don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第67章

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well…bearded　barber　following　her；　and　on　coming　up　to　him　her
squire　sprang　from　his　mule　and　came　forward　to　receive　her　in　his
arms；　and　she　dismounting　with　great　ease　of　manner　advanced　to
kneel　before　the　feet　of　Don　Quixote；　and　though　he　strove　to　raise
her　up；　she　without　rising　addressed　him　in　this　fashion：
　　〃From　this　spot　I　will　not　rise；　valiant　and　doughty　knight；　until
your　goodness　and　courtesy　grant　me　a　boon；　which　will　redound　to
the　honour　and　renown　of　your　person　and　render　a　service　to　the
most　disconsolate　and　afflicted　damsel　the　sun　has　seen；　and　if　the
might　of　your　strong　arm　corresponds　to　the　repute　of　your　immortal
fame；　you　are　bound　to　aid　the　helpless　being　who；　led　by　the　savour
of　your　renowned　name；　hath　come　from　far　distant　lands　to　seek　your
aid　in　her　misfortunes。〃
　　〃I　will　not　answer　a　word；　beauteous　lady；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；
〃nor　will　I　listen　to　anything　further　concerning　you；　until　you
rise　from　the　earth。〃
　　〃I　will　not　rise；　senor；〃　answered　the　afflicted　damsel；　〃unless
of　your　courtesy　the　boon　I　ask　is　first　granted　me。〃
　　〃I　grant　and　accord　it；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃provided　without
detriment　or　prejudice　to　my　king；　my　country；　or　her　who　holds　the
key　of　my　heart　and　freedom；　it　may　be　complied　with。〃
　　〃It　will　not　be　to　the　detriment　or　prejudice　of　any　of　them；　my
worthy　lord；〃　said　the　afflicted　damsel；　and　here　Sancho　Panza　drew
close　to　his　master's　ear　and　said　to　him　very　softly；　〃Your　worship
may　very　safely　grant　the　boon　she　asks；　it's　nothing　at　all；　only
to　kill　a　big　giant；　and　she　who　asks　it　is　the　exalted　Princess
Micomicona；　queen　of　the　great　kingdom　of　Micomicon　of　Ethiopia。〃
　　〃Let　her　be　who　she　may；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃I　will　do　what　is　my
bounden　duty；　and　what　my　conscience　bids　me；　in　conformity　with
what　I　have　professed；〃　and　turning　to　the　damsel　he　said；　〃Let　your
great　beauty　rise；　for　I　grant　the　boon　which　you　would　ask　of　me。〃
　　〃Then　what　I　ask；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃is　that　your　magnanimous　person
accompany　me　at　once　whither　I　will　conduct　you；　and　that　you
promise　not　to　engage　in　any　other　adventure　or　quest　until　you　have
avenged　me　of　a　traitor　who　against　all　human　and　divine　law；　has
usurped　my　kingdom。〃
　　〃I　repeat　that　I　grant　it；〃　replied　Don　Quixote；　〃and　so；　lady；
you　may　from　this　day　forth　lay　aside　the　melancholy　that　distresses
you；　and　let　your　failing　hopes　gather　new　life　and　strength；　for　with
the　help　of　God　and　of　my　arm　you　will　soon　see　yourself　restored　to
your　kingdom；　and　seated　upon　the　throne　of　your　ancient　and　mighty
realm；　notwithstanding　and　despite　of　the　felons　who　would　gainsay　it；
and　now　hands　to　the　work；　for　in　delay　there　is　apt　to　be　danger。〃
　　The　distressed　damsel　strove　with　much　pertinacity　to　kiss　his
hands；　but　Don　Quixote；　who　was　in　all　things　a　polished　and　courteous
knight；　would　by　no　means　allow　it；　but　made　her　rise　and　embraced　her
with　great　courtesy　and　politeness；　and　ordered　Sancho　to　look　to
Rocinante's　girths；　and　to　arm　him　without　a　moment's　delay。　Sancho
took　down　the　armour；　which　was　hung　up　on　a　tree　like　a　trophy；　and
having　seen　to　the　girths　armed　his　master　in　a　trice；　who　as　soon
as　he　found　himself　in　his　armour　exclaimed：
　　〃Let　us　be　gone　in　the　name　of　God　to　bring　aid　to　this　great　lady。〃
　　The　barber　was　all　this　time　on　his　knees　at　great　pains　to　hide　his
laughter　and　not　let　his　beard　fall；　for　had　it　fallen　maybe　their
fine　scheme　would　have　come　to　nothing；　but　now　seeing　the　boon
granted；　and　the　promptitude　with　which　Don　Quixote　prepared　to　set
out　in　compliance　with　it；　he　rose　and　took　his　lady's　hand；　and
between　them　they　placed　her　upon　the　mule。　Don　Quixote　then　mounted
Rocinante；　and　the　barber　settled　himself　on　his　beast；　Sancho　being
left　to　go　on　foot；　which　made　him　feel　anew　the　loss　of　his　Dapple；
finding　the　want　of　him　now。　But　he　bore　all　with　cheerfulness；
being　persuaded　that　his　master　had　now　fairly　started　and　was　just　on
the　point　of　becoming　an　emperor；　for　he　felt　no　doubt　at　all　that
he　would　marry　this　princess；　and　be　king　of　Micomicon　at　least。　The
only　thing　that　troubled　him　was　the　reflection　that　this　kingdom
was　in　the　land　of　the　blacks；　and　that　the　people　they　would　give　him
for　vassals　would　be　all　black；　but　for　this　he　soon　found　a　remedy　in
his　fancy；　and　said　he　to　himself；　〃What　is　it　to　me　if　my　vassals　are
blacks？　What　more　have　I　to　do　than　make　a　cargo　of　them　and　carry
them　to　Spain；　where　I　can　sell　them　and　get　ready　money　for　them；　and
with　it　buy　some　title　or　some　office　in　which　to　live　at　ease　all　the
days　of　my　life？　Not　unless　you　go　to　sleep　and　haven't　the　wit　or
skill　to　turn　things　to　account　and　sell　three；　six；　or　ten　thousand
vassals　while　you　would　he　talking　about　it！　By　God　I　will　stir　them
up；　big　and　little；　or　as　best　I　can；　and　let　them　be　ever　so　black
I'll　turn　them　into　white　or　yellow。　Come；　come；　what　a　fool　I　am！〃
And　so　he　jogged　on；　so　occupied　with　his　thoughts　and　easy　in　his
mind　that　he　forgot　all　about　the　hardship　of　travelling　on　foot。
　　Cardenio　and　the　curate　were　watching　all　this　from　among　some
bushes；　not　knowing　how　to　join　company　with　the　others；　but　the
curate；　who　was　very　fertile　in　devices；　soon　hit　upon　a　way　of
effecting　their　purpose；　and　with　a　pair　of　scissors　he　had　in　a
case　he　quickly　cut　off　Cardenio's　beard；　and　putting　on　him　a　grey
jerkin　of　his　own　he　gave　him　a　black　cloak；　leaving　himself　in　his
breeches　and　doublet；　while　Cardenio's　appearance　was　so　different
from　what　it　had　been　that　he　would　not　have　known　himself　had　he　seen
himself　in　a　mirror。　Having　effected　this；　although　the　others　had
gone　on　ahead　while　they　were　disguising　themselves；　they　easily
came　out　on　the　high　road　before　them；　for　the　brambles　and　awkward
places　they　encountered　did　not　allow　those　on　horseback　to　go　as　fast
as　those　on　foot。　They　then　posted　themselves　on　the　level　ground　at
the　outlet　of　the　Sierra；　and　as　soon　as　Don　Quixote　and　his
companions　emerged　from　it　the　curate　began　to　examine　him　very
deliberately；　as　though　he　were　striving　to　recognise　him；　and　after
having　stared　at　him　for　some　time　he　hastened　towards　him　with　open
arms　exclaiming；　〃A　happy　meeting　with　the　mirror　of　chivalry；　my
worthy　compatriot　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　the　flower　and　cream　of
high　breeding；　the　protection　and　relief　of　the　distressed；　the
quintessence　of　knights…errant！〃　And　so　saying　he　clasped　in　his
arms　the　knee　of　Don　Quixote's　left　leg。　He；　astonished　at　the
stranger's　words　and　behaviour；　looked　at　him　attentively；　and　at
length　recognised　him；　very　much　surprised　to　see　him　there；　and
made　great　efforts　to　dismount。　This；　however；　the　curate　would　not
allow；　on　which　Don　Quixote　said；　〃Permit　me；　senor　licentiate；　for　it
is　not　fitting　that　I　should　be　on　horseback　and　so　reverend　a
person　as　your　worship　on　foot。〃
　　〃On　no　account　will　I　allow　it；〃　said　the　curate；　〃your　mightiness
must　remain　on　horseback；　for　it　is　on　horseback　you　achieve　the
greatest　deeds　and　adventures　that　have　been　beheld　in　our　age；　as　for
me；　an　unworthy　priest；　it　will　serve　me　well　enough　to　mount　on　the
haunches　of　one　of　the　mules　of　these　gentlefolk　who　accompany　your
worship；　if　they　have　no　objection；　and　I　will　fancy　I　am　mounted　on
the　steed　Pegasus；　or　on　the　zebra　or　charger　that　bore　the　famous
Moor；　Muzaraque；　who　to　this　day　lies　enchanted　in　the　great　hill　of
Zulema；　a　little　distance　from　the　great　Complutum。〃
　　〃Nor　even　that　will　I　consent　to；　senor　licentiate；〃　answered　Don
Quixote；　〃and　I　know　it　will　be　the　good　pleasure　of　my　lady　the
princess；　out　of　love　for　me；　to　order　her　squire　to　give　up　the
saddle　of　his　mule　to　your　worship；　and　he　can　sit　behind　if　the　beast
will　bear　it。〃
　　〃It　will；　I　am　sure；〃　said　the　princess；　〃and　I　am　sure；　too；　that　I
need　not　order　my　squire；　for　he　is　too　courteous　and　considerate　to
allow　a　Churchman　to　go　on　foot　when　he　might　be　mounted。〃
　　〃That　he　is；〃　said　the　barber；　and　at　once　alighting；　he　offered　his
saddle　to　the　curate；　who　accepted　it　without　much　entreaty；　but
unfortunately　as　the　barbe