don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第41章

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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　last　the　princess　will　come　to　herself　and　will　present
her　white　hands　through　the　grating　to　the　knight；　who　will　kiss
them　a　thousand　and　a　thousand　times；　bathing　them　with　his　tears。
It　will　be　arranged　between　them　how　they　are　to　inform　each　other
of　their　good　or　evil　fortunes；　and　the　princess　will　entreat　him　to
make　his　absence　as　short　as　possible；　which　he　will　promise　to　do
with　many　oaths；　once　more　he　kisses　her　hands；　and　takes　his　leave　in
such　grief　that　he　is　well…nigh　ready　to　die。　He　betakes　him　thence　to
his　chamber；　flings　himself　on　his　bed；　cannot　sleep　for　sorrow　at
parting；　rises　early　in　the　morning；　goes　to　take　leave　of　the　king；
queen；　and　princess；　and；　as　he　takes　his　leave　of　the　pair；　it　is
told　him　that　the　princess　is　indisposed　and　cannot　receive　a　visit；
the　knight　thinks　it　is　from　grief　at　his　departure；　his　heart　is
pierced；　and　he　is　hardly　able　to　keep　from　showing　his　pain。　The
confidante　is　present；　observes　all；　goes　to　tell　her　mistress；　who
listens　with　tears　and　says　that　one　of　her　greatest　distresses　is　not
knowing　who　this　knight　is；　and　whether　he　is　of　kingly　lineage　or
not；　the　damsel　assures　her　that　so　much　courtesy；　gentleness；　and
gallantry　of　bearing　as　her　knight　possesses　could　not　exist　in　any
save　one　who　was　royal　and　illustrious；　her　anxiety　is　thus
relieved；　and　she　strives　to　be　of　good　cheer　lest　she　should　excite
suspicion　in　her　parents；　and　at　the　end　of　two　days　she　appears　in
public。　Meanwhile　the　knight　has　taken　his　departure；　he　fights　in　the
war；　conquers　the　king's　enemy；　wins　many　cities；　triumphs　in　many
battles；　returns　to　the　court；　sees　his　lady　where　he　was　wont　to
see　her；　and　it　is　agreed　that　he　shall　demand　her　in　marriage　of
her　parents　as　the　reward　of　his　services；　the　king　is　unwilling　to
give　her；　as　he　knows　not　who　he　is；　but　nevertheless；　whether　carried
off　or　in　whatever　other　way　it　may　be；　the　princess　comes　to　be　his
bride；　and　her　father　comes　to　regard　it　as　very　good　fortune；　for
it　so　happens　that　this　knight　is　proved　to　be　the　son　of　a　valiant
king　of　some　kingdom；　I　know　not　what；　for　I　fancy　it　is　not　likely　to
be　on　the　map。　The　father　dies；　the　princess　inherits；　and　in　two
words　the　knight　becomes　king。　And　here　comes　in　at　once　the
bestowal　of　rewards　upon　his　squire　and　all　who　have　aided　him　in
rising　to　so　exalted　a　rank。　He　marries　his　squire　to　a　damsel　of
the　princess's；　who　will　be；　no　doubt；　the　one　who　was　confidante　in
their　amour；　and　is　daughter　of　a　very　great　duke。〃
　　〃That's　what　I　want；　and　no　mistake　about　it！〃　said　Sancho。
〃That's　what　I'm　waiting　for；　for　all　this；　word　for　word；　is　in　store
for　your　worship　under　the　title　of　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful
Countenance。〃
　　〃Thou　needst　not　doubt　it；　Sancho；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃for　in　the
same　manner；　and　by　the　same　steps　as　I　have　described　here；
knights…errant　rise　and　have　risen　to　be　kings　and　emperors；　all　we
want　now　is　to　find　out　what　king；　Christian　or　pagan；　is　at　war　and
has　a　beautiful　daughter；　but　there　will　be　time　enough　to　think　of
that；　for；　as　I　have　told　thee；　fame　must　be　won　in　other　quarters
before　repairing　to　the　court。　There　is　another　thing；　too；　that　is
wanting；　for　supposing　we　find　a　king　who　is　at　war　and　has　a
beautiful　daughter；　and　that　I　have　won　incredible　fame　throughout　the
universe；　I　know　not　how　it　can　be　made　out　that　I　am　of　royal
lineage；　or　even　second　cousin　to　an　emperor；　for　the　king　will　not　be
willing　to　give　me　his　daughter　in　marriage　unless　he　is　first
thoroughly　satisfied　on　this　point；　however　much　my　famous　deeds　may
deserve　it；　so　that　by　this　deficiency　I　fear　I　shall　lose　what　my　arm
has　fairly　earned。　True　it　is　I　am　a　gentleman　of　known　house；　of
estate　and　property；　and　entitled　to　the　five　hundred　sueldos　mulct；
and　it　may　be　that　the　sage　who　shall　write　my　history　will　so　clear
up　my　ancestry　and　pedigree　that　I　may　find　myself　fifth　or　sixth　in
descent　from　a　king；　for　I　would　have　thee　know；　Sancho；　that　there
are　two　kinds　of　lineages　in　the　world；　some　there　be　tracing　and
deriving　their　descent　from　kings　and　princes；　whom　time　has　reduced
little　by　little　until　they　end　in　a　point　like　a　pyramid　upside　down；
and　others　who　spring　from　the　common　herd　and　go　on　rising　step　by
step　until　they　come　to　be　great　lords；　so　that　the　difference　is　that
the　one　were　what　they　no　longer　are；　and　the　others　are　what　they
formerly　were　not。　And　I　may　be　of　such　that　after　investigation　my
origin　may　prove　great　and　famous；　with　which　the　king；　my
father…in…law　that　is　to　be；　ought　to　be　satisfied；　and　should　he
not　be；　the　princess　will　so　love　me　that　even　though　she　well　knew　me
to　be　the　son　of　a　water…carrier；　she　will　take　me　for　her　lord　and
husband　in　spite　of　her　father；　if　not；　then　it　comes　to　seizing　her
and　carrying　her　off　where　I　please；　for　time　or　death　will　put　an　end
to　the　wrath　of　her　parents。〃
　　〃It　comes　to　this；　too；〃　said　Sancho；　〃what　some　naughty　people　say；
'Never　ask　as　a　favour　what　thou　canst　take　by　force；'　though　it　would
fit　better　to　say；　'A　clear　escape　is　better　than　good　men's　prayers。'
I　say　so　because　if　my　lord　the　king；　your　worship's　father…in…law；
will　not　condescend　to　give　you　my　lady　the　princess；　there　is　nothing
for　it　but；　as　your　worship　says；　to　seize　her　and　transport　her。
But　the　mischief　is　that　until　peace　is　made　and　you　come　into　the
peaceful　enjoyment　of　your　kingdom；　the　poor　squire　is　famishing　as
far　as　rewards　go；　unless　it　be　that　the　confidante　damsel　that　is
to　be　his　wife　comes　with　the　princess；　and　that　with　her　he　tides
over　his　bad　luck　until　Heaven　otherwise　orders　things；　for　his
master；　I　suppose；　may　as　well　give　her　to　him　at　once　for　a　lawful
wife。〃
　　〃Nobody　can　object　to　that；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Then　since　that　may　be；〃　said　Sancho；　〃there　is　nothing　for　it
but　to　commend　ourselves　to　God；　and　let　fortune　take　what　course　it
will。〃
　　〃God　guide　it　according　to　my　wishes　and　thy　wants；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃and　mean　be　he　who　thinks　himself　mean。〃
　　〃In　God's　name　let　him　be　so；〃　said　Sancho：　〃I　am　an　old
Christian；　and　to　fit　me　for　a　count　that's　enough。〃
　　〃And　more　than　enough　for　thee；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　even　wert
thou　not；　it　would　make　no　difference；　because　I　being　the　king　can
easily　give　thee　nobility　without　purchase　or　service　rendered　by
thee；　for　when　I　make　thee　a　count；　then　thou　art　at　once　a　gentleman；
and　they　may　say　what　they　will；　but　by　my　faith　they　will　have　to
call　thee　'your　lordship；'　whether　they　like　it　or　not。〃
　　〃Not　a　doubt　of　it；　and　I'll　know　how　to　support　the　tittle；〃　said
Sancho。
　　〃Title　thou　shouldst　say；　not　tittle；〃　said　his　master。
　　〃So　be　it；〃　answered　Sancho。　〃I　say　I　will　know　how　to　behave；　for
once　in　my　life　I　was　beadle　of　a　brotherhood；　and　the　beadle's　gown
sat　so　well　on　me　that　all　said　I　looked　as　if　I　was　to　be　steward
of　the　same　brotherhood。　What　will　it　be；　then；　when　I　put　a　duke's
robe　on　my　back；　or　dress　myself　in　gold　and　pearls　like　a　count？　I
believe　they'll　come　a　hundred　leagues　to　see　me。〃
　　〃Thou　wilt　look　well；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　thou　must　shave　thy
beard　often；　for　thou　hast　it　so　thick　and　rough　and　unkempt；　that
if　thou　dost　not　shave　it　every　second　day　at　least；　they　will　see
what　thou　art　at　the　distance　of　a　musket　shot。〃
　　〃What　more　will　it　be；〃　said　Sancho；　〃than　having　a　barber；　and
keeping　him　at　wages　in　the　house？　and　even　if　it　be　necessary；　I　will
make　him　go　behind　me　like　a　nobleman's　equerry。〃
　　〃Why；　how　dost　thou　know　that　noblemen　have　equerries　behind
them？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　Sancho。　〃Years　ago　I　was　for　a　month
at　the　capital　and　there　I　saw　taking　the　air　a　very　small　gentleman
who　they　said　was　a　very　great　man；　and　a　man　following　him　on
horseback　in　every　turn　he　took；　just　as　if　he　was　his　tail。　I　asked
why　this　man　did　not　join　the　other　man；　instead　of　always　going
behind　him；　they　answered　me　that　he　wa