don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第5章

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thee　to　turn　the　eyes　of　thy　greatness　on　this　thy　captive　knight　on
the　brink　of　so　mighty　an　adventure。〃　By　this　he　felt　himself　so
inspired　that　he　would　not　have　flinched　if　all　the　carriers　in　the
world　had　assailed　him。　The　comrades　of　the　wounded　perceiving　the
plight　they　were　in　began　from　a　distance　to　shower　stones　on　Don
Quixote；　who　screened　himself　as　best　he　could　with　his　buckler；　not
daring　to　quit　the　trough　and　leave　his　armour　unprotected。　The
landlord　shouted　to　them　to　leave　him　alone；　for　he　had　already　told
them　that　he　was　mad；　and　as　a　madman　he　would　not　be　accountable　even
if　he　killed　them　all。　Still　louder　shouted　Don　Quixote；　calling
them　knaves　and　traitors；　and　the　lord　of　the　castle；　who　allowed
knights…errant　to　be　treated　in　this　fashion；　a　villain　and　a　low…born
knight　whom；　had　he　received　the　order　of　knighthood；　he　would　call　to
account　for　his　treachery。　〃But　of　you；〃　he　cried；　〃base　and　vile
rabble；　I　make　no　account；　fling；　strike；　come　on；　do　all　ye　can
against　me；　ye　shall　see　what　the　reward　of　your　folly　and　insolence
will　be。〃　This　he　uttered　with　so　much　spirit　and　boldness　that　he
filled　his　assailants　with　a　terrible　fear；　and　as　much　for　this
reason　as　at　the　persuasion　of　the　landlord　they　left　off　stoning　him；
and　he　allowed　them　to　carry　off　the　wounded；　and　with　the　same
calmness　and　composure　as　before　resumed　the　watch　over　his　armour。
　　But　these　freaks　of　his　guest　were　not　much　to　the　liking　of　the
landlord；　so　he　determined　to　cut　matters　short　and　confer　upon　him　at
once　the　unlucky　order　of　knighthood　before　any　further　misadventure
could　occur；　so；　going　up　to　him；　he　apologised　for　the　rudeness
which；　without　his　knowledge；　had　been　offered　to　him　by　these　low
people；　who；　however；　had　been　well　punished　for　their　audacity。　As　he
had　already　told　him；　he　said；　there　was　no　chapel　in　the　castle；
nor　was　it　needed　for　what　remained　to　be　done；　for；　as　he
understood　the　ceremonial　of　the　order；　the　whole　point　of　being
dubbed　a　knight　lay　in　the　accolade　and　in　the　slap　on　the　shoulder；
and　that　could　be　administered　in　the　middle　of　a　field；　and　that　he
had　now　done　all　that　was　needful　as　to　watching　the　armour；　for　all
requirements　were　satisfied　by　a　watch　of　two　hours　only；　while　he　had
been　more　than　four　about　it。　Don　Quixote　believed　it　all；　and　told
him　he　stood　there　ready　to　obey　him；　and　to　make　an　end　of　it　with　as
much　despatch　as　possible；　for；　if　he　were　again　attacked；　and　felt
himself　to　be　dubbed　knight；　he　would　not；　he　thought；　leave　a　soul
alive　in　the　castle；　except　such　as　out　of　respect　he　might　spare　at
his　bidding。
　　Thus　warned　and　menaced；　the　castellan　forthwith　brought　out　a
book　in　which　he　used　to　enter　the　straw　and　barley　he　served　out　to
the　carriers；　and；　with　a　lad　carrying　a　candle…end；　and　the　two
damsels　already　mentioned；　he　returned　to　where　Don　Quixote　stood；　and
bade　him　kneel　down。　Then；　reading　from　his　account…book　as　if　he　were
repeating　some　devout　prayer；　in　the　middle　of　his　delivery　he
raised　his　hand　and　gave　him　a　sturdy　blow　on　the　neck；　and　then；　with
his　own　sword；　a　smart　slap　on　the　shoulder；　all　the　while　muttering
between　his　teeth　as　if　he　was　saying　his　prayers。　Having　done　this；
he　directed　one　of　the　ladies　to　gird　on　his　sword；　which　she　did　with
great　self…possession　and　gravity；　and　not　a　little　was　required　to
prevent　a　burst　of　laughter　at　each　stage　of　the　ceremony；　but　what
they　had　already　seen　of　the　novice　knight's　prowess　kept　their
laughter　within　bounds。　On　girding　him　with　the　sword　the　worthy
lady　said　to　him；　〃May　God　make　your　worship　a　very　fortunate
knight；　and　grant　you　success　in　battle。〃　Don　Quixote　asked　her　name
in　order　that　he　might　from　that　time　forward　know　to　whom　he　was
beholden　for　the　favour　he　had　received；　as　he　meant　to　confer　upon
her　some　portion　of　the　honour　he　acquired　by　the　might　of　his　arm。
She　answered　with　great　humility　that　she　was　called　La　Tolosa；　and
that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a　cobbler　of　Toledo　who　lived　in　the
stalls　of　Sanchobienaya；　and　that　wherever　she　might　be　she　would
serve　and　esteem　him　as　her　lord。　Don　Quixote　said　in　reply　that　she
would　do　him　a　favour　if　thenceforward　she　assumed　the　〃Don〃　and
called　herself　Dona　Tolosa。　She　promised　she　would；　and　then　the　other
buckled　on　his　spur；　and　with　her　followed　almost　the　same
conversation　as　with　the　lady　of　the　sword。　He　asked　her　name；　and　she
said　it　was　La　Molinera；　and　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a
respectable　miller　of　Antequera；　and　of　her　likewise　Don　Quixote
requested　that　she　would　adopt　the　〃Don〃　and　call　herself　Dona
Molinera；　making　offers　to　her　further　services　and　favours。
　　Having　thus；　with　hot　haste　and　speed；　brought　to　a　conclusion　these
never…till…now…seen　ceremonies；　Don　Quixote　was　on　thorns　until　he　saw
himself　on　horseback　sallying　forth　in　quest　of　adventures；　and
saddling　Rocinante　at　once　he　mounted；　and　embracing　his　host；　as　he
returned　thanks　for　his　kindness　in　knighting　him；　he　addressed　him　in
language　so　extraordinary　that　it　is　impossible　to　convey　an　idea　of
it　or　report　it。　The　landlord；　to　get　him　out　of　the　inn；　replied　with
no　less　rhetoric　though　with　shorter　words；　and　without　calling　upon
him　to　pay　the　reckoning　let　him　go　with　a　Godspeed。

　　CHAPTER　IV
　　OF　WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　OUR　KNIGHT　WHEN　HE　LEFT　THE　INN

　　DAY　was　dawning　when　Don　Quixote　quitted　the　inn；　so　happy；　so
gay；　so　exhilarated　at　finding　himself　now　dubbed　a　knight；　that　his
joy　was　like　to　burst　his　horse…girths。　However；　recalling　the
advice　of　his　host　as　to　the　requisites　he　ought　to　carry　with　him；
especially　that　referring　to　money　and　shirts；　he　determined　to　go
home　and　provide　himself　with　all；　and　also　with　a　squire；　for　he
reckoned　upon　securing　a　farm…labourer；　a　neighbour　of　his；　a　poor　man
with　a　family；　but　very　well　qualified　for　the　office　of　squire　to　a
knight。　With　this　object　he　turned　his　horse's　head　towards　his
village；　and　Rocinante；　thus　reminded　of　his　old　quarters；　stepped　out
so　briskly　that　he　hardly　seemed　to　tread　the　earth。
　　He　had　not　gone　far；　when　out　of　a　thicket　on　his　right　there　seemed
to　come　feeble　cries　as　of　some　one　in　distress；　and　the　instant　he
heard　them　he　exclaimed；　〃Thanks　be　to　heaven　for　the　favour　it
accords　me；　that　it　so　soon　offers　me　an　opportunity　of　fulfilling　the
obligation　I　have　undertaken；　and　gathering　the　fruit　of　my
ambition。　These　cries；　no　doubt；　come　from　some　man　or　woman　in　want
of　help；　and　needing　my　aid　and　protection；〃　and　wheeling；　he　turned
Rocinante　in　the　direction　whence　the　cries　seemed　to　proceed。　He
had　gone　but　a　few　paces　into　the　wood；　when　he　saw　a　mare　tied　to
an　oak；　and　tied　to　another；　and　stripped　from　the　waist　upwards；　a
youth　of　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　from　whom　the　cries　came。　Nor
were　they　without　cause；　for　a　lusty　farmer　was　flogging　him　with　a
belt　and　following　up　every　blow　with　scoldings　and　commands；
repeating；　〃Your　mouth　shut　and　your　eyes　open！〃　while　the　youth
made　answer；　〃I　won't　do　it　again；　master　mine；　by　God's　passion　I
won't　do　it　again；　and　I'll　take　more　care　of　the　flock　another　time。〃
　　Seeing　what　was　going　on；　Don　Quixote　said　in　an　angry　voice；
〃Discourteous　knight；　it　ill　becomes　you　to　assail　one　who　cannot
defend　himself；　mount　your　steed　and　take　your　lance〃　（for　there　was　a
lance　leaning　against　the　oak　to　which　the　mare　was　tied）；　〃and　I　will
make　you　know　that　you　are　behaving　as　a　coward。〃　The　farmer；　seeing
before　him　this　figure　in　full　armour　brandishing　a　lance　over　his
head；　gave　himself　up　for　dead；　and　made　answer　meekly；　〃Sir　Knight；
this　youth　that　I　am　chastising　is　my　servant；　employed　by　me　to　watch
a　flock　of　sheep　that　I　have　hard　by；　and　he　is　so　careless　that　I
lose　one　every　day；　and　when　I　punish　him　for　his　carelessness　and
knavery　he　says　I　do　it　out　of　niggardliness；　to　escape　paying　him　the
wages　I　owe　him；　and　before　God；　and　on　my　soul；　he　lies。〃
　　〃Lies　before　me；　base　clown！〃　said　Don　Quixote。　〃By　the　sun　that
shines　on　us　I　have　a　mind　to　run　you　through　with　this　lance。　Pay　him
at　once　without　another