don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第43章

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which　are　caused　by　this　office　and　calling　being　in　the　hands　of
stupid　and　ignorant　people；　such　as　women　more　or　less　silly；　and
pages　and　jesters　of　little　standing　and　experience；　who　on　the　most
urgent　occasions；　and　when　ingenuity　of　contrivance　is　needed；　let　the
crumbs　freeze　on　the　way　to　their　mouths；　and　know　not　which　is
their　right　hand。　I　should　like　to　go　farther；　and　give　reasons　to
show　that　it　is　advisable　to　choose　those　who　are　to　hold　so　necessary
an　office　in　the　state；　but　this　is　not　the　fit　place　for　it；　some　day
I　will　expound　the　matter　to　some　one　able　to　see　to　and　rectify　it；
all　I　say　now　is；　that　the　additional　fact　of　his　being　a　sorcerer　has
removed　the　sorrow　it　gave　me　to　see　these　white　hairs　and　this
venerable　countenance　in　so　painful　a　position　on　account　of　his　being
a　pimp；　though　I　know　well　there　are　no　sorceries　in　the　world　that
can　move　or　compel　the　will　as　some　simple　folk　fancy；　for　our　will　is
free；　nor　is　there　herb　or　charm　that　can　force　it。　All　that　certain
silly　women　and　quacks　do　is　to　turn　men　mad　with　potions　and　poisons；
pretending　that　they　have　power　to　cause　love；　for；　as　I　say；　it　is　an
impossibility　to　compel　the　will。〃
　　〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　good　old　man；　〃and　indeed；　sir；　as　far　as　the
charge　of　sorcery　goes　I　was　not　guilty；　as　to　that　of　being　a　pimp
I　cannot　deny　it；　but　I　never　thought　I　was　doing　any　harm　by　it；
for　my　only　object　was　that　all　the　world　should　enjoy　itself　and　live
in　peace　and　quiet；　without　quarrels　or　troubles；　but　my　good
intentions　were　unavailing　to　save　me　from　going　where　I　never
expect　to　come　back　from；　with　this　weight　of　years　upon　me　and　a
urinary　ailment　that　never　gives　me　a　moment's　ease；〃　and　again　he
fell　to　weeping　as　before；　and　such　compassion　did　Sancho　feel　for　him
that　he　took　out　a　real　of　four　from　his　bosom　and　gave　it　to　him　in
alms。
　　Don　Quixote　went　on　and　asked　another　what　his　crime　was；　and　the
man　answered　with　no　less　but　rather　much　more　sprightliness　than
the　last　one。
　　〃I　am　here　because　I　carried　the　joke　too　far　with　a　couple　of
cousins　of　mine；　and　with　a　couple　of　other　cousins　who　were　none　of
mine；　in　short；　I　carried　the　joke　so　far　with　them　all　that　it
ended　in　such　a　complicated　increase　of　kindred　that　no　accountant
could　make　it　clear：　it　was　all　proved　against　me；　I　got　no　favour；
I　had　no　money；　I　was　near　having　my　neck　stretched；　they　sentenced　me
to　the　galleys　for　six　years；　I　accepted　my　fate；　it　is　the　punishment
of　my　fault；　I　am　a　young　man；　let　life　only　last；　and　with　that　all
will　come　right。　If　you；　sir；　have　anything　wherewith　to　help　the
poor；　God　will　repay　it　to　you　in　heaven；　and　we　on　earth　will　take
care　in　our　petitions　to　him　to　pray　for　the　life　and　health　of　your
worship；　that　they　may　be　as　long　and　as　good　as　your　amiable
appearance　deserves。〃
　　This　one　was　in　the　dress　of　a　student；　and　one　of　the　guards　said
he　was　a　great　talker　and　a　very　elegant　Latin　scholar。
　　Behind　all　these　there　came　a　man　of　thirty；　a　very　personable
fellow；　except　that　when　he　looked；　his　eyes　turned　in　a　little　one
towards　the　other。　He　was　bound　differently　from　the　rest；　for　he
had　to　his　leg　a　chain　so　long　that　it　was　wound　all　round　his　body；
and　two　rings　on　his　neck；　one　attached　to　the　chain；　the　other　to
what　they　call　a　〃keep…friend〃　or　〃friend's　foot；〃　from　which　hung　two
irons　reaching　to　his　waist　with　two　manacles　fixed　to　them　in　which
his　hands　were　secured　by　a　big　padlock；　so　that　he　could　neither
raise　his　hands　to　his　mouth　nor　lower　his　head　to　his　hands。　Don
Quixote　asked　why　this　man　carried　so　many　more　chains　than　the
others。　The　guard　replied　that　it　was　because　he　alone　had　committed
more　crimes　than　all　the　rest　put　together；　and　was　so　daring　and　such
a　villain；　that　though　they　marched　him　in　that　fashion　they　did　not
feel　sure　of　him；　but　were　in　dread　of　his　making　his　escape。
　　〃What　crimes　can　he　have　committed；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃if　they　have
not　deserved　a　heavier　punishment　than　being　sent　to　the　galleys？〃
　　〃He　goes　for　ten　years；〃　replied　the　guard；　〃which　is　the　same　thing
as　civil　death；　and　all　that　need　be　said　is　that　this　good　fellow
is　the　famous　Gines　de　Pasamonte；　otherwise　called　Ginesillo　de
Parapilla。〃
　　〃Gently；　senor　commissary；〃　said　the　galley　slave　at　this；　〃let　us
have　no　fixing　of　names　or　surnames；　my　name　is　Gines；　not
Ginesillo；　and　my　family　name　is　Pasamonte；　not　Parapilla　as　you
say；　let　each　one　mind　his　own　business；　and　he　will　be　doing　enough。〃
　　〃Speak　with　less　impertinence；　master　thief　of　extra　measure；〃
replied　the　commissary；　〃if　you　don't　want　me　to　make　you　hold　your
tongue　in　spite　of　your　teeth。〃
　　〃It　is　easy　to　see；〃　returned　the　galley　slave；　〃that　man　goes　as
God　pleases；　but　some　one　shall　know　some　day　whether　I　am　called
Ginesillo　de　Parapilla　or　not。〃
　　〃Don't　they　call　you　so；　you　liar？〃　said　the　guard。
　　〃They　do；〃　returned　Gines；　〃but　I　will　make　them　give　over　calling
me　so；　or　I　will　be　shaved；　where；　I　only　say　behind　my　teeth。　If　you；
sir；　have　anything　to　give　us；　give　it　to　us　at　once；　and　God　speed
you；　for　you　are　becoming　tiresome　with　all　this　inquisitiveness　about
the　lives　of　others；　if　you　want　to　know　about　mine；　let　me　tell　you　I
am　Gines　de　Pasamonte；　whose　life　is　written　by　these　fingers。〃
　　〃He　says　true；〃　said　the　commissary；　〃for　he　has　himself　written　his
story　as　grand　as　you　please；　and　has　left　the　book　in　the　prison　in
pawn　for　two　hundred　reals。〃
　　〃And　I　mean　to　take　it　out　of　pawn；〃　said　Gines；　〃though　it　were
in　for　two　hundred　ducats。〃
　　〃Is　it　so　good？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃So　good　is　it；〃　replied　Gines；　〃that　a　fig　for　'Lazarillo　de
Tormes；'　and　all　of　that　kind　that　have　been　written；　or　shall　be
written　compared　with　it：　all　I　will　say　about　it　is　that　it　deals
with　facts；　and　facts　so　neat　and　diverting　that　no　lies　could　match
them。〃
　　〃And　how　is　the　book　entitled？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃The　'Life　of　Gines　de　Pasamonte；'〃　replied　the　subject　of　it。
　　〃And　is　it　finished？〃　asked　Don　Quixote。
　　〃How　can　it　be　finished；〃　said　the　other；　〃when　my　life　is　not　yet
finished？　All　that　is　written　is　from　my　birth　down　to　the　point
when　they　sent　me　to　the　galleys　this　last　time。〃
　　〃Then　you　have　been　there　before？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃In　the　service　of　God　and　the　king　I　have　been　there　for　four　years
before　now；　and　I　know　by　this　time　what　the　biscuit　and　courbash
are　like；〃　replied　Gines；　〃and　it　is　no　great　grievance　to　me　to　go
back　to　them；　for　there　I　shall　have　time　to　finish　my　book；　I　have
still　many　things　left　to　say；　and　in　the　galleys　of　Spain　there　is
more　than　enough　leisure；　though　I　do　not　want　much　for　what　I　have　to
write；　for　I　have　it　by　heart。〃
　　〃You　seem　a　clever　fellow；〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃And　an　unfortunate　one；〃　replied　Gines；　〃for　misfortune　always
persecutes　good　wit。〃
　　〃It　persecutes　rogues；〃　said　the　commissary。
　　〃I　told　you　already　to　go　gently；　master　commissary；〃　said
Pasamonte；　〃their　lordships　yonder　never　gave　you　that　staff　to
ill…treat　us　wretches　here；　but　to　conduct　and　take　us　where　his
majesty　orders　you；　if　not；　by　the　life　of…never　mind…；　it　may　be　that
some　day　the　stains　made　in　the　inn　will　come　out　in　the　scouring；　let
everyone　hold　his　tongue　and　behave　well　and　speak　better；　and　now　let
us　march　on；　for　we　have　had　quite　enough　of　this　entertainment。〃
　　The　commissary　lifted　his　staff　to　strike　Pasamonte　in　return　for
his　threats；　but　Don　Quixote　came　between　them；　and　begged　him　not
to　ill…use　him；　as　it　was　not　too　much　to　allow　one　who　had　his
hands　tied　to　have　his　tongue　a　trifle　free；　and　turning　to　the
whole　chain　of　them　he　said：
　　〃From　all　you　have　told　me；　dear　brethren；　make　out　clearly　that
though　they　have　punished　you　for　your　faults；　the　punishments　you　are
about　to　endure　do　not　give　you　much　pleasure；　and　that　you　go　to　them
very　much　against　the　grain　and　against　your　will；　and　that　perhaps
this　one's　want　of　courage　under　torture；　that　one's　want　of　money；
the　other's　want　of　advocacy；　and　lastly　the　perverted　judgment　of　the
judge　may　have　been　the　cause　of　your