don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第68章

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saddle　to　the　curate；　who　accepted　it　without　much　entreaty；　but
unfortunately　as　the　barber　was　mounting　behind；　the　mule；　being　as　it
happened　a　hired　one；　which　is　the　same　thing　as　saying
ill…conditioned；　lifted　its　hind　hoofs　and　let　fly　a　couple　of　kicks
in　the　air；　which　would　have　made　Master　Nicholas　wish　his
expedition　in　quest　of　Don　Quixote　at　the　devil　had　they　caught　him　on
the　breast　or　head。　As　it　was；　they　so　took　him　by　surprise　that　he
came　to　the　ground；　giving　so　little　heed　to　his　beard　that　it　fell
off；　and　all　he　could　do　when　he　found　himself　without　it　was　to　cover
his　face　hastily　with　both　his　hands　and　moan　that　his　teeth　were
knocked　out。　Don　Quixote　when　he　saw　all　that　bundle　of　beard
detached；　without　jaws　or　blood；　from　the　face　of　the　fallen　squire；
exclaimed：
　　〃By　the　living　God；　but　this　is　a　great　miracle！　it　has　knocked
off　and　plucked　away　the　beard　from　his　face　as　if　it　had　been
shaved　off　designedly。〃
　　The　curate；　seeing　the　danger　of　discovery　that　threatened　his
scheme；　at　once　pounced　upon　the　beard　and　hastened　with　it　to　where
Master　Nicholas　lay；　still　uttering　moans；　and　drawing　his　head　to　his
breast　had　it　on　in　an　instant；　muttering　over　him　some　words　which　he
said　were　a　certain　special　charm　for　sticking　on　beards；　as　they
would　see；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　it　fixed　he　left　him；　and　the
squire　appeared　well　bearded　and　whole　as　before；　whereat　Don
Quixote　was　beyond　measure　astonished；　and　begged　the　curate　to
teach　him　that　charm　when　he　had　an　opportunity；　as　he　was　persuaded
its　virtue　must　extend　beyond　the　sticking　on　of　beards；　for　it　was
clear　that　where　the　beard　had　been　stripped　off　the　flesh　must　have
remained　torn　and　lacerated；　and　when　it　could　heal　all　that　it　must
be　good　for　more　than　beards。
　　〃And　so　it　is；〃　said　the　curate；　and　he　promised　to　teach　it　to
him　on　the　first　opportunity。　They　then　agreed　that　for　the　present
the　curate　should　mount；　and　that　the　three　should　ride　by　turns　until
they　reached　the　inn；　which　might　be　about　six　leagues　from　where　they
were。
　　Three　then　being　mounted；　that　is　to　say；　Don　Quixote；　the　princess；
and　the　curate；　and　three　on　foot；　Cardenio；　the　barber；　and　Sancho
Panza；　Don　Quixote　said　to　the　damsel：
　　〃Let　your　highness；　lady；　lead　on　whithersoever　is　most　pleasing
to　you；〃　but　before　she　could　answer　the　licentiate　said：
　　〃Towards　what　kingdom　would　your　ladyship　direct　our　course？　Is　it
perchance　towards　that　of　Micomicon？　It　must　be；　or　else　I　know　little
about　kingdoms。〃
　　She；　being　ready　on　all　points；　understood　that　she　was　to　answer
〃Yes；〃　so　she　said　〃Yes；　senor；　my　way　lies　towards　that　kingdom。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　curate；　〃we　must　pass　right　through　my
village；　and　there　your　worship　will　take　the　road　to　Cartagena；　where
you　will　be　able　to　embark；　fortune　favouring；　and　if　the　wind　be　fair
and　the　sea　smooth　and　tranquil；　in　somewhat　less　than　nine　years
you　may　come　in　sight　of　the　great　lake　Meona；　I　mean　Meotides；
which　is　little　more　than　a　hundred　days'　journey　this　side　of　your
highness's　kingdom。〃
　　〃Your　worship　is　mistaken；　senor；〃　said　she；　〃for　it　is　not　two
years　since　I　set　out　from　it；　and　though　I　never　had　good　weather；
nevertheless　I　am　here　to　behold　what　I　so　longed　for；　and　that　is
my　lord　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　fame　came　to　my　ears　as　soon
as　I　set　foot　in　Spain　and　impelled　me　to　go　in　search　of　him；　to
commend　myself　to　his　courtesy；　and　entrust　the　justice　of　my　cause　to
the　might　of　his　invincible　arm。〃
　　〃Enough；　no　more　praise；〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃for　I　hate
all　flattery；　and　though　this　may　not　be　so；　still　language　of　the
kind　is　offensive　to　my　chaste　ears。　I　will　only　say；　senora；　that
whether　it　has　might　or　not；　that　which　it　may　or　may　not　have　shall
be　devoted　to　your　service　even　to　death；　and　now；　leaving　this　to　its
proper　season；　I　would　ask　the　senor　licentiate　to　tell　me　what　it
is　that　has　brought　him　into　these　parts；　alone；　unattended；　and　so
lightly　clad　that　I　am　filled　with　amazement。〃
　　〃I　will　answer　that　briefly；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃you　must　know
then；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　that　Master　Nicholas；　our　friend　and
barber；　and　I　were　going　to　Seville　to　receive　some　money　that　a
relative　of　mine　who　went　to　the　Indies　many　years　ago　had　sent　me；
and　not　such　a　small　sum　but　that　it　was　over　sixty　thousand　pieces　of
eight；　full　weight；　which　is　something；　and　passing　by　this　place
yesterday　we　were　attacked　by　four　footpads；　who　stripped　us　even　to
our　beards；　and　them　they　stripped　off　so　that　the　barber　found　it
necessary　to　put　on　a　false　one；　and　even　this　young　man　here〃…
pointing　to　Cardenio…　〃they　completely　transformed。　But　the　best　of　it
is；　the　story　goes　in　the　neighbourhood　that　those　who　attacked　us
belong　to　a　number　of　galley　slaves　who；　they　say；　were　set　free
almost　on　the　very　same　spot　by　a　man　of　such　valour　that；　in　spite　of
the　commissary　and　of　the　guards；　he　released　the　whole　of　them；　and
beyond　all　doubt　he　must　have　been　out　of　his　senses；　or　he　must　be　as
great　a　scoundrel　as　they；　or　some　man　without　heart　or　conscience
to　let　the　wolf　loose　among　the　sheep；　the　fox　among　the　hens；　the　fly
among　the　honey。　He　has　defrauded　justice；　and　opposed　his　king　and
lawful　master；　for　he　opposed　his　just　commands；　he　has；　I　say；　robbed
the　galleys　of　their　feet；　stirred　up　the　Holy　Brotherhood　which　for
many　years　past　has　been　quiet；　and；　lastly；　has　done　a　deed　by
which　his　soul　may　be　lost　without　any　gain　to　his　body。〃　Sancho　had
told　the　curate　and　the　barber　of　the　adventure　of　the　galley
slaves；　which；　so　much　to　his　glory；　his　master　had　achieved；　and
hence　the　curate　in　alluding　to　it　made　the　most　of　it　to　see　what
would　be　said　or　done　by　Don　Quixote；　who　changed　colour　at　every
word；　not　daring　to　say　that　it　was　he　who　had　been　the　liberator　of
those　worthy　people。　〃These；　then；〃　said　the　curate；　〃were　they　who
robbed　us；　and　God　in　his　mercy　pardon　him　who　would　not　let　them　go
to　the　punishment　they　deserved。〃

　　CHAPTER　XXX
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　ADDRESS　DISPLAYED　BY　THE　FAIR　DOROTHEA；　WITH　OTHER
MATTERS　PLEASANT　AND　AMUSING

　　THE　curate　had　hardly　ceased　speaking；　when　Sancho　said；　〃In
faith；　then；　senor　licentiate；　he　who　did　that　deed　was　my　master；　and
it　was　not　for　want　of　my　telling　him　beforehand　and　warning　him　to
mind　what　he　was　about；　and　that　it　was　a　sin　to　set　them　at
liberty；　as　they　were　all　on　the　march　there　because　they　were　special
scoundrels。〃
　　〃Blockhead！〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this；　〃it　is　no　business　or　concern
of　knights…errant　to　inquire　whether　any　persons　in　affliction；　in
chains；　or　oppressed　that　they　may　meet　on　the　high　roads　go　that
way　and　suffer　as　they　do　because　of　their　faults　or　because　of
their　misfortunes。　It　only　concerns　them　to　aid　them　as　persons　in
need　of　help；　having　regard　to　their　sufferings　and　not　to　their
rascalities。　I　encountered　a　chaplet　or　string　of　miserable　and
unfortunate　people；　and　did　for　them　what　my　sense　of　duty　demands
of　me；　and　as　for　the　rest　be　that　as　it　may；　and　whoever　takes
objection　to　it；　saving　the　sacred　dignity　of　the　senor　licentiate　and
his　honoured　person；　I　say　he　knows　little　about　chivalry　and　lies
like　a　whoreson　villain；　and　this　I　will　give　him　to　know　to　the
fullest　extent　with　my　sword；〃　and　so　saying　he　settled　himself　in　his
stirrups　and　pressed　down　his　morion；　for　the　barber's　basin；　which
according　to　him　was　Mambrino's　helmet；　he　carried　hanging　at　the
saddle…bow　until　he　could　repair　the　damage　done　to　it　by　the　galley
slaves。
　　Dorothea；　who　was　shrewd　and　sprightly；　and　by　this　time
thoroughly　understood　Don　Quixote's　crazy　turn；　and　that　all　except
Sancho　Panza　were　making　game　of　him；　not　to　be　behind　the　rest　said
to　him；　on　observing　his　irritation；　〃Sir　Knight；　remember　the　boon
you　have　promised　me；　and　that　in　accordance　with　it　you　must　not
engage　in　any　other　adventure；　be　it　ever　so　pressing；　calm
yourself；　for　if　the　licentiate　had　known　that　the　galley　slaves　had
been　set　free　by　that　unconquered　arm　he　would　have　stopped　his
mouth　thrice　over；　or　even　bitten　his　ton