don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第70章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


permit　her　to　recover　and　enjoy　it；　for　which　Sancho　returned　thanks
in　words　that　set　them　all　laughing　again。
　　〃This；　sirs；〃　continued　Dorothea；　〃is　my　story；　it　only　remains　to
tell　you　that　of　all　the　attendants　I　took　with　me　from　my　kingdom　I
have　none　left　except　this　well…bearded　squire；　for　all　were　drowned
in　a　great　tempest　we　encountered　when　in　sight　of　port；　and　he　and
I　came　to　land　on　a　couple　of　planks　as　if　by　a　miracle；　and　indeed
the　whole　course　of　my　life　is　a　miracle　and　a　mystery　as　you　may　have
observed；　and　if　I　have　been　over　minute　in　any　respect　or　not　as
precise　as　I　ought；　let　it　be　accounted　for　by　what　the　licentiate
said　at　the　beginning　of　my　tale；　that　constant　and　excessive　troubles
deprive　the　sufferers　of　their　memory。〃
　　〃They　shall　not　deprive　me　of　mine；　exalted　and　worthy　princess；〃
said　Don　Quixote；　〃however　great　and　unexampled　those　which　I　shall
endure　in　your　service　may　be；　and　here　I　confirm　anew　the　boon　I　have
promised　you；　and　I　swear　to　go　with　you　to　the　end　of　the　world　until
I　find　myself　in　the　presence　of　your　fierce　enemy；　whose　haughty　head
I　trust　by　the　aid　of　my　arm　to　cut　off　with　the　edge　of　this…　I
will　not　say　good　sword；　thanks　to　Gines　de　Pasamonte　who　carried　away
mine〃…　（this　he　said　between　his　teeth；　and　then　continued）；　〃and　when
it　has　been　cut　off　and　you　have　been　put　in　peaceful　possession　of
your　realm　it　shall　be　left　to　your　own　decision　to　dispose　of　your
person　as　may　be　most　pleasing　to　you；　for　so　long　as　my　memory　is
occupied；　my　will　enslaved；　and　my　understanding　enthralled　by　her…
I　say　no　more…　it　is　impossible　for　me　for　a　moment　to　contemplate
marriage；　even　with　a　Phoenix。〃
　　The　last　words　of　his　master　about　not　wanting　to　marry　were　so
disagreeable　to　Sancho　that　raising　his　voice　he　exclaimed　with
great　irritation：
　　〃By　my　oath；　Senor　Don　Quixote；　you　are　not　in　your　right　senses；
for　how　can　your　worship　possibly　object　to　marrying　such　an　exalted
princess　as　this？　Do　you　think　Fortune　will　offer　you　behind　every
stone　such　a　piece　of　luck　as　is　offered　you　now？　Is　my　lady
Dulcinea　fairer；　perchance？　Not　she；　nor　half　as　fair；　and　I　will　even
go　so　far　as　to　say　she　does　not　come　up　to　the　shoe　of　this　one　here。
A　poor　chance　I　have　of　getting　that　county　I　am　waiting　for　if　your
worship　goes　looking　for　dainties　in　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　In　the
devil's　name；　marry；　marry；　and　take　this　kingdom　that　comes　to　hand
without　any　trouble；　and　when　you　are　king　make　me　a　marquis　or
governor　of　a　province；　and　for　the　rest　let　the　devil　take　it　all。〃
　　Don　Quixote；　when　he　heard　such　blasphemies　uttered　against　his　lady
Dulcinea；　could　not　endure　it；　and　lifting　his　pike；　without　saying
anything　to　Sancho　or　uttering　a　word；　he　gave　him　two　such　thwacks
that　he　brought　him　to　the　ground；　and　had　it　not　been　that　Dorothea
cried　out　to　him　to　spare　him　he　would　have　no　doubt　taken　his　life　on
the　spot。
　　〃Do　you　think；〃　he　said　to　him　after　a　pause；　〃you　scurvy　clown；
that　you　are　to　be　always　interfering　with　me；　and　that　you　are　to
be　always　offending　and　I　always　pardoning？　Don't　fancy　it；　impious
scoundrel；　for　that　beyond　a　doubt　thou　art；　since　thou　hast　set　thy
tongue　going　against　the　peerless　Dulcinea。　Know　you　not；　lout；
vagabond；　beggar；　that　were　it　not　for　the　might　that　she　infuses　into
my　arm　I　should　not　have　strength　enough　to　kill　a　flea？　Say；
scoffer　with　a　viper's　tongue；　what　think　you　has　won　this　kingdom　and
cut　off　this　giant's　head　and　made　you　a　marquis　（for　all　this　I　count
as　already　accomplished　and　decided）；　but　the　might　of　Dulcinea；
employing　my　arm　as　the　instrument　of　her　achievements？　She　fights
in　me　and　conquers　in　me；　and　I　live　and　breathe　in　her；　and　owe　my
life　and　being　to　her。　O　whoreson　scoundrel；　how　ungrateful　you　are；
you　see　yourself　raised　from　the　dust　of　the　earth　to　be　a　titled
lord；　and　the　return　you　make　for　so　great　a　benefit　is　to　speak
evil　of　her　who　has　conferred　it　upon　you！〃
　　Sancho　was　not　so　stunned　but　that　he　heard　all　his　master　said；　and
rising　with　some　degree　of　nimbleness　he　ran　to　place　himself　behind
Dorothea's　palfrey；　and　from　that　position　he　said　to　his　master：
　　〃Tell　me；　senor；　if　your　worship　is　resolved　not　to　marry　this　great
princess；　it　is　plain　the　kingdom　will　not　be　yours；　and　not　being　so；
how　can　you　bestow　favours　upon　me？　That　is　what　I　complain　of。　Let
your　worship　at　any　rate　marry　this　queen；　now　that　we　have　got　her
here　as　if　showered　down　from　heaven；　and　afterwards　you　may　go　back
to　my　lady　Dulcinea；　for　there　must　have　been　kings　in　the　world　who
kept　mistresses。　As　to　beauty；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　and　if
the　truth　is　to　be　told；　I　like　them　both；　though　I　have　never　seen
the　lady　Dulcinea。〃
　　〃How！　never　seen　her；　blasphemous　traitor！〃　exclaimed　Don　Quixote；
〃hast　thou　not　just　now　brought　me　a　message　from　her？〃
　　〃I　mean；〃　said　Sancho；　〃that　I　did　not　see　her　so　much　at　my　leisure
that　I　could　take　particular　notice　of　her　beauty；　or　of　her　charms
piecemeal；　but　taken　in　the　lump　I　like　her。〃
　　〃Now　I　forgive　thee；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　do　thou　forgive　me
the　injury　I　have　done　thee；　for　our　first　impulses　are　not　in　our
control。〃
　　〃That　I　see；〃　replied　Sancho；　〃and　with　me　the　wish　to　speak　is
always　the　first　impulse；　and　I　cannot　help　saying；　once　at　any
rate；　what　I　have　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue。〃
　　〃For　all　that；　Sancho；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃take　heed　of　what　thou
sayest；　for　the　pitcher　goes　so　often　to　the　well…　I　need　say　no
more　to　thee。〃
　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　Sancho；　〃God　is　in　heaven；　and　sees　all　tricks；
and　will　judge　who　does　most　harm；　I　in　not　speaking　right；　or　your
worship　in　not　doing　it。〃
　　〃That　is　enough；〃　said　Dorothea；　〃run；　Sancho；　and　kiss　your
lord's　hand　and　beg　his　pardon；　and　henceforward　be　more　circumspect
with　your　praise　and　abuse；　and　say　nothing　in　disparagement　of　that
lady　Toboso；　of　whom　I　know　nothing　save　that　I　am　her　servant；　and
put　your　trust　in　God；　for　you　will　not　fail　to　obtain　some　dignity　so
as　to　live　like　a　prince。〃
　　Sancho　advanced　hanging　his　head　and　begged　his　master's　hand；　which
Don　Quixote　with　dignity　presented　to　him；　giving　him　his　blessing
as　soon　as　he　had　kissed　it；　he　then　bade　him　go　on　ahead　a　little；　as
he　had　questions　to　ask　him　and　matters　of　great　importance　to　discuss
with　him。　Sancho　obeyed；　and　when　the　two　had　gone　some　distance　in
advance　Don　Quixote　said　to　him；　〃Since　thy　return　I　have　had　no
opportunity　or　time　to　ask　thee　many　particulars　touching　thy
mission　and　the　answer　thou　hast　brought　back；　and　now　that　chance　has
granted　us　the　time　and　opportunity；　deny　me　not　the　happiness　thou
canst　give　me　by　such　good　news。〃
　　〃Let　your　worship　ask　what　you　will；〃　answered　Sancho；　〃for　I
shall　find　a　way　out　of　all　as　as　I　found　a　way　in；　but　I　implore　you；
senor；　not　not　to　be　so　revengeful　in　future。〃
　　〃Why　dost　thou　say　that；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃I　say　it；〃　he　returned；　〃because　those　blows　just　now　were　more
because　of　the　quarrel　the　devil　stirred　up　between　us　both　the
other　night；　than　for　what　I　said　against　my　lady　Dulcinea；　whom　I
love　and　reverence　as　I　would　a　relic…　though　there　is　nothing　of　that
about　her…　merely　as　something　belonging　to　your　worship。〃
　　〃Say　no　more　on　that　subject　for　thy　life；　Sancho；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　〃for　it　is　displeasing　to　me；　I　have　already　pardoned　thee
for　that；　and　thou　knowest　the　common　saying；　'for　a　fresh　sin　a　fresh
penance。'〃
　　While　this　was　going　on　they　saw　coming　along　the　road　they　were
following　a　man　mounted　on　an　ass；　who　when　he　came　close　seemed　to　be
a　gipsy；　but　Sancho　Panza；　whose　eyes　and　heart　were　there　wherever　he
saw　asses；　no　sooner　beheld　the　man　than　he　knew　him　to　be　Gines　de
Pasamonte；　and　by　the　thread　of　the　gipsy　he　got　at　the　ball；　his　ass；
for　it　was；　in　fact；　Dapple　that　carried　Pasamonte；　who　to　escape
recognition　and　to　sell　the　ass　had　disguised　himself　as　a　gipsy；
being　able　to　speak　the　gipsy　language；　and　many　more；　as　well　as　if
they　were　his　own。　Sancho　saw　him　and　recognised　him；　and　the
instant　he　did　so　he　shouted　to　him；　〃Ginesi