃God　knows　I　should　like　to　take　it；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃or　at
least　to　change　it　for　my　own；　which　does　not　seem　to　me　as　good　a
one：　verily　the　laws　of　chivalry　are　strict；　since　they　cannot　be
stretched　to　let　one　ass　be　changed　for　another；　I　should　like　to　know
if　I　might　at　least　change　trappings。〃
　　〃On　that　head　I　am　not　quite　certain；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃and
the　matter　being　doubtful；　pending　better　information；　I　say　thou
mayest　change　them；　if　so　be　thou　hast　urgent　need　of　them。〃
　　〃So　urgent　is　it；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃that　if　they　were　for　my　own
person　I　could　not　want　them　more；〃　and　forthwith；　fortified　by　this
licence；　he　effected　the　mutatio　capparum；　rigging　out　his　beast　to
the　ninety…nines　and　making　quite　another　thing　of　it。　This　done；　they
broke　their　fast　on　the　remains　of　the　spoils　of　war　plundered　from
the　sumpter　mule；　and　drank　of　the　brook　that　flowed　from　the
fulling　mills；　without　casting　a　look　in　that　direction；　in　such
loathing　did　they　hold　them　for　the　alarm　they　had　caused　them；　and；
all　anger　and　gloom　removed；　they　mounted　and；　without　taking　any
fixed　road　（not　to　fix　upon　any　being　the　proper　thing　for　true
knights…errant）；　they　set　out；　guided　by　Rocinante's　will；　which
carried　along　with　it　that　of　his　master；　not　to　say　that　of　the
ass；　which　always　followed　him　wherever　he　led；　lovingly　and　sociably；
nevertheless　they　returned　to　the　high　road；　and　pursued　it　at　a
venture　without　any　other　aim。
　　As　they　went　along；　then；　in　this　way　Sancho　said　to　his　master；
〃Senor；　would　your　worship　give　me　leave　to　speak　a　little　to　you？　For
since　you　laid　that　hard　injunction　of　silence　on　me　several　things
have　gone　to　rot　in　my　stomach；　and　I　have　now　just　one　on　the　tip
of　my　tongue　that　I　don't　want　to　be　spoiled。〃
　　〃Say；　on；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　be　brief　in　thy　discourse；
for　there　is　no　pleasure　in　one　that　is　long。〃
　　〃Well　then；　senor；〃　returned　Sancho；　〃I　say　that　for　some　days
past　I　have　been　considering　how　little　is　got　or　gained　by　going　in
search　of　these　adventures　that　your　worship　seeks　in　these　wilds
and　cross…roads；　where；　even　if　the　most　perilous　are　victoriously
achieved；　there　is　no　one　to　see　or　know　of　them；　and　so　they　must
be　left　untold　for　ever；　to　the　loss　of　your　worship's　object　and
the　credit　they　deserve；　therefore　it　seems　to　me　it　would　be　better
（saving　your　worship's　better　judgment）　if　we　were　to　go　and　serve
some　emperor　or　other　great　prince　who　may　have　some　war　on　hand；　in
whose　service　your　worship　may　prove　the　worth　of　your　person；　your
great　might；　and　greater　understanding；　on　perceiving　which　the　lord
in　whose　service　we　may　be　will　perforce　have　to　reward　us；　each
according　to　his　merits；　and　there　you　will　not　be　at　a　loss　for
some　one　to　set　down　your　achievements　in　writing　so　as　to　preserve
their　memory　for　ever。　Of　my　own　I　say　nothing；　as　they　will　not　go
beyond　squirely　limits；　though　I　make　bold　to　say　that；　if　it　be　the
practice　in　chivalry　to　write　the　achievements　of　squires；　I　think
mine　must　not　be　left　out。〃
　　〃Thou　speakest　not　amiss；　Sancho；〃　answered　Don　Quixote；　〃but　before
that　point　is　reached　it　is　requisite　to　roam　the　world；　as　it　were　on
probation；　seeking　adventures；　in　order　that；　by　achieving　some；
name　and　fame　may　be　acquired；　such　that　when　he　betakes　himself　to
the　court　of　some　great　monarch　the　knight　may　be　already　known　by　his
deeds；　and　that　the　boys；　the　instant　they　see　him　enter　the　gate　of
the　city；　may　all　follow　him　and　surround　him；　crying；　'This　is　the
Knight　of　the　Sun'…or　the　Serpent；　or　any　other　title　under　which　he
may　have　achieved　great　deeds。　'This；'　they　will　say；　'is　he　who
vanquished　in　single　combat　the　gigantic　Brocabruno　of　mighty
strength；　he　who　delivered　the　great　Mameluke　of　Persia　out　of　the
long　enchantment　under　which　he　had　been　for　almost　nine　hundred
years。'　So　from　one　to　another　they　will　go　proclaiming　his
achievements；　and　presently　at　the　tumult　of　the　boys　and　the　others
the　king　of　that　kingdom　will　appear　at　the　windows　of　his　royal
palace；　and　as　soon　as　he　beholds　the　knight；　recognising　him　by　his
arms　and　the　device　on　his　shield；　he　will　as　a　matter　of　course
say；　'What　ho！　Forth　all　ye；　the　knights　of　my　court；　to　receive　the
flower　of　chivalry　who　cometh　hither！'　At　which　command　all　will　issue
forth；　and　he　himself；　advancing　half…way　down　the　stairs；　will
embrace　him　closely；　and　salute　him；　kissing　him　on　the　cheek；　and
will　then　lead　him　to　the　queen's　chamber；　where　the　knight　will
find　her　with　the　princess　her　daughter；　who　will　be　one　of　the　most
beautiful　and　accomplished　damsels　that　could　with　the　utmost　pains　be
discovered　anywhere　in　the　known　world。　Straightway　it　will　come　to
pass　that　she　will　fix　her　eyes　upon　the　knight　and　he　his　upon　her；
and　each　will　seem　to　the　other　something　more　divine　than　human；　and；
without　knowing　how　or　why　they　will　be　taken　and　entangled　in　the
inextricable　toils　of　love；　and　sorely　distressed　in　their　hearts
not　to　see　any　way　of　making　their　pains　and　sufferings　known　by
speech。　Thence　they　will　lead　him；　no　doubt；　to　some　richly　adorned
chamber　of　the　palace；　where；　having　removed　his　armour；　they　will
bring　him　a　rich　mantle　of　scarlet　wherewith　to　robe　himself；　and　if
he　looked　noble　in　his　armour　he　will　look　still　more　so　in　a　doublet。
When　night　comes　he　will　sup　with　the　king；　queen；　and　princess；　and
all　the　time　he　will　never　take　his　eyes　off　her；　stealing　stealthy
glances；　unnoticed　by　those　present；　and　she　will　do　the　same；　and
with　equal　cautiousness；　being；　as　I　have　said；　a　damsel　of　great
discretion。　The　tables　being　removed；　suddenly　through　the　door　of　the
hall　there　will　enter　a　hideous　and　diminutive　dwarf　followed　by　a
fair　dame；　between　two　giants；　who　comes　with　a　certain　adventure；　the
work　of　an　ancient　sage；　and　he　who　shall　achieve　it　shall　be　deemed
the　best　knight　in　the　world。
　　〃The　king　will　then　command　all　those　present　to　essay　it；　and
none　will　bring　it　to　an　end　and　conclusion　save　the　stranger
knight；　to　the　great　enhancement　of　his　fame；　whereat　the　princess
will　be　overjoyed　and　will　esteem　herself　happy　and　fortunate　in
having　fixed　and　placed　her　thoughts　so　high。　And　the　best　of　it　is
that　this　king；　or　prince；　or　whatever　he　is；　is　engaged　in　a　very
bitter　war　with　another　as　powerful　as　himself；　and　the　stranger
knight；　after　having　been　some　days　at　his　court；　requests　leave
from　him　to　go　and　serve　him　in　the　said　war。　The　king　will　grant　it
very　readily；　and　the　knight　will　courteously　kiss　his　hands　for　the
favour　done　to　him；　and　that　night　he　will　take　leave　of　his　lady
the　princess　at　the　grating　of　the　chamber　where　she　sleeps；　which
looks　upon　a　garden；　and　at　which　he　has　already　many　times
conversed　with　her；　the　go…between　and　confidante　in　the　matter
being　a　damsel　much　trusted　by　the　princess。　He　will　sigh；　she　will
swoon；　the　damsel　will　fetch　water；　much　distressed　because　morning
approaches；　and　for　the　honour　of　her　lady　he　would　not　that　they　were
discovered；　at