don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第6章

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shines　on　us　I　have　a　mind　to　run　you　through　with　this　lance。　Pay　him
at　once　without　another　word；　if　not；　by　the　God　that　rules　us　I
will　make　an　end　of　you；　and　annihilate　you　on　the　spot；　release　him
instantly。〃
　　The　farmer　hung　his　head；　and　without　a　word　untied　his　servant；
of　whom　Don　Quixote　asked　how　much　his　master　owed　him。
　　He　replied；　nine　months　at　seven　reals　a　month。　Don　Quixote　added　it
up；　found　that　it　came　to　sixty…three　reals；　and　told　the　farmer　to
pay　it　down　immediately；　if　he　did　not　want　to　die　for　it。
　　The　trembling　clown　replied　that　as　he　lived　and　by　the　oath　he
had　sworn　（though　he　had　not　sworn　any）　it　was　not　so　much；　for
there　were　to　be　taken　into　account　and　deducted　three　pairs　of
shoes　he　had　given　him；　and　a　real　for　two　blood…lettings　when　he
was　sick。
　　〃All　that　is　very　well；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃but　let　the　shoes　and
the　blood…lettings　stand　as　a　setoff　against　the　blows　you　have
given　him　without　any　cause；　for　if　he　spoiled　the　leather　of　the
shoes　you　paid　for；　you　have　damaged　that　of　his　body；　and　if　the
barber　took　blood　from　him　when　he　was　sick；　you　have　drawn　it　when　he
was　sound；　so　on　that　score　he　owes　you　nothing。〃
　　〃The　difficulty　is；　Sir　Knight；　that　I　have　no　money　here；　let
Andres　come　home　with　me；　and　I　will　pay　him　all；　real　by　real。〃
　　〃I　go　with　him！〃　said　the　youth。　〃Nay；　God　forbid！　No；　senor；　not
for　the　world；　for　once　alone　with　me；　he　would　ray　me　like　a　Saint
Bartholomew。〃
　　〃He　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃I　have　only
to　command；　and　he　will　obey　me；　and　as　he　has　sworn　to　me　by　the
order　of　knighthood　which　he　has　received；　I　leave　him　free；　and　I
guarantee　the　payment。〃
　　〃Consider　what　you　are　saying；　senor；〃　said　the　youth；　〃this
master　of　mine　is　not　a　knight；　nor　has　he　received　any　order　of
knighthood；　for　he　is　Juan　Haldudo　the　Rich；　of　Quintanar。〃
　　〃That　matters　little；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃there　may　be　Haldudos
knights；　moreover；　everyone　is　the　son　of　his　works。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Andres；　〃but　this　master　of　mine…　of　what　works
is　he　the　son；　when　he　refuses　me　the　wages　of　my　sweat　and　labour？〃
　　〃I　do　not　refuse；　brother　Andres；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃be　good
enough　to　come　along　with　me；　and　I　swear　by　all　the　orders　of
knighthood　there　are　in　the　world　to　pay　you　as　I　have　agreed；　real　by
real；　and　perfumed。〃
　　〃For　the　perfumery　I　excuse　you；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃give　it　to
him　in　reals；　and　I　shall　be　satisfied；　and　see　that　you　do　as　you
have　sworn；　if　not；　by　the　same　oath　I　swear　to　come　back　and　hunt　you
out　and　punish　you；　and　I　shall　find　you　though　you　should　lie
closer　than　a　lizard。　And　if　you　desire　to　know　who　it　is　lays　this
command　upon　you；　that　you　be　more　firmly　bound　to　obey　it；　know
that　I　am　the　valorous　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　the　undoer　of
wrongs　and　injustices；　and　so；　God　be　with　you；　and　keep　in　mind
what　you　have　promised　and　sworn　under　those　penalties　that　have
been　already　declared　to　you。〃
　　So　saying；　he　gave　Rocinante　the　spur　and　was　soon　out　of　reach。　The
farmer　followed　him　with　his　eyes；　and　when　he　saw　that　he　had　cleared
the　wood　and　was　no　longer　in　sight；　he　turned　to　his　boy　Andres；
and　said；　〃Come　here；　my　son；　I　want　to　pay　you　what　I　owe　you；　as
that　undoer　of　wrongs　has　commanded　me。〃
　　〃My　oath　on　it；〃　said　Andres；　〃your　worship　will　be　well　advised
to　obey　the　command　of　that　good　knight…　may　he　live　a　thousand　years…
for；　as　he　is　a　valiant　and　just　judge；　by　Roque；　if　you　do　not　pay
me；　he　will　come　back　and　do　as　he　said。〃
　　〃My　oath　on　it；　too；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃but　as　I　have　a　strong
affection　for　you；　I　want　to　add　to　the　debt　in　order　to　add　to　the
payment；〃　and　seizing　him　by　the　arm；　he　tied　him　up　again；　and　gave
him　such　a　flogging　that　he　left　him　for　dead。
　　〃Now；　Master　Andres；〃　said　the　farmer；　〃call　on　the　undoer　of
wrongs；　you　will　find　he　won't　undo　that；　though　I　am　not　sure　that
I　have　quite　done　with　you；　for　I　have　a　good　mind　to　flay　you　alive。〃
But　at　last　he　untied　him；　and　gave　him　leave　to　go　look　for　his　judge
in　order　to　put　the　sentence　pronounced　into　execution。
　　Andres　went　off　rather　down　in　the　mouth；　swearing　he　would　go　to
look　for　the　valiant　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha　and　tell　him　exactly
what　had　happened；　and　that　all　would　have　to　be　repaid　him　sevenfold；
but　for　all　that；　he　went　off　weeping；　while　his　master　stood
laughing。
　　Thus　did　the　valiant　Don　Quixote　right　that　wrong；　and；　thoroughly
satisfied　with　what　had　taken　place；　as　he　considered　he　had　made　a
very　happy　and　noble　beginning　with　his　knighthood；　he　took　the　road
towards　his　village　in　perfect　self…content；　saying　in　a　low　voice；
〃Well　mayest　thou　this　day　call　thyself　fortunate　above　all　on
earth；　O　Dulcinea　del　Toboso；　fairest　of　the　fair！　since　it　has　fallen
to　thy　lot　to　hold　subject　and　submissive　to　thy　full　will　and
pleasure　a　knight　so　renowned　as　is　and　will　be　Don　Quixote　of　La
Mancha；　who；　as　all　the　world　knows；　yesterday　received　the　order　of
knighthood；　and　hath　to…day　righted　the　greatest　wrong　and　grievance
that　ever　injustice　conceived　and　cruelty　perpetrated：　who　hath　to…day
plucked　the　rod　from　the　hand　of　yonder　ruthless　oppressor　so　wantonly
lashing　that　tender　child。〃
　　He　now　came　to　a　road　branching　in　four　directions；　and
immediately　he　was　reminded　of　those　cross…roads　where
knights…errant　used　to　stop　to　consider　which　road　they　should　take。
In　imitation　of　them　he　halted　for　a　while；　and　after　having　deeply
considered　it；　he　gave　Rocinante　his　head；　submitting　his　own　will
to　that　of　his　hack；　who　followed　out　his　first　intention；　which　was
to　make　straight　for　his　own　stable。　After　he　had　gone　about　two　miles
Don　Quixote　perceived　a　large　party　of　people；　who；　as　afterwards
appeared；　were　some　Toledo　traders；　on　their　way　to　buy　silk　at
Murcia。　There　were　six　of　them　coming　along　under　their　sunshades；
with　four　servants　mounted；　and　three　muleteers　on　foot。　Scarcely
had　Don　Quixote　descried　them　when　the　fancy　possessed　him　that　this
must　be　some　new　adventure；　and　to　help　him　to　imitate　as　far　as　he
could　those　passages　he　had　read　of　in　his　books；　here　seemed　to
come　one　made　on　purpose；　which　he　resolved　to　attempt。　So　with　a
lofty　bearing　and　determination　he　fixed　himself　firmly　in　his
stirrups；　got　his　lance　ready；　brought　his　buckler　before　his
breast；　and　planting　himself　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　stood
waiting　the　approach　of　these　knights…errant；　for　such　he　now
considered　and　held　them　to　be；　and　when　they　had　come　near　enough
to　see　and　hear；　he　exclaimed　with　a　haughty　gesture；　〃All　the　world
stand；　unless　all　the　world　confess　that　in　all　the　world　there　is
no　maiden　fairer　than　the　Empress　of　La　Mancha；　the　peerless
Dulcinea　del　Toboso。〃
　　The　traders　halted　at　the　sound　of　this　language　and　the　sight　of
the　strange　figure　that　uttered　it；　and　from　both　figure　and
language　at　once　guessed　the　craze　of　their　owner；　they　wished；
however；　to　learn　quietly　what　was　the　object　of　this　confession
that　was　demanded　of　them；　and　one　of　them；　who　was　rather　fond　of　a
joke　and　was　very　sharp…witted；　said　to　him；　〃Sir　Knight；　we　do　not
know　who　this　good　lady　is　that　you　speak　of；　show　her　to　us；　for；
if　she　be　of　such　beauty　as　you　suggest；　with　all　our　hearts　and
without　any　pressure　we　will　confess　the　truth　that　is　on　your　part
required　of　us。〃
　　〃If　I　were　to　show　her　to　you；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃what　merit
would　you　have　in　confessing　a　truth　so　manifest？　The　essential
point　is　that　without　seeing　her　you　must　believe；　confess；　affirm；
swear；　and　defend　it；　else　ye　have　to　do　with　me　in　battle；
ill…conditioned；　arrogant　rabble　that　ye　are；　and　come　ye　on；　one　by
one　as　the　order　of　knighthood　requires；　or　all　together　as　is　the
custom　and　vile　usage　of　your　breed；　here　do　I　bide　and　await　you
relying　on　the　justice　of　the　cause　I　maintain。〃
　　〃Sir　Knight；〃　replied　the　trader；　〃I　entreat　your　worship　in　the
name　of　this　present　company　of　princes；　that；　to　save　us　from
charging　our　consciences　with　the　confession　of　a　thing　we　have
never　seen　or　heard　of；　and　one　moreover　so　much　to　the　prejudice