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第66章

don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第66章

小说: don quixote(堂·吉珂德) 字数: 每页4000字

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visionary hope or wild fancy; I entreat you; senora; to form new
resolutions in your better mind; as I mean to do in mine; preparing
yourself to look forward to happier fortunes; for I swear to you by
the faith of a gentleman and a Christian not to desert you until I see
you in possession of Don Fernando; and if I cannot by words induce him
to recognise his obligation to you; in that case to avail myself of
the right which my rank as a gentleman gives me; and with just cause
challenge him on account of the injury he has done you; not
regarding my own wrongs; which I shall leave to Heaven to avenge;
while I on earth devote myself to yours。〃
  Cardenio's words completed the astonishment of Dorothea; and not
knowing how to return thanks for such an offer; she attempted to
kiss his feet; but Cardenio would not permit it; and the licentiate
replied for both; commended the sound reasoning of Cardenio; and
lastly; begged; advised; and urged them to come with him to his
village; where they might furnish themselves with what they needed;
and take measures to discover Don Fernando; or restore Dorothea to her
parents; or do what seemed to them most advisable。 Cardenio and
Dorothea thanked him; and accepted the kind offer he made them; and
the barber; who had been listening to all attentively and in
silence; on his part some kindly words also; and with no less
good…will than the curate offered his services in any way that might
be of use to them。 He also explained to them in a few words the object
that had brought them there; and the strange nature of Don Quixote's
madness; and how they were waiting for his squire; who had gone in
search of him。 Like the recollection of a dream; the quarrel he had
had with Don Quixote came back to Cardenio's memory; and he
described it to the others; but he was unable to say what the
dispute was about。
  At this moment they heard a shout; and recognised it as coming
from Sancho Panza; who; not finding them where he had left them; was
calling aloud to them。 They went to meet him; and in answer to their
inquiries about Don Quixote; be told them how he had found him
stripped to his shirt; lank; yellow; half dead with hunger; and
sighing for his lady Dulcinea; and although he had told him that she
commanded him to quit that place and come to El Toboso; where she
was expecting him; he had answered that he was determined not to
appear in the presence of her beauty until he had done deeds to make
him worthy of her favour; and if this went on; Sancho said; he ran the
risk of not becoming an emperor as in duty bound; or even an
archbishop; which was the least he could be; for which reason they
ought to consider what was to be done to get him away from there。
The licentiate in reply told him not to be uneasy; for they would
fetch him away in spite of himself。 He then told Cardenio and Dorothea
what they had proposed to do to cure Don Quixote; or at any rate
take him home; upon which Dorothea said that she could play the
distressed damsel better than the barber; especially as she had
there the dress in which to do it to the life; and that they might
trust to her acting the part in every particular requisite for
carrying out their scheme; for she had read a great many books of
chivalry; and knew exactly the style in which afflicted damsels begged
boons of knights…errant。
  〃In that case;〃 said the curate; 〃there is nothing more required
than to set about it at once; for beyond a doubt fortune is
declaring itself in our favour; since it has so unexpectedly begun
to open a door for your relief; and smoothed the way for us to our
object。〃
  Dorothea then took out of her pillow…case a complete petticoat of
some rich stuff; and a green mantle of some other fine material; and a
necklace and other ornaments out of a little box; and with these in an
instant she so arrayed herself that she looked like a great and rich
lady。 All this; and more; she said; she had taken from home in case of
need; but that until then she had had no occasion to make use of it。
They were all highly delighted with her grace; air; and beauty; and
declared Don Fernando to be a man of very little taste when he
rejected such charms。 But the one who admired her most was Sancho
Panza; for it seemed to him (what indeed was true) that in all the
days of his life he had never seen such a lovely creature; and he
asked the curate with great eagerness who this beautiful lady was; and
what she wanted in these out…of…the…way quarters。
  〃This fair lady; brother Sancho;〃 replied the curate; 〃is no less
a personage than the heiress in the direct male line of the great
kingdom of Micomicon; who has come in search of your master to beg a
boon of him; which is that he redress a wrong or injury that a
wicked giant has done her; and from the fame as a good knight which
your master has acquired far and wide; this princess has come from
Guinea to seek him。〃
  〃A lucky seeking and a lucky finding!〃 said Sancho Panza at this;
〃especially if my master has the good fortune to redress that
injury; and right that wrong; and kill that son of a bitch of a
giant your worship speaks of; as kill him he will if he meets him;
unless; indeed; he happens to be a phantom; for my master has no power
at all against phantoms。 But one thing among others I would beg of
you; senor licentiate; which is; that; to prevent my master taking a
fancy to be an archbishop; for that is what I'm afraid of; your
worship would recommend him to marry this princess at once; for in
this way he will be disabled from taking archbishop's orders; and will
easily come into his empire; and I to the end of my desires; I have
been thinking over the matter carefully; and by what I can make out
I find it will not do for me that my master should become an
archbishop; because I am no good for the Church; as I am married;
and for me now; having as I have a wife and children; to set about
obtaining dispensations to enable me to hold a place of profit under
the Church; would be endless work; so that; senor; it all turns on
my master marrying this lady at once… for as yet I do not know her
grace; and so I cannot call her by her name。〃
  〃She is called the Princess Micomicona;〃 said the curate; 〃for as
her kingdom is Micomicon; it is clear that must be her name。〃
  〃There's no doubt of that;〃 replied Sancho; 〃for I have known many
to take their name and title from the place where they were born and
call themselves Pedro of Alcala; Juan of Ubeda; and Diego of
Valladolid; and it may be that over there in Guinea queens have the
same way of taking the names of their kingdoms。〃
  〃So it may;〃 said the curate; 〃and as for your master's marrying;
I will do all in my power towards it:〃 with which Sancho was as much
pleased as the curate was amazed at his simplicity and at seeing
what a hold the absurdities of his master had taken of his fancy;
for he had evidently persuaded himself that he was going to be an
emperor。
  By this time Dorothea had seated herself upon the curate's mule; and
the barber had fitted the ox…tail beard to his face; and they now told
Sancho to conduct them to where Don Quixote was; warning him not to
say that he knew either the licentiate or the barber; as his
master's becoming an emperor entirely depended on his not
recognising them; neither the curate nor Cardenio; however; thought
fit to go with them; Cardenio lest he should remind Don Quixote of the
quarrel he had with him; and the curate as there was no necessity
for his presence just yet; so they allowed the others to go on
before them; while they themselves followed slowly on foot。 The curate
did not forget to instruct Dorothea how to act; but she said they
might make their minds easy; as everything would be done exactly as
the books of chivalry required and described。
  They had gone about three…quarters of a league when they
discovered Don Quixote in a wilderness of rocks; by this time clothed;
but without his armour; and as soon as Dorothea saw him and was told
by Sancho that that was Don Quixote; she whipped her palfrey; the
well…bearded barber following her; and on coming up to him her
squire sprang from his mule and came forward to

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