don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第64章

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happiness；　nor　did　they　continue　long　to　afford　the　enjoyment　they
began　with。
　　〃All　this　that　I　have　now　repeated　I　said　to　him；　and　much　more
which　I　cannot　recollect；　but　it　had　no　effect　in　inducing　him　to
forego　his　purpose；　he　who　has　no　intention　of　paying　does　not　trouble
himself　about　difficulties　when　he　is　striking　the　bargain。　At　the
same　time　I　argued　the　matter　briefly　in　my　own　mind；　saying　to
myself；　'I　shall　not　be　the　first　who　has　risen　through　marriage
from　a　lowly　to　a　lofty　station；　nor　will　Don　Fernando　be　the　first
whom　beauty　or；　as　is　more　likely；　a　blind　attachment；　has　led　to　mate
himself　below　his　rank。　Then；　since　I　am　introducing　no　new　usage　or
practice；　I　may　as　well　avail　myself　of　the　honour　that　chance
offers　me；　for　even　though　his　inclination　for　me　should　not　outlast
the　attainment　of　his　wishes；　I　shall　be；　after　all；　his　wife　before
God。　And　if　I　strive　to　repel　him　by　scorn；　I　can　see　that；　fair　means
failing；　he　is　in　a　mood　to　use　force；　and　I　shall　be　left　dishonoured
and　without　any　means　of　proving　my　innocence　to　those　who　cannot　know
how　innocently　I　have　come　to　be　in　this　position；　for　what
arguments　would　persuade　my　parents　that　this　gentleman　entered　my
chamber　without　my　consent？'
　　〃All　these　questions　and　answers　passed　through　my　mind　in　a　moment；
but　the　oaths　of　Don　Fernando；　the　witnesses　he　appealed　to；　the　tears
he　shed；　and　lastly　the　charms　of　his　person　and　his　high…bred
grace；　which；　accompanied　by　such　signs　of　genuine　love；　might　well
have　conquered　a　heart　even　more　free　and　coy　than　mine…　these　were
the　things　that　more　than　all　began　to　influence　me　and　lead　me
unawares　to　my　ruin。　I　called　my　waiting…maid　to　me；　that　there
might　be　a　witness　on　earth　besides　those　in　Heaven；　and　again　Don
Fernando　renewed　and　repeated　his　oaths；　invoked　as　witnesses　fresh
saints　in　addition　to　the　former　ones；　called　down　upon　himself　a
thousand　curses　hereafter　should　he　fail　to　keep　his　promise；　shed
more　tears；　redoubled　his　sighs　and　pressed　me　closer　in　his　arms；
from　which　he　had　never　allowed　me　to　escape；　and　so　I　was　left　by
my　maid；　and　ceased　to　be　one；　and　he　became　a　traitor　and　a
perjured　man。
　　〃The　day　which　followed　the　night　of　my　misfortune　did　not　come　so
quickly；　I　imagine；　as　Don　Fernando　wished；　for　when　desire　has
attained　its　object；　the　greatest　pleasure　is　to　fly　from　the　scene　of
pleasure。　I　say　so　because　Don　Fernando　made　all　haste　to　leave　me；
and　by　the　adroitness　of　my　maid；　who　was　indeed　the　one　who　had
admitted　him；　gained　the　street　before　daybreak；　but　on　taking　leave
of　me　he　told　me；　though　not　with　as　much　earnestness　and　fervour　as
when　he　came；　that　I　might　rest　assured　of　his　faith　and　of　the
sanctity　and　sincerity　of　his　oaths；　and　to　confirm　his　words　he
drew　a　rich　ring　off　his　finger　and　placed　it　upon　mine。　He　then
took　his　departure　and　I　was　left；　I　know　not　whether　sorrowful　or
happy；　all　I　can　say　is；　I　was　left　agitated　and　troubled　in　mind
and　almost　bewildered　by　what　had　taken　place；　and　I　had　not　the
spirit；　or　else　it　did　not　occur　to　me；　to　chide　my　maid　for　the
treachery　she　had　been　guilty　of　in　concealing　Don　Fernando　in　my
chamber；　for　as　yet　I　was　unable　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　what　had
befallen　me　was　for　good　or　evil。　I　told　Don　Fernando　at　parting；　that
as　I　was　now　his；　he　might　see　me　on　other　nights　in　the　same　way；
until　it　should　be　his　pleasure　to　let　the　matter　become　known；　but；
except　the　following　night；　he　came　no　more；　nor　for　more　than　a　month
could　I　catch　a　glimpse　of　him　in　the　street　or　in　church；　while　I
wearied　myself　with　watching　for　one；　although　I　knew　he　was　in　the
town；　and　almost　every　day　went　out　hunting；　a　pastime　he　was　very
fond　of。　I　remember　well　how　sad　and　dreary　those　days　and　hours
were　to　me；　I　remember　well　how　I　began　to　doubt　as　they　went　by；
and　even　to　lose　confidence　in　the　faith　of　Don　Fernando；　and　I
remember；　too；　how　my　maid　heard　those　words　in　reproof　of　her
audacity　that　she　had　not　heard　before；　and　how　I　was　forced　to　put
a　constraint　on　my　tears　and　on　the　expression　of　my　countenance；
not　to　give　my　parents　cause　to　ask　me　why　I　was　so　melancholy；　and
drive　me　to　invent　falsehoods　in　reply。　But　all　this　was　suddenly
brought　to　an　end；　for　the　time　came　when　all　such　considerations　were
disregarded；　and　there　was　no　further　question　of　honour；　when　my
patience　gave　way　and　the　secret　of　my　heart　became　known　abroad。
The　reason　was；　that　a　few　days　later　it　was　reported　in　the　town　that
Don　Fernando　had　been　married　in　a　neighbouring　city　to　a　maiden　of
rare　beauty；　the　daughter　of　parents　of　distinguished　position；　though
not　so　rich　that　her　portion　would　entitle　her　to　look　for　so
brilliant　a　match；　it　was　said；　too；　that　her　name　was　Luscinda；　and
that　at　the　betrothal　some　strange　things　had　happened。〃
　　Cardenio　heard　the　name　of　Luscinda；　but　he　only　shrugged　his
shoulders；　bit　his　lips；　bent　his　brows；　and　before　long　two　streams
of　tears　escaped　from　his　eyes。　Dorothea；　however；　did　not　interrupt
her　story；　but　went　on　in　these　words：
　　〃This　sad　intelligence　reached　my　ears；　and；　instead　of　being　struck
with　a　chill；　with　such　wrath　and　fury　did　my　heart　burn　that　I
scarcely　restrained　myself　from　rushing　out　into　the　streets；　crying
aloud　and　proclaiming　openly　the　perfidy　and　treachery　of　which　I
was　the　victim；　but　this　transport　of　rage　was　for　the　time　checked　by
a　resolution　I　formed；　to　be　carried　out　the　same　night；　and　that
was　to　assume　this　dress；　which　I　got　from　a　servant　of　my　father's；
one　of　the　zagals；　as　they　are　called　in　farmhouses；　to　whom　I
confided　the　whole　of　my　misfortune；　and　whom　I　entreated　to　accompany
me　to　the　city　where　I　heard　my　enemy　was。　He；　though　he
remonstrated　with　me　for　my　boldness；　and　condemned　my　resolution；
when　he　saw　me　bent　upon　my　purpose；　offered　to　bear　me　company；　as　he
said；　to　the　end　of　the　world。　I　at　once　packed　up　in　a　linen
pillow…case　a　woman's　dress；　and　some　jewels　and　money　to　provide
for　emergencies；　and　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　without　letting　my
treacherous　maid　know；　I　sallied　forth　from　the　house；　accompanied
by　my　servant　and　abundant　anxieties；　and　on　foot　set　out　for　the
city；　but　borne　as　it　were　on　wings　by　my　eagerness　to　reach　it；　if
not　to　prevent　what　I　presumed　to　be　already　done；　at　least　to　call
upon　Don　Fernando　to　tell　me　with　what　conscience　he　had　done　it。　I
reached　my　destination　in　two　days　and　a　half；　and　on　entering　the
city　inquired　for　the　house　of　Luscinda's　parents。　The　first　person
I　asked　gave　me　more　in　reply　than　I　sought　to　know；　he　showed　me
the　house；　and　told　me　all　that　had　occurred　at　the　betrothal　of　the
daughter　of　the　family；　an　affair　of　such　notoriety　in　the　city　that
it　was　the　talk　of　every　knot　of　idlers　in　the　street。　He　said　that　on
the　night　of　Don　Fernando's　betrothal　with　Luscinda；　as　soon　as　she
had　consented　to　be　his　bride　by　saying　'Yes；'　she　was　taken　with　a
sudden　fainting　fit；　and　that　on　the　bridegroom　approaching　to
unlace　the　bosom　of　her　dress　to　give　her　air；　he　found　a　paper　in　her
own　handwriting；　in　which　she　said　and　declared　that　she　could　not
be　Don　Fernando's　bride；　because　she　was　already　Cardenio's；　who；
according　to　the　man's　account；　was　a　gentleman　of　distinction　of
the　same　city；　and　that　if　she　had　accepted　Don　Fernando；　it　was
only　in　obedience　to　her　parents。　In　short；　he　said；　the　words　of
the　paper　made　it　clear　she　meant　to　kill　herself　on　the　completion　of
the　betrothal；　and　gave　her　reasons　for　putting　an　end　to　herself
all　which　was　confirmed；　it　was　said；　by　a　dagger　they　found　somewhere
in　her　clothes。　On　seeing　this；　Don　Fernando；　persuaded　that
Luscinda　had　befooled；　slighted；　and　trifled　with　him；　assailed　her
before　she　had　recovered　from　her　swoon；　and　tried　to　stab　her　with
the　dagger　that　had　been　found；　and　would　have　succeeded　had　not　her
parents　and　those　who　were　present　prevented　him。　It　was　said；
moreover；　that　Don　Fernando　went　away　at　once；　and　that　Luscinda　did
not　recover　from　her　prostration　until　the　next　day；　when　she　told　her
parents　how　she　was　reall