don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第69章

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been　set　free　by　that　unconquered　arm　he　would　have　stopped　his
mouth　thrice　over；　or　even　bitten　his　tongue　three　times　before　he
would　have　said　a　word　that　tended　towards　disrespect　of　your
worship。〃
　　〃That　I　swear　heartily；〃　said　the　curate；　〃and　I　would　have　even
plucked　off　a　moustache。〃
　　〃I　will　hold　my　peace；　senora；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　I　will　curb
the　natural　anger　that　had　arisen　in　my　breast；　and　will　proceed　in
peace　and　quietness　until　I　have　fulfilled　my　promise；　but　in　return
for　this　consideration　I　entreat　you　to　tell　me；　if　you　have　no
objection　to　do　so；　what　is　the　nature　of　your　trouble；　and　how
many；　who；　and　what　are　the　persons　of　whom　I　am　to　require　due
satisfaction；　and　on　whom　I　am　to　take　vengeance　on　your　behalf？〃
　　〃That　I　will　do　with　all　my　heart；〃　replied　Dorothea；　〃if　it　will
not　be　wearisome　to　you　to　hear　of　miseries　and　misfortunes。〃
　　〃It　will　not　be　wearisome；　senora；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　to　which
Dorothea　replied；　〃Well；　if　that　be　so；　give　me　your　attention。〃　As
soon　as　she　said　this；　Cardenio　and　the　barber　drew　close　to　her　side；
eager　to　hear　what　sort　of　story　the　quick…witted　Dorothea　would
invent　for　herself；　and　Sancho　did　the　same；　for　he　was　as　much
taken　in　by　her　as　his　master；　and　she　having　settled　herself
comfortably　in　the　saddle；　and　with　the　help　of　coughing　and　other
preliminaries　taken　time　to　think；　began　with　great　sprightliness　of
manner　in　this　fashion。
　　〃First　of　all；　I　would　have　you　know；　sirs；　that　my　name　is…〃　and
here　she　stopped　for　a　moment；　for　she　forgot　the　name　the　curate
had　given　her；　but　he　came　to　her　relief；　seeing　what　her　difficulty
was；　and　said；　〃It　is　no　wonder；　senora；　that　your　highness　should
be　confused　and　embarrassed　in　telling　the　tale　of　your　misfortunes；
for　such　afflictions　often　have　the　effect　of　depriving　the
sufferers　of　memory；　so　that　they　do　not　even　remember　their　own
names；　as　is　the　case　now　with　your　ladyship；　who　has　forgotten　that
she　is　called　the　Princess　Micomicona；　lawful　heiress　of　the　great
kingdom　of　Micomicon；　and　with　this　cue　your　highness　may　now　recall
to　your　sorrowful　recollection　all　you　may　wish　to　tell　us。〃
　　〃That　is　the　truth；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃but　I　think　from　this　on　I
shall　have　no　need　of　any　prompting；　and　I　shall　bring　my　true　story
safe　into　port；　and　here　it　is。　The　king　my　father；　who　was　called
Tinacrio　the　Sapient；　was　very　learned　in　what　they　call　magic　arts；
and　became　aware　by　his　craft　that　my　mother；　who　was　called　Queen
Jaramilla；　was　to　die　before　he　did；　and　that　soon　after　he　too　was　to
depart　this　life；　and　I　was　to　be　left　an　orphan　without　father　or
mother。　But　all　this；　he　declared；　did　not　so　much　grieve　or
distress　him　as　his　certain　knowledge　that　a　prodigious　giant；　the
lord　of　a　great　island　close　to　our　kingdom；　Pandafilando　of　the　Scowl
by　name　…for　it　is　averred　that；　though　his　eyes　are　properly　placed
and　straight；　he　always　looks　askew　as　if　he　squinted；　and　this　he
does　out　of　malignity；　to　strike　fear　and　terror　into　those　he　looks
at…　that　he　knew；　I　say；　that　this　giant　on　becoming　aware　of　my
orphan　condition　would　overrun　my　kingdom　with　a　mighty　force　and
strip　me　of　all；　not　leaving　me　even　a　small　village　to　shelter　me；
but　that　I　could　avoid　all　this　ruin　and　misfortune　if　I　were
willing　to　marry　him；　however；　as　far　as　he　could　see；　he　never
expected　that　I　would　consent　to　a　marriage　so　unequal；　and　he　said　no
more　than　the　truth　in　this；　for　it　has　never　entered　my　mind　to　marry
that　giant；　or　any　other；　let　him　be　ever　so　great　or　enormous。　My
father　said；　too；　that　when　he　was　dead；　and　I　saw　Pandafilando
about　to　invade　my　kingdom；　I　was　not　to　wait　and　attempt　to　defend
myself；　for　that　would　be　destructive　to　me；　but　that　I　should　leave
the　kingdom　entirely　open　to　him　if　I　wished　to　avoid　the　death　and
total　destruction　of　my　good　and　loyal　vassals；　for　there　would　be
no　possibility　of　defending　myself　against　the　giant's　devilish　power；
and　that　I　should　at　once　with　some　of　my　followers　set　out　for　Spain；
where　I　should　obtain　relief　in　my　distress　on　finding　a　certain
knight…errant　whose　fame　by　that　time　would　extend　over　the　whole
kingdom；　and　who　would　be　called；　if　I　remember　rightly；　Don　Azote
or　Don　Gigote。〃
　　〃'Don　Quixote；'　he　must　have　said；　senora；〃　observed　Sancho　at　this；
〃otherwise　called　the　Knight　of　the　Rueful　Countenance。〃
　　〃That　is　it；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃he　said；　moreover；　that　he　would　be
tall　of　stature　and　lank　featured；　and　that　on　his　right　side　under
the　left　shoulder；　or　thereabouts；　he　would　have　a　grey　mole　with
hairs　like　bristles。〃
　　On　hearing　this；　Don　Quixote　said　to　his　squire；　〃Here；　Sancho　my
son；　bear　a　hand　and　help　me　to　strip；　for　I　want　to　see　if　I　am　the
knight　that　sage　king　foretold。〃
　　〃What　does　your　worship　want　to　strip　for？〃　said　Dorothea。
　　〃To　see　if　I　have　that　mole　your　father　spoke　of；〃　answered　Don
Quixote。
　　〃There　is　no　occasion　to　strip；〃　said　Sancho；　〃for　I　know　your
worship　has　just　such　a　mole　on　the　middle　of　your　backbone；　which
is　the　mark　of　a　strong　man。〃
　　〃That　is　enough；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃for　with　friends　we　must　not
look　too　closely　into　trifles；　and　whether　it　be　on　the　shoulder　or　on
the　backbone　matters　little；　it　is　enough　if　there　is　a　mole；　be　it
where　it　may；　for　it　is　all　the　same　flesh；　no　doubt　my　good　father
hit　the　truth　in　every　particular；　and　I　have　made　a　lucky　hit　in
commending　myself　to　Don　Quixote；　for　he　is　the　one　my　father　spoke
of；　as　the　features　of　his　countenance　correspond　with　those
assigned　to　this　knight　by　that　wide　fame　he　has　acquired　not　only
in　Spain　but　in　all　La　Mancha；　for　I　had　scarcely　landed　at　Osuna　when
I　heard　such　accounts　of　his　achievements；　that　at　once　my　heart
told　me　he　was　the　very　one　I　had　come　in　search　of。〃
　　〃But　how　did　you　land　at　Osuna；　senora；〃　asked　Don　Quixote；　〃when　it
is　not　a　seaport？〃
　　But　before　Dorothea　could　reply　the　curate　anticipated　her；
saying；　〃The　princess　meant　to　say　that　after　she　had　landed　at　Malaga
the　first　place　where　she　heard　of　your　worship　was　Osuna。〃
　　〃That　is　what　I　meant　to　say；〃　said　Dorothea。
　　〃And　that　would　be　only　natural；〃　said　the　curate。　〃Will　your
majesty　please　proceed？〃
　　〃There　is　no　more　to　add；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃save　that　in　finding
Don　Quixote　I　have　had　such　good　fortune；　that　I　already　reckon　and
regard　myself　queen　and　mistress　of　my　entire　dominions；　since　of
his　courtesy　and　magnanimity　he　has　granted　me　the　boon　of
accompanying　me　whithersoever　I　may　conduct　him；　which　will　be　only　to
bring　him　face　to　face　with　Pandafilando　of　the　Scowl；　that　he　may
slay　him　and　restore　to　me　what　has　been　unjustly　usurped　by　him：
for　all　this　must　come　to　pass　satisfactorily　since　my　good　father
Tinacrio　the　Sapient　foretold　it；　who　likewise　left　it　declared　in
writing　in　Chaldee　or　Greek　characters　（for　I　cannot　read　them）；
that　if　this　predicted　knight；　after　having　cut　the　giant's　throat；
should　be　disposed　to　marry　me　I　was　to　offer　myself　at　once　without
demur　as　his　lawful　wife；　and　yield　him　possession　of　my　kingdom
together　with　my　person。〃
　　〃What　thinkest　thou　now；　friend　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote　at　this。
〃Hearest　thou　that？　Did　I　not　tell　thee　so？　See　how　we　have　already
got　a　kingdom　to　govern　and　a　queen　to　marry！〃
　　〃On　my　oath　it　is　so；〃　said　Sancho；　〃and　foul　fortune　to　him　who
won't　marry　after　slitting　Senor　Pandahilado's　windpipe！　And　then；　how
illfavoured　the　queen　is！　I　wish　the　fleas　in　my　bed　were　that　sort！〃
　　And　so　saying　he　cut　a　couple　of　capers　in　the　air　with　every　sign
of　extreme　satisfaction；　and　then　ran　to　seize　the　bridle　of
Dorothea's　mule；　and　checking　it　fell　on　his　knees　before　her；　begging
her　to　give　him　her　hand　to　kiss　in　token　of　his　acknowledgment　of　her
as　his　queen　and　mistress。　Which　of　the　bystanders　could　have　helped
laughing　to　see　the　madness　of　the　master　and　the　simplicity　of　the
servant？　Dorothea　therefore　gave　her　hand；　and　promised　to　make　him
a　great　lord　in　her　kingdom；　when　Heaven　should　be　so　good　as　to
permit　her　to　recover　and　enjoy　it；　for　which　Sancho　returned　thanks
in　words　that　set　them