don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第73章

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high　honour　to　a　lady　to　have　many　knights…errant　in　her　service；
whose　thoughts　never　go　beyond　serving　her　for　her　own　sake；　and　who
look　for　no　other　reward　for　their　great　and　true　devotion　than　that
she　should　be　willing　to　accept　them　as　her　knights。〃
　　〃It　is　with　that　kind　of　love；〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　have　heard　preachers
say　we　ought　to　love　our　Lord；　for　himself　alone；　without　being
moved　by　the　hope　of　glory　or　the　fear　of　punishment；　though　for　my
part；　I　would　rather　love　and　serve　him　for　what　he　could　do。〃
　　〃The　devil　take　thee　for　a　clown！〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　what
shrewd　things　thou　sayest　at　times！　One　would　think　thou　hadst
studied。〃
　　〃In　faith；　then；　I　cannot　even　read。〃
　　Master　Nicholas　here　called　out　to　them　to　wait　a　while；　as　they
wanted　to　halt　and　drink　at　a　little　spring　there　was　there。　Don
Quixote　drew　up；　not　a　little　to　the　satisfaction　of　Sancho；　for　he
was　by　this　time　weary　of　telling　so　many　lies；　and　in　dread　of　his
master　catching　him　tripping；　for　though　he　knew　that　Dulcinea　was　a
peasant　girl　of　El　Toboso；　he　had　never　seen　her　in　all　his　life。
Cardenio　had　now　put　on　the　clothes　which　Dorothea　was　wearing　when
they　found　her；　and　though　they　were　not　very　good；　they　were　far
better　than　those　he　put　off。　They　dismounted　together　by　the　side
of　the　spring；　and　with　what　the　curate　had　provided　himself　with　at
the　inn　they　appeased；　though　not　very　well；　the　keen　appetite　they
all　of　them　brought　with　them。
　　While　they　were　so　employed　there　happened　to　come　by　a　youth
passing　on　his　way；　who　stopping　to　examine　the　party　at　the　spring；
the　next　moment　ran　to　Don　Quixote　and　clasping　him　round　the　legs；
began　to　weep　freely；　saying；　〃O；　senor；　do　you　not　know　me？　Look　at
me　well；　I　am　that　lad　Andres　that　your　worship　released　from　the
oak…tree　where　I　was　tied。〃
　　Don　Quixote　recognised　him；　and　taking　his　hand　he　turned　to　those
present　and　said：　〃That　your　worships　may　see　how　important　it　is　to
have　knights…errant　to　redress　the　wrongs　and　injuries　done　by
tyrannical　and　wicked　men　in　this　world；　I　may　tell　you　that　some　days
ago　passing　through　a　wood；　I　heard　cries　and　piteous　complaints　as　of
a　person　in　pain　and　distress；　I　immediately　hastened；　impelled　by
my　bounden　duty；　to　the　quarter　whence　the　plaintive　accents　seemed　to
me　to　proceed；　and　I　found　tied　to　an　oak　this　lad　who　now　stands
before　you；　which　in　my　heart　I　rejoice　at；　for　his　testimony　will　not
permit　me　to　depart　from　the　truth　in　any　particular。　He　was；　I　say；
tied　to　an　oak；　naked　from　the　waist　up；　and　a　clown；　whom　I
afterwards　found　to　be　his　master；　was　scarifying　him　by　lashes　with
the　reins　of　his　mare。　As　soon　as　I　saw　him　I　asked　the　reason　of　so
cruel　a　flagellation。　The　boor　replied　that　he　was　flogging　him
because　he　was　his　servant　and　because　of　carelessness　that
proceeded　rather　from　dishonesty　than　stupidity；　on　which　this　boy
said；　'Senor；　he　flogs　me　only　because　I　ask　for　my　wages。'　The　master
made　I　know　not　what　speeches　and　explanations；　which；　though　I
listened　to　them；　I　did　not　accept。　In　short；　I　compelled　the　clown　to
unbind　him；　and　to　swear　he　would　take　him　with　him；　and　pay　him
real　by　real；　and　perfumed　into　the　bargain。　Is　not　all　this　true；
Andres　my　son？　Didst　thou　not　mark　with　what　authority　I　commanded
him；　and　with　what　humility　he　promised　to　do　all　I　enjoined；
specified；　and　required　of　him？　Answer　without　hesitation；　tell
these　gentlemen　what　took　place；　that　they　may　see　that　it　is　as　great
an　advantage　as　I　say　to　have　knights…errant　abroad。〃
　　〃All　that　your　worship　has　said　is　quite　true；〃　answered　the　lad；
〃but　the　end　of　the　business　turned　out　just　the　opposite　of　what　your
worship　supposes。〃
　　〃How！　the　opposite？〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃did　not　the　clown　pay　thee
then？〃
　　〃Not　only　did　he　not　pay　me；〃　replied　the　lad；　〃but　as　soon　as
your　worship　had　passed　out　of　the　wood　and　we　were　alone；　he　tied
me　up　again　to　the　same　oak　and　gave　me　a　fresh　flogging；　that　left　me
like　a　flayed　Saint　Bartholomew；　and　every　stroke　he　gave　me　he
followed　up　with　some　jest　or　gibe　about　having　made　a　fool　of　your
worship；　and　but　for　the　pain　I　was　suffering　I　should　have　laughed　at
the　things　he　said。　In　short　he　left　me　in　such　a　condition　that　I
have　been　until　now　in　a　hospital　getting　cured　of　the　injuries
which　that　rascally　clown　inflicted　on　me　then；　for　all　which　your
worship　is　to　blame；　for　if　you　had　gone　your　own　way　and　not　come
where　there　was　no　call　for　you；　nor　meddled　in　other　people's
affairs；　my　master　would　have　been　content　with　giving　me　one　or　two
dozen　lashes；　and　would　have　then　loosed　me　and　paid　me　what　he　owed
me；　but　when　your　worship　abused　him　so　out　of　measure；　and　gave　him
so　many　hard　words；　his　anger　was　kindled；　and　as　he　could　not　revenge
himself　on　you；　as　soon　as　he　saw　you　had　left　him　the　storm　burst
upon　me　in　such　a　way；　that　I　feel　as　if　I　should　never　be　a　man
again。〃
　　〃The　mischief；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃lay　in　my　going　away；　for　I
should　not　have　gone　until　I　had　seen　thee　paid；　because　I　ought　to
have　known　well　by　long　experience　that　there　is　no　clown　who　will
keep　his　word　if　he　finds　it　will　not　suit　him　to　keep　it；　but　thou
rememberest；　Andres；　that　I　swore　if　he　did　not　pay　thee　I　would　go
and　seek　him；　and　find　him　though　he　were　to　hide　himself　in　the
whale's　belly。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Andres；　〃but　it　was　of　no　use。〃
　　〃Thou　shalt　see　now　whether　it　is　of　use　or　not；〃　said　Don
Quixote；　and　so　saying；　he　got　up　hastily　and　bade　Sancho　bridle
Rocinante；　who　was　browsing　while　they　were　eating。　Dorothea　asked　him
what　he　meant　to　do。　He　replied　that　he　meant　to　go　in　search　of
this　clown　and　chastise　him　for　such　iniquitous　conduct；　and　see
Andres　paid　to　the　last　maravedi；　despite　and　in　the　teeth　of　all
the　clowns　in　the　world。　To　which　she　replied　that　he　must　remember
that　in　accordance　with　his　promise　he　could　not　engage　in　any
enterprise　until　he　had　concluded　hers；　and　that　as　he　knew　this
better　than　anyone；　he　should　restrain　his　ardour　until　his　return
from　her　kingdom。
　　〃That　is　true；〃　said　Don　Quixote；　〃and　Andres　must　have　patience
until　my　return　as　you　say；　senora；　but　I　once　more　swear　and
promise　not　to　stop　until　I　have　seen　him　avenged　and　paid。〃
　　〃I　have　no　faith　in　those　oaths；〃　said　Andres；　〃I　would　rather
have　now　something　to　help　me　to　get　to　Seville　than　all　the
revenges　in　the　world；　if　you　have　here　anything　to　eat　that　I　can
take　with　me；　give　it　me；　and　God　be　with　your　worship　and　all
knights…errant；　and　may　their　errands　turn　out　as　well　for
themselves　as　they　have　for　me。〃
　　Sancho　took　out　from　his　store　a　piece　of　bread　and　another　of
cheese；　and　giving　them　to　the　lad　he　said；　〃Here；　take　this；
brother　Andres；　for　we　have　all　of　us　a　share　in　your　misfortune。〃
　　〃Why；　what　share　have　you　got？〃
　　〃This　share　of　bread　and　cheese　I　am　giving　you；〃　answered　Sancho；
〃and　God　knows　whether　I　shall　feel　the　want　of　it　myself　or　not；
for　I　would　have　you　know；　friend；　that　we　squires　to　knights…errant
have　to　bear　a　great　deal　of　hunger　and　hard　fortune；　and　even　other
things　more　easily　felt　than　told。〃
　　Andres　seized　his　bread　and　cheese；　and　seeing　that　nobody　gave
him　anything　more；　bent　his　head；　and　took　hold　of　the　road；　as　the
saying　is。　However；　before　leaving　he　said；　〃For　the　love　of　God；
sir　knight…errant；　if　you　ever　meet　me　again；　though　you　may　see
them　cutting　me　to　pieces；　give　me　no　aid　or　succour；　but　leave　me
to　my　misfortune；　which　will　not　be　so　great　but　that　a　greater　will
come　to　me　by　being　helped　by　your　worship；　on　whom　and　all　the
knights…errant　that　have　ever　been　born　God　send　his　curse。〃
　　Don　Quixote　was　getting　up　to　chastise　him；　but　he　took　to　his　heels
at　such　a　pace　that　no　one　attempted　to　follow　him；　and　mightily
chapfallen　was　Don　Quixote　at　Andres'　story；　and　the　others　had　to
take　great　care　to　restrain　their　laughter　so　as　not　to　put　him
entirely　out　of　countenance。

　　CHAPTER　XXXII
　　WHICH　TREATS　OF　WHAT　BEFELL　DON　QUIXOTE'S　PARTY　AT　THE　INN

　　THEIR　dainty　repast　being　finished；　they　saddled　at　once；　and
without　any　adv